--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I wrote 'Marley & Me,' I had a clear…" description: "\"When I wrote 'Marley & Me,' I had a clear audience in mind. And it did not include children. I wrote my book for adults and assumed only adults, and po..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/john-grogan-13235_adult_when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-aud_1585008.jpg" --- # When I wrote 'Marley & Me,' I had a clear audience in… ![“When I wrote 'Marley & Me,' I had a clear audience in mind. And it did not include children. I wrote my book for adults and assumed only adults, and possibly teenagers, would be drawn to it.” quote by John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/john-grogan-13235_adult_when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-aud_1585008.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/john-grogan-13235_adult_when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-aud_1585008.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/john-grogan-13235_adult_when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-aud_1585008.jpg) > “When I wrote 'Marley & Me,' I had a clear audience in mind. And it did not include children. I wrote my book for adults and assumed only adults, and possibly teenagers, would be drawn to it.” [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author targeted adult readers, assuming children wouldn't engage with the memoir's themes. **In simple terms:** He wrote for adults, not kids. Key Takeaway Know your audience, but consider broader appeal. Themes audience targeting marketing genre expectations Mood reflective strategic Type analytical pragmatic When to use this quote - book clubs - library recommendations - school curricula Key Concepts publishing strategy reader demographics Questions to Reflect On - Should authors broaden their intended audience? - How can marketing adapt to reach younger readers? A Different Perspective Limiting audience can miss unexpected readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marley/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Teenager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenager/) [Teenagers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenagers/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [The rare person is still interested in new advances when they are adults. There is possibly a correlation with intelligence. In any case, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-henson/the-rare-person-is-still-interested-in-new-advances-when-they-are/) [Keith Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-henson/) > [I tried to always include my children in everything that I did. I traveled with them, I brought them with me to work, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stuart/i-tried-to-always-include-my-children-in-everything-that-i-did-i/) Jill Stuart > [I don't have any kids of my own, quite by choice. There are two reasons for that. One, I had a sense of obligation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathrine-switzer/i-don-t-have-any-kids-of-my-own-quite-by-choice-there-are-two-reasons/) [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) > [I've been asked this question so many times, do you feel you need to write a book for adults? No, I don't need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-ve-been-asked-this-question-so-many-times-do-you-feel-you-need-to/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > ['Ninth House' is my first book for adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/ninth-house-is-my-first-book-for-adults/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [I think the next thing I publish will be for children, but I don't really want to be held to that because I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-think-the-next-thing-i-publish-will-be-for-children-but-i-don-t/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I think kids want the same thing from a book that adults want - a fast-paced story, characters worth caring about, humor, surprises, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-think-kids-want-the-same-thing-from-a-book-that-adults-want-a-fast/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I think it's a mistake to think, 'Am I going to write a young adult book, or do I desperately want to write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-it-s-a-mistake-to-think-am-i-going-to-write-a-young-adult/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Becoming a YA author was actually a very lucky accident. When I wrote the 'Queen of Everything,' I thought it was a book for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/becoming-a-ya-author-was-actually-a-very-lucky-accident-when-i-wrote/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Over and over again women and men ... come to me saying, I don't know enough to write a book for adults, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mabel-robinson/over-and-over-again-women-and-men-come-to-me-saying-i-don-t-know/) Mabel Robinson > [That which He has not assumed He has not healed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/that-which-he-has-not-assumed-he-has-not-healed/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [When I don't have a girlfriend, who I am answerable to, I can go out and hang with people. But whether you go for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-kapoor/when-i-don-t-have-a-girlfriend-who-i-am-answerable-to-i-can-go-out/) [Shahid Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-kapoor/) > [I always assumed that, like my mother before me, one day I would have children. When I was 5, my fantasy was to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-cattrall/i-always-assumed-that-like-my-mother-before-me-one-day-i-would-have/) [Kim Cattrall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-cattrall/) > [We assumed the customers were smart and that they'll buy what they like, not what the ads tell them to buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-rosso/we-assumed-the-customers-were-smart-and-that-they-ll-buy-what-they/) [Renzo Rosso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-rosso/) > [“If I didn't say anything, people always assumed the worst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fight-club/if-i-didn-t-say-anything-people-always-assumed-the-worst/) [Fight club](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fight-club/) ## More by John Grogan > [Dogs are great. Bad dogs, if you can really call them that, are perhaps the greatest of them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/dogs-are-great-bad-dogs-if-you-can-really-call-them-that-are-perhaps/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [In a world of bosses, you are your own master](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/in-a-world-of-bosses-you-are-your-own-master/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [A dog is the greatest gift a parent can give a child. OK, a good education, then a dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/a-dog-is-the-greatest-gift-a-parent-can-give-a-child-ok-a-good/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [Cats will outsmart dogs every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/cats-will-outsmart-dogs-every-time/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [Then I dropped my forehead against his and sat there for a long time, as if I could telegraph a message through our two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/then-i-dropped-my-forehead-against-his-and-sat-there-for-a-long-time/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > ['Marley and Me' was a book I was proud of and believed in, but I thought it would just have a modest audience because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/marley-and-me-was-a-book-i-was-proud-of-and-believed-in-but-i-thought/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [Really, as a writer, I believe that if you're going to write about your own life, you need to do it as