--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first time I met Harlan Ellison, we…" description: "\"The first time I met Harlan Ellison, we were both unpublished young punks in Cleveland, Ohio.\" — Roger Zelazny" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/roger-zelazny-1604_first_the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-w_411330.png" --- # The first time I met Harlan Ellison, we were both… ![“The first time I met Harlan Ellison, we were both unpublished young punks in Cleveland, Ohio.” quote by Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/roger-zelazny-1604_first_the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-w_411330.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/roger-zelazny-1604_first_the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-w_411330.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/roger-zelazny-1604_first_the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-w_411330.png) > “The first time I met Harlan Ellison, we were both unpublished young punks in Cleveland, Ohio.” [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Two aspiring writers met early in their careers, sharing youthful ambition before fame. **In simple terms:** Young writers meeting, sharing dreams. Key Takeaway Value early connections and support among peers. Themes youth ambition literature friendship Mood nostalgic inspirational Type personal historical When to use this quote - writing workshops - literary festivals - online writing groups - college classes - publishing pitches Key Concepts career beginnings creative community networking Questions to Reflect On - What early relationships shaped your path? - How do you sustain youthful drive? A Different Perspective Early enthusiasm may not translate into lasting success without perseverance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ellison-968588/) [Ellison Unpublished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ellison-unpublished-3666136/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harlan-ellison/) [Ohio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ohio/) [Punks Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punks-cleveland-3666137/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young Punks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-punks-545109/) ## Related quotes > [There is Harlan Ellison the human being, who takes a crap a couple of times a day, and who farts, and who eats chicken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/there-is-harlan-ellison-the-human-being-who-takes-a-crap-a-couple-of/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) > [It was really difficult for guys like me who were just young punks to come in and sell a funny idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-hartman/it-was-really-difficult-for-guys-like-me-who-were-just-young-punks-to/) [Butch Hartman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-hartman/) > [Regis can do anything these young punks can do. I fit right in there with my Fox people. They want Regis to dance, Regis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regis-philbin/regis-can-do-anything-these-young-punks-can-do-i-fit-right-in-there/) [Regis Philbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regis-philbin/) > [No one inspired me to write, but writer Harlan Ellison terrified me into getting published.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/no-one-inspired-me-to-write-but-writer-harlan-ellison-terrified-me/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“Listen, Stephen King used to write in the washroom of his trailer after his kids went to sleep. Harlan Ellison wrote in the stall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-schaffer/listen-stephen-king-used-to-write-in-the-washroom-of-his-trailer/) [Bernard Schaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-schaffer/) > [ And \[Asimov\]'ll sign anything, hardbacks, softbacks, other people's books, scraps of paper. Inevitably someone handed him a blank check on the occasion when I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/and-asimov-ll-sign-anything-hardbacks-softbacks-other-people-s-books/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant. —Harlan Ellison”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomasz-tunguz/you-are-not-entitled-to-your-opinion-you-are-entitled-to-your-2/) [Tomasz Tunguz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomasz-tunguz/) > [“In the shower today I tried to think about the best advice I'd ever been given by another writer. There was something that someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/in-the-shower-today-i-tried-to-think-about-the-best-advice-i-d-ever/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [If you don't care about science enough to be interested in it on its own, you shouldn't try to write hard science fiction. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederik-pohl/if-you-don-t-care-about-science-enough-to-be-interested-in-it-on-its/) [Frederik Pohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederik-pohl/) > [Different influences at different times in my career, and some have stayed with me more, some less. Chester Himes. Ralph Dennis, who wrote a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-r-lansdale/different-influences-at-different-times-in-my-career-and-some-have/) [Joe R. Lansdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-r-lansdale/) > [“Having to amuse myself during those earlier years, I read voraciously and widely. Mythic matter and folklore made up much of that reading—retellings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/having-to-amuse-myself-during-those-earlier-years-i-read-voraciously/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“Now begin in the middle, and later learn the beginning; the end will take care of itself. – Harlan Ellison”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dathan-auerbach/now-begin-in-the-middle-and-later-learn-the-beginning-the-end-will/) [Dathan Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dathan-auerbach/) > [I drink a lot of beer, and that's the drug of choice. You find the drug that works for you. I know, for instance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-drink-a-lot-of-beer-and-that-s-the-drug-of-choice-you-find-the-drug/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Keith Ellison is an organizer's organizer.He's one of the only Muslims in Congress, so you have a big statement there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/keith-ellison-is-an-organizer-s-organizer-he-s-one-of-the-only/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [“CEO Gil Amelio stumbled. Ellison may have been baffled when Jobs insisted that he was not motivated by money, but it was partly true.