--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a screenwriter, I was doing it…" description: "\"When I was a screenwriter, I was doing it for mercenary reasons.\" — James Frey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/james-frey-1108_mercenary_when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it_2649311.png" --- # When I was a screenwriter, I was doing it for mercenary… ![“When I was a screenwriter, I was doing it for mercenary reasons.” quote by James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/james-frey-1108_mercenary_when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it_2649311.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/james-frey-1108_mercenary_when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it_2649311.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/james-frey-1108_mercenary_when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it_2649311.png) > “When I was a screenwriter, I was doing it for mercenary reasons.” [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing for profit can compromise artistic integrity and authenticity. **In simple terms:** Writing for money can hurt honesty. Key Takeaway Balance financial needs with creative truth. Themes career ethics authenticity Mood cynical thoughtful serious Type professional ethical When to use this quote - freelance writing - contract work - publishing - marketing Key Concepts commercialism creative compromise integrity Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your work? - When is compromise acceptable? A Different Perspective Financial pressure may dilute originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing Mercenary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-mercenary-2337160/) [Mercenary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercenary/) [Mercenary Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercenary-reasons-2337158/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Screenwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenwriter/) [Screenwriter Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenwriter-doing-2337159/) ## Related quotes > [“Here you can shoot the bad guys,' a mercenary says in Baghdad. 'In America we give them corporate bonuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/here-you-can-shoot-the-bad-guys-a-mercenary-says-in-baghdad-in/) [Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/) > [Pure mathematics offers no mercenary inducements to its followers, who is attracted to it by the importance and beauty of the truths in contains;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whitbread-lee-glaisher/pure-mathematics-offers-no-mercenary-inducements-to-its-followers-who/) [James Whitbread Lee Glaisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whitbread-lee-glaisher/) > [Vertue flies from the heart of a Mercenary man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/vertue-flies-from-the-heart-of-a-mercenary-man/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [The crisis besetting America is not just an economic or political crisis; something deeper is wreaking havoc across the land, a mercenary and utilitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/the-crisis-besetting-america-is-not-just-an-economic-or-political/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [The mercenary finished his coffee in a single gulp, It must have been piping hot, too. Boy, he was tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-stroud/the-mercenary-finished-his-coffee-in-a-single-gulp-it-must-have-been/) [Jonathan Stroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-stroud/) > [You really turning mercenary on your favorite older brother? (Dev) No. I would never do that to Alain. (Aimee) Ouch! Bearswan got ‘tude. (Dev)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-really-turning-mercenary-on-your-favorite-older-brother-dev-no-i/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“The third mercenary—standing between Yrene and the mist—drew his short sword. Yrene didn’t have time to cry out in surprise or warning as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/the-third-mercenary-standing-between-yrene-and-the-mist-drew-his/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“What was it with evildoers trying to hire my boyfriend as a mercenary?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/what-was-it-with-evildoers-trying-to-hire-my-boyfriend-as-a-mercenary/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [New York is the city of privilege. Here is the seat of the Invisible Power represented by the allied forces of finance and industry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/new-york-is-the-city-of-privilege-here-is-the-seat-of-the-invisible/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [When the public loses faith in democracy's ability to solve the problems it has created for itself, the game's almost over. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/when-the-public-loses-faith-in-democracy-s-ability-to-solve-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [“The writer is an infantryman. He knows that progress is measured in yards of dirt extracted from the enemy one day, one hour, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-writer-is-an-infantryman-he-knows-that-progress-is-measured-in/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [I'm a mercenary. That's what people hire me for, and I don't apologize for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-avenatti/i-m-a-mercenary-that-s-what-people-hire-me-for-and-i-don-t-apologize/) [Michael Avenatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-avenatti/) > [A cynical, mercenary, demagogic press will produce in time a people as base as itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pulitzer/a-cynical-mercenary-demagogic-press-will-produce-in-time-a-people-as/) [Joseph Pulitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pulitzer/) > [That devilish Iron Horse, whose ear-rending neigh is heard throughout the town, has muddied the Boiling Spring with his foot, and he it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-devilish-iron-horse-whose-ear-rending-neigh-is-heard-throughout/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A true warrior can only serve others, not himself...When you become a mercenary, you're just a bully with a gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-wright/a-true-warrior-can-only-serve-others-not-himself-when-you-become-a/) [Evan Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-wright/) ## More by James Frey > [“It is a touching story, and it is written more to convince than to tell. I am not convinced.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/it-is-a-touching-story-and-it-is-written-more-to-convince-than-to/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [But love is different for every person. For some it's hate, for some it's joy, for some it's fear, for some it's jealousy, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/but-love-is-different-for-every-person-for-some-it-s-hate-for-some-it/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [“I close my eyes and I let my body shut itself down and I let my mind wander. It wanders to a familiar place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/i-close-my-eyes-and-i-let-my-body-shut-itself-down-and-i-let-my-mind/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [He pulled out turned west and started driving towards the glow it was thousands of miles away, he started driving towards the glow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/he-pulled-out-turned-west-and-started-driving-towards-the-glow-it-was/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [“Addiction is a decision. An individual wants something, whatever that something is, and makes a desicion to get it. Once they have it, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/addiction-is-a-decision-an-individual-wants-something-whatever-that/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [“I start to cry. Tears begin running down my face and quiet sobs escape me. I don't know what I'm doing and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/i-start-to-cry-tears-begin-running-down-my-face-and-quiet-sobs-escape/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [The