--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started as a writer. I didn't play…" description: "\"I started as a writer. I didn't play music until late in life.\" — Mat Kearney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mat-kearney-3612_late_i-started-as-a-writer-i-didn-t-play-musi_2104877.png" --- # I started as a writer. I didn't play music until late in… ![“I started as a writer. I didn't play music until late in life.” quote by Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mat-kearney-3612_late_i-started-as-a-writer-i-didn-t-play-musi_2104877.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mat-kearney-3612_late_i-started-as-a-writer-i-didn-t-play-musi_2104877.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mat-kearney-3612_late_i-started-as-a-writer-i-didn-t-play-musi_2104877.png) > “I started as a writer. I didn't play music until late in life.” [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Late‑blooming artistic pursuits show it’s never too late to start creating. **In simple terms:** Started writing early, music later in life. Key Takeaway Embrace lifelong learning and follow passions. Themes creativity growth late bloom Mood inspired determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career change - music lessons - writing workshops - personal reinvention Key Concepts career transition artistic development Questions to Reflect On - What steps you to begin music? - How can you integrate writing and music? A Different Perspective Societal pressure may discourage late starts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-late-657087/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-music/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-writer-1465539/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-didn-376758/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If you think too much in the music you are too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snow/if-you-think-too-much-in-the-music-you-are-too-late/) [Michael Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-snow/) > [I started as a writer; I started writing when I was little. The acting and directing was an outgrowth of my desire to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-started-as-a-writer-i-started-writing-when-i-was-little-the-acting/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [I started music late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-penderecki/i-started-music-late/) [Krzysztof Penderecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-penderecki/) > [Perhaps if they had stayed together longer, Sabina and Franz would have begun to understand the words they used. Gradually, timorously, their vocabularies would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/perhaps-if-they-had-stayed-together-longer-sabina-and-franz-would/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I started writing in the '90s, so I was free to just have an eccentric career and not conform to some idea of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-started-writing-in-the-90s-so-i-was-free-to-just-have-an-eccentric/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [When I started to be a writer, I was not going to run the risk of boring you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-woodrell/when-i-started-to-be-a-writer-i-was-not-going-to-run-the-risk-of/) [Daniel Woodrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-woodrell/) > [When I started as a writer, I knew nothing about publishing-nothing about anything!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/when-i-started-as-a-writer-i-knew-nothing-about-publishing-nothing/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [I started as a writer and when I sent my demos out everyone wanted to know who was singing and if that person wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcknight/i-started-as-a-writer-and-when-i-sent-my-demos-out-everyone-wanted-to/) [Brian McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcknight/) > [I started out as a writer of fiction, but nobody wanted to publish my work as a young man. So I decided to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-kaplan/i-started-out-as-a-writer-of-fiction-but-nobody-wanted-to-publish-my/) [Fred Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-kaplan/) > [I started as a writer. I had the dumb act, but I made my living from writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/i-started-as-a-writer-i-had-the-dumb-act-but-i-made-my-living-from/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [I started out as a writer. Poetry and prose and also kind of satirical David Sedaris-esque stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauley-perrette/i-started-out-as-a-writer-poetry-and-prose-and-also-kind-of-satirical/) [Pauley Perrette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauley-perrette/) > [My last point about getting started as a writer: do something first, good or bad, successful or not, and write it up before approaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffery-taylor/my-last-point-about-getting-started-as-a-writer-do-something-first/) [Jeffery Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffery-taylor/) > [I started as a writer for magazines, and soon they asked me to illustrate my stories. I started from the bottom of the bottom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/i-started-as-a-writer-for-magazines-and-soon-they-asked-me-to/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [I vividly remember being 14. That was the age when I started to get happy: I started being a writer and stopped being a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/i-vividly-remember-being-14-that-was-the-age-when-i-started-to-get/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) > [As somebody who started as a writer and comedian, I didn't expect this kind of career, and it's been really amazing to play and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/as-somebody-who-started-as-a-writer-and-comedian-i-didn-t-expect-this/) [Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/) ## More by Mat Kearney > [My dad was a scratch golfer growing up. When I'm on the road, I always bring my clubs with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/my-dad-was-a-scratch-golfer-growing-up-when-i-m-on-the-road-i-always/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [With 'City of Black & White,' I wanted a record that would make you feel good, that would sort of take you up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/with-city-of-black-white-i-wanted-a-record-that-would-make-you-feel/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [The first year I moved to Nashville, I started playing these songwriter nights with people like Nickel Creek, Duncan Sheik, and even Ryan Adams...