--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1998, Vanity Fair asked me to write a…" description: "\"In 1998, Vanity Fair asked me to write a big piece for them on the 50th anniversary of the New York City Ballet. My life, to a great extent, had been s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/robert-gottlieb-2761_about_in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a_2968969.png" --- # In 1998, Vanity Fair asked me to write a big piece for… ![“In 1998, Vanity Fair asked me to write a big piece for them on the 50th anniversary of the New York City Ballet. My life, to a great extent, had been spent at and with the New York City Ballet, and I decided to try it. It was very scary, writing about something I loved so much and had such strong…” quote by Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/robert-gottlieb-2761_about_in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a_2968969.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/robert-gottlieb-2761_about_in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a_2968969.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/robert-gottlieb-2761_about_in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a_2968969.png) > “In 1998, Vanity Fair asked me to write a big piece for them on the 50th anniversary of the New York City Ballet. My life, to a great extent, had been spent at and with the New York City Ballet, and I decided to try it. It was very scary, writing about something I loved so much and had such strong opinions about.” [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing about a beloved art form can be intimidating, yet it offers a chance to deepen understanding and share passion. **In simple terms:** Writing about love can be scary but rewarding. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability to share authentic insight. Themes art writing vulnerability passion Mood introspective thoughtful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - art criticism - memoir writing - public speaking Key Concepts creative process personal narrative cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What personal biases might affect your portrayal? - How can you maintain honesty while honoring love? A Different Perspective Fear of bias may limit objectivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anniversary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anniversary/) [Ballet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet/) [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair/) [Great extent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-extent/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [New york city](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york-city/) [Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Vanity fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity-fair/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The art world is never going to be popular like the NFL, but more people are buying art and I think that's cushioning, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gagosian/the-art-world-is-never-going-to-be-popular-like-the-nfl-but-more/) [Larry Gagosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gagosian/) > [They knew who I was in Australia in 2006, but not to a great extent. Now, with the momentum of a second World Cup,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-f-cahill/they-knew-who-i-was-in-australia-in-2006-but-not-to-a-great-extent/) [Timothy F. Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-f-cahill/) > [I think I've matured to a great extent. I think that I want different things now. That it's not about the celebrity status that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilio-estevez/i-think-i-ve-matured-to-a-great-extent-i-think-that-i-want-different/) [Emilio Estevez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilio-estevez/) > [In writing my historical novels, I have to rely upon my imagination to a great extent. I think of it as 'filling in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/in-writing-my-historical-novels-i-have-to-rely-upon-my-imagination-to/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [O'Neill presents a very complex multi-layered kind of challenge. His characters are always deeply complex and, to a great extent, inaccessible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-byrne/o-neill-presents-a-very-complex-multi-layered-kind-of-challenge-his/) [Gabriel Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-byrne/) > [A peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will likely depend to a great extent on the economic development of a future Palestinian state. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-bronfman-sr/a-peaceful-resolution-to-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-will-likely/) [Edgar Bronfman, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-bronfman-sr/) > [We are the most powerful nation in the world, but we're not the only nation in the world. We are not the only people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/we-are-the-most-powerful-nation-in-the-world-but-we-re-not-the-only/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [We lived on isolated farms and ranches, far from anybody, and when I was young I knew very few other kids, so I lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-williamson/we-lived-on-isolated-farms-and-ranches-far-from-anybody-and-when-i/) [Jack Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-williamson/) > [When I was filming in Budapest for ITV's 'Titanic,' I realised I'd never been to the ballet before so decided to see a production…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bradley/when-i-was-filming-in-budapest-for-itv-s-titanic-i-realised-i-d-never/) [Ruth Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bradley/) > [I know that I'll forever be involved in ballet. This is where my life was meant to be, and I don't see myself straying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-know-that-i-ll-forever-be-involved-in-ballet-this-is-where-my-life/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [We moved from the suburbs to L.A. and I picked up break dancing when I was 10. I joined a dance crew in high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doja-cat/we-moved-from-the-suburbs-to-l-a-and-i-picked-up-break-dancing-when-i/) [Doja Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doja-cat/) > [Expression, to a great extent, is a matter of terms, and terms are anyone's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ives/expression-to-a-great-extent-is-a-matter-of-terms-and-terms-are-2/) [Charles Ives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ives/) > [“I went to my grandmother... and asked her to write a letter. I hardly knew her. I didn't have any interest in knowing her.