Skip to content

America Quote by Kazuo Ishiguro

“You could say I'd rewritten the same novel three times and I thought I had to move on. The success of the book, and then the movie, had by then also created a commercial expectation and I remember touring America and seeing people in the audiences who I thought might not want to read the books I…” quote by Kazuo Ishiguro
Download Open image
“You could say I'd rewritten the same novel three times and I thought I had to move on. The success of the book, and then the movie, had by then also created a commercial expectation and I remember touring America and seeing people in the audiences who I thought might not want to read the books I wanted to write next. My constituency had become broader, but more mysterious to me.”

Kazuo Ishiguro

About This Quote

Source Interview: The Guardian, 2015

The author felt trapped by past success, fearing audience expectations limited his creative freedom.

In simple terms: Success created pressure to repeat past work.

Key Takeaway

Embrace new ideas despite expectations.

Themes

creativity expectations identity audience growth

Mood

reflective determined hopeful

Type

advice inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

  • writing new books
  • planning a film adaptation
  • speaking at literary festivals
  • teaching creative writing

Key Concepts

authorial pressure commercial demand self‑discovery

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you balance audience expectations with personal artistic growth?
  • What strategies help you break free from past achievements?
A Different Perspective

Past success can stifle innovation if not consciously managed.

3.2 out of 5 (7 ratings)

More by Kazuo Ishiguro

Explore all 292 Kazuo Ishiguro quotes

More America quotes

Browse all 20,382 America quotes