--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've written a lot of prose. I just…" description: "\"I've written a lot of prose. I just haven't published it.\" — Patti Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/patti-smith-394_prose_i-ve-written-a-lot-of-prose-i-just-haven_1930381.jpg" --- # I've written a lot of prose. I just haven't published it. ![“I've written a lot of prose. I just haven't published it.” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/patti-smith-394_prose_i-ve-written-a-lot-of-prose-i-just-haven_1930381.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/patti-smith-394_prose_i-ve-written-a-lot-of-prose-i-just-haven_1930381.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/patti-smith-394_prose_i-ve-written-a-lot-of-prose-i-just-haven_1930381.jpg) > “I've written a lot of prose. I just haven't published it.” [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker has produced much writing but has not shared it publicly, highlighting unfulfilled creative output. **In simple terms:** Lots of writing but unpublished. Key Takeaway Consider publishing your work. Themes creativity self-doubt expression Mood reflective hopeful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - self-publishing - literary contests - peer review Key Concepts artistic inhibition public exposure Questions to Reflect On - What stops you from publishing? - How could sharing improve your craft? A Different Perspective Fear of criticism may block sharing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lot Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot-prose-2405826/) [Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) [Prose Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose-just-3017093/) [Ve Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-written/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) ## Related quotes > [Of course, I have to consider that I've written a lot of prose, but I do in my heart think of myself as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/of-course-i-have-to-consider-that-i-ve-written-a-lot-of-prose-but-i/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“. . . I suppose one starts out, as a child, being romantic and dreaming of adventure. Poetic. Then reality comes along, and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-pearce/i-suppose-one-starts-out-as-a-child-being-romantic-and-dreaming-of/) [Roberta Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-pearce/) > [I read a lot of prose poetry and get inspired by more-so just a state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-beckett/i-read-a-lot-of-prose-poetry-and-get-inspired-by-more-so-just-a-state/) [William Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-beckett/) > [Why stick to just prose or just music or just newspaper or just video? Why not create new models for information that combine elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lubetzky/why-stick-to-just-prose-or-just-music-or-just-newspaper-or-just-video/) [Daniel Lubetzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lubetzky/) > [Woody Allen's 'The Complete Prose' - It's just the best selection of comic writing by one author. You know it's good comedy when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/woody-allen-s-the-complete-prose-it-s-just-the-best-selection-of/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I hate to look at the stuff I've written and consider what it means or why I do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-hate-to-look-at-the-stuff-i-ve-written-and-consider-what-it-means/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I've always written short stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-ve-always-written-short-stories/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [I've never not been pleased with one of my albums. I figure because it's spoken word, there will be people who relate to it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-trudell/i-ve-never-not-been-pleased-with-one-of-my-albums-i-figure-because-it/) [John Trudell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-trudell/) > [My Life in CIA is the first time that I've ever written a story in my own name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-mathews/my-life-in-cia-is-the-first-time-that-i-ve-ever-written-a-story-in-my/) [Harry Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-mathews/) > [I've written a book; I've become a better husband and father because I'm home every day. My connection to the Hollywood world has only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-washington/i-ve-written-a-book-i-ve-become-a-better-husband-and-father-because-i/) [Isaiah Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-washington/) > [In 2012, I really thought, 'That's it. It's over. I've written what I can write.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-marber/in-2012-i-really-thought-that-s-it-it-s-over-i-ve-written-what-i-can/) [Patrick Marber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-marber/) > [Some of the best songs I've written, I've written in 10 minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mcvie/some-of-the-best-songs-i-ve-written-i-ve-written-in-10-minutes/) [Christine McVie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mcvie/) > [I've always been very grateful that enough people have enjoyed reading what I've written that I've been able to pursue writing professionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/i-ve-always-been-very-grateful-that-enough-people-have-enjoyed/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [I don't think anything you've written is immortal as yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-young/i-don-t-think-anything-you-ve-written-is-immortal-as-yet/) [Terence Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-young/) > [I've always written. When I was in school, the only teacher who ever liked me was my creative writing teacher. I used to enter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-townes-earle/i-ve-always-written-when-i-was-in-school-the-only-teacher-who-ever/) [Justin Townes Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-townes-earle/) ## More by Patti Smith > [I had a really happy childhood - my siblings were great, my mother was very fanciful, and I loved to read. