--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I find having a column a very difficult…" description: "\"I find having a column a very difficult form of journalism. I'm not a natural like Tom Friedman and Anna Quindlen.\" — Maureen Dowd" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/maureen-dowd-6927_anna_i-find-having-a-column-a-very-difficult_2768300.jpg" --- # I find having a column a very difficult form of… ![“I find having a column a very difficult form of journalism. I'm not a natural like Tom Friedman and Anna Quindlen.” quote by Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/maureen-dowd-6927_anna_i-find-having-a-column-a-very-difficult_2768300.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/maureen-dowd-6927_anna_i-find-having-a-column-a-very-difficult_2768300.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/maureen-dowd-6927_anna_i-find-having-a-column-a-very-difficult_2768300.jpg) > “I find having a column a very difficult form of journalism. I'm not a natural like Tom Friedman and Anna Quindlen.” [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledges the challenge of column writing, feeling less natural compared to renowned journalists. **In simple terms:** Column writing feels hard for her. Key Takeaway Develop a unique voice through practice. Themes journalism self‑doubt craft Mood reflective determined Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - op‑ pieces - editorial work - personal essays - public speaking Key Concepts writing media criticism Questions to Reflect On - What strengths set your writing apart? - How can you learn from admired journalists? A Different Perspective Comparison may hinder confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anna/) [Column Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/column-difficult-3223503/) [Columns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/columns/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-form-3223504/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Form Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form-journalism-1212151/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Tom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tom/) ## Related quotes > [I think newspapers shouldn't try to compete directly with the Web, and should do what they can do better, which may be long-form journalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/i-think-newspapers-shouldn-t-try-to-compete-directly-with-the-web-and/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [Journalism is being pushed into a space where I don't think it should ever go, where it's trying to support the monetization model of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccue/journalism-is-being-pushed-into-a-space-where-i-don-t-think-it-should/) [Mike McCue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccue/) > [Whether it's long-form journalism or investigative journalism, it's no fun to just be the guy diagnosing the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/whether-it-s-long-form-journalism-or-investigative-journalism-it-s-no/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [Documentaries are a form of journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/documentaries-are-a-form-of-journalism/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I believe that music is another form of news. Music is another form of journalism to me so I have to cover all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-believe-that-music-is-another-form-of-news-music-is-another-form-of-2/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Prediction is a low form of journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/prediction-is-a-low-form-of-journalism/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I believe that music is another form of news. Music is another form of journalism to me. So I have to cover all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-believe-that-music-is-another-form-of-news-music-is-another-form-of/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [You will always have partial points of view, and you'll always have the story behind the story that hasn't come out yet. And any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/you-will-always-have-partial-points-of-view-and-you-ll-always-have/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [When I need to work up my nerve to write a tough column, I try to think of myself as Emma Peel in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/when-i-need-to-work-up-my-nerve-to-write-a-tough-column-i-try-to/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [“Sarah drew a deep breath and released it slowly, waiting for her voice to steady before she spoke. “It’s a ve ry good story.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-dee/sarah-drew-a-deep-breath-and-released-it-slowly-waiting-for-her-voice/) [Bonnie Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-dee/) > [I've had 79 to 80 years of show business. I started when I was 5 with a man called Tom Mix. I didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sidney/i-ve-had-79-to-80-years-of-show-business-i-started-when-i-was-5-with/) [George Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sidney/) > [“When I saw "Ulysses" on Georgie's bedside table and Tom Finch's name written on it in a scrawl so like my old man's, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/when-i-saw-ulysses-on-georgie-s-bedside-table-and-tom-finch-s-name/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [My favourite designers always create a strong silhouette, like McQueen and Tom Ford and Alaia. I like structured things that you can throw on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberty-ross/my-favourite-designers-always-create-a-strong-silhouette-like-mcqueen/) [Liberty Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberty-ross/) > [I was never the best-looking guy; I was never the Tom Cruise-looking guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-sheffer/i-was-never-the-best-looking-guy-i-was-never-the-tom-cruise-looking/) [Craig Sheffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-sheffer/) ## More by Maureen Dowd > [If there's one thing white men have never had a problem with in this clubby, white marble enclave of Washington, it's getting pulled up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/if-there-s-one-thing-white-men-have-never-had-a-problem-with-in-this/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [When you're young, and even at times when you're older, it's hard to fathom this: What needs to be nurtured is the stuff that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/when-you-re-young-and-even-at-times-when-you-re-older-it-s-hard-to/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [“Who knows? If women all end up with the same face and body, men may gravitate toward the quirky. Then the chicks with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/who-knows-if-women-all-end-up-with-the-same-face-and-body-men-may/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [Why can't Google, which likes to see itself as a 'Don't Be Evil' benevolent force in society, just write us a big check for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/why-can-t-google-which-likes-to-see-itself-as-a-don-t-be-evil/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [“Materialism has defeated feminism as well. In a sign of the times, Gloria Steinem was on the picket line when the first American DeBeers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/materialism-has-defeated-feminism-as-well-in-a-sign-of-the-times/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [“Romantic googling can be as