--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So if I were talking to a young writer, I…" description: "\"So if I were talking to a young writer, I would recommend the cultivation of extreme indifference to both praise and blame because praise will lead you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/john-berryman-10841_blame_so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i_1939588.png" --- # So if I were talking to a young writer, I would recommend… ![“So if I were talking to a young writer, I would recommend the cultivation of extreme indifference to both praise and blame because praise will lead you to vanity, and blame will lead you to self-pity, and both are bad for writers.” quote by John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/john-berryman-10841_blame_so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i_1939588.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/john-berryman-10841_blame_so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i_1939588.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/john-berryman-10841_blame_so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i_1939588.png) > “So if I were talking to a young writer, I would recommend the cultivation of extreme indifference to both praise and blame because praise will lead you to vanity, and blame will lead you to self-pity, and both are bad for writers.” [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers should stay emotionally detached from criticism and praise to avoid ego and self‑pity, preserving creative integrity. **In simple terms:** Stay neutral to feedback to keep writing honest. Key Takeaway Cultivate indifference to external judgment. Themes creativity ego criticism self‑esteem Mood reflective serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - personal journaling - peer review sessions - public readings Key Concepts Stoicism psychology artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance detachment with learning from feedback? - When does pride become a barrier? A Different Perspective Indifference may lead to disengagement or missed growth opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) [Blame Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame-praise-1028849/) [Cultivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultivation/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) [Indifference Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference-praise-3082860/) [Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Praise Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise-blame/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-pity/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Vanity Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity-blame-1089204/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-writers/) ## Related quotes > [Praise will lead you to vanity, and blame will lead you to self-pity, and both are bad for writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/praise-will-lead-you-to-vanity-and-blame-will-lead-you-to-self-pity/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [“All faults or defects, from the slightest misconduct to the most flagitious crime, Pantocyclus attributed to some deviation from perfect Regularity in the bodily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-a-abbott/all-faults-or-defects-from-the-slightest-misconduct-to-the-most/) [Edwin A. Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-a-abbott/) > [We reap what we sow. We are the makers of our own fate. None else has the blame, none has the praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-reap-what-we-sow-we-are-the-makers-of-our-own-fate-none-else-has/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I, painting from myself and to myself, Know what I do, am unmoved by men's blame Or their praise either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/i-painting-from-myself-and-to-myself-know-what-i-do-am-unmoved-by-men/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [“Blame it or praise it, there is no denying the wild horse in us. To gallop intemperately; fall on the sand tired out; to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/blame-it-or-praise-it-there-is-no-denying-the-wild-horse-in-us-to/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Respect for character is always diminished in proportion to the number among whom the blame or praise is to be divided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/respect-for-character-is-always-diminished-in-proportion-to-the/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Neither blame or praise yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/neither-blame-or-praise-yourself/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [The sad souls of those who lived without blame and without praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/the-sad-souls-of-those-who-lived-without-blame-and-without-praise/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [I.. know what I do, and am unmoved by men's blame, or their praise either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/i-know-what-i-do-and-am-unmoved-by-men-s-blame-or-their-praise-either/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [“To blame or praise men on account of the result, is almost like praising or blaming figures on account of the sum total. Whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/to-blame-or-praise-men-on-account-of-the-result-is-almost-like/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Ask yourself, if there was to be no blame, and if there was to be no praise, who would I be then?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/ask-yourself-if-there-was-to-be-no-blame-and-if-there-was-to-be-no/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [I Realized.. A very good thing After A Very Bad Experience Extra ordinary care to anyone will give you always a Blame, Not Praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/i-realized-a-very-good-thing-after-a-very-bad-experience-extra/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Blame-all and Praise-all are two blockheads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/blame-all-and-praise-all-are-two-blockheads/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Blame it or praise it, there is no denying the wild horse in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/blame-it-or-praise-it-there-is-no-denying-the-wild-horse-in-us/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Praise and blame, good and bad, even heat and cold, must be equally acceptable to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/praise-and-blame-good-and-bad-even-heat-and-cold-must-be-equally/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## More by John Berryman > [I didn't want to be like Yeats; I wanted to be Yeats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/i-didn-t-want-to-be-like-yeats-i-wanted-to-be-yeats/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [“Nouns, verbs do not exist for what I feel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/nouns-verbs-do-not-exist-for-what-i-feel/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [Them lady poets must not marry, pal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/them-lady-poets-must-not-marry-pal/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [We must travel in the direction of our fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/we-must-travel-in-the-direction-of-our-fear/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [“Huffy Henry hid the day, unappeasable Henry sulked. I see his point,--a trying to put things over. It was the thought that they thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/huffy-henry-hid-the-day-unappeasable-henry-sulked-i-see-his-point-a/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [These Songs are not meant to be understood, you understand. They are only meant to terrify & comfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/these-songs-are-not-meant-to-be-understood-you-understand-they-are/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [something has been said for sobriety but very little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/something-has-been-said-for-sobriety-but-very-little/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [“Springwater grow so thick it gonna clot and the pleasing ladies cease. I figure, yup, you is bad powers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/springwater-grow-so-thick-it-gonna-clot-and-the-pleasing-ladies-cease/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [“The serious poet should seek to explore the 'sources' of these global nightmares-and to explore them not just in poetry, but in person. Poetry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/the-serious-poet-should-seek-to-explore-the-sources-of-these-global/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [I conclude now I have no inner resources, because I am heavy bored. Peoples bore me, literature bores me, especially great literature,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/i-conclude-now-i-have-no-inner-resources-because-i-am-heavy-bored/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [“However things hurt, men hurt worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/however-things-hurt-men-hurt-worse/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [Two daiquiris withdrew into a corner of a gorgeous room and one told the other a lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/two-daiquiris-withdrew-into-a-corner-of-a-gorgeous-room-and-one-told/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [I cry. Evil dissolves, & love, like foam; that love. Prattle of children powers me home, my heart claps like the swan's under a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/i-cry-evil-dissolves-love-like-foam-that-love-prattle-of-children/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [“The Prayer of the Middle-Aged Man Amid the doctors in the Temple at twelve, between mother & host at Cana implored too soon, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/the-prayer-of-the-middle-aged-man-amid-the-doctors-in-the-temple-at/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [I am so wise I had my mouth sewn shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/i-am-so-wise-i-had-my-mouth-sewn-shut/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) [Explore all 63 John Berryman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) [Nurnizz95](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nurnizz95/) > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/) [Yeasin Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeasin-khan/) > [A refusal to admit one's mistake & not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) [Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So if I were talking to a young writer, I would recommend the cultivation of extreme indifference to both praise and blame because praise will lead you to vanity, and blame will lead you to self-pity, and both are bad for writers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Berryman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i-would-recommend-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i-would-recommend-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/john-berryman-10841_blame_so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i_1939588.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/john-berryman-10841_blame_so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i_1939588.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/john-berryman-10841_blame_so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i_1939588.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So if I were talking to a young writer, I would recommend the cultivation of extreme indifference to both…” — John Berryman", "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": "John Berryman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "So if I were talking to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i-would-recommend-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/so-if-i-were-talking-to-a-young-writer-i-would-recommend-the/#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 } } ] } ```