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-a-really-happy-childhood-my-siblings-were-great-my-mother-was/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [ Sometimes \[people\] seem to think I came out of the womb, you know, cursing, with an electric guitar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/sometimes-people-seem-to-think-i-came-out-of-the-womb-you-know/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“Inside it he inscribed a few lines of poetry, portraying us as the gypsy and the fool, one creating silence; one listening closely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/inside-it-he-inscribed-a-few-lines-of-poetry-portraying-us-as-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Who can know the heart of youth but youth itself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/who-can-know-the-heart-of-youth-but-youth-itself/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“I clawed through a thick web of the culture’s consciousness that I hadn’t known existed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-clawed-through-a-thick-web-of-the-culture-s-consciousness-that-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Ultimately, we are not seeking others to bow to, but to reinforce our individual natures, to help us suffer our own choices, to guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/ultimately-we-are-not-seeking-others-to-bow-to-but-to-reinforce-our/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [If I'm taking a picture of Brancusi's grave, I know that there's something of him, of his mortal remains, beneath my feet, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/if-i-m-taking-a-picture-of-brancusi-s-grave-i-know-that-there-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm certain, as we filled down the great staircase, that I appeared the same as ever, a moping twelve years-old, all arms and legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-certain-as-we-filled-down-the-great-staircase-that-i-appeared-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/in-art-and-dream-may-you-proceed-with-abandon-in-life-may-you-proceed/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [New York is the thing that seduced me. New York is the thing that formed me. New York is the thing that deformed me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/new-york-is-the-thing-that-seduced-me-new-york-is-the-thing-that/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I don't wanna be equal with anybody. I wanna be above equal. I don't think most people are equal to me. I'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-don-t-wanna-be-equal-with-anybody-i-wanna-be-above-equal-i-don-t/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-think-i-m-constantly-in-a-state-of-adjustment/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Somehow I started introducing writing into my drawings, and after a time, the language took over and I started getting very involved with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/somehow-i-started-introducing-writing-into-my-drawings-and-after-a/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm okay with roaming around the world in my bunk for days on end. Maybe every third day I'll get a shower or stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-okay-with-roaming-around-the-world-in-my-bunk-for-days-on-end/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) [Explore all 595 Patti Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## More Prose quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [The poetry from the eighteenth century was prose; the prose from the seventeenth century was poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/the-poetry-from-the-eighteenth-century-was-prose-the-prose-from-the/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [ “\[A\]lways get to the dialogue as soon as possible. I always feel the thing to go for is speed. Nothing puts the reader off… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/a-lways-get-to-the-dialogue-as-soon-as-possible-i-always-feel-the/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/mr-witwould-pray-madam-do-you-pin-up-your-hair-with-all-your-letters/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [“Don’t be afraid of your struggles, they are making you dangerously strong and wise. They are preparing you for your superpowers. Let them happen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-lee/don-t-be-afraid-of-your-struggles-they-are-making-you-dangerously/) [Melody Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-lee/) > [Many people become bankrupt through having invested too heavily in the prose of life. To have ruined one's self over poetry is an honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/many-people-become-bankrupt-through-having-invested-too-heavily-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [If you wrote a crummy line or maybe didn't sing to the best of your ability, there's layers of 10 different instruments all working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zauner/if-you-wrote-a-crummy-line-or-maybe-didn-t-sing-to-the-best-of-your/) [Michelle Zauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zauner/) > [Prose is when all the lines except the last go on to the end. Poetry is when some of them fall short of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/prose-is-when-all-the-lines-except-the-last-go-on-to-the-end-poetry/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [When you finish a poem, it clicks shut like the top of a jewel box, but prose is endless. I haven't experienced an awful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/when-you-finish-a-poem-it-clicks-shut-like-the-top-of-a-jewel-box-but/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [To design is much more than simply to assemble, to order, or even to edit: it is to add value and meaning, to illuminate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rand/to-design-is-much-more-than-simply-to-assemble-to-order-or-even-to/) [Paul Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rand/) > [The richly cadenced prose is hypnotic, the research prodigious, the analysis acute, the mood spellbinding, and the cast of characters mythic in scale. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/the-richly-cadenced-prose-is-hypnotic-the-research-prodigious-the/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) > [when a poem says something that could not have been said in any other way, in music, prose, sculpture, movement or paint, then it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybil-marshall/when-a-poem-says-something-that-could-not-have-been-said-in-any-other/) [Sybil Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybil-marshall/) > [My husband makes fun of me, because I know I can use strong prose to jazz-hand my way through plot that isn't as interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-sue-deconnick/my-husband-makes-fun-of-me-because-i-know-i-can-use-strong-prose-to/) [Kelly Sue DeConnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-sue-deconnick/) > [The snow was too light to stay, the ground too warm to keep it. And the strange spring snow fell only in that golden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/the-snow-was-too-light-to-stay-the-ground-too-warm-to-keep-it-and-the/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) [Browse all 1,156 Prose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've written a lot of prose. 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