--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I wanted to be a journalist or…" description: "\"I thought I wanted to be a journalist or a novelist.\" — Lena Dunham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/lena-dunham-1013_journalist_i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or_1749925.jpg" --- # I thought I wanted to be a journalist or a novelist. ![“I thought I wanted to be a journalist or a novelist.” quote by Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/lena-dunham-1013_journalist_i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or_1749925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/lena-dunham-1013_journalist_i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or_1749925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/lena-dunham-1013_journalist_i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or_1749925.jpg) > “I thought I wanted to be a journalist or a novelist.” [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She reflects on early career aspirations, realizing they may shift over time. **In simple terms:** Early dreams can change. Key Takeaway Embrace evolving passions. Themes career identity creativity Mood reflective hopeful Type personal career When to use this quote - college major choice - first job search - creative projects - career pivot Key Concepts self‑discovery vocational fluidity Questions to Reflect On - What passions have you outgrown? - How can you honor past aspirations while moving forward? A Different Perspective Dreams may not align with reality; flexibility needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [Journalist Novelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist-novelist-1596875/) [Novelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelist/) [Novelists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelists/) [Thought Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-wanted-470706/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-journalist-895515/) ## Related quotes > [I wanted to be a journalist for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-bell/i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-for-a-long-time/) [Jamie Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-bell/) > [I wanted to be a journalist. The other thing I wanted to be was a spy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-patricia-botin/i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-the-other-thing-i-wanted-to-be-was-a-spy/) [Ana Patricia Botin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-patricia-botin/) > [I wanted to be a journalist. I used to write articles at university about politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-patricia-botin/i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-i-used-to-write-articles-at-university/) [Ana Patricia Botin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-patricia-botin/) > [“At the back of my mind I wanted to be a journalist when I grew up since I didn’t seem to be getting any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-colquhoun/at-the-back-of-my-mind-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-when-i-grew-up/) [Ian Colquhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-colquhoun/) > [I wanted to be a journalist so the character of a TV news person in 'Run Baby Run' was really interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-paul/i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-so-the-character-of-a-tv-news-person-in/) [Amala Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-paul/) > [I never intended to make a living from music. That's the funny thing. I wanted to be a journalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/i-never-intended-to-make-a-living-from-music-that-s-the-funny-thing-i/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [I don't think I ever wanted to be a journalist - I was more interested in what comes from being a journalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-booker/i-don-t-think-i-ever-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-i-was-more-interested/) [Benjamin Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-booker/) > [I always wanted to be a serious journalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-serious-journalist/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [What got me into making movies was that I wanted to be a journalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/what-got-me-into-making-movies-was-that-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [I dont think I ever wanted to be a journalist - I was more interested in what comes from being a journalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-booker/i-dont-think-i-ever-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-i-was-more-interested/) [Benjamin Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-booker/) > [And that singular anomaly, the lady novelist-- I don't think she'd be missed--I'm sure she'd not be missed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/and-that-singular-anomaly-the-lady-novelist-i-don-t-think-she-d-be/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [Playing with different genres and perspectives and ways of telling stories is one of the perks of being a novelist, but at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linn-ullmann/playing-with-different-genres-and-perspectives-and-ways-of-telling/) [Linn Ullmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linn-ullmann/) > [I am not an academic who happens to have written a novel. I am a novelist who happens to be quite good academically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/i-am-not-an-academic-who-happens-to-have-written-a-novel-i-am-a/) [A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/) > [I'm a novelist. Fortunately I don't have to rule the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-m-a-novelist-fortunately-i-don-t-have-to-rule-the-world/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“She'll be an excellent novelist: a monster of self-absorption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lan-samantha-chang/she-ll-be-an-excellent-novelist-a-monster-of-self-absorption/) [Lan Samantha Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lan-samantha-chang/) ## More by Lena Dunham > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [“Oberlin being a liberal haven where opposition was king, the coolest clique at school was a group of rugby-playing, neon-wearing lesbians. They dominated every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/oberlin-being-a-liberal-haven-where-opposition-was-king-the-coolest/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Calling someone a drama queen is so negative. Why not 'content creator'?