--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, my knowledge of the…" description: "\"When I was young, my knowledge of the literary world was a distorted tabloid sketch of dazzling fame, suffering genius, and tragic glamour. It was all ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/robin-beth-schaer-60663_anxiety_when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-lit_227803.jpg" --- # When I was young, my knowledge of the literary world was a… ![“When I was young, my knowledge of the literary world was a distorted tabloid sketch of dazzling fame, suffering genius, and tragic glamour. It was all very naïve. Of course, the only part of the stereotype that has proven true is the suffering and the starving. Now, my fantasy of scribbling poems…” quote by Robin Beth Schaer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/robin-beth-schaer-60663_anxiety_when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-lit_227803.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/robin-beth-schaer-60663_anxiety_when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-lit_227803.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/robin-beth-schaer-60663_anxiety_when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-lit_227803.jpg) > “When I was young, my knowledge of the literary world was a distorted tabloid sketch of dazzling fame, suffering genius, and tragic glamour. It was all very naïve. Of course, the only part of the stereotype that has proven true is the suffering and the starving. Now, my fantasy of scribbling poems in a tower is gone, but an anxiety about reviews, book sales, and awards has taken its place.” [Robin Beth Schaer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-beth-schaer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early romanticized views of literature clash with harsh realities of artistic struggle and market pressures. **In simple terms:** Dreams meet reality in publishing. Key Takeaway Balance idealism with practical goals. Themes literature career illusion Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing - publishing - marketing - award pursuits Key Concepts creative industry psychology of fame Questions to Reflect On - What defines success for you? - How can you protect creative joy? A Different Perspective Idealism may cause disillusionment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Glamour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glamour/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Stereotype](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stereotype/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Tragic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragic/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [ No one suffers so much as he \[the genius\] with the people, and, therefore, for the people, with whom he lives. For, in a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/no-one-suffers-so-much-as-he-the-genius-with-the-people-and-therefore/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [THE SUFFERING OF GENIUS AND ITS VALUE. The artistic genius desires to give pleasure, but if his mind is on a very high plane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-suffering-of-genius-and-its-value-the-artistic-genius-desires-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I realized early on that the academy and the literary world alike - and I don't think there really is a distinction between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/i-realized-early-on-that-the-academy-and-the-literary-world-alike-and/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [I don't know that I had a sense that there was such a thing as "the poetry world" in the 1960s and early 70s.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/i-don-t-know-that-i-had-a-sense-that-there-was-such-a-thing-as-the/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [In the broad spectrum of the arts, two worlds rarely overlap - the literary world and the world of rock music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/in-the-broad-spectrum-of-the-arts-two-worlds-rarely-overlap-the/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [The literary world is so full of pretension, and there's such an enormous gap between how seriously poets take themselves and how widely they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/the-literary-world-is-so-full-of-pretension-and-there-s-such-an/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [“Dear Literary World, Sorry for breaking down your door...I'll pay for that!!! Since I'm here and planning to stay a while, let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ck-webb/dear-literary-world-sorry-for-breaking-down-your-door-i-ll-pay-for/) [CK Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ck-webb/) > [The literary world is made up of little confederacies, each looking upon its own members as the lights of the universe; and considering all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/the-literary-world-is-made-up-of-little-confederacies-each-looking/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [I've been in the art world for many years. But the sad fact is that most writers are visually prepubescent. Generally speaking, the literary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grossman/i-ve-been-in-the-art-world-for-many-years-but-the-sad-fact-is-that/) [Richard Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grossman/) > [“Just another attempt by Rebecca to connect an everyday occurrence to the literary world. - Adriana”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-marinello-sweeney/just-another-attempt-by-rebecca-to-connect-an-everyday-occurrence-to/) [Gina Marinello-Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-marinello-sweeney/) > [We writers - we're the snowflakes of the literary world. We each have our own shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/we-writers-we-re-the-snowflakes-of-the-literary-world-we-each-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The short story, I should point out, is perforce a labor of love in today's literary world; there's precious little economic incentive to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-block/the-short-story-i-should-point-out-is-perforce-a-labor-of-love-in/) [Lawrence Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-block/) > [I don't know that I've gotten much feedback directly from the literary world; sometimes I doubt even the notion that there is a literary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-don-t-know-that-i-ve-gotten-much-feedback-directly-from-the/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [The literary world is filled with good and generous people. But then that's what writing is all about - empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bock/the-literary-world-is-filled-with-good-and-generous-people-but-then/) [Charles Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bock/) > [I realized early on that the academy and the literary world alike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/i-realized-early-on-that-the-academy-and-the-literary-world-alike/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) ## More by Robin Beth Schaer > [I want to yell about it most days and stop strangers in the street to share my outrage. But my mind is too serpentine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-beth-schaer/i-want-to-yell-about-it-most-days-and-stop-strangers-in-the-street-to/) [Robin Beth Schaer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-beth-schaer/) > [My path to poetry was slow and meandering. When I eventually found my way to graduate school at 29, making a life as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-beth-schaer/my-path-to-poetry-was-slow-and-meandering-when-i-eventually-found-my/) [Robin Beth Schaer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-beth-schaer/) > [Being pregnant taught me how to be a better writer. It was a lesson in negative capability and surrendering to necessity. Suddenly, my body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-beth-schaer/being-pregnant-taught-me-how-to-be-a-better-writer-it-was-a-lesson-in/) [Robin Beth Schaer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-beth-schaer/) > [A decade ago, my poems were precious little boxes, small and claustrophobic, completely inward gazing. I didn't possess the command to speak beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-beth-schaer/a-decade-ago-my-poems-were-precious-little-boxes-small-and/) [Robin Beth Schaer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-beth-schaer/) [Explore all 5 Robin Beth Schaer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-beth-schaer/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was young, my knowledge of the literary world was a distorted tabloid sketch of dazzling fame, suffering genius, and tragic glamour. It was all very naïve. Of course, the only part of the stereotype that has proven true is the suffering and the starving. Now, my fantasy of scribbling poems in a tower is gone, but an anxiety about reviews, book sales, and awards has taken its place.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robin Beth Schaer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-beth-schaer/when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-literary-world-was-a-distorted/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anxiety" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-beth-schaer/when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-literary-world-was-a-distorted/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/robin-beth-schaer-60663_anxiety_when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-lit_227803.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/robin-beth-schaer-60663_anxiety_when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-lit_227803.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/robin-beth-schaer-60663_anxiety_when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-lit_227803.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was young, my knowledge of the literary world was a distorted tabloid sketch of dazzling fame…” — Robin Beth Schaer", "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": "Robin Beth Schaer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-beth-schaer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was young, my knowledge...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-beth-schaer/when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-literary-world-was-a-distorted/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-beth-schaer/when-i-was-young-my-knowledge-of-the-literary-world-was-a-distorted/#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 } } ] } ```