--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I could go back in time and tell my…" description: "\"If I could go back in time and tell my younger self that eventually that I'd become very successful writing Dune books after Frank Herbert's death, I w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/kevin-j-anderson-9807_frank_if-i-could-go-back-in-time-and-tell-my-y_1543183.jpg" --- # If I could go back in time and tell my younger self that… ![“If I could go back in time and tell my younger self that eventually that I'd become very successful writing Dune books after Frank Herbert's death, I would have laughed myself silly, I think, at how strange that prospect would be.” quote by Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/kevin-j-anderson-9807_frank_if-i-could-go-back-in-time-and-tell-my-y_1543183.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/kevin-j-anderson-9807_frank_if-i-could-go-back-in-time-and-tell-my-y_1543183.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/kevin-j-anderson-9807_frank_if-i-could-go-back-in-time-and-tell-my-y_1543183.jpg) > “If I could go back in time and tell my younger self that eventually that I'd become very successful writing Dune books after Frank Herbert's death, I would have laughed myself silly, I think, at how strange that prospect would be.” [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imagines a fantastical future where he writes successful Dune sequels after Herbert's death, highlighting humility and humor about unexpected success. **In simple terms:** Dreams of writing Dune after Herbert, finds it funny. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected opportunities. Themes creativity humor ambition Mood hopeful playful Type career inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - career planning - creative brainstorming Key Concepts legacy fiction career paths Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if you achieved a dream? - How do you handle unexpected fame? A Different Perspective Success may rely on external factors beyond control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dune/) [Dune Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dune-books-5751892/) [Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frank/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frank-herbert/) [If i could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/if-i-could/) [Laughed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughed/) [Laughed Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughed-silly-1403370/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Dune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-dune-5751891/) [Younger self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/younger-self/) ## Related quotes > [When I was writing Dune there was no room in my mind for concerns about the book's success or failure. I was concerned only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/when-i-was-writing-dune-there-was-no-room-in-my-mind-for-concerns/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [To almost no one's surprise, Astrid said, "Dune, by Frank Herbert. 'I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/to-almost-no-one-s-surprise-astrid-said-dune-by-frank-herbert-i-must/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [“Long live the fighters!" - Muadib/Paul Atreides from Dune by Frank Herbert”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-k-barnum/long-live-the-fighters-muadib-paul-atreides-from-dune-by-frank-herbert/) [Eric K. Barnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-k-barnum/) > [“Dune Messiah, Frank Herbert’s first sequel to Dune, was published in 1969. In that book, he flipped over what he called the “myth of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/dune-messiah-frank-herbert-s-first-sequel-to-dune-was-published-in/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Evan ran his finger across the faded leather spines. He laughed at how silly some of the names were: Paint Your Roses Red, Edelweiss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-b-bolton/evan-ran-his-finger-across-the-faded-leather-spines-he-laughed-at-how/) [H.B. Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-b-bolton/) > [We laughed ourselves silly, taking back our shared past, gently, piece by piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/we-laughed-ourselves-silly-taking-back-our-shared-past-gently-piece/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“he had kidded with us that if we didn't let go at the proper moment, he would slap our hands with a stick, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-williams/he-had-kidded-with-us-that-if-we-didn-t-let-go-at-the-proper-moment/) [Dee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-williams/) > [I mean, I wasn't stupid. I knew we'd make money and sell a lot of Dune books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/i-mean-i-wasn-t-stupid-i-knew-we-d-make-money-and-sell-a-lot-of-dune/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [Dune is the bestselling science fiction book of all time. It's something you really need to read in your lifetime. If you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/dune-is-the-bestselling-science-fiction-book-of-all-time-it-s/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [As a child I read all kinds of stuff, whether it was 'Asterix and Obelix' and 'Tin Tin' comic books, or 'Lord of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/as-a-child-i-read-all-kinds-of-stuff-whether-it-was-asterix-and/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [“Frank Herbert warned young people not to trust government, telling them that the American founding fathers had understood this and had attempted to establish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/frank-herbert-warned-young-people-not-to-trust-government-telling/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Back in the day, the story goes, four science fiction writers - Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Frank Herbert and L Ron Hubbard - were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sweeney/back-in-the-day-the-story-goes-four-science-fiction-writers-isaac/) [John Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sweeney/) > [“I knew Frank Herbert for more than thirty-eight years. He was a magnificent human being, a man of great honor and distinction, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/i-knew-frank-herbert-for-more-than-thirty-eight-years-he-was-a/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [I was raping Frank Herbert but with love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/i-was-raping-frank-herbert-but-with-love/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [To quote from another gospel, DUNE by Frank Herbert, 'Fear is the mind-killer.' ... Jesus was the original Muad'dib.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/to-quote-from-another-gospel-dune-by-frank-herbert-fear-is-the-mind/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) ## More by Kevin J. Anderson > [One of the things that was kind of shocking for humans... was to come to terms with was the fact that, hey, we may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/one-of-the-things-that-was-kind-of-shocking-for-humans-was-to-come-to/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [Each book will have a lot of cliffhangers, because I like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/each-book-will-have-a-lot-of-cliffhangers-because-i-like-that/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [I had a minor in Russian history, and this was at the time when the big Cold War was going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/i-had-a-minor-in-russian-history-and-this-was-at-the-time-when-the/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [“So you and the lovely Agent Scully are going down to investigate?' Frohike said, sounding hopeful. 'Yeah, we leave for Cancun tomorrow.' 