--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an undergraduate, I took two writing…" description: "\"As an undergraduate, I took two writing workshops taught by Elizabeth Hardwick. She was certainly a major influence, though more as a writer I greatly ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/sigrid-nunez-23375_i-love_as-an-undergraduate-i-took-two-writing-w_3101481.jpg" --- # As an undergraduate, I took two writing workshops taught… ![“As an undergraduate, I took two writing workshops taught by Elizabeth Hardwick. She was certainly a major influence, though more as a writer I greatly admired than as a teacher. As for other writers, I think it's safe to say that my work has been and continues to be influenced to one degree or…” quote by Sigrid Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/sigrid-nunez-23375_i-love_as-an-undergraduate-i-took-two-writing-w_3101481.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/sigrid-nunez-23375_i-love_as-an-undergraduate-i-took-two-writing-w_3101481.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/sigrid-nunez-23375_i-love_as-an-undergraduate-i-took-two-writing-w_3101481.jpg) > “As an undergraduate, I took two writing workshops taught by Elizabeth Hardwick. She was certainly a major influence, though more as a writer I greatly admired than as a teacher. As for other writers, I think it's safe to say that my work has been and continues to be influenced to one degree or another by every writer whose work I love and admire.” [Sigrid Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-nunez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A writer’s voice is a mosaic of many admired authors, not just a single mentor. **In simple terms:** Writers absorb many influences. Key Takeaway Read widely, let many voices shape yours. Themes writing influence literature learning growth Mood inspirational thoughtful Type reflective educational When to use this quote - college courses - writing workshops - personal essays - novel drafting Key Concepts Mentorship intertextuality creative development Questions to Reflect On - Which author’s style resonates most with you? - How do you maintain your unique voice? A Different Perspective Overreliance on influences can dilute originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [I love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-love/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Influence Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence-writer-708164/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Major Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major-influence-249029/) [Taught Elizabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-elizabeth-5377082/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Writers Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers-think/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Workshops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-workshops-2924078/) ## Related quotes > [The daily writing practice is something I used to hear batted around a lot in writing workshops - which is probably why I dropped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-abu-jaber/the-daily-writing-practice-is-something-i-used-to-hear-batted-around/) [Diana Abu-Jaber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-abu-jaber/) > [My major influence is Satyajit Ray; his film 'Shatranj ke Khilari' was set in Awadh and it gave us memorable characters. Ray's musical scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoojit-sircar/my-major-influence-is-satyajit-ray-his-film-shatranj-ke-khilari-was/) [Shoojit Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoojit-sircar/) > [Mitski is an influence to me as a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/mitski-is-an-influence-to-me-as-a-writer/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [I think my dad's influence on me as a writer, or just a creative thinker, is, more than anything, that I grew up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/i-think-my-dad-s-influence-on-me-as-a-writer-or-just-a-creative/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [Ernest Hemingway has been the most important influence on me as a writer. But at a certain point as a writer, I realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akhil-sharma/ernest-hemingway-has-been-the-most-important-influence-on-me-as-a/) [Akhil Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akhil-sharma/) > [Ross McDonald had a greater influence on me than any other writer. His style of writing, the repeated theme of the past coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/ross-mcdonald-had-a-greater-influence-on-me-than-any-other-writer-his/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [I did not grow up around films. So, I would say books have been my major influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-khosla-kumar/i-did-not-grow-up-around-films-so-i-would-say-books-have-been-my/) [Divya Khosla Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-khosla-kumar/) > [China and the United States have major influence in international affairs and shoulder important responsibilities in upholding world peace and promoting common development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hu-jintao/china-and-the-united-states-have-major-influence-in-international/) [Hu Jintao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hu-jintao/) > [I went through a big Alice Cooper phase, which was probably a major influence on my writing style later, especially after Plastic Surgery Disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/i-went-through-a-big-alice-cooper-phase-which-was-probably-a-major/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [My major influence was my ten years older sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-ford/my-major-influence-was-my-ten-years-older-sister/) [Willa Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-ford/) > [Disco is a major influence in the world of fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-bogart/disco-is-a-major-influence-in-the-world-of-fashion/) [Neil Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-bogart/) > [The fact that Stravinsky used the classics as a major influence is obvious. What is interesting is how he used them, how he turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/the-fact-that-stravinsky-used-the-classics-as-a-major-influence-is/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [“Common ground is a major influence on giving behaviors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/common-ground-is-a-major-influence-on-giving-behaviors/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [Miles Davis is a major influence of mine in terms of the way that I am as a bandleader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefon-harris/miles-davis-is-a-major-influence-of-mine-in-terms-of-the-way-that-i/) [Stefon Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefon-harris/) > [I came from a broken home, so my mom was a major influence in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-came-from-a-broken-home-so-my-mom-was-a-major-influence-in-my-life/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) ## More by Sigrid Nunez > [No one's memory is infallible, of course - quite the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-nunez/no-one-s-memory-is-infallible-of-course-quite-the-opposite/) [Sigrid Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-nunez/) > [When I was a kid and wanted to grow up to be a writer, I assumed I would be writing about animals and children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-nunez/when-i-was-a-kid-and-wanted-to-grow-up-to-be-a-writer-i-assumed-i/) [Sigrid Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-nunez/) > [I'm not someone who has a list of great books I would read if I only had the time. 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The ideal would have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-nunez/she-said-i-wish-i-had-been-born-poor-i-wish-i-d-been-born-an-indian/) [Sigrid Núñez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-nunez/) > [“ Strays is what a writer I recently read calls those who, for one reason or another, and despite whatever they might have wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-nunez/strays-is-what-a-writer-i-recently-read-calls-those-who-for-one/) [Sigrid Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-nunez/) > [You write a thing down because you're hoping to get a hold on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-nunez/you-write-a-thing-down-because-you-re-hoping-to-get-a-hold-on-it/) [Sigrid Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-nunez/) > [“Like many women, she would always find it easier to feel for a male (except, of course, her husband, against whom she bore innumerable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-nunez/like-many-women-she-would-always-find-it-easier-to-feel-for-a-male/) [Sigrid Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-nunez/) > [“Are you a political prisoner, Dooley?" Her blue eyes, immense now in her gaunt face, turned a pitying gaze on the reporter who'd asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-nunez/are-you-a-political-prisoner-dooley-her-blue-eyes-immense-now-in-her/) [Sigrid Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-nunez/) > [I first met Susan Sontag in spring 1976 when she was recovering from cancer surgery and needed someone to help type her correspondence. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-nunez/i-first-met-susan-sontag-in-spring-1976-when-she-was-recovering-from/) [Sigrid Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-nunez/) > [“But even before she got to college, Ann's thinking had become to change. She could no longer see herself working for the system. 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It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [I enjoy upsetting the right people. I love poking fun at earnest censors. I want to push the bounds of what can be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-enjoy-upsetting-the-right-people-i-love-poking-fun-at-earnest/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. 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