--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never written for an audience. On…" description: "\"I have never written for an audience. On the other hand I do not write merely to please myself.\" — Patrick O'Brian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/patrick-o-brian-2283_audience_i-have-never-written-for-an-audience-on_2665463.png" --- # I have never written for an audience. On the other hand I… ![“I have never written for an audience. On the other hand I do not write merely to please myself.” quote by Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/patrick-o-brian-2283_audience_i-have-never-written-for-an-audience-on_2665463.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/patrick-o-brian-2283_audience_i-have-never-written-for-an-audience-on_2665463.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/patrick-o-brian-2283_audience_i-have-never-written-for-an-audience-on_2665463.png) > “I have never written for an audience. On the other hand I do not write merely to please myself.” [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing balances audience expectations with personal expression, rejecting pure self‑indulgence. **In simple terms:** Write for others and yourself, not just self. Key Takeaway Find a middle ground in creation. Themes creativity audience self‑expression Mood thoughtful analytical Type literary creative When to use this quote - writing workshops - publishing - marketing Key Concepts literary theory communication Questions to Reflect On - How do you gauge audience needs? - What personal truths must you keep? A Different Perspective Prioritizing audience can dilute authentic voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Your audience is your adversary. If you don't have one get one - imagine it. Imagine it now. To whom is your story addressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-marshall-stoneking/your-audience-is-your-adversary-if-you-don-t-have-one-get-one-imagine/) [Billy Marshall Stoneking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-marshall-stoneking/) > [I made up my mind long ago to follow one cardinal rule in all my writing-to be clear. I have given up all thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-made-up-my-mind-long-ago-to-follow-one-cardinal-rule-in-all-my-2/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Do not write merely to be understood. Write so you cannot possibly be misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/do-not-write-merely-to-be-understood-write-so-you-cannot-possibly-be/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The Miss America Pageant reinforces a belief that women are merely how they look and how they please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/the-miss-america-pageant-reinforces-a-belief-that-women-are-merely/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I don't read anything electronically. I don't write electronically, either - except e-mails to my family and friends. I write in longhand. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-don-t-read-anything-electronically-i-don-t-write-electronically/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The 1898 annexation of the Hawaiian Islands merely formally recognized what had long been American domination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-macmillan/the-1898-annexation-of-the-hawaiian-islands-merely-formally/) [Margaret MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-macmillan/) > [For children, diversity needs to be real and not merely relegated to learning the names of the usual suspects during Black History Month or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/for-children-diversity-needs-to-be-real-and-not-merely-relegated-to/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [Would you rather have butter or guns? Preparedness makes us powerful. Butter merely makes us fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-goering/would-you-rather-have-butter-or-guns-preparedness-makes-us-powerful/) [Hermann Goering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-goering/) > [Every man must have the right fearlessly to think independently and express his opinion about what he knows, what he has personally thought about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mstislav-rostropovich/every-man-must-have-the-right-fearlessly-to-think-independently-and/) [Mstislav Rostropovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mstislav-rostropovich/) > [The whole of a human being is merely a vertebra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenz-oken/the-whole-of-a-human-being-is-merely-a-vertebra/) [Lorenz Oken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenz-oken/) > [Most men, when they think they are thinking, are merely rearranging their prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/knute-rockne/most-men-when-they-think-they-are-thinking-are-merely-rearranging/) [Knute Rockne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/knute-rockne/) > [Love is merely a madness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-merely-a-madness/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you are in love with someone, a kiss is merely a way of expressing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-cassandra/if-you-are-in-love-with-someone-a-kiss-is-merely-a-way-of-expressing/) [Regina Cassandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-cassandra/) > [Pro-lifers have long been castigated for bringing private values into the public square. But actually it is the pro-abortion position that is based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/pro-lifers-have-long-been-castigated-for-bringing-private-values-into/) [Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/) > [I have to declare in all candor that no one interested in being published in our time can afford to be so naive as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no-one-interested-in-being/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) ## More by Patrick O'Brian > [“Christ's blood in heaven, you ignorant, incompetent whey-faced nestlecock, do you think I am a hired spy, an informer? That I have a master,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/christ-s-blood-in-heaven-you-ignorant-incompetent-whey-faced/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“To tell the truth, sir, I believe I had rather sit in the shelter for a while. The cabbage seems to have turned my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/to-tell-the-truth-sir-i-believe-i-had-rather-sit-in-the-shelter-for-a/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Never mind the disappointment. Salt water will wash it away. You will be amazed how unimportant it will seem in a week’s time –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/never-mind-the-disappointment-salt-water-will-wash-it-away-you-will/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“The weather had freshened almost to coldness, for the wind was coming more easterly, from the chilly currents between Tristan and the Cape; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/the-weather-had-freshened-almost-to-coldness-for-the-wind-was-coming/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Of course I do know it is the French who are so wicked; but there are all these people who keep coming and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/of-course-i-do-know-it-is-the-french-who-are-so-wicked-but-there-are/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [My wife and I have spent most of our lives in France, and we are both pretty well bilingual, my wife more purely than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/my-wife-and-i-have-spent-most-of-our-lives-in-france-and-we-are-both/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“This short watch that is about to come, or rather these two short watches--why are they called dog watches? Where, heu, heu, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/this-short-watch-that-is-about-to-come-or-rather-these-two-short/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [The function of the novel is the exploration of the human condition. Really, that's what it's all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/the-function-of-the-novel-is-the-exploration-of-the-human-condition/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [It is a great while since I felt the grind of bone under my saw,' he added, smiling with anticipation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/it-is-a-great-while-since-i-felt-the-grind-of-bone-under-my-saw-he/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [Other people's marriages are a perpetual source of amazement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/other-people-s-marriages-are-a-perpetual-source-of-amazement/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“But I will tell you another misery that is not to be denied. In the common, natural course of events physicians, surgeons and apothecaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/but-i-will-tell-you-another-misery-that-is-not-to-be-denied-in-the/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Yet,'said Maturin, pursuing his own thought, 'there is a quality in dogs, I must confess, rarely to be seen elsewhere and that is affection:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/yet-said-maturin-pursuing-his-own-thought-there-is-a-quality-in-dogs/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Physically he was tired and his body relaxed throughout its entire length; his mind was in much the same state, floating free, detached, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/physically-he-was-tired-and-his-body-relaxed-throughout-its-entire/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“It was quite unlike their friendly discourse of some days before, and presently Stephen grew sadly bored: lies or half-lies, he reflected, had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/it-was-quite-unlike-their-friendly-discourse-of-some-days-before-and/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“it would be the Devil to pay and no pitch hot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/it-would-be-the-devil-to-pay-and-no-pitch-hot/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) [Explore all 167 Patrick O'Brian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have never written for an audience. 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