--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not writing non-fiction. I don't feel…" description: "\"I'm not writing non-fiction. I don't feel anything about me as a kid was unique. Except that I had more interest in being alone and using my imaginatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46a/john-irving-337_about_i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel_1284251.png" --- # I'm not writing non-fiction. I don't feel anything about… ![“I'm not writing non-fiction. I don't feel anything about me as a kid was unique. Except that I had more interest in being alone and using my imagination.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46a/john-irving-337_about_i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel_1284251.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46a/john-irving-337_about_i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel_1284251.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46a/john-irving-337_about_i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel_1284251.png) > “I'm not writing non-fiction. I don't feel anything about me as a kid was unique. Except that I had more interest in being alone and using my imagination.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## 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 reflects on a solitary childhood, valuing imagination over uniqueness. **In simple terms:** Childhood solitude and imagination. Key Takeaway Embrace solitary creativity. Themes childhood imagination solitude Mood reflective introspective Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - writing - self‑discovery - education Key Concepts personal reflection identity Questions to Reflect On - How does solitude shape creativity? - Can introversion be a strength? A Different Perspective Might overlook social benefits of interaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Being alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-alone/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Non fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-fiction/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I usually dread writing non-fiction. I don't feel comfortable or confident writing essays and the like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-g-tremblay/i-usually-dread-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel-comfortable-or/) [Paul G. Tremblay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-g-tremblay/) > [In high school, I was very active in extracurricular activities such as art, theatre, and choir. I also wrote for the school newspaper, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/in-high-school-i-was-very-active-in-extracurricular-activities-such/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [I have been tossing around the idea of writing some non-fiction. Maybe a collection of short stories about my experience being a mom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-peterman/i-have-been-tossing-around-the-idea-of-writing-some-non-fiction-maybe/) [Melissa Peterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-peterman/) > [It would have been very easy to drift into writing a non-fiction book so by taking it away from Nottingham I forced myself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/it-would-have-been-very-easy-to-drift-into-writing-a-non-fiction-book/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) > [ I like writing non-fiction - and when you pick a \[non-fiction\] subject, it saves you the hassle of coming up with a plot. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hell/i-like-writing-non-fiction-and-when-you-pick-a-non-fiction-subject-it/) [Richard Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hell/) > [I love roles that don't really have a template or a paradigm and force me to create using my own imagination... that really, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/i-love-roles-that-don-t-really-have-a-template-or-a-paradigm-and/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [“The name sounds wrong in her mouth and makes me feel off-kilter, the way I used to feel as a kid at the Strawberry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/the-name-sounds-wrong-in-her-mouth-and-makes-me-feel-off-kilter-the/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Yeah, anytime anybody has a kid, you know how you feel when you have a kid, you look at the world differently because your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-foxx/yeah-anytime-anybody-has-a-kid-you-know-how-you-feel-when-you-have-a/) [Jamie Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-foxx/) > [Usually you have a feel for what a kid's abilities are by the end of their sophomore year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howland/usually-you-have-a-feel-for-what-a-kid-s-abilities-are-by-the-end-of/) [Ben Howland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howland/) > [I feel if some kid has sat down and felt I'm important enough to write two pages of words to and take up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-dale/i-feel-if-some-kid-has-sat-down-and-felt-i-m-important-enough-to/) [Jim Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-dale/) > [I've got to keep on writing. That's non-negotiable. At the same time, one has to look at the world and recognise that writing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzodinma-iweala/i-ve-got-to-keep-on-writing-that-s-non-negotiable-at-the-same-time/) [Uzodinma Iweala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzodinma-iweala/) > [Growing up is something that you do your whole life. I want to always feel that I can be a kid if I want.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-jr/growing-up-is-something-that-you-do-your-whole-life-i-want-to-always/) [Robert Downey, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-jr/) > [Well I had my kids so young that I kind of feel that I'm a kid too and am growing up with them. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/well-i-had-my-kids-so-young-that-i-kind-of-feel-that-i-m-a-kid-too/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) > [I originally went to school for writing, for non-fiction. I'm specifically a poetry major within literature, but I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paloma-elsesser/i-originally-went-to-school-for-writing-for-non-fiction-i-m/) [Paloma Elsesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paloma-elsesser/) > [I feel every kid has to be naughty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soha-ali-khan/i-feel-every-kid-has-to-be-naughty/) [Soha Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soha-ali-khan/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not writing non-fiction. I don't feel anything about me as a kid was unique. Except that I had more interest in being alone and using my imagination.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel-anything-about-me-as-a-kid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel-anything-about-me-as-a-kid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46a/john-irving-337_about_i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel_1284251.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46a/john-irving-337_about_i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel_1284251.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46a/john-irving-337_about_i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel_1284251.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not writing non-fiction. I don't feel anything about me as a kid was unique. Except that I had more…” — John Irving", "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 Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not writing non-fiction. I don't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel-anything-about-me-as-a-kid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-not-writing-non-fiction-i-don-t-feel-anything-about-me-as-a-kid/#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 } } ] } ```