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/calling-someone-a-drama-queen-is-so-negative-why-not-content-creator/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [My relationship to eating, my relationship to critiquing my own shape, all of that has changed since I've started viewing my body much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/my-relationship-to-eating-my-relationship-to-critiquing-my-own-shape/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [“I am sorry (not to you but in a deeper way, sorry for my brain chemistry and who I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-am-sorry-not-to-you-but-in-a-deeper-way-sorry-for-my-brain/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [It's very easy for me to say what success is. I think success is connecting with an audience who understands you and having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-s-very-easy-for-me-to-say-what-success-is-i-think-success-is/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [At my age, no one is married, no one has kids, no one has a career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/at-my-age-no-one-is-married-no-one-has-kids-no-one-has-a-career/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I should do the things that make me feel cool and smart. As I get older, I'm realizing more and more that it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-should-do-the-things-that-make-me-feel-cool-and-smart-as-i-get/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [My shape reminds me a lot of my grandmother, whom I was really close to. She died when I was 13, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/my-shape-reminds-me-a-lot-of-my-grandmother-whom-i-was-really-close/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I never set out to make any statements about a specific character, I just set out to tell what feels like is a truthful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-never-set-out-to-make-any-statements-about-a-specific-character-i/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [You’ve learned a new rule and it’s simple: don’t put yourself in situations you’d like to run away from. But when you run, run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/you-ve-learned-a-new-rule-and-it-s-simple-don-t-put-yourself-in/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I would go to work from 9 to 6, go home, nap for two hours, then write from 8 to 2 a.m.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-would-go-to-work-from-9-to-6-go-home-nap-for-two-hours-then-write/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [My uncle's a lawyer and I remember going to see him in court and thinking, 'That's cool, too bad I could never be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/my-uncle-s-a-lawyer-and-i-remember-going-to-see-him-in-court-and/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I love directing scenes that I'm not in because suddenly I really feel like a filmmaker which is a different thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-love-directing-scenes-that-i-m-not-in-because-suddenly-i-really/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I'm glad if my work can make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-m-glad-if-my-work-can-make-a-difference/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) [Explore all 301 Lena Dunham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) ## More Journalist quotes > [If, for instance, they have heard something from the postman, they attribute it to a semi-official statement; if they have fallen into conversation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-for-instance-they-have-heard-something-from-the-postman-they/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [Music journalists love Elvis Costello and hate me because they look like Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee-roth/music-journalists-love-elvis-costello-and-hate-me-because-they-look/) [David Lee Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee-roth/) > [I realized I couldn't be a journalist because I like to take a side, to have an opinion and a point a view; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/i-realized-i-couldn-t-be-a-journalist-because-i-like-to-take-a-side/) [Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/) > [The official independence celebration was going to be held over four or five days, and a group of journalists from all over the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryszard-kapuscinski/the-official-independence-celebration-was-going-to-be-held-over-four/) [Ryszard Kapuscinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryszard-kapuscinski/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“I’m a journalist, and journalists need news. Deprive them of it, and they go a bit barking. Deprive them of news long enough, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-m-a-journalist-and-journalists-need-news-deprive-them-of-it-and/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [There's this American pretense, which is the pretense of the journalist with the view from nowhere - which has somehow morphed into the journalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/there-s-this-american-pretense-which-is-the-pretense-of-the/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [No-deal Brexit could be Boris Johnson's biggest deception yet - worse than the Boris bus or the lies that had him sacked as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/no-deal-brexit-could-be-boris-johnson-s-biggest-deception-yet-worse/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [I never intended to be a journalist. Frankly, I don't think I ever was a journalist. I backed into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-shames/i-never-intended-to-be-a-journalist-frankly-i-don-t-think-i-ever-was/) [Laurence Shames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-shames/) > [A historian is not always a prophet facing backwards, but a journalist is always someone who afterwards knew everything beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-historian-is-not-always-a-prophet-facing-backwards-but-a-journalist/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [In the end I'm still a writer. I'm still a journalist, and my first responsibility is to my readers. That's where I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/in-the-end-i-m-still-a-writer-i-m-still-a-journalist-and-my-first/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I was for many years myself a journalist and it is not appropriate to say a programme should not be broadcast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-monckton/i-was-for-many-years-myself-a-journalist-and-it-is-not-appropriate-to/) [Christopher Monckton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-monckton/) > [Of necessity, we made the discovery that it is easier to turn poets into business journalists than to turn bookkeepers into writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-r-luce/of-necessity-we-made-the-discovery-that-it-is-easier-to-turn-poets/) [Henry R. Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-r-luce/) > [Like a versatile baller, George Dohrmann swings seamlessly from position to position: investigative journalist, social critic, gifted storyteller. The result is a gem of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-jon-wertheim/like-a-versatile-baller-george-dohrmann-swings-seamlessly-from/) [L. Jon Wertheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-jon-wertheim/) [Browse all 1,737 Journalist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought I wanted to be a journalist or a novelist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lena Dunham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or-a-novelist/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Journalist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or-a-novelist/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/lena-dunham-1013_journalist_i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or_1749925.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/lena-dunham-1013_journalist_i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or_1749925.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/lena-dunham-1013_journalist_i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or_1749925.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I thought I wanted to be a journalist or a novelist.” — Lena Dunham", "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": "Lena Dunham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I thought I wanted to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or-a-novelist/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-or-a-novelist/#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 } } ] } ```