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/the-first-year-i-moved-to-nashville-i-started-playing-these/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [When we tour, there's always this unique quality to every town you visit... Touring, you get a sense of a collective identity for different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/when-we-tour-there-s-always-this-unique-quality-to-every-town-you/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [I meant what I said when I said until my dying day.I'm holding on to you, holding on to me.Maybe it's all gone black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-meant-what-i-said-when-i-said-until-my-dying-day-i-m-holding-on-to/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [God found me when I was at my lowest point. That was the first time in my life when I really felt like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/god-found-me-when-i-was-at-my-lowest-point-that-was-the-first-time-in/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [It's not the circumstances that determine who you're gonna be but how you deal with these problems and pains that come your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/it-s-not-the-circumstances-that-determine-who-you-re-gonna-be-but-how/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [I'm really influenced by '90s hip hop. A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul were my heroes growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-m-really-influenced-by-90s-hip-hop-a-tribe-called-quest-and-de-la/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [Well, I never made a record to be in the Christian market. So when I made my record it was to exist in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/well-i-never-made-a-record-to-be-in-the-christian-market-so-when-i/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [I guess we're all one phone call from our knees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-guess-we-re-all-one-phone-call-from-our-knees/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [I love creating moments that feel bigger than just like an artist on stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-love-creating-moments-that-feel-bigger-than-just-like-an-artist-on/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [Just because you've written a song doesn't mean that you have pulled through. There are definitely songs where I embodied someone else's pain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/just-because-you-ve-written-a-song-doesn-t-mean-that-you-have-pulled/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [It's silly to throw things out or label things. You know, is U2 a Christian band, or was Johnny Cash a Christian country singer?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/it-s-silly-to-throw-things-out-or-label-things-you-know-is-u2-a/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [Generally, the songs that are the scariest ones are the ones that people connect to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/generally-the-songs-that-are-the-scariest-ones-are-the-ones-that/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [I never got too specialized but did like the Southern Gothic writers like William Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-never-got-too-specialized-but-did-like-the-southern-gothic-writers/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) [Explore all 126 Mat Kearney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) ## More Late quotes > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The late 1990s were really a moment of still tremendous hope and optimism about the relationship between Russia and the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/the-late-1990s-were-really-a-moment-of-still-tremendous-hope-and/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [There was a product on late night TV that you could attach to your garden hose - "You can water your hard-to-reach plants with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/there-was-a-product-on-late-night-tv-that-you-could-attach-to-your/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [God is never late, we're just impatient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/god-is-never-late-we-re-just-impatient/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [The right decision is the wrong decision if it's made too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-right-decision-is-the-wrong-decision-if-it-s-made-too-late/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/love-is-all-a-matter-of-timing-it-s-no-good-meeting-the-right-person/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [And my experience is the best titles, for me, emerge in the process of writing. They don't usually come at the very beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/and-my-experience-is-the-best-titles-for-me-emerge-in-the-process-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [For me, the melancholy of the late XXth Century is walking late at night by the Mont Blanc pen store and seeing these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/for-me-the-melancholy-of-the-late-xxth-century-is-walking-late-at/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) > [I've always been a late bloomer in some ways, and extremely precocious in other ways. When I was twenty I was living in New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-daum/i-ve-always-been-a-late-bloomer-in-some-ways-and-extremely-precocious/) [Meghan Daum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-daum/) > [I swam with my first shark in the 1980s. I was 20 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, working with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-skerry/i-swam-with-my-first-shark-in-the-1980s-i-was-20-miles-off-the-coast/) [Brian Skerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-skerry/) > [God alone knows how great it is. All I hope is that it is not too late. I am very much afraid that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/god-alone-knows-how-great-it-is-all-i-hope-is-that-it-is-not-too-late/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) [Browse all 5,113 Late quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started as a writer. 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