--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it's a shame that something as…" description: "\"I think it's a shame that something as creative and vital to the nature of the human species as story-telling is largely controlled by the soulless cre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/piers-anthony-8252_creative_i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-c_2211033.jpg" --- # I think it's a shame that something as creative and vital… ![“I think it's a shame that something as creative and vital to the nature of the human species as story-telling is largely controlled by the soulless cretins known as publishers.” quote by Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/piers-anthony-8252_creative_i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-c_2211033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/piers-anthony-8252_creative_i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-c_2211033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/piers-anthony-8252_creative_i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-c_2211033.jpg) > “I think it's a shame that something as creative and vital to the nature of the human species as story-telling is largely controlled by the soulless cretins known as publishers.” [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Storytelling is a fundamental human creative drive, yet publishers often dominate and limit its expression. **In simple terms:** Creative storytelling is restricted by publishers. Key Takeaway Seek alternative platforms for sharing stories. Themes creativity control publishing expression art Mood frustrated hopeful Type critical reflective When to use this quote - self‑publishing - digital media - indie publishing - community storytelling Key Concepts censorship gatekeeping authorial freedom Questions to Reflect On - How can creators bypass restrictive gatekeepers? - What platforms empower authentic storytelling? A Different Perspective Publishers may lack understanding of diverse narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Publishers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishers/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-telling/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [As for collaboration - I have done a lot, 26 books, and found publishers increasingly resistive to them. It's not that the books are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/as-for-collaboration-i-have-done-a-lot-26-books-and-found-publishers/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [“Writers pay a lot of attention to wordage, because some publishers seem to care more about length than about quality and will automatically reject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/writers-pay-a-lot-of-attention-to-wordage-because-some-publishers/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [As the State is a soulless machine, it can never be weaned from violence to which it owes its very existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/as-the-state-is-a-soulless-machine-it-can-never-be-weaned-from/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It is the soulless American who has no heart, who has no thought beyond putting a mighty dollar out at mighty interest, who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-egan/it-is-the-soulless-american-who-has-no-heart-who-has-no-thought/) [Tim Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-egan/) > [“The sum of the inner movements which a man finds easy and as a consequence performs gracefully and with pleasure, one calls his soul;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-sum-of-the-inner-movements-which-a-man-finds-easy-and-as-a/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I am Darkness. I am Shadow. I am the Ruler of the Night. I, alone, stand between mankind and those who would see mankind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-am-darkness-i-am-shadow-i-am-the-ruler-of-the-night-i-alone-stand/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Look not to legislatures and churches for your guidance, nor to any soulless incorporated bodies, but to inspirited or inspired ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/look-not-to-legislatures-and-churches-for-your-guidance-nor-to-any/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Im a soulless lawyer. Give me any opinion and I can argue it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/im-a-soulless-lawyer-give-me-any-opinion-and-i-can-argue-it/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [I so wreak of logic and commonsense that it is obviously very refreshing in this world of otherwise soulless politically correct denial and dishonesty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/i-so-wreak-of-logic-and-commonsense-that-it-is-obviously-very/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [“It was a soulless gaze, burning with a wild hatred that shouldn’t be there in anyone who could call themselves a parent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-c-scott-2/it-was-a-soulless-gaze-burning-with-a-wild-hatred-that-shouldn-t-be/) [Jess C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-c-scott-2/) > [I'm more of a warrior than you'll ever be. I believe in the class war. I believe in the battle of the sexes. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-m-more-of-a-warrior-than-you-ll-ever-be-i-believe-in-the-class-war/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“That window which connects you to the agony of other people; that’s your soul. Close that window and you are soulless. And a soulless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akif-kichloo/that-window-which-connects-you-to-the-agony-of-other-people-that-s/) Akif Kichloo > [“The soulless wanted me dead, and it was personal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gricken/the-soulless-wanted-me-dead-and-it-was-personal/) Dana Gricken > [A good soldier is a blind, heartless, soulless, murderous machine. He is not a man. His is not a brute, for brutes kill only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/a-good-soldier-is-a-blind-heartless-soulless-murderous-machine-he-is/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [The idea of freedom can never be disassociated from real Prussia. The real Prussian spirit means a synthesis between restraint and freedom, between voluntary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-von-tresckow/the-idea-of-freedom-can-never-be-disassociated-from-real-prussia-the/) [Henning von Tresckow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-von-tresckow/) ## More by Piers Anthony > [“At first I was exhilarated by my freedom from the responsibility of the kingship. This lasted about seven minutes. I was also depressed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/at-first-i-was-exhilarated-by-my-freedom-from-the-responsibility-of/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [I did not know at first that it would be a series; I discovered after the first novel that I had more to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-did-not-know-at-first-that-it-would-be-a-series-i-discovered-after/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [For our stories are not yet finished, and perhaps will never be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/for-our-stories-are-not-yet-finished-and-perhaps-will-never-be/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [I hope to read a Harry Potter novel soon, to see what it's all about. I admit to being annoyed that many good light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-hope-to-read-a-harry-potter-novel-soon-to-see-what-it-s-all-about-i/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [“I have, as may be apparent, not much respect for editors as a class.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-have-as-may-be-apparent-not-much-respect-for-editors-as-a-class/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Obviously it could be, because it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/obviously-it-could-be-because-it-was/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Princess Rose should indeed be a TV movie, assuming something doesn't go wrong. I don't know how good a movie it will be, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/princess-rose-should-indeed-be-a-tv-movie-assuming-something-doesn-t/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Have a working spouse, because you won't earn a living from writing - not at first, if ever. My wife worked for years to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/have-a-working-spouse-because-you-won-t-earn-a-living-from-writing/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Being terrified but going ahead and doing what must be done—that's courage. The one who feels no fear is a fool, and the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/being-terrified-but-going-ahead-and-doing-what-must-be-done-that-s/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Happy children do not seem to grow up to be writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/happy-children-do-not-seem-to-grow-up-to-be-writers/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [I maintain an ongoing survey of Internet Publishing and self publishing, so that it is now possible for any writer with a book to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-maintain-an-ongoing-survey-of-internet-publishing-and-self/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [One thing you who had secure or happy childhoods should understand about those of us who did not. We who control our feelings, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/one-thing-you-who-had-secure-or-happy-childhoods-should-understand/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Barbarian --A Code of Conduct honored by all true barbarian warriors, requiring excellent coordination with weapons, closeness to nature, awkwardness with women, common sense,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/barbarian-a-code-of-conduct-honored-by-all-true-barbarian-warriors/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [But one must go where one's road leads, even when it's a distressing road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/but-one-must-go-where-one-s-road-leads-even-when-it-s-a-distressing/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [“What is life, except an ongoing instinct for survival? Nature uses that instinct to make us perform; otherwise we would all relax, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/what-is-life-except-an-ongoing-instinct-for-survival-nature-uses-that/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) [Explore all 82 Piers Anthony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it's a shame that something as creative and vital to the nature of the human species as story-telling is largely controlled by the soulless cretins known as publishers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Piers Anthony" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-creative-and-vital-to-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creative" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-creative-and-vital-to-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/piers-anthony-8252_creative_i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-c_2211033.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/piers-anthony-8252_creative_i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-c_2211033.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/piers-anthony-8252_creative_i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-c_2211033.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think it's a shame that something as creative and vital to the nature of the human species as…” — Piers Anthony", "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": "Piers Anthony", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think it's a shame that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-creative-and-vital-to-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-think-it-s-a-shame-that-something-as-creative-and-vital-to-the/#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 } } ] } ```