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/ceo-gil-amelio-stumbled-ellison-may-have-been-baffled-when-jobs/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) ## More by Roger Zelazny > [“I was willing to die fighting, but it was senseless for all these men to go down with me. Perhaps my blood was tainted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-was-willing-to-die-fighting-but-it-was-senseless-for-all-these-men/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I know, too, that death is the only god who comes when you call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-know-too-that-death-is-the-only-god-who-comes-when-you-call/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [There's no such thing as civilization. The word just means the art of living in cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/there-s-no-such-thing-as-civilization-the-word-just-means-the-art-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Time, too, is a function of Shadow, and even Dworkin did not know all of its ins and outs. Or perhaps he did. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/time-too-is-a-function-of-shadow-and-even-dworkin-did-not-know-all-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I've always been impulsive. My thinking is usually pretty good, but I always seem to do it after I do my talking — by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-ve-always-been-impulsive-my-thinking-is-usually-pretty-good-but-i/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“And again, damn. Of troubles I considered myself amply possessed. But those who have do seem to get. Some spiritual form of compound interest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/and-again-damn-of-troubles-i-considered-myself-amply-possessed-but/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Far below, the ocean was a bluegray rug being pulled out from beneath us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/far-below-the-ocean-was-a-bluegray-rug-being-pulled-out-from-beneath/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [A powerful flight of the imagination . . . an entirely enjoyable reading experience, wrought by a pair of writers noted for excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/a-powerful-flight-of-the-imagination-an-entirely-enjoyable-reading/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [The function of criticism should not be confused with the function of reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/the-function-of-criticism-should-not-be-confused-with-the-function-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I always wanted to write, ever since I was a kid. I started writing at the age of 11. All I wanted to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-always-wanted-to-write-ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-started-writing-at/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [While I had often said that I wanted to die in bed, what I really meant was that in my old age I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/while-i-had-often-said-that-i-wanted-to-die-in-bed-what-i-really/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“That was the first time in my life that I knew the meaning of despair. I read, I worked, I drank, I whored, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/that-was-the-first-time-in-my-life-that-i-knew-the-meaning-of-despair/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“I watched until the sizzlecloud drew its legs up into itself, hung like a burning cocoon, then died like an ember retreating into ash.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-until-the-sizzlecloud-drew-its-legs-up-into-itself-hung/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [To waste! You are unknown and unwanted, save by me. This, because you are fairly adept at the various embalming arts and you occasionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/to-waste-you-are-unknown-and-unwanted-save-by-me-this-because-you-are/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I watched the spinning stars, grateful, sad and proud, as only a man who has outlived his destiny and realizes he might yet forge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-the-spinning-stars-grateful-sad-and-proud-as-only-a-man-who/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) [Explore all 220 Roger Zelazny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## More First quotes > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. 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Sometimes it's good, sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefano-gabbana/our-fashion-for-us-it-s-an-expression-first-of-all-of-life-i-put-all/) [Stefano Gabbana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefano-gabbana/) > [When I first started making music, it was learning other people's songs and putting them onto four-track. Like Beatles songs and stuff. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/when-i-first-started-making-music-it-was-learning-other-people-s/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [Oh, I'm a great believer in the power of the pause. Radio is a bit brasher now. My style was slower. I just used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/oh-i-m-a-great-believer-in-the-power-of-the-pause-radio-is-a-bit/) [Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/) > [My first company, Pure Software, was exciting and innovative in the first few years and bureaucratic and painful in the last few before it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/my-first-company-pure-software-was-exciting-and-innovative-in-the/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. She would cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/i-have-to-say-i-grew-up-with-fashion-because-my-mother-was-a/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [We do need different types of propulsion to get to Mars. 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I was about 12 when I won my first boxing match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-parker/i-first-got-into-boxing-when-i-was-quite-young-i-was-about-12-when-i/) [Joseph Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-parker/) [Browse all 9,159 First quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first time I met Harlan Ellison, we were both unpublished young punks in Cleveland, Ohio.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Zelazny" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-were-both-unpublished-young/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "First" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-were-both-unpublished-young/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/roger-zelazny-1604_first_the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-w_411330.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/roger-zelazny-1604_first_the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-w_411330.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/roger-zelazny-1604_first_the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-w_411330.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first time I met Harlan Ellison, we were both unpublished young punks in Cleveland, Ohio.” — Roger Zelazny", "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": "Roger Zelazny", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first time I met Harlan...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-were-both-unpublished-young/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/the-first-time-i-met-harlan-ellison-we-were-both-unpublished-young/#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 } } ] } ```