--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It took me five or six years to write…" description: "\"It took me five or six years to write 'How Should a Person Be?' and there were many times when I felt discouraged.\" — Sheila Heti" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/sheila-heti-2776_discouraged_it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-ho_1264425.jpg" --- # It took me five or six years to write 'How Should a Person… ![“It took me five or six years to write 'How Should a Person Be?' and there were many times when I felt discouraged.” quote by Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/sheila-heti-2776_discouraged_it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-ho_1264425.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/sheila-heti-2776_discouraged_it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-ho_1264425.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/sheila-heti-2776_discouraged_it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-ho_1264425.jpg) > “It took me five or six years to write 'How Should a Person Be?' and there were many times when I felt discouraged.” [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a book can be a long, discouraging process, yet persistence leads to completion. **In simple terms:** Writing takes time and perseverance despite setbacks. Key Takeaway Keep writing despite discouragement. Themes creativity perseverance self‑discovery Mood reflective inspired determined Type advice personal narrative When to use this quote - novel writing - creative block - personal growth Key Concepts authorial process motivation Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your creative drive? - How do you overcome creative blocks? A Different Perspective Some may feel that talent outweighs effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discouraged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discouraged/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Felt Discouraged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-discouraged-4030505/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Took Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-years-236124/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Years Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-write-236123/) ## Related quotes > [“Every one at some point felt discouraged, it was our faithful companions, who lifted our spirit to find hope again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-one-at-some-point-felt-discouraged-it-was-our-faithful/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > ['I Drink' took me two years to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-drink-took-me-two-years-to-write/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [My first book took five years to write and I made $1,000 on it. The second took three years and I made $3,000. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-first-book-took-five-years-to-write-and-i-made-1-000-on-it-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I still have a full-time day job, which is why it took me five years to write An Ear to the Ground, and why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-thompson/i-still-have-a-full-time-day-job-which-is-why-it-took-me-five-years/) [Ken Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-thompson/) > [It took me ten years to write The Night Journal, so that was a big ordeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-crook/it-took-me-ten-years-to-write-the-night-journal-so-that-was-a-big/) [Elizabeth Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-crook/) > [It took me sixteen years to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [I talk to my typewriter and that is what I've been working on for 40 years-how to write for talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-cooke/i-talk-to-my-typewriter-and-that-is-what-i-ve-been-working-on-for-40/) [Alistair Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-cooke/) > [And I'm a slow writer: five, six hundred words is a good day. That's the reason it took me 20 years to write those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-foote/and-i-m-a-slow-writer-five-six-hundred-words-is-a-good-day-that-s-the/) [Shelby Foote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-foote/) > [I just think, as writers, especially with a book that takes years to write, you sort of wake up every morning hoping and praying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-just-think-as-writers-especially-with-a-book-that-takes-years-to/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [I love to read. I remember hearing that the average author takes two years to write a book. So when I read a book,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/i-love-to-read-i-remember-hearing-that-the-average-author-takes-two/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [I taught elementary school and painted apartments for ten years. Now I write full-time and never have to change a thing I write. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/i-taught-elementary-school-and-painted-apartments-for-ten-years-now-i/) [Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/) > [Yes, I did lock myself in my room for about two years and write some songs and things like that. But I don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/yes-i-did-lock-myself-in-my-room-for-about-two-years-and-write-some/) [Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/) > [When I need to take a side, I write a newspaper article and I tell my government, "You should not do that, you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/when-i-need-to-take-a-side-i-write-a-newspaper-article-and-i-tell-my/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [It took me 14 years to write poems about Vietnam. I had never thought about writing about it, and in a way I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusef-komunyakaa/it-took-me-14-years-to-write-poems-about-vietnam-i-had-never-thought/) [Yusef Komunyakaa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusef-komunyakaa/) > [Goon Squad' took about three years to write and that's the short end. My second novel, 'Look at Me,' took six years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/goon-squad-took-about-three-years-to-write-and-that-s-the-short-end/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) ## More by Sheila Heti > [I believe there's a platonic ideal for every book that is written, like there's the perfect version of the book somewhere in the ether,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-believe-there-s-a-platonic-ideal-for-every-book-that-is-written/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [I really enjoyed the process of 'Women in Clothes,' but there's no way I would have done that again. It felt more like being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-really-enjoyed-the-process-of-women-in-clothes-but-there-s-no-way-i/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [“style is about knowing what you like and why you like it, more than anything else. GRACE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/style-is-about-knowing-what-you-like-and-why-you-like-it-more-than/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [I'd rather that people could be both entertained and given rest while reading my book than for someone to have to put the book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-d-rather-that-people-could-be-both-entertained-and-given-rest-while/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [“I know that character exists from the outside alone. I know that inside the body there's just temperature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-know-that-character-exists-from-the-outside-alone-i-know-that/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [I don't think about the reader when I'm writing, but I do when I'm editing, of course. For instance, I self-consciously didn't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-don-t-think-about-the-reader-when-i-m-writing-but-i-do-when-i-m/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [He’s just another man who wants to teach me something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/he-s-just-another-man-who-wants-to-teach-me-something/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [“She