--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it was Fran Lebowitz who said…" description: "\"I think it was Fran Lebowitz who said that there are no writing prodigies. You have to have something to write about.\" — Larry Wilmore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0e/larry-wilmore-3223_prodigies_i-think-it-was-fran-lebowitz-who-said-th_2206535.png" --- # I think it was Fran Lebowitz who said that there are no… ![“I think it was Fran Lebowitz who said that there are no writing prodigies. You have to have something to write about.” quote by Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0e/larry-wilmore-3223_prodigies_i-think-it-was-fran-lebowitz-who-said-th_2206535.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0e/larry-wilmore-3223_prodigies_i-think-it-was-fran-lebowitz-who-said-th_2206535.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0e/larry-wilmore-3223_prodigies_i-think-it-was-fran-lebowitz-who-said-th_2206535.png) > “I think it was Fran Lebowitz who said that there are no writing prodigies. You have to have something to write about.” [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing skill requires material, not just talent; without subject matter, even gifted writers stall. **In simple terms:** Writing needs topics, not just talent. Key Takeaway Find something meaningful to write about. Themes writing creativity subject matter Mood reflective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - blogging - novel writing - journalism - academic papers Key Concepts inspiration motivation focus Questions to Reflect On - What topics excite you enough to write? - How can you generate ideas when stuck? A Different Perspective Talent alone doesn't guarantee output without content. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Prodigies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prodigies/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think I'm a witty person. To me, a witty person is a funny person who is also a smart person. My friend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-don-t-think-i-m-a-witty-person-to-me-a-witty-person-is-a-funny/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Authors often become identified with an item of clothing - Zadie Smith, for instance, is known for her head wraps, and Fran Lebowitz is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-peters/authors-often-become-identified-with-an-item-of-clothing-zadie-smith/) [Torrey Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-peters/) > [I texted one of the writers I said, 'I have this crazy idea, I think I have to play Fran Lebowitz on Update.' The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bowen-yang/i-texted-one-of-the-writers-i-said-i-have-this-crazy-idea-i-think-i/) [Bowen Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bowen-yang/) > [“I´m just not sending out the right vibe lately. Perhaps the fact that I wear stained sweatpants and free T-shirts is holding me back.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-finnamore/i-m-just-not-sending-out-the-right-vibe-lately-perhaps-the-fact-that/) [Suzanne Finnamore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-finnamore/) > [“If Fran Lebowitz and Ian Fleming had blessed the world with a love child it would have been author J. Fields Jr.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-medina/if-fran-lebowitz-and-ian-fleming-had-blessed-the-world-with-a-love/) Edward Medina > [I built a career on negative reviews. I didn't get a good review ever until Fran Lebowitz gave me a good review in Interview.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-built-a-career-on-negative-reviews-i-didn-t-get-a-good-review-ever/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Okay, this is Fran Lebowitz. She gave an interview once for the Paris Review about trying to write fiction and saying that fiction writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/okay-this-is-fran-lebowitz-she-gave-an-interview-once-for-the-paris/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [You could be a music prodigy at age 4, like Mozart, but you can't be a writing prodigy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/you-could-be-a-music-prodigy-at-age-4-like-mozart-but-you-can-t-be-a/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [“It must take a lot of self-discipline,' she said. 'Oh, I don't know. I don't have much.' He felt himself about to say again,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-crowley/it-must-take-a-lot-of-self-discipline-she-said-oh-i-don-t-know-i-don/) [John Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-crowley/) > [There's something to be said for writing in the morning. At other points in the day, you're a bit more defensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/there-s-something-to-be-said-for-writing-in-the-morning-at-other/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [E.L. Doctorow said once said that 'Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/e-l-doctorow-said-once-said-that-writing-a-novel-is-like-driving-a/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Somebody said writing is easy, you just sit down at your typewriter and open a vein. It depends on the book. Some, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rivers-siddons/somebody-said-writing-is-easy-you-just-sit-down-at-your-typewriter/) [Anne Rivers Siddons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rivers-siddons/) > [“Lately, because computer technology has made self-publishing an easier and less expensive venture, I'm getting a lot of review copies of amateur books by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-windling/lately-because-computer-technology-has-made-self-publishing-an-easier/) [Terri Windling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-windling/) > [If they had said my writing wasn't good enough, fair enough, that's an opinion. But to say it's too complex is to insult the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/if-they-had-said-my-writing-wasn-t-good-enough-fair-enough-that-s-an/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) ## More by Larry Wilmore > [As a culture, we've all agreed with the opinion that the world should be seen in a certain way, so at 'The Nightly Show,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/as-a-culture-we-ve-all-agreed-with-the-opinion-that-the-world-should/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Catholic and Jew - it's very closely related, a lot of holidays, a lot of guilt, a lot of the same things going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/catholic-and-jew-it-s-very-closely-related-a-lot-of-holidays-a-lot-of/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Even though you're in charge you're not completely in ownership. You know, the audience takes a huge ownership of your show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/even-though-you-re-in-charge-you-re-not-completely-in-ownership-you/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [When you work in television you're in the writer's room all the time. You can't take 10 days or a week to go watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/when-you-work-in-television-you-re-in-the-writer-s-room-all-the-time/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I