--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My writing is of a very different kind…" description: "\"My writing is of a very different kind from anything I've heard about. All this mythological material is out there, a big gathering of stuff, and I hav..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/joseph-campbell-300_bigs_my-writing-is-of-a-very-different-kind-f_374492.png" --- # My writing is of a very different kind from anything I've… ![“My writing is of a very different kind from anything I've heard about. All this mythological material is out there, a big gathering of stuff, and I have been reading it for some forty- or fifty-odd years. There are various ways of handling that. The most common is to put the material together and…” quote by Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/joseph-campbell-300_bigs_my-writing-is-of-a-very-different-kind-f_374492.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/joseph-campbell-300_bigs_my-writing-is-of-a-very-different-kind-f_374492.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/joseph-campbell-300_bigs_my-writing-is-of-a-very-different-kind-f_374492.png) > “My writing is of a very different kind from anything I've heard about. All this mythological material is out there, a big gathering of stuff, and I have been reading it for some forty- or fifty-odd years. There are various ways of handling that. The most common is to put the material together and publish a scholarly book about it. But when I'm writing, I try to get a sense of an experiential relationship to the material. In fact, I can't write unless that happens ... I don't write unless the stuff is really working on me, and my selection of material depends on what works.” [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes that authentic writing arises from personal, experiential connection to myth, not just scholarly compilation. **In simple terms:** Write only when myth resonates personally. Key Takeaway Seek personal resonance before writing. Themes mythology creativity authenticity Mood reflective inspired Type instructional philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - personal research - story development - teaching mythic storytelling Key Concepts experiential learning selection process creative inspiration Questions to Reflect On - How do you know a myth is working on you? - What practices deepen your experiential link? A Different Perspective Scholarly analysis may miss emotional depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-writing/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Clearly, mythology is no toy for children. Nor is it a matter of archaic, merely scholarly concern, of no moment to modern men of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/clearly-mythology-is-no-toy-for-children-nor-is-it-a-matter-of/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [In life, you encounter people with different points of view and you mull them over yourself to see how it would work with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-g/in-life-you-encounter-people-with-different-points-of-view-and-you/) [Alex G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-g/) > [When you're writing - when I'm writing anyway - I'm writing out of different kinds of preoccupations and obsessions, different forms of drivenness, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-di-piero/when-you-re-writing-when-i-m-writing-anyway-i-m-writing-out-of/) [W. S. Di Piero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-di-piero/) > [I don't ever know where I'm going. Because one of the wonderful things about writing, which is different than working in programming, you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/i-don-t-ever-know-where-i-m-going-because-one-of-the-wonderful-things/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [The funny thing about writing is that whether you're doing well or doing it poorly, it looks the exact same. That's actually one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-funny-thing-about-writing-is-that-whether-you-re-doing-well-or/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I've always really enjoyed writing different things because I get bored very easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/i-ve-always-really-enjoyed-writing-different-things-because-i-get/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [I think the kind of unexpected I really love is when you open books and the actual way of writing is different and interesting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lalla-ward/i-think-the-kind-of-unexpected-i-really-love-is-when-you-open-books/) [Lalla Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lalla-ward/) > [TV writing is different than other mediums, involving the writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-skerritt/tv-writing-is-different-than-other-mediums-involving-the-writer/) [Tom Skerritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-skerritt/) > [I love writing different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/i-love-writing-different-things/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) > [Writing is very different to having your photo taken. You are exposing yourself more, not physically but emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-dahl/writing-is-very-different-to-having-your-photo-taken-you-are-exposing/) [Sophie Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-dahl/) > [My writing is different. I think it's better. I think it's deeper. But, strangely enough, it covers a lot of the old ground. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/my-writing-is-different-i-think-it-s-better-i-think-it-s-deeper-but/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [I never show my books to Ricky. His writing is very different, and anyway, he's only read one novel in his life: 'The Catcher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fallon/i-never-show-my-books-to-ricky-his-writing-is-very-different-and/) [Jane Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fallon/) > [I like writing all different kinds of songs. I've wanted to run the gamut of artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-warren/i-like-writing-all-different-kinds-of-songs-i-ve-wanted-to-run-the/) [Diane Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-warren/) > [As an artist, you never want to write the same song again, you always want to challenge yourself to writing in a different way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serj-tankian/as-an-artist-you-never-want-to-write-the-same-song-again-you-always/) [Serj Tankian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serj-tankian/) > [“Amanda herself couldn't understand why her writing was so different from her own personality. Her pen seemed to take on a life of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/amanda-herself-couldn-t-understand-why-her-writing-was-so-different/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) ## More by Joseph Campbell > [If a person does not listen to the demands of their own spiritual and heart life and insists on a certain program, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/if-a-person-does-not-listen-to-the-demands-of-their-own-spiritual-and/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [The last act in the biography of the hero is that of the death or departure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-last-act-in-the-biography-of-the-hero-is-that-of-the-death-or/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-privilege-of-a-lifetime-is-being-who-you-are/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [The eternal principle, which never was born, never will die: it is in all things: it is in you now. You are the wave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-eternal-principle-which-never-was-born-never-will-die-it-is-in/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [How do you find the divine power in yourself? The word enthusiasm means 'filled with a god,' so what makes you enthusiastic? Follow it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/how-do-you-find-the-divine-power-in-yourself-the-word-enthusiasm/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [What we're learning in our schools is not the wisdom of life. We're learning technologies, we're getting information. There's a curious reluctance on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/what-we-re-learning-in-our-schools-is-not-the-wisdom-of-life-we-re/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [ The fall \[of your soul\] from perfection into duality...was naturally followed by the discovery of the duality of good and evil...This is the Biblical… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-fall-of-your-soul-from-perfection-into-duality-was-naturally/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [So that's what destiny is: simply the fulfillment of the potentialites of the energies in your own system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/so-that-s-what-destiny-is-simply-the-fulfillment-of-the-potentialites/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Your ego is your embodiment and your self is your potentiality and that's what you listen to when you listen for the voice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/your-ego-is-your-embodiment-and-your-self-is-your-potentiality-and/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [When you follow your bliss a kind of track opens up, that's always been there, waiting for you. And the life that you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/when-you-follow-your-bliss-a-kind-of-track-opens-up-that-s-always/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [The best we can do is lean towards the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-best-we-can-do-is-lean-towards-the-light/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [I think of mythology as the homeland of the muses, the inspirers of art, the inspirers of poetry. To see life as a poem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/i-think-of-mythology-as-the-homeland-of-the-muses-the-inspirers-of/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [When you are falling --- Dive!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/when-you-are-falling-dive/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [We're all seeking...the rapture of being alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/we-re-all-seeking-the-rapture-of-being-alive/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Both the artist and the lover know that perfection is not loveable. It is the clumsiness of a fault that makes a person lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/both-the-artist-and-the-lover-know-that-perfection-is-not-loveable-it/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) [Explore all 711 Joseph Campbell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My writing is of a very different kind from anything I've heard about. 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