promise of eternal life makes people forsake the life they're given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/the-promise-of-eternal-life-makes-people-forsake-the-life-they-re/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [We know have the power of God in many ways: the atomic bomb, the ability to create life in a test tube, cloning, artificial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/we-know-have-the-power-of-god-in-many-ways-the-atomic-bomb-the/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [For the worst things of our lives, it is sometimes the best way, to never speak of them again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/for-the-worst-things-of-our-lives-it-is-sometimes-the-best-way-to/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [“Thirty-six. If you want to shrink something, you must first expand it. If you want to get rid of something, you must allow it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/thirty-six-if-you-want-to-shrink-something-you-must-first-expand-it/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [The book is about drug addiction and alcoholism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/the-book-is-about-drug-addiction-and-alcoholism/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [And even though people try to pretend that pain doesn't do anything to them, none of us can really handle it. Everything bad we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/and-even-though-people-try-to-pretend-that-pain-doesn-t-do-anything/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [You don't have to follow anybody's rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/you-don-t-have-to-follow-anybody-s-rules/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [I don't care what people come at me with. People have come at me with everything you could imagine. I could care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/i-don-t-care-what-people-come-at-me-with-people-have-come-at-me-with/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [“There is no Higher Power or any God who is responsible for what I do and for what I have done and for who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/there-is-no-higher-power-or-any-god-who-is-responsible-for-what-i-do/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) [Explore all 288 James Frey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) ## More Mercenary quotes > [“Here you can shoot the bad guys,' a mercenary says in Baghdad. 'In America we give them corporate bonuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/here-you-can-shoot-the-bad-guys-a-mercenary-says-in-baghdad-in/) [Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/) > [That devilish Iron Horse, whose ear-rending neigh is heard throughout the town, has muddied the Boiling Spring with his foot, and he it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-devilish-iron-horse-whose-ear-rending-neigh-is-heard-throughout/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A cynical, mercenary, demagogic press will produce in time a people as base as itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pulitzer/a-cynical-mercenary-demagogic-press-will-produce-in-time-a-people-as/) [Joseph Pulitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pulitzer/) > [I'm a mercenary. That's what people hire me for, and I don't apologize for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-avenatti/i-m-a-mercenary-that-s-what-people-hire-me-for-and-i-don-t-apologize/) [Michael Avenatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-avenatti/) > [“The writer is an infantryman. He knows that progress is measured in yards of dirt extracted from the enemy one day, one hour, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-writer-is-an-infantryman-he-knows-that-progress-is-measured-in/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [When the public loses faith in democracy's ability to solve the problems it has created for itself, the game's almost over. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/when-the-public-loses-faith-in-democracy-s-ability-to-solve-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [New York is the city of privilege. Here is the seat of the Invisible Power represented by the allied forces of finance and industry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/new-york-is-the-city-of-privilege-here-is-the-seat-of-the-invisible/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [“What was it with evildoers trying to hire my boyfriend as a mercenary?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/what-was-it-with-evildoers-trying-to-hire-my-boyfriend-as-a-mercenary/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [“The third mercenary—standing between Yrene and the mist—drew his short sword. Yrene didn’t have time to cry out in surprise or warning as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/the-third-mercenary-standing-between-yrene-and-the-mist-drew-his/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [You really turning mercenary on your favorite older brother? (Dev) No. I would never do that to Alain. (Aimee) Ouch! Bearswan got ‘tude. (Dev)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-really-turning-mercenary-on-your-favorite-older-brother-dev-no-i/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The mercenary finished his coffee in a single gulp, It must have been piping hot, too. Boy, he was tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-stroud/the-mercenary-finished-his-coffee-in-a-single-gulp-it-must-have-been/) [Jonathan Stroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-stroud/) > [The crisis besetting America is not just an economic or political crisis; something deeper is wreaking havoc across the land, a mercenary and utilitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/the-crisis-besetting-america-is-not-just-an-economic-or-political/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [Vertue flies from the heart of a Mercenary man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/vertue-flies-from-the-heart-of-a-mercenary-man/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Pure mathematics offers no mercenary inducements to its followers, who is attracted to it by the importance and beauty of the truths in contains;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whitbread-lee-glaisher/pure-mathematics-offers-no-mercenary-inducements-to-its-followers-who/) [James Whitbread Lee Glaisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whitbread-lee-glaisher/) > [A true warrior can only serve others, not himself...When you become a mercenary, you're just a bully with a gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-wright/a-true-warrior-can-only-serve-others-not-himself-when-you-become-a/) [Evan Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-wright/) [Browse all 117 Mercenary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercenary/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a screenwriter, I was doing it for mercenary reasons.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Frey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it-for-mercenary-reasons/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Mercenary" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it-for-mercenary-reasons/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/james-frey-1108_mercenary_when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it_2649311.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/james-frey-1108_mercenary_when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it_2649311.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/james-frey-1108_mercenary_when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it_2649311.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was a screenwriter, I was doing it for mercenary reasons.” — James Frey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Frey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was a screenwriter, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it-for-mercenary-reasons/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/when-i-was-a-screenwriter-i-was-doing-it-for-mercenary-reasons/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```