--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have to declare in all candor that no…" description: "\"I have to declare in all candor that no one interested in being published in our time can afford to be so naive as to believe that a book will make it ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/richard-curtis-16772_believe_i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no_26266.jpg" --- # I have to declare in all candor that no one interested in… ![“I have to declare in all candor that no one interested in being published in our time can afford to be so naive as to believe that a book will make it merely because it's good.” quote by Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/richard-curtis-16772_believe_i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no_26266.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/richard-curtis-16772_believe_i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no_26266.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/richard-curtis-16772_believe_i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no_26266.jpg) > “I have to declare in all candor that no one interested in being published in our time can afford to be so naive as to believe that a book will make it merely because it's good.” [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success in publishing depends on market dynamics and promotion, not just literary merit. **In simple terms:** Publishing is a business, not pure art. Key Takeaway Good writing alone rarely guarantees sales. Themes publishing industry market forces author expectations literary merit commercial success Mood pragmatic cautious realistic Type advice observation industry insight When to use this quote - new author seeking a deal - established writer evaluating a manuscript - literary agent assessing marketability - publisher deciding on a title Key Concepts authorial naivety promotion distribution readership trends Practical Applications - strategic marketing plan - targeted outreach to readers Questions to Reflect On - How can writers balance artistic integrity with market realities? - What strategies help a good book reach its audience? A Different Perspective Some niche works achieve cult status through word‑of‑mouth despite modest initial sales. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Candor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candor/) [Publishers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishers/) [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Be not merely good. Be good for something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/be-not-merely-good-be-good-for-something/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Love is that which exists to do good, not merely to get good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-woodhull/love-is-that-which-exists-to-do-good-not-merely-to-get-good/) [Victoria Woodhull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-woodhull/) > [What you already know is merely a good departure point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keorapetse-kgositsile/what-you-already-know-is-merely-a-good-departure-point/) [Keorapetse Kgositsile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keorapetse-kgositsile/) > [“I don't think that science and the paranormal have to be at war; in fact, it's crucial that they work together. It seems naïve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsie-shakespeare/i-don-t-think-that-science-and-the-paranormal-have-to-be-at-war-in/) [Chelsie Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsie-shakespeare/) > [I am not so naïve as to believe that this slim volume will change the course of history or shake the conscience of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-am-not-so-na-ve-as-to-believe-that-this-slim-volume-will-change-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“I wasn’t naïve enough to believe in soul mates or any of that childish nonsense that I had once clung to, but there had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-wasn-t-na-ve-enough-to-believe-in-soul-mates-or-any-of-that/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [I'm not naive enough to believe it's in our nature to step outside our comfort zones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-dunn/i-m-not-naive-enough-to-believe-it-s-in-our-nature-to-step-outside/) [Andy Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-dunn/) > [We have been naive enough to believe that we were invincible; that we could run blind through the hairpin turns of life at treacherous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/we-have-been-naive-enough-to-believe-that-we-were-invincible-that-we/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Governments resort to inflation with popular support because the people apparently are naïve enough to believe that they can have their cake and eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/governments-resort-to-inflation-with-popular-support-because-the/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [I don't think making love the new bottom line is naïve; I believe that thinking we can survive the next hundred years doing anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-don-t-think-making-love-the-new-bottom-line-is-na-ve-i-believe-that/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“Nothing is one hundred percent reliable this side of paradise, except that your cell-phone provider will never fulfill the service promises that you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/nothing-is-one-hundred-percent-reliable-this-side-of-paradise-except/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Naive you are if you believe life favours those who aren't naive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-pieterszoon-hein/naive-you-are-if-you-believe-life-favours-those-who-aren-t-naive/) [Piet Pieterszoon Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-pieterszoon-hein/) > [I firmly believe every book was meant to be written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marchette-chute/i-firmly-believe-every-book-was-meant-to-be-written/) Marchette Chute > [“I'm not constantly looking for the "right" in my thoughts. I am, actually, scared of absolute “rights”. Therefore, I don't think my book will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/korel-eraybar/i-m-not-constantly-looking-for-the-right-in-my-thoughts-i-am-actually/) Korel Eraybar > [About 120 million of us place the big bang 2,500 years after the Babylonians and Sumerians learned to brew beer. If our polls are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/about-120-million-of-us-place-the-big-bang-2-500-years-after-the/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) ## More by Richard Curtis > [We project our ideas about ourselves into the heavens and call them ideas about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/we-project-our-ideas-about-ourselves-into-the-heavens-and-call-them/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [Look at the sky. It’s not dark and black and without character. The black is, in fact deep blue. And over there: lighter blue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/look-at-the-sky-it-s-not-dark-and-black-and-without-character-the/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [It's impossible to overvalue the importance of television - both in its serious and less serious functions. It's one of our most important ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/it-s-impossible-to-overvalue-the-importance-of-television-both-in-its/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [“Baldrick, we are about as similar as two...dis-similar things in a pod!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/baldrick-we-are-about-as-similar-as-two-dis-similar-things-in-a-pod/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [“Prime Minister: Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/prime-minister-whenever-i-get-gloomy-with-the-state-of-the-world-i/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [“Percy, you are dismissed from my service." "Me? Why, my lord?" "Why? Because, Percy, far from being a fit consort for a prince of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/percy-you-are-dismissed-from-my-service-me-why-my-lord-why-because/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [“Why, on to the castle, to kill the royal family, and claim the throne that isn't mine by right!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/why-on-to-the-castle-to-kill-the-royal-family-and-claim-the-throne/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [“I have a cunning plan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/i-have-a-cunning-plan/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [“Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/whenever-i-get-gloomy-with-the-state-of-the-world-i-think-about-the/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [Most writers can write books faster than publishers can write checks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/most-writers-can-write-books-faster-than-publishers-can-write-checks/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [“Baldrick: Have you got a plan, my lord? Blackadder: Yes I have, and it's so cunning you can brush your teeth with it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/baldrick-have-you-got-a-plan-my-lord-blackadder-yes-i-have-and-it-s/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [It's always a mistake for writers to key their submissions to world events, because they move so quickly and unpredictably, as has certainly proven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/it-s-always-a-mistake-for-writers-to-key-their-submissions-to-world/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [“We're all travelling through time together, everyday of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/we-re-all-travelling-through-time-together-everyday-of-our-lives-all/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [“It's not Jane Austen, it's not Henry James. But this writer, or writers, well, they're pretty damn good too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/it-s-not-jane-austen-it-s-not-henry-james-but-this-writer-or-writers/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) > [I tend to turn down books originally published as e-books. As for selling books directly to e-book publishers, I would do so only if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/i-tend-to-turn-down-books-originally-published-as-e-books-as-for/) [Richard Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) [Explore all 38 Richard Curtis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have to declare in all candor that no one interested in being published in our time can afford to be so naive as to believe that a book will make it merely because it's good.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Curtis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no-one-interested-in-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no-one-interested-in-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/richard-curtis-16772_believe_i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no_26266.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/richard-curtis-16772_believe_i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no_26266.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/richard-curtis-16772_believe_i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no_26266.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have to declare in all candor that no one interested in being published in our time can afford to be so…” — Richard Curtis", "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": "Richard Curtis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-curtis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have to declare in all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no-one-interested-in-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-curtis/i-have-to-declare-in-all-candor-that-no-one-interested-in-being/#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 } } ] } ```