--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my early twenties, that's when I…" description: "\"In my early twenties, that's when I really began to write. Before that, I was too busy working, keeping myself going.\" — Paula Fox" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paula-fox-13833_busy_in-my-early-twenties-that-s-when-i-reall_2988277.jpg" --- # In my early twenties, that's when I really began to write… ![“In my early twenties, that's when I really began to write. Before that, I was too busy working, keeping myself going.” quote by Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paula-fox-13833_busy_in-my-early-twenties-that-s-when-i-reall_2988277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paula-fox-13833_busy_in-my-early-twenties-that-s-when-i-reall_2988277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paula-fox-13833_busy_in-my-early-twenties-that-s-when-i-reall_2988277.jpg) > “In my early twenties, that's when I really began to write. Before that, I was too busy working, keeping myself going.” [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing began in her twenties after earlier years were consumed by work and survival. **In simple terms:** Writing started after work obligations. Key Takeaway Make time for creative pursuits. Themes creativity career life stages self‑discovery Mood reflective motivational Type personal creative When to use this quote - career transitions - personal journaling - creative workshops Key Concepts time management personal growth writing practice Questions to Reflect On - When did you first feel ready to write? - What helped you shift focus? A Different Perspective Balancing work and art can be difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [But, that was the beginning, though I didn't start writing until I was in high school and when I was in high school I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/but-that-was-the-beginning-though-i-didn-t-start-writing-until-i-was/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I like to write, but being a busy mother, it is difficult to sit down and write at a stretch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navya-nair/i-like-to-write-but-being-a-busy-mother-it-is-difficult-to-sit-down/) [Navya Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navya-nair/) > [I spent my twenties not really participating in the work force in any real way. I acted a tiny bit, but that was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-spent-my-twenties-not-really-participating-in-the-work-force-in-any/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [You know, the period of World War I and the Roaring Twenties were really just about the same as today. You worked, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cagney/you-know-the-period-of-world-war-i-and-the-roaring-twenties-were/) [James Cagney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cagney/) > [There is no way I'd have wanted to live in the Twenties. It was really crap for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/there-is-no-way-i-d-have-wanted-to-live-in-the-twenties-it-was-really/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [Because I think your twenties are really difficult, aren't they?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-sharp/because-i-think-your-twenties-are-really-difficult-aren-t-they/) [Lesley Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-sharp/) > [I think it took me until - my twenties were really a time of exploration and experimentation with different groups and different types of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-johannsson/i-think-it-took-me-until-my-twenties-were-really-a-time-of/) [Johann Johannsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-johannsson/) > [“I’ve been an improviser since I was in my twenties. There’s really no failing in improv. You just go on to the next thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/i-ve-been-an-improviser-since-i-was-in-my-twenties-there-s-really-no/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [I like getting older. When you're in your twenties you're really forging for your future. Things take shape later on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-glover/i-like-getting-older-when-you-re-in-your-twenties-you-re-really/) [Crispin Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-glover/) > [A friendship that can end never really began.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-friendship-that-can-end-never-really-began/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I really began to feel that the minute I started becoming successful, somebody would die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariette-hartley/i-really-began-to-feel-that-the-minute-i-started-becoming-successful/) [Mariette Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariette-hartley/) > [That it really began in the days when the Love Laws were made. The laws that lay down who should be loved, and how.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/that-it-really-began-in-the-days-when-the-love-laws-were-made-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Everyone believes in his youth that the world really began with him, and that all merely exists for his sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/everyone-believes-in-his-youth-that-the-world-really-began-with-him/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [When WCW first really began to enjoy the success that we enjoyed, it was because of the story lines that we were putting out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bischoff/when-wcw-first-really-began-to-enjoy-the-success-that-we-enjoyed-it/) [Eric Bischoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bischoff/) > [I know it's over and it never really began, but in my heart.. It was so real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-mpossible/i-know-it-s-over-and-it-never-really-began-but-in-my-heart-it-was-so/) [I'mPossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-mpossible/) ## More by Paula Fox > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [People steal into one's consciousness and occupy what seems, in retrospect, to have been their place all along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/people-steal-into-one-s-consciousness-and-occupy-what-seems-in/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [You'll see some bad things, but if you didn't see them, they'd still be happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/you-ll-see-some-bad-things-but-if-you-didn-t-see-them-they-d-still-be/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [“I imagine there's a timid animal inside me...When it's afraid, I feel it tremble. It can't hear. It only knows the fear it feels.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/i-imagine-there-s-a-timid-animal-inside-me-when-it-s-afraid-i-feel-it/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [I taught writing classes at the University of Pennsylvania for a number of years and I realized that all you can do is encourage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/i-taught-writing-classes-at-the-university-of-pennsylvania-for-a/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [“Words are nets through which all truth escapes ("News From The World")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/words-are-nets-through-which-all-truth-escapes-news-from-the-world/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [I don't like to listen to music while I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/i-don-t-like-to-listen-to-music-while-i-m-working/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Imagination has to do with one's awareness of the reality of other people as well as of one's own reality. Imagination is a bridge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/imagination-has-to-do-with-one-s-awareness-of-the-reality-of-other/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [“Imagination is conjunctive and unifying; the sour, habitual wars of the self are disjunctive and separating. When I begin a story at my desk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/imagination-is-conjunctive-and-unifying-the-sour-habitual-wars-of-the/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [If a person had accused him of meanness, he could have defended himself. But with a dog - you did something cheap to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/if-a-person-had-accused-him-of-meanness-he-could-have-defended/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [A year and a half after the end of the war and the German occupation, Paris was muted and looked bruised and forlorn. Everywhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/a-year-and-a-half-after-the-end-of-the-war-and-the-german-occupation/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [“You’ll see some bad things, but if you didn’t see them, they’d still be happening so you might as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/you-ll-see-some-bad-things-but-if-you-didn-t-see-them-they-d-still-be-2/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Words are nets through which all truth escapes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/words-are-nets-through-which-all-truth-escapes/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [When I had a few francs, I spent them at a café on the Place de Longchamps, a block or so from my pension,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/when-i-had-a-few-francs-i-spent-them-at-a-caf-on-the-place-de/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [I've always known a lot of very bad people, destructive, brutes of a certain kind. Then I've seen these lovely impulses and what not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/i-ve-always-known-a-lot-of-very-bad-people-destructive-brutes-of-a/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) [Explore all 49 Paula Fox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) ## More Busy quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) Victoria Derbyshire > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/) The Shawshank Redemption Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In my early twenties, that's when I really began to write. 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