--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not a college degree that makes a…" description: "\"It's not a college degree that makes a writer. The great thing is to have a story to tell.\" — Polly Adler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/polly-adler-44183_college_it-s-not-a-college-degree-that-makes-a-w_1753172.jpg" --- # It's not a college degree that makes a writer. The great… ![“It's not a college degree that makes a writer. The great thing is to have a story to tell.” quote by Polly Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/polly-adler-44183_college_it-s-not-a-college-degree-that-makes-a-w_1753172.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/polly-adler-44183_college_it-s-not-a-college-degree-that-makes-a-w_1753172.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/polly-adler-44183_college_it-s-not-a-college-degree-that-makes-a-w_1753172.jpg) > “It's not a college degree that makes a writer. The great thing is to have a story to tell.” [Polly Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-adler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing skill stems more from having compelling stories than from formal education. **In simple terms:** Stories matter more than degrees. Key Takeaway Cultivate your narrative. Themes creativity storytelling education Mood inspirational encouraging Type advice motivational When to use this quote - author workshops - self‑study - publishing - career change Key Concepts narrative development literary craft Questions to Reflect On - What story are you eager to share? - How can you develop your voice without formal schooling? A Different Perspective Degrees can still provide useful tools; they aren't the sole path. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-degree/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“...what makes a writer a prophet is his ability to speak truth...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/what-makes-a-writer-a-prophet-is-his-ability-to-speak-truth/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [“Preoccupation with style will not produce it. No amount of editing and polishing will have any appreciable effect on the flavor of how a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/preoccupation-with-style-will-not-produce-it-no-amount-of-editing-and/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [I do not know what makes a writer, but it probably isn't happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-do-not-know-what-makes-a-writer-but-it-probably-isn-t-happiness/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“HOW TO DRIVE A WRITER CRAZY “1. When he starts to outline a story, immediately give him several stories just like it to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/how-to-drive-a-writer-crazy-1-when-he-starts-to-outline-a-story/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [“Writing makes you a writer,” he’d told me. “If you get up every morning and write, then you’re a writer. 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But I don't think education makes one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/ultimately-you-ve-got-to-have-something-to-say-so-a-writer-should/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [There is only one trait that makes the writer. He is always watching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morley-callaghan/there-is-only-one-trait-that-makes-the-writer-he-is-always-watching/) [Morley Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morley-callaghan/) > [“You have made some notes, read some writing books, and done some research. Mostly what you've done is talk about writing a book. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-walsh/you-have-made-some-notes-read-some-writing-books-and-done-some/) Pat Walsh > [Discipline is what makes a writer. If writing was like lifting weights, then I'd look like Mr. Universe. Write every day. 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That's what makes a writer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-thurlow/who-knows-why-we-do-it-and-when-we-ve-done-it-nobody-wants-it-still/) [Chloe Thurlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-thurlow/) > [I believe - I know (there are not many things I should care to dogmatize about, on the subject of writing) that writers need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-believe-i-know-there-are-not-many-things-i-should-care-to-dogmatize/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) ## More by Polly Adler > [The women who take husbands not out of love but out of greed, to get their bills paid, to get a fine house and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-adler/the-women-who-take-husbands-not-out-of-love-but-out-of-greed-to-get/) [Polly Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-adler/) > [What it comes down to is this: the grocer, the butcher, the baker, the merchant, the landlord, the druggist, the liquor dealer, the policeman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-adler/what-it-comes-down-to-is-this-the-grocer-the-butcher-the-baker-the/) [Polly Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-adler/) > [I couldn't live my reputation down - all right then, I'd live up to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-adler/i-couldn-t-live-my-reputation-down-all-right-then-i-d-live-up-to-it/) [Polly Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-adler/) > [The only difference between them and my girls is that my girls gave a man his money's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-adler/the-only-difference-between-them-and-my-girls-is-that-my-girls-gave-a/) [Polly Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-adler/) > [Your heart often knows things before your mind does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-adler/your-heart-often-knows-things-before-your-mind-does/) [Polly Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-adler/) > [I am one of those people who can't help getting a kick out of life - even when it's a kick in the teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-adler/i-am-one-of-those-people-who-can-t-help-getting-a-kick-out-of-life/) [Polly Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-adler/) > [My home is in whatever town I'm booked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-adler/my-home-is-in-whatever-town-i-m-booked/) [Polly Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-adler/) > [A house is not a home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-adler/a-house-is-not-a-home/) [Polly Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-adler/) [Explore all 9 Polly Adler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-adler/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. 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I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not a college degree that makes a writer. 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