dangerous as drunk text messaging. Of course hell hath no fury like a woman who Google-bombs her old flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/romantic-googling-can-be-as-dangerous-as-drunk-text-messaging-of/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [Paul Ryan, who teamed up with Akin in the House to sponsor harsh anti-abortion bills, may look young and hip and new generation, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/paul-ryan-who-teamed-up-with-akin-in-the-house-to-sponsor-harsh-anti/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [Obama invented himself against all odds and repeated parental abandonment, and he worked hard to regiment his emotions. But now that can come across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/obama-invented-himself-against-all-odds-and-repeated-parental/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [Feminism died in 1998 when Hillary allowed henchlings and Democrats to demonize Monica as an unbalanced stalker, and when Gloria Steinem defended Mr. Clinton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/feminism-died-in-1998-when-hillary-allowed-henchlings-and-democrats/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [President Obama thinks he can use emotion to bring pressure on Congress. But that's not how adults with power respond to things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/president-obama-thinks-he-can-use-emotion-to-bring-pressure-on/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [ Now that Hillary \[Clinton\] has won Pennsylvania, it will take a village to help Obama escape from the suffocating embrace of his rival. Certainly… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/now-that-hillary-clinton-has-won-pennsylvania-it-will-take-a-village/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [I don't understand men. I don't even understand what I don't understand about men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/i-don-t-understand-men-i-don-t-even-understand-what-i-don-t/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [Good and evil are not like the Redskins and the Cowboys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/good-and-evil-are-not-like-the-redskins-and-the-cowboys/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [And as far as doing God's work, I think the bankers who took government money and then gave out obscene bonuses are the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/and-as-far-as-doing-god-s-work-i-think-the-bankers-who-took/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [It is men's worst fear, personally and professionally, that women will pin the sin on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/it-is-men-s-worst-fear-personally-and-professionally-that-women-will/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) [Explore all 96 Maureen Dowd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) ## More Anna quotes > [I've been connected to the most culturally important albums of the past four years, the most influential artists of the past ten years. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/i-ve-been-connected-to-the-most-culturally-important-albums-of-the/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [Anna Petrovna: Never talk to women about your own good qualities. Let them find out for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/anna-petrovna-never-talk-to-women-about-your-own-good-qualities-let/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“I stole glances at Kaidan's bare skin while the others were busy talking. That's my boyfriend right there, I silently announced.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-higgins/i-stole-glances-at-kaidan-s-bare-skin-while-the-others-were-busy/) [Wendy Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-higgins/) > [On Sergei Fedorov's breaking three sticks on Dallas players: I don't know if Anna (Kournikova) told him to get tougher or what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-modano/on-sergei-fedorov-s-breaking-three-sticks-on-dallas-players-i-don-t/) [Mike Modano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-modano/) > [“Where are we going?” she asked. “Mr. Durbin’s sheep have begun to lamb, and I wanted to see how the ewes are doing.” He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hoyt/where-are-we-going-she-asked-mr-durbin-s-sheep-have-begun-to-lamb-and/) [Elizabeth Hoyt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hoyt/) > [In fiction, imaginary people become realer to us than any named celebrity glimpsed in a series of rumored events, whose causes and subtler ramifications…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/in-fiction-imaginary-people-become-realer-to-us-than-any-named/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Girls, on the other hand, have always come easy. I don't know why that is, exactly. Maybe it's the outsider vibe and a well-placed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/girls-on-the-other-hand-have-always-come-easy-i-don-t-know-why-that/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [Anna would be just as happy with me if I were a plumber. As a matter of fact, when she married me, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/anna-would-be-just-as-happy-with-me-if-i-were-a-plumber-as-a-matter/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [“I suppose that means you don’t want any band-aids, either,” I said, a touch more bitterly than I’d meant to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-richards/i-suppose-that-means-you-don-t-want-any-band-aids-either-i-said-a/) [J.M. Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-richards/) > [“My physical eyes are like sunglasses, filtering out the colors, but when I'm out here, the aura that emanates from every living thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rosati/my-physical-eyes-are-like-sunglasses-filtering-out-the-colors-but/) [Gina Rosati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rosati/) > [“I'm a little distracted by this English French American Boy Masterpiece.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/i-m-a-little-distracted-by-this-english-french-american-boy/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Anna is the sort of woman who writers write about, Tom. Somewhere in the third act, women like her save characters like you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-norman/anna-is-the-sort-of-woman-who-writers-write-about-tom-somewhere-in/) [Matthew Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-norman/) > [I'm really glad that I'm not Anna because I don't want to be there again. I've been there. But when something does happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/i-m-really-glad-that-i-m-not-anna-because-i-don-t-want-to-be-there/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [“The whole of that day Anna spent at home, that's to say at the Oblonskys', and received no one, though some of her acquaintances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-whole-of-that-day-anna-spent-at-home-that-s-to-say-at-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The most common thing that I get is, ‘Am I the only one who doesn’t think that Anna Kendrick is pretty? And youre like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kendrick/the-most-common-thing-that-i-get-is-am-i-the-only-one-who-doesn-t/) [Anna Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kendrick/) [Browse all 351 Anna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anna/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I find having a column a very difficult form of journalism. 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