had thought that when someone died, it would be like they went into a different room. She had not known that life itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/she-had-thought-that-when-someone-died-it-would-be-like-they-went/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [It's so weird how our existence hinges on just absolute crazy chance, but it feels so essential. It's like, 'Nothing would be here if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/it-s-so-weird-how-our-existence-hinges-on-just-absolute-crazy-chance/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [In 'Sweet Days of Discipline,' the narrator, years after graduating, fortuitously encounters her old friend Frederique at a movie theatre. Frederique invites her home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/in-sweet-days-of-discipline-the-narrator-years-after-graduating/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [Every choice you make has higher stakes - or that's how it feels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/every-choice-you-make-has-higher-stakes-or-that-s-how-it-feels/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [Women without children can help mothers, and we can just be all in this together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/women-without-children-can-help-mothers-and-we-can-just-be-all-in/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [The reason I write is because I have questions. What I don't want is for people to forget that I'm a novelist and think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/the-reason-i-write-is-because-i-have-questions-what-i-don-t-want-is/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [“But style, I also learned, is not about strictly copying others, because style is not transferable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/but-style-i-also-learned-is-not-about-strictly-copying-others-because/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [Renown is something people have always wanted, but maybe what's modern is that it's considered a virtue, this desire, rather than a vice. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/renown-is-something-people-have-always-wanted-but-maybe-what-s-modern/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) [Explore all 150 Sheila Heti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) ## More Discouraged quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [Marriages are always moving from one season to another. Sometimes we find ourselves in winter--discouraged, detached, and dissatisfied; other times we experience springtime, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/marriages-are-always-moving-from-one-season-to-another-sometimes-we/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [Many persons have been confused and discouraged at the very outset of the study by the great variety and the delicate distinctions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-staunton/many-persons-have-been-confused-and-discouraged-at-the-very-outset-of/) [Howard Staunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-staunton/) > [I think it's very easy to get discouraged early on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-lowe/i-think-it-s-very-easy-to-get-discouraged-early-on/) [Alice Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-lowe/) > [I am profoundly in the D's - discouraged, depressed, disheartened, disgusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dunbar-nelson/i-am-profoundly-in-the-d-s-discouraged-depressed-disheartened/) [Alice Dunbar Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dunbar-nelson/) > [Well, I do expect a lot of myself. I'm a harsh critic because I know what I'm capable of. I have hit those occasional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-stevens/well-i-do-expect-a-lot-of-myself-i-m-a-harsh-critic-because-i-know/) [Dave Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-stevens/) > [I've taken my bumps and bruises, but you've got to be willing to get knocked down and pick yourself up. You can't get discouraged.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-o-neal/i-ve-taken-my-bumps-and-bruises-but-you-ve-got-to-be-willing-to-get/) [Jermaine O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-o-neal/) > [I am a little discouraged and irritated at the welfare recipient families growing in size all the time. Those of us who work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilmar-moore/i-am-a-little-discouraged-and-irritated-at-the-welfare-recipient/) [Hilmar Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilmar-moore/) > [“The way you pass through the land of Learning is that you try a bunch of things. Fear would love for you to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/the-way-you-pass-through-the-land-of-learning-is-that-you-try-a-bunch/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [I do what I believe the Lord did, and that is walk in love with all mankind, which I don't see a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-smith/i-do-what-i-believe-the-lord-did-and-that-is-walk-in-love-with-all/) [Tasha Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasha-smith/) > [You need never be discouraged or afraid. The way through difficulties has always been prepared for you, and you will find it if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/you-need-never-be-discouraged-or-afraid-the-way-through-difficulties/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Lift up your eyes, discouraged one. When you feel like giving up, when they say it can't be done, it's up to you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matty-mullins/lift-up-your-eyes-discouraged-one-when-you-feel-like-giving-up-when/) [Matty Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matty-mullins/) > [I think there are so many young girls out there who may be discouraged by the images they see in magazines or on TV,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-knox/i-think-there-are-so-many-young-girls-out-there-who-may-be/) [Kelly Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-knox/) > [The cure for impatience with the fulfillment of God's timetable is to believe His promises, obey His will, and leave the results to Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/the-cure-for-impatience-with-the-fulfillment-of-god-s-timetable-is-to/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [I sometimes am discouraged by what seems to be a sort of conventional disparagement of humankind. I think often people feel that they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/i-sometimes-am-discouraged-by-what-seems-to-be-a-sort-of-conventional/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 540 Discouraged quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discouraged/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It took me five or six years to write 'How Should a Person Be?' and there were many times when I felt discouraged.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sheila Heti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-how-should-a-person-be-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Discouraged" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-how-should-a-person-be-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/sheila-heti-2776_discouraged_it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-ho_1264425.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/sheila-heti-2776_discouraged_it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-ho_1264425.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/sheila-heti-2776_discouraged_it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-ho_1264425.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It took me five or six years to write 'How Should a Person Be?' and there were many times when I felt…” — Sheila Heti", "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": "Sheila Heti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It took me five or six...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-how-should-a-person-be-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/it-took-me-five-or-six-years-to-write-how-should-a-person-be-and/#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 } } ] } ```