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-went-to-my-grandmother-and-asked-her-to-write-a-letter-i-hardly/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I've been asked to write my autobiography and really they only want 8 years (1962-1970), and I keep saying it would be five volumes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ringo-starr/i-ve-been-asked-to-write-my-autobiography-and-really-they-only-want-8/) [Ringo Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ringo-starr/) > [“He often said he had to be a writer because he wasn't good at anything else. He was not good at being an employee.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/he-often-said-he-had-to-be-a-writer-because-he-wasn-t-good-at/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) ## More by Robert Gottlieb > [Paul Taylor's 'Offenbach Overtures' has lots of zip and charm, and its pair of dueling soldiers in red, who end up starry-eyed about each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/paul-taylor-s-offenbach-overtures-has-lots-of-zip-and-charm-and-its/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Jodi Melnick is hotly self-absorbed. Her onstage musicians are much too loud, and like so many narcissistic performers, she goes on much too long:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/jodi-melnick-is-hotly-self-absorbed-her-onstage-musicians-are-much/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Increasingly, editing means going to lunch. It means editing with a credit card, not with a pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/increasingly-editing-means-going-to-lunch-it-means-editing-with-a/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > ['Porgy and Bess' has never been thought of as a dance show, and yet it's filled with dance. It uses dance to punctuate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/porgy-and-bess-has-never-been-thought-of-as-a-dance-show-and-yet-it-s/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Blood is the leitmotif of 'Black Swan.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/blood-is-the-leitmotif-of-black-swan/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [We know how Merce Cunningham works and how he thinks - we've been told, over and over again, by him and by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/we-know-how-merce-cunningham-works-and-how-he-thinks-we-ve-been-told/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [When I was at Cambridge in the early fifties, there was a school nearby for training Army officers in Russian, and some imaginative genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/when-i-was-at-cambridge-in-the-early-fifties-there-was-a-school/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Acting has changed since the nineteen-forties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/acting-has-changed-since-the-nineteen-forties/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Many people say to me, particularly about my dance writing, 'It sounds just like you.' But it sounds just like me after I've made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/many-people-say-to-me-particularly-about-my-dance-writing-it-sounds/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Schumann's 'Quintet in E flat for Piano and Strings' is one of the sublime moments in Romantic music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/schumann-s-quintet-in-e-flat-for-piano-and-strings-is-one-of-the/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [What makes a publishing house great? The easy answer is the consistency with which it produces books of value over a lengthy period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/what-makes-a-publishing-house-great-the-easy-answer-is-the/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [For me, the real pleasure in writing is in having an excuse to pursue my curiosity about people who have meant something to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/for-me-the-real-pleasure-in-writing-is-in-having-an-excuse-to-pursue/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Ballet in September used to be dead as a dodo. Now, with City Ballet's ingenious decision to give us four weeks of repertory in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/ballet-in-september-used-to-be-dead-as-a-dodo-now-with-city-ballet-s/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [I have fixed more sentences than most people have read in their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/i-have-fixed-more-sentences-than-most-people-have-read-in-their-lives/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [You can approach 'The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death' in a variety or combination of ways: as a startlingly eccentric hobby; as a series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/you-can-approach-the-nutshell-studies-of-unexplained-death-in-a/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) [Explore all 150 Robert Gottlieb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In 1998, Vanity Fair asked me to write a big piece for them on the 50th anniversary of the New York City Ballet. My life, to a great extent, had been spent at and with the New York City Ballet, and I decided to try it. It was very scary, writing about something I loved so much and had such strong opinions about.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Gottlieb" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a-big-piece-for-them-on-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a-big-piece-for-them-on-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/robert-gottlieb-2761_about_in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a_2968969.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/robert-gottlieb-2761_about_in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a_2968969.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/robert-gottlieb-2761_about_in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a_2968969.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In 1998, Vanity Fair asked me to write a big piece for them on the 50th anniversary of the New York City…” — Robert Gottlieb", "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": "Robert Gottlieb", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In 1998, Vanity Fair asked me...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a-big-piece-for-them-on-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/in-1998-vanity-fair-asked-me-to-write-a-big-piece-for-them-on-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 } } ] } ```