--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got so discouraged, I almost stopped…" description: "\"I got so discouraged, I almost stopped writing. It was my 12-year-old son who changed my mind when he said to me, \"Mother, you've been very cross and e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/madeleine-l-engle-345_changed_i-got-so-discouraged-i-almost-stopped-wr_274309.png" --- # I got so discouraged, I almost stopped writing. It was my… ![“I got so discouraged, I almost stopped writing. It was my 12-year-old son who changed my mind when he said to me, "Mother, you've been very cross and edgy with us and we notice you haven't been writing. We wish you'd go back to the typewriter. That did a lot of good for my false guilts about…” quote by Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/madeleine-l-engle-345_changed_i-got-so-discouraged-i-almost-stopped-wr_274309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/madeleine-l-engle-345_changed_i-got-so-discouraged-i-almost-stopped-wr_274309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/madeleine-l-engle-345_changed_i-got-so-discouraged-i-almost-stopped-wr_274309.png) > “I got so discouraged, I almost stopped writing. It was my 12-year-old son who changed my mind when he said to me, "Mother, you've been very cross and edgy with us and we notice you haven't been writing. We wish you'd go back to the typewriter. That did a lot of good for my false guilts about spending so much time writing. At that point, I acknowledged that I am a writer and even if I were never published again, that's what I am."” [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A mother’s self‑doubt about writing was alleviated when her son reminded her of her identity as a writer, reinforcing that personal worth isn’t tied to external success. **In simple terms:** A son’s reminder restored a mother’s confidence in her writer identity despite setbacks. Key Takeaway Embrace your core identity regardless of external validation. Themes self‑esteem identity creativity parenting confidence Mood introspective encouraging Type personal motivational When to use this quote - writing practice - parent‑child dialogue - self‑affirmation - career resilience Key Concepts self‑concept intrinsic motivation creative block Questions to Reflect On - What does being a writer mean to you beyond publishing? - How can you nurture creative identity during doubt? A Different Perspective May overlook practical steps to improve craft; internal focus can ignore market realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Edgy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edgy/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I began dabbling in writing when I was 12, and there was never an official start to singing... 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