honestly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/really-as-a-writer-i-believe-that-if-you-re-going-to-write-about-your/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [Animal lovers are a special breed of humans, generous of spirit, full of empathy, perhaps a little prone to sentimentality, and with hearts as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/animal-lovers-are-a-special-breed-of-humans-generous-of-spirit-full/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [I'm pathologically incapable of making decisions. Just ask my wife how long it took me to propose - on second thought, best not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/i-m-pathologically-incapable-of-making-decisions-just-ask-my-wife-how/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [“A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water log stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/a-dog-has-no-use-for-fancy-cars-big-homes-or-designer-clothes-a-water/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [Many of the qualities that come so effortlessly to dogs - loyalty, devotion, selflessness, unflagging optimism, unqualified love - can be elusive to humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/many-of-the-qualities-that-come-so-effortlessly-to-dogs-loyalty/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [If you still think you're a young pup then you are, no matter what the calendar says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/if-you-still-think-you-re-a-young-pup-then-you-are-no-matter-what-the/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [I confess to being a CNN junkie. And when I'm driving, it's all NPR all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/i-confess-to-being-a-cnn-junkie-and-when-i-m-driving-it-s-all-npr-all/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [“I had never thought of Marley as any kind of model, but sitting there sipping my beer, I was aware that maybe he held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/i-had-never-thought-of-marley-as-any-kind-of-model-but-sitting-there/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [“We now had three girls and one testosterone-pumped guy bird that spent every walking minute doing of of three things: pursuing sex, having sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/we-now-had-three-girls-and-one-testosterone-pumped-guy-bird-that/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) [Explore all 48 John Grogan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) ## More Adult quotes > [I feel as though I've fooled the world into thinking I'm an adult and now they're letting me procreate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/i-feel-as-though-i-ve-fooled-the-world-into-thinking-i-m-an-adult-and/) [George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [I am a big outliner. For my adult book, 'The Visibles,' I did not outline, and it took me two years to write because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-am-a-big-outliner-for-my-adult-book-the-visibles-i-did-not-outline/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“The cactus thrives in the desert while the fern thrives in the wetland. The fool will try to plant them in the same flowerbox.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-cactus-thrives-in-the-desert-while-the-fern-thrives-in-the/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [I have spent my entire adult life trying to make Liberty University the world-class Christian university that was envisioned at its founding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell-jr/i-have-spent-my-entire-adult-life-trying-to-make-liberty-university/) [Jerry Falwell, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell-jr/) > [“To love was a privilege not afforded to those of us born in these trying times when survival was never guaranteed. We were products…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-x-chang/to-love-was-a-privilege-not-afforded-to-those-of-us-born-in-these/) Molly X. Chang > [Adults look upon a child as something empty that is to be filled through their own efforts, as something inert and helpless for which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/adults-look-upon-a-child-as-something-empty-that-is-to-be-filled/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“English: "Being an adult doesn't mean killing the child we once were; it means being able to protect him." Česky: „Být dospělým neznamená zabít…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebasti-n-wortys/english-being-an-adult-doesn-t-mean-killing-the-child-we-once-were-it/) [Sebastián Wortys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebasti-n-wortys/) > [You know, children philosophize more than adults - and they are critical of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/you-know-children-philosophize-more-than-adults-and-they-are-critical/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“There's such an intimate kind of beauty in the act of listening to music being created right in front of your eyes, watching the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-frank/there-s-such-an-intimate-kind-of-beauty-in-the-act-of-listening-to/) [M.C. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-frank/) > [Whether we think of Disney's blonde beauty and her pumpkin carriage or Marissa Meyer's recent recasting of 'Cinderella' as a cyborg in the young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-rutkoski/whether-we-think-of-disney-s-blonde-beauty-and-her-pumpkin-carriage/) [Marie Rutkoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-rutkoski/) > [You have, unfortunately, a K-12 educational system where the requirements to graduate are not the requirements to be college and career-ready. So if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/you-have-unfortunately-a-k-12-educational-system-where-the/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [Child actors going on to become adult actors never really works, apart from a few. Jodie Foster was the exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lester/child-actors-going-on-to-become-adult-actors-never-really-works-apart/) Mark Lester > [Being an adult is the ability to postpone a want for the sake of a family need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/being-an-adult-is-the-ability-to-postpone-a-want-for-the-sake-of-a/) [Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/) > [“Oh, I don’t mean to infer that you’re not a great guy. I’m sure you’re the exception to the rule.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaye-frances/oh-i-don-t-mean-to-infer-that-you-re-not-a-great-guy-i-m-sure-you-re/) Jaye Frances Browse all 1,153 Adult quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I wrote 'Marley & Me,' I had a clear audience in mind. And it did not include children. I wrote my book for adults and assumed only adults, and possibly teenagers, would be drawn to it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Grogan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-audience-in-mind-and-it-did-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adult" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-audience-in-mind-and-it-did-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/john-grogan-13235_adult_when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-aud_1585008.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/john-grogan-13235_adult_when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-aud_1585008.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/john-grogan-13235_adult_when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-aud_1585008.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I wrote 'Marley & Me,' I had a clear audience in mind. And it did not include children. I wrote my book…” — John Grogan", "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 Grogan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I wrote 'Marley & Me,'...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-audience-in-mind-and-it-did-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-audience-in-mind-and-it-did-not/#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 } } ] } ```