'Our tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/so-you-and-the-lovely-agent-scully-are-going-down-to-investigate/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [I did several interesting jobs, working in restaurants, I worked at a lab rat farm, feeding and watering all these rats. Then I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/i-did-several-interesting-jobs-working-in-restaurants-i-worked-at-a/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [Well, I know that George Lucas doesn't like it at all. When I was working on The Illustrated Star Wars Universe, he told me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/well-i-know-that-george-lucas-doesn-t-like-it-at-all-when-i-was/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [I think now I'm up to something like 85 different titles that I've published.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/i-think-now-i-m-up-to-something-like-85-different-titles-that-i-ve/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [If you look at the British royal family and take away the scandals and the goofy stuff that's going on, people love to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/if-you-look-at-the-british-royal-family-and-take-away-the-scandals/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [We wanted to write the first prequels as a story that anyone could pick up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/we-wanted-to-write-the-first-prequels-as-a-story-that-anyone-could/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [“While death isn’t a sure thing anymore, taxes still are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/while-death-isn-t-a-sure-thing-anymore-taxes-still-are/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [I've had the same, full-time assistant and typist for eight or nine years now. She's read everything I've written, she types everything and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/i-ve-had-the-same-full-time-assistant-and-typist-for-eight-or-nine/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [“That night the first frost of autumn struck Tucker's Grove. It crept up from the ground, snaring the fragile roots of plants. It emerged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/that-night-the-first-frost-of-autumn-struck-tucker-s-grove-it-crept/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [“You’re being prejudiced, McGoo. Even unnaturals want love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/you-re-being-prejudiced-mcgoo-even-unnaturals-want-love/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [I don't think the author should make the reader do that much work to remember who somebody is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/i-don-t-think-the-author-should-make-the-reader-do-that-much-work-to/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [If you had an alien race that looked like insects, then they would build robots to look like themselves, not to look like people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/if-you-had-an-alien-race-that-looked-like-insects-then-they-would/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) [Explore all 70 Kevin J. Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) ## More Dune quotes > [Panned or not, 'Dune' is a real part of science-fiction filmmaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/panned-or-not-dune-is-a-real-part-of-science-fiction-filmmaking/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [“Michael had slipped beyond the crest of the dune. Jacob was lying flat out now, on his stomach, his little men all before him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mcdermott/michael-had-slipped-beyond-the-crest-of-the-dune-jacob-was-lying-flat/) [Alice McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mcdermott/) > [I have read every book in the 'Dune' series and every Anne Rice book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-toussaint/i-have-read-every-book-in-the-dune-series-and-every-anne-rice-book/) [Lorraine Toussaint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-toussaint/) > [They were made up names in Dune that I didn't know how to pronounce, but I knew how I should sound because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-madsen/they-were-made-up-names-in-dune-that-i-didn-t-know-how-to-pronounce/) [Virginia Madsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-madsen/) > [From an entertainment point of view, the Solar System has been a bust. None of the planets turns out to have any real-estate potential,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/from-an-entertainment-point-of-view-the-solar-system-has-been-a-bust/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [For me 'Dune' was a dream - a big dream!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/for-me-dune-was-a-dream-a-big-dream/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Dune was really my first Hollywood job. It was such a small part, but I opened the movie. I was about 19 years old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-madsen/dune-was-really-my-first-hollywood-job-it-was-such-a-small-part-but-i/) [Virginia Madsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-madsen/) > [Arrakis teaches the attitude of the knife - chopping off what's incomplete and saying: 'Now, it's complete because it's ended here.' - from "Collected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/arrakis-teaches-the-attitude-of-the-knife-chopping-off-what-s/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“My Sihaya,’ he said as he held her, ‘I have loved you for five thousand years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/my-sihaya-he-said-as-he-held-her-i-have-loved-you-for-five-thousand/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [“My son displays a general garment and you claim it’s cut to your fit?” Jessica asked. “What a fascinating revelation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/my-son-displays-a-general-garment-and-you-claim-it-s-cut-to-your-fit/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [David Lynch plucked me from obscurity. He cast me as the lead in 'Dune' and 'Blue Velvet,' and people have seen me as this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-maclachlan/david-lynch-plucked-me-from-obscurity-he-cast-me-as-the-lead-in-dune/) [Kyle MacLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-maclachlan/) > [“I see us giving love to each other in a time of quiet between storms. It's what we were meant to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/i-see-us-giving-love-to-each-other-in-a-time-of-quiet-between-storms/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [I had to forget a lot of 'Star Wars' when I was making 'Dune.' It wasn't hard, though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greig-fraser/i-had-to-forget-a-lot-of-star-wars-when-i-was-making-dune-it-wasn-t/) [Greig Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greig-fraser/) > [“Some say," Scytale said, "that people cling to Imperial leadership because space is infinite. They feel lonely without a unifying symbol. For a lonely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/some-say-scytale-said-that-people-cling-to-imperial-leadership/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Most modern science fiction went to school on 'Dune.' Even 'Harry Potter' with its 'boy protagonist who has not yet grown into his destiny'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ross/most-modern-science-fiction-went-to-school-on-dune-even-harry-potter/) [Gary Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ross/) [Browse all 42 Dune quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dune/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I could go back in time and tell my younger self that eventually that I'd become very successful writing Dune books after Frank Herbert's death, I would have laughed myself silly, I think, at how strange that prospect would be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kevin J. 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