--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a journalist, I would talk to writers…" description: "\"As a journalist, I would talk to writers, directors, creative people, and discover that for an awful lot of them, the moment they became successful, th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/neil-gaiman-29_awful_as-a-journalist-i-would-talk-to-writers_919448.jpg" --- # As a journalist, I would talk to writers, directors… ![“As a journalist, I would talk to writers, directors, creative people, and discover that for an awful lot of them, the moment they became successful, that was all they were allowed to do. So you end up talking to the bestselling science-fiction author who wrote a historical-fiction novel that…” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/neil-gaiman-29_awful_as-a-journalist-i-would-talk-to-writers_919448.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/neil-gaiman-29_awful_as-a-journalist-i-would-talk-to-writers_919448.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/neil-gaiman-29_awful_as-a-journalist-i-would-talk-to-writers_919448.jpg) > “As a journalist, I would talk to writers, directors, creative people, and discover that for an awful lot of them, the moment they became successful, that was all they were allowed to do. So you end up talking to the bestselling science-fiction author who wrote a historical-fiction novel that everybody loved, but no one would publish.” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success can trap creators into a single genre, limiting their creative freedom and opportunities. **In simple terms:** Success may confine artists to one style. Key Takeaway Seek diverse projects despite past success. Themes creativity career genre freedom risk Mood reflective critical Type advice observational When to use this quote - author negotiations - film directing - music production - career pivot - publishing decisions Key Concepts identity market expectations artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How can creators balance audience expectations with artistic growth? - What structures support cross‑genre experimentation? A Different Perspective The pressure to repeat past hits can stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Author Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/author-wrote-543532/) [Awful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awful/) [Body love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-love/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-people/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Fiction novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-novels/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Historical fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-fiction/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Publish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publish/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Talk Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-writers-272970/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking Bestselling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-bestselling-1411014/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Wrote Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-historical-1411015/) ## Related quotes > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. 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A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/jack-london-january-12-1876-november-22-1916-was-an-american-author/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Wrote a science fiction novel about a man who wins an argument with his wife, but it was rejected for being too farfetched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/wrote-a-science-fiction-novel-about-a-man-who-wins-an-argument-with/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. 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