---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm sure there's an alternate universe…"
description: "\"I'm sure there's an alternate universe where I got to become a pulpy science fiction writer.\" — Neil Gaiman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/neil-gaiman-29_fiction_i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-w_2236247.jpg"
---

#  I'm sure there's an alternate universe where I got to…

![“I'm sure there's an alternate universe where I got to become a pulpy science fiction writer.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/neil-gaiman-29_fiction_i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-w_2236247.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/neil-gaiman-29_fiction_i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-w_2236247.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/neil-gaiman-29_fiction_i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-w_2236247.jpg)

> “I'm sure there's an alternate universe where I got to become a pulpy science fiction writer.”

[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.

Imagines an alternate universe where he becomes a pulp sci‑fi writer.

**In simple terms:** Imagines a different creative path.

Key Takeaway

Embrace imaginative possibilities.

Themes

creativity alternate realities career imagination

Mood

playful inspirational

Type

creative speculative

When to use this quote

- writing practice
- genre blending
- career planning
- storytelling workshops

Key Concepts

fiction writing genre exploration

Questions to Reflect On

- What would you write in that alternate universe?
- How does imagination fuel your work?

A Different Perspective

May distract from current goals.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Fiction writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-writer/) [Fiction writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-writers/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [The beginning of human knowledge is through the senses, and the fiction writer begins where the human perception begins. He appeals through the senses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-beginning-of-human-knowledge-is-through-the-senses-and-the/)

[Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/)

> [That's why I have to be a fiction writer, because I can't remember what just happened or where I went last week or what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-jo-campbell/that-s-why-i-have-to-be-a-fiction-writer-because-i-can-t-remember/)

[Bonnie Jo Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-jo-campbell/)

> [I'm not a science-fiction writer. I've only written one book that's science fiction, and that's Fahrenheit 451. All the others are fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-m-not-a-science-fiction-writer-i-ve-only-written-one-book-that-s/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [It's always great when you want scientific fact to get a really good science fiction writer to talk to you about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/it-s-always-great-when-you-want-scientific-fact-to-get-a-really-good/)

[Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/)

> [If you're a fiction writer, though, I can tell you how to let people talk through you. Listen. Just be quiet, and listen. Let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/if-you-re-a-fiction-writer-though-i-can-tell-you-how-to-let-people/)

[Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/)

> [The fiction writer has to engage in a continual examination of conscience. He has to be aware of the freak in himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-fiction-writer-has-to-engage-in-a-continual-examination-of/)

[Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/)

> [A fiction writer is never entirely alone. Her characters are constantly whispering in her ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/a-fiction-writer-is-never-entirely-alone-her-characters-are/)

[Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/)

> [What I'm doing is exploring things. This is why I'm a fiction writer rather than an essayist or a politician or whatever. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-boyle/what-i-m-doing-is-exploring-things-this-is-why-i-m-a-fiction-writer/)

[T.C. Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-boyle/)

> [If I couldn't be a fiction writer, I would be a roller coaster designer for theme parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-wells/if-i-couldn-t-be-a-fiction-writer-i-would-be-a-roller-coaster/)

[Mike Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-wells/)

> [The challenge for any fiction writer is that your job involves simply sitting at a desk for a very, very long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-harbach/the-challenge-for-any-fiction-writer-is-that-your-job-involves-simply/)

[Chad Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-harbach/)

> [As a fiction writer, one of things you learn is God lives in specificity. You know, human kindness is increased as we pursue specificity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/as-a-fiction-writer-one-of-things-you-learn-is-god-lives-in/)

[George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/)

> [The training of a journalist, of working with words for thousands of hours, is extraordinarily useful for a fiction writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/the-training-of-a-journalist-of-working-with-words-for-thousands-of/)

[Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/)

> [I don't think the function of writing, at least for me as a fiction writer, is to say to people, "Here's the answer." It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/i-don-t-think-the-function-of-writing-at-least-for-me-as-a-fiction/)

[Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/)

> [The fiction writer has a lot of balls to juggle. Setting, pacing, dialogue, and so on. And let's not forget: plot. That was always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-marvin/the-fiction-writer-has-a-lot-of-balls-to-juggle-setting-pacing/)

[Cate Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-marvin/)

> [And while dollars have little to do with it, the fiction writer should be asking the same question any capable film producer would ask:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-standiford/and-while-dollars-have-little-to-do-with-it-the-fiction-writer-should/)

[Les Standiford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-standiford/)

## 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. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/)

[neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

[Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## More Fiction quotes

> [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/)

Phil Hogan

> [The thing about science fiction is that it's totally wide open. But it's wide open in a conditional way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-thing-about-science-fiction-is-that-it-s-totally-wide-open-but-it/)

[Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/)

> [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/)

Edward Einhorn

> [Fiction is a way of exploring possibilities present but undreamt of in the living of a single life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/fiction-is-a-way-of-exploring-possibilities-present-but-undreamt-of/)

[Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/)

> [I love writing fiction and can do it anywhere - I once even missed a flight because I was so engrossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prue-leith/i-love-writing-fiction-and-can-do-it-anywhere-i-once-even-missed-a/)

[Prue Leith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prue-leith/)

> [“The fiction will seek the real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coheed-and-cambria/the-fiction-will-seek-the-real/)

Coheed and Cambria

> [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/)

[Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/)

> [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/)

[L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/)

> [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/)

[Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/)

> [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/)

[Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/)

> [“His hands on my waist he gently pulled me n embrace. I could feel his breath on my face our lips were about to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-eglinger/his-hands-on-my-waist-he-gently-pulled-me-n-embrace-i-could-feel-his/)

[Nicole Eglinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-eglinger/)

> [In early drafts, one of the trickiest things for me to do was to realize that the techniques and devices that make readable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-rooney/in-early-drafts-one-of-the-trickiest-things-for-me-to-do-was-to/)

[Kathleen Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-rooney/)

> [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/)

[Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/)

> [Metafiction says something. It has to do with taking a large fiction itself and writing within it; that kind of self-reflecting writing that emerges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-coover/metafiction-says-something-it-has-to-do-with-taking-a-large-fiction/)

[Robert Coover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-coover/)

[Browse all 7,410 Fiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I'm sure there's an alternate universe where I got to become a pulpy science fiction writer.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neil Gaiman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-where-i-got-to-become-a-pulpy/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fiction"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-where-i-got-to-become-a-pulpy/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/neil-gaiman-29_fiction_i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-w_2236247.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/neil-gaiman-29_fiction_i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-w_2236247.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/neil-gaiman-29_fiction_i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-w_2236247.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I'm sure there's an alternate universe where I got to become a pulpy science fiction writer.” — Neil Gaiman",
                "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": "Neil Gaiman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I'm sure there's an alternate universe...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-where-i-got-to-become-a-pulpy/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-m-sure-there-s-an-alternate-universe-where-i-got-to-become-a-pulpy/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
