--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It troubles me that people speak about…" description: "\"It troubles me that people speak about writing for money as ugly and distasteful.\" — Joyce Maynard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/joyce-maynard-7181_about_it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-w_1938351.jpg" --- # It troubles me that people speak about writing for money… ![“It troubles me that people speak about writing for money as ugly and distasteful.” quote by Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/joyce-maynard-7181_about_it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-w_1938351.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/joyce-maynard-7181_about_it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-w_1938351.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/joyce-maynard-7181_about_it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-w_1938351.jpg) > “It troubles me that people speak about writing for money as ugly and distasteful.” [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) ## 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 challenges the stigma that writing for profit is immoral, urging respect for practical motivations. **In simple terms:** Writing for money isn’t shameful. Key Takeaway Value both art and livelihood. Themes writing money ethics Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - freelance writing - career choices - publishing industry Key Concepts creative labor economic reality Questions to Reflect On - Should writers prioritize passion over profit? - How can one balance creativity with commercial needs? A Different Perspective Financial pressure may compromise artistic integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Never. ever stoppin', but these niggas steady coppin'. So I'm ugly with the money. Ugly, ugly, Green Goblin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jae-millz/never-ever-stoppin-but-these-niggas-steady-coppin-so-i-m-ugly-with/) [Jae Millz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jae-millz/) > [Some say writing is its own reward. I write for money, but writing for money is not so bad, especially when that writing brings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloisa-james/some-say-writing-is-its-own-reward-i-write-for-money-but-writing-for/) [Eloisa James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloisa-james/) > [A lot has to do with the writing. If you're the writer people seem to remember you. But my part is singing the high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-meisner/a-lot-has-to-do-with-the-writing-if-you-re-the-writer-people-seem-to/) [Randy Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-meisner/) > [What I wanted to do was to earn enough money to pay for my mother's house. When my mother passed away, I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-benton-frank/what-i-wanted-to-do-was-to-earn-enough-money-to-pay-for-my-mother-s/) [Dorothea Benton Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-benton-frank/) > [I should think it extremely improbable that anyone ever wrote for money. Naturally, when he has written something, he wants to get as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse-2/i-should-think-it-extremely-improbable-that-anyone-ever-wrote-for/) [P. G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse-2/) > [“Writing and money made it possible to start collecting taxes from hundreds of thousands of people, to organise complex bureaucracies and to establish vast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/writing-and-money-made-it-possible-to-start-collecting-taxes-from/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Despite all the cynical things writers have said about writing for money, the truth is we write for love. That is why it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/despite-all-the-cynical-things-writers-have-said-about-writing-for/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [Someone so mean, ruse and distasteful, I dont know why they like you. There is something wrong with their eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyu-won/someone-so-mean-ruse-and-distasteful-i-dont-know-why-they-like-you/) Kyu Won > [People probably long for something genuinely personal in a society where the personal is often indistinguishable from the "personalized." Maybe the poetry audience member…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/people-probably-long-for-something-genuinely-personal-in-a-society/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [Whether my acting was obscene, or whether it was distasteful, well, Judge Rehnquist, who just recently passed away couldn't define pornography. His comment on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reems/whether-my-acting-was-obscene-or-whether-it-was-distasteful-well/) [Harry Reems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reems/) > [When the accumulation of wealth is no longer of high social importance, there will be great changes in the code of morals. We shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/when-the-accumulation-of-wealth-is-no-longer-of-high-social/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [Nothing to me is more distasteful than that entire complacency and satisfaction which beam in the countenances of a new married couple; in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/nothing-to-me-is-more-distasteful-than-that-entire-complacency-and/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [But if I must be alone, I refuse to be alone as if it were something weak and distasteful, like convalescence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-if-i-must-be-alone-i-refuse-to-be-alone-as-if-it-were-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Have you found your life distasteful? My life did and does smack sweet. Was your youth of pleasure wasteful? Mine I save and hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/have-you-found-your-life-distasteful-my-life-did-and-does-smack-sweet/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More by Joyce Maynard > [The silence was part of the story I wanted to tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/the-silence-was-part-of-the-story-i-wanted-to-tell/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [A person who deserves my loyalty receives it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/a-person-who-deserves-my-loyalty-receives-it/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [No, I said. I didn't remember that. There was so much to remember, sometimes the best thing was to forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/no-i-said-i-didn-t-remember-that-there-was-so-much-to-remember/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [“I tried to think of what my father would tell me. 'Don't let any boy give you shit.' But he'd never said how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-tried-to-think-of-what-my-father-would-tell-me-don-t-let-any-boy/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [“It’s like life: sometimes the littlest thing turns out to be the most important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/it-s-like-life-sometimes-the-littlest-thing-turns-out-to-be-the-most/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [Growing up in the fifties and sixties, I can only remember knowing one child, ever, whose parents got a divorce, and hardly any whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/growing-up-in-the-fifties-and-sixties-i-can-only-remember-knowing-one/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [“She was in love with love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/she-was-in-love-with-love/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [I believe every one of us possesses a fundamental right to tell our own story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-believe-every-one-of-us-possesses-a-fundamental-right-to-tell-our/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [I compromised my ability to tell my story, at the most basic level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-compromised-my-ability-to-tell-my-story-at-the-most-basic-level/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [I have no doubt that over the years my children will find plenty of things about me to criticize. But something tells me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-have-no-doubt-that-over-the-years-my-children-will-find-plenty-of/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [I believed my story would be helpful to young women my daughter's age, who are still in the process of forming themselves as women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-believed-my-story-would-be-helpful-to-young-women-my-daughter-s-age/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [Not only did I avoid speaking of Salinger; I resisted thinking about him. I did not reread his letters to me. The experience had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/not-only-did-i-avoid-speaking-of-salinger-i-resisted-thinking-about/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [When people ask what I write about, that's what I tell them: 'The drama of human relationships.' I'm not even close to running out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/when-people-ask-what-i-write-about-that-s-what-i-tell-them-the-drama/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [“They seemed to arrive at some form of friendship. Maybe they were like a couple of weary soldiers who went through a war together,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/they-seemed-to-arrive-at-some-form-of-friendship-maybe-they-were-like/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [In the event of an oxygen shortage on airplanes, mothers of young children are always reminded to put on their own oxygen mask first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/in-the-event-of-an-oxygen-shortage-on-airplanes-mothers-of-young/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) [Explore all 92 Joyce Maynard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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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": "It troubles me that people speak about writing for money as ugly and distasteful.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joyce Maynard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-writing-for-money-as-ugly-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-writing-for-money-as-ugly-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/joyce-maynard-7181_about_it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-w_1938351.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/joyce-maynard-7181_about_it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-w_1938351.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/joyce-maynard-7181_about_it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-w_1938351.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It troubles me that people speak about writing for money as ugly and distasteful.” — Joyce Maynard", "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": "Joyce Maynard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It troubles me that people speak...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-writing-for-money-as-ugly-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/it-troubles-me-that-people-speak-about-writing-for-money-as-ugly-and/#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 } } ] } ```