was taught from a very early age that I had to work twice as hard to get half as much. That was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-was-taught-from-a-very-early-age-that-i-had-to-work-twice-as-hard/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Sometimes I'm successful, and sometimes I'm not, but I don't mind going down trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/sometimes-i-m-successful-and-sometimes-i-m-not-but-i-don-t-mind-going/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [You never want to defend a joke. People get to choose whether or not to laugh and whether or not they think something is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/you-never-want-to-defend-a-joke-people-get-to-choose-whether-or-not/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I really don't have a need to be on TV all that much, to be honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-really-don-t-have-a-need-to-be-on-tv-all-that-much-to-be-honest/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [There's a lot of magic in science, so to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/there-s-a-lot-of-magic-in-science-so-to-speak/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [When you're taking chances, you know it's not going to please everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/when-you-re-taking-chances-you-know-it-s-not-going-to-please-everybody/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I didn't get into comedy to talk about violent death all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-didn-t-get-into-comedy-to-talk-about-violent-death-all-the-time/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I was an athlete, so I hung out with the jocks. I was smart, so I hung out with the nerdy kids. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-was-an-athlete-so-i-hung-out-with-the-jocks-i-was-smart-so-i-hung/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [My parents are from the Midwest. They're from Evanston, Illinois. They moved out to Los Angeles right before I was born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/my-parents-are-from-the-midwest-they-re-from-evanston-illinois-they/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I really love having conversations and deconstructing things. I don't mind not having a laugh every second. Sometimes things deserve a little more discussion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-really-love-having-conversations-and-deconstructing-things-i-don-t/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Sometimes I'd say what's bad for the country is good for my business, unfortunately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/sometimes-i-d-say-what-s-bad-for-the-country-is-good-for-my-business/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) [Explore all 136 Larry Wilmore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) ## More Prodigies quotes > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was never a prodigy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-davenport/i-was-never-a-prodigy/) [Lindsay Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-davenport/) > [Destiny, quite often, is a determined parent. Mozart was hardly some naive prodigy who sat down at the keyboard and, with God whispering in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/destiny-quite-often-is-a-determined-parent-mozart-was-hardly-some/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [The philosopher, who with calm suspicion examines the dreams and omens, the miracles and prodigies, of profane or even of ecclesiastical history, will probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-philosopher-who-with-calm-suspicion-examines-the-dreams-and-omens/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [And yes, again, that was it exactly. A retyper and not a writer. A prodigy and not a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-yes-again-that-was-it-exactly-a-retyper-and-not-a-writer-a/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Look at the real prodigies, and I look like nothing compared to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/look-at-the-real-prodigies-and-i-look-like-nothing-compared-to-them/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [The word "prodigy" was thrown around a lot, but I didn't understand what that meant, or the weight of it. It didn't really mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/the-word-prodigy-was-thrown-around-a-lot-but-i-didn-t-understand-what/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [He has the personality of a child prodigy, but no discernable talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/he-has-the-personality-of-a-child-prodigy-but-no-discernable-talent/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Our forefathers looked upon nature with more reverence and horror, before the world was enlightened by learning and philosophy, and loved to astonish themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/our-forefathers-looked-upon-nature-with-more-reverence-and-horror/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [When I was four, I think I just wanted to make noise. When I was about 10 years old I was given five CDs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-paulina-sumner/when-i-was-four-i-think-i-just-wanted-to-make-noise-when-i-was-about/) [Eliot Paulina Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-paulina-sumner/) > [As the skies appear to a man, so is his mind. Some see only clouds there; some, prodigies and portents; some rarely look up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-the-skies-appear-to-a-man-so-is-his-mind-some-see-only-clouds/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This book is not for parents who want to raise a perfect child. You can probably make that kind of kid, but I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-berk/this-book-is-not-for-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-perfect-child-you/) Brett Berk > [Some of my friends, they were the best, or prodigies, at the time, their development kind of stopped a few years later. Whereas I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/some-of-my-friends-they-were-the-best-or-prodigies-at-the-time-their/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I have always been a singer, a writer, and a musician, not as a prodigy or as in a trade handed to me by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-always-been-a-singer-a-writer-and-a-musician-not-as-a-prodigy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “Everyone loves a prodigy \[...\]. Prodigies get us off the hook for living ordinary lives. We can tell ourselves we're not special because we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/everyone-loves-a-prodigy-prodigies-get-us-off-the-hook-for-living/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) [Browse all 104 Prodigies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prodigies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it was Fran Lebowitz who said that there are no writing prodigies. 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