--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not trying to please anyone. I'm just…" description: "\"“I'm not trying to please anyone. I'm just trying to write a damn book.”\" — Richard Denney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/richard-denney-32317_author_i-m-not-trying-to-please-anyone-i-m-just_159900.jpg" --- # I'm not trying to please anyone. I'm just trying to write… ![“I'm not trying to please anyone. I'm just trying to write a damn book.” quote by Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/richard-denney-32317_author_i-m-not-trying-to-please-anyone-i-m-just_159900.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/richard-denney-32317_author_i-m-not-trying-to-please-anyone-i-m-just_159900.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/richard-denney-32317_author_i-m-not-trying-to-please-anyone-i-m-just_159900.jpg) > ““I'm not trying to please anyone. I'm just trying to write a damn book.”” [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author asserts a commitment to personal creative purpose over external approval, emphasizing authenticity and perseverance in writing. **In simple terms:** He writes for himself, not to please others. Key Takeaway Prioritize your own voice over audience expectations. Themes creativity authenticity self‑discipline artistic integrity motivation Mood determined defiant Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - writing practice - self‑publishing - creative workshops - personal journaling - literary critique Key Concepts self‑expression intrinsic motivation authorial autonomy Questions to Reflect On - What would you write if fear of judgment vanished? - How does self‑critique differ from external criticism? A Different Perspective Neglecting feedback can limit growth and market relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Author](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/author/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“I've been trying to get through this damn book again". Ardee slapped at heavy volume lying open, face down, on a chair. 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J. Liebling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-liebling/) > [I'll write whatever I damn please, whenever I damn please and as I damn please and it'll be good if the authentic spirit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carlos-williams/i-ll-write-whatever-i-damn-please-whenever-i-damn-please-and-as-i/) [William Carlos Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carlos-williams/) > [Can a selfish egocentric jealous and unimaginative female write a damn thing worthwhile?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/can-a-selfish-egocentric-jealous-and-unimaginative-female-write-a/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“Write it, damn you, write it! What else are you good for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/write-it-damn-you-write-it-what-else-are-you-good-for/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [Improvise. 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These days, though, I'm trying to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-doescher/i-do-a-lot-of-writing-in-my-capacity-as-the-creative-director-for-a/) [Ian Doescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-doescher/) ## More by Richard Denney > [“I think you’ve forgotten that this place holds a lot more than just betraying Hobgoblins. Call upon the spirits, summon fairies, raise the dead!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/i-think-you-ve-forgotten-that-this-place-holds-a-lot-more-than-just/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [“I love you, Lance." He rattles the frame of the window and reaches out at me. I guess that's his way of saying "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/i-love-you-lance-he-rattles-the-frame-of-the-window-and-reaches-out/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [“The great thing about writing fiction is that you can do whatever the fuck you want, go as far as you are willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/the-great-thing-about-writing-fiction-is-that-you-can-do-whatever-the/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [“At least Harry Potter knew the who fuck he was dealing with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/at-least-harry-potter-knew-the-who-fuck-he-was-dealing-with/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [“cherish your creative spark, because there's no one else who can light it back up for you when it burns out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/cherish-your-creative-spark-because-there-s-no-one-else-who-can-light/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [I pity the people who don't like to read, because then they spend their whole lives stuck in this one world and don't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/i-pity-the-people-who-don-t-like-to-read-because-then-they-spend/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [Authors do not choose a story to write, the story chooses us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/authors-do-not-choose-a-story-to-write-the-story-chooses-us/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [A book series is never truly over. The story lives on, even when the final page has been turned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/a-book-series-is-never-truly-over-the-story-lives-on-even-when-the/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [“Ive wanted to be with Lance Tanner since the sixth grade, but that was so not going to happen since he's a zombie now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/ive-wanted-to-be-with-lance-tanner-since-the-sixth-grade-but-that-was/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [“Books have a way of finding their way into our lives, usually, right when we need them the most.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/books-have-a-way-of-finding-their-way-into-our-lives-usually-right/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [“I didn't even notice that my shoes were full of mud by the time I reached the rocky shore. 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Trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/i-believe-that-everyone-should-have-a-dream-and-believe-in-it-make-it/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) > [“I'm falling for you, but I can't do this if your still hung up on a dead guy...you can still love him and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-denney/i-m-falling-for-you-but-i-can-t-do-this-if-your-still-hung-up-on-a/) [Richard Denney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) [Explore all 15 Richard Denney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-denney/) ## More Author quotes > [An author departs; he does not die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-author-departs-he-does-not-die/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. 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Brianna: But it's not - it's a different kind of truth - it would be your truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/grayson-fiction-is-just-a-lie-anyway-brianna-but-it-s-not-it-s-a/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Religion is like wax. How anyone deals with it is decisive for how it will look like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-midland/religion-is-like-wax-how-anyone-deals-with-it-is-decisive-for-how-it/) [Ben Midland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-midland/) > [“Expression is a function of intention and intention emanates from your thought faculty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/expression-is-a-function-of-intention-and-intention-emanates-from/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [“There is no shortcut for hard work that leads to effectiveness. You must stay disciplined because most of the work is behind the scenes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/there-is-no-shortcut-for-hard-work-that-leads-to-effectiveness-you/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [I come from a working-class family. They're the people I know and the people I love, I guess. I do not write about them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/i-come-from-a-working-class-family-they-re-the-people-i-know-and-the/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [I am a completely horizontal author. I can't think unless I'm lying down, either in bed or stretched on a couch and with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-am-a-completely-horizontal-author-i-can-t-think-unless-i-m-lying/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [The author I wish I was reading right now and always is Nora Ephron. I love the humor, the awareness, the sense of self-deprecation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garance-dore/the-author-i-wish-i-was-reading-right-now-and-always-is-nora-ephron-i/) [Garance Dore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garance-dore/) > [“Betsy was so full of joy that she had to be alone. She went upstairs to her bedroom and sat down on Uncle Keith's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maud-hart-lovelace/betsy-was-so-full-of-joy-that-she-had-to-be-alone-she-went-upstairs/) [Maud Hart Lovelace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maud-hart-lovelace/) > [Writing is a intensely personal activity. I can pen down my best thoughts when I'm alone. 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