--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't write poetry or short stories. I…" description: "\"I don't write poetry or short stories. I don't like to write articles usually. I tend to really only want to be focused on writing novels. It's one of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/markus-zusak-165_advantage_i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i_533241.jpg" --- # I don't write poetry or short stories. I don't like to… ![“I don't write poetry or short stories. I don't like to write articles usually. I tend to really only want to be focused on writing novels. It's one of the real advantages I've had over the years. I've only been good at one thing. It helps to be limited.” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/markus-zusak-165_advantage_i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i_533241.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/markus-zusak-165_advantage_i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i_533241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/markus-zusak-165_advantage_i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i_533241.jpg) > “I don't write poetry or short stories. I don't like to write articles usually. I tend to really only want to be focused on writing novels. It's one of the real advantages I've had over the years. I've only been good at one thing. It helps to be limited.” [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing on a single creative form can sharpen skill and productivity. **In simple terms:** Specializing improves mastery. Key Takeaway Embrace focused practice. Themes creativity focus specialization Mood reflective determined Type advice personal When to use this quote - novel writing - career planning - skill honing Key Concepts Skill development creative limitation Questions to Reflect On - What could you gain from diversifying? - How does focus affect your creative output? A Different Perspective Neglects broader growth opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Short stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-stories/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If writing novels is like planting a forest, then writing short stories is more like planting a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-writing-novels-is-like-planting-a-forest-then-writing-short/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [All my writing-life people kept telling me that I should stop writing short stories and start writing novels: my agent, my Israeli publisher, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/all-my-writing-life-people-kept-telling-me-that-i-should-stop-writing/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [Writing short stories was kind of like I was cheating the whole time, in some way. I went back and forth between writing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/writing-short-stories-was-kind-of-like-i-was-cheating-the-whole-time/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [“In writing short stories—as in writing novels—take one thing at a time. (For some writers, this advice I'm giving may apply best to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/in-writing-short-stories-as-in-writing-novels-take-one-thing-at-a/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [“I find writing novels a challenge, writing stories a joy. If writing novels is like planting a forest, then writing short stories is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-find-writing-novels-a-challenge-writing-stories-a-joy-if-writing/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Just as long as newspapers and magazines are controlled by men, every woman upon them must write articles which are reflections of men's ideas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/just-as-long-as-newspapers-and-magazines-are-controlled-by-men-every/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [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/) > [I write articles, and I do profiles of members of organizations and associations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/i-write-articles-and-i-do-profiles-of-members-of-organizations-and/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [“I'm a features writer, and an Indian at that, so I get all the shit jobs. Not the dangerous shit jobs or the monotonous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-m-a-features-writer-and-an-indian-at-that-so-i-get-all-the-shit/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [People need to write articles and they need to have angles in them and I'm grateful when people are doing articles, but I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/people-need-to-write-articles-and-they-need-to-have-angles-in-them/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [If I do commentary, write articles, or am an expert on a news channel, I can still earn money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virender-sehwag/if-i-do-commentary-write-articles-or-am-an-expert-on-a-news-channel-i/) [Virender Sehwag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virender-sehwag/) > [I'm a failed poet. Maybe every novelist wants to write poetry first, finds he can't and then tries the short story which is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-m-a-failed-poet-maybe-every-novelist-wants-to-write-poetry-first/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Novels are more difficult simply because they are longer and require more juggling, but short stories are closer to perfection, if you can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/novels-are-more-difficult-simply-because-they-are-longer-and-require/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [I regret that there aren't more short stories in other magazines. But in a certain way, I think the disappearance of the short-story template…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorin-stein/i-regret-that-there-aren-t-more-short-stories-in-other-magazines-but/) [Lorin Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorin-stein/) > [I began writing early - very, very early... I was already writing short stories for the radio and selling poems to poetry and art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-began-writing-early-very-very-early-i-was-already-writing-short/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) ## More by Markus Zusak > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“For two days I went about my business. I travelled the globe as always, handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/for-two-days-i-went-about-my-business-i-travelled-the-globe-as-always/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is early, early morning. It's that time when it's still dark but you know the day is coming. Blue is bleeding through black.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-is-early-early-morning-it-s-that-time-when-it-s-still-dark-but-you/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I'm twenty years old and look at me-- there isn't a thing I want to do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-m-twenty-years-old-and-look-at-me-there-isn-t-a-thing-i-want-to-do/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-should-give-it-to-max-liesel-see-if-you-can-leave-it-on-the/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“When a woman with an iron fist tells you to get out there and clean spit off the door, you do it. Especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/when-a-woman-with-an-iron-fist-tells-you-to-get-out-there-and-clean/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer - proof again of the contradictory human being. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“«¿Por qué no puede oírlo el resto del mundo? —me pregunto. En pocos segundos me lo pregunto muchas veces—. Porque no le importa —me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/por-qu-no-puede-o-rlo-el-resto-del-mundo-me-pregunto-en-pocos/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Could she smell my breath? Could she hear my cursed circular heart beat revolving like the crime it is in my deathly chest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/could-she-smell-my-breath-could-she-hear-my-cursed-circular-heart/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I see how complicated it is to make a film and how many people are involved and I love the fact that I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-see-how-complicated-it-is-to-make-a-film-and-how-many-people-are/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“Može li netko ukrasti sreću? Ili je i to još jedan unutarnji, paklenski ljudski trik?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/mo-e-li-netko-ukrasti-sre-u-ili-je-i-to-jo-jedan-unutarnji-paklenski/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Explore all 953 Markus Zusak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## More Advantage quotes > [Dogmatists have one advantage: they are poor listeners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/dogmatists-have-one-advantage-they-are-poor-listeners/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [All I ever wanted was an unfair advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/all-i-ever-wanted-was-an-unfair-advantage/) [Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/) > [Part of the advantage, and part of the result of trying to be a producer and director, are the practical things, you find. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/part-of-the-advantage-and-part-of-the-result-of-trying-to-be-a/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) > [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [For some reason when I decide to pursue something, I never have any fear that it won't happen. I think it's just ingrained in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-blatz/for-some-reason-when-i-decide-to-pursue-something-i-never-have-any/) [Kelly Blatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-blatz/) > [I think I have good hands, so I try to use them to my advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-andreescu/i-think-i-have-good-hands-so-i-try-to-use-them-to-my-advantage/) [Bianca Andreescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-andreescu/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [Baseball needs to put the steroids era behind it by having and enforcing tough rules against all kinds of artificial advantages, so that spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/baseball-needs-to-put-the-steroids-era-behind-it-by-having-and/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/live-in-the-world-you-inhabit-look-upon-things-as-they-are-take-them/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [I always tell women that the fact that you're different and that you're noticed, because there are few of us in the tech industry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/i-always-tell-women-that-the-fact-that-you-re-different-and-that-you/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) [Browse all 3,503 Advantage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't write poetry or short stories. I don't like to write articles usually. I tend to really only want to be focused on writing novels. It's one of the real advantages I've had over the years. I've only been good at one thing. It helps to be limited.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Markus Zusak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i-don-t-like-to-write-articles/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advantage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i-don-t-like-to-write-articles/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/markus-zusak-165_advantage_i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i_533241.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/markus-zusak-165_advantage_i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i_533241.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/markus-zusak-165_advantage_i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i_533241.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't write poetry or short stories. I don't like to write articles usually. I tend to really only want to…” — Markus Zusak", "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": "Markus Zusak", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't write poetry or short...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i-don-t-like-to-write-articles/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-don-t-write-poetry-or-short-stories-i-don-t-like-to-write-articles/#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 } } ] } ```