--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was only eleven years old, I…" description: "\"When I was only eleven years old, I decided to become a writer. I told this ambition in a letter to Laura Ingalls Wilder; the die was cast. How could I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/sonia-levitin-63629_ambition_when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decid_458347.jpg" --- # When I was only eleven years old, I decided to become a… ![“When I was only eleven years old, I decided to become a writer. I told this ambition in a letter to Laura Ingalls Wilder; the die was cast. How could I go back on my word?” quote by Sonia Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/sonia-levitin-63629_ambition_when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decid_458347.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/sonia-levitin-63629_ambition_when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decid_458347.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/sonia-levitin-63629_ambition_when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decid_458347.jpg) > “When I was only eleven years old, I decided to become a writer. I told this ambition in a letter to Laura Ingalls Wilder; the die was cast. How could I go back on my word?” [Sonia Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-levitin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A childhood decision to pursue writing became a binding promise that shaped her identity and career. **In simple terms:** Early ambition set a lifelong path. Key Takeaway Honor commitments made early. Themes determination identity career Mood reflective inspirational Type personal motivational When to use this quote - writing career - public speaking - mentoring young writers Key Concepts psychology self‑fulfilling prophecy Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel bound by early choices? - How can you adapt commitments over time? A Different Perspective Promises can create pressure and limit flexibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Letter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-letter-1055101/) [Back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Cast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cast/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Decided Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided-writer-1660622/) [Die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/die/) [Eleven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eleven/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laura/) [Laura Ingalls Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laura-ingalls-wilder/) [Letter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letter/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Told Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-ambition-2113513/) [Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilder/) [Wilder Die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilder-die-3985256/) [Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-told-1155075/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I've never told anyone, but my ambition is to become the leading all-time scorer of free kicks in Serie A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-pirlo/i-ve-never-told-anyone-but-my-ambition-is-to-become-the-leading-all/) [Andrea Pirlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-pirlo/) > [Ambition is not a four-letter word and women have to embrace that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tory-burch/ambition-is-not-a-four-letter-word-and-women-have-to-embrace-that/) [Tory Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tory-burch/) > [“I wanted to see the world, to work in all professions , to meet new people, to be whatever I ever imagined, to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wanted-to-see-the-world-to-work-in-all-professions-to-meet-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Through the years the swirl of a pen, click of a key, and the idea of a story have been my deepest passion. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sai-marie-johnson/through-the-years-the-swirl-of-a-pen-click-of-a-key-and-the-idea-of-a/) [Sai Marie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sai-marie-johnson/) > [I can't say that I ever actually decided to become a writer. It kind of snuck up on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/i-can-t-say-that-i-ever-actually-decided-to-become-a-writer-it-kind/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) > [“Slowly I discovered that writing was my way of coping with chaos and my cry of freedom, my homage to beauty. Because stories have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vittorio-vandelli/slowly-i-discovered-that-writing-was-my-way-of-coping-with-chaos-and/) [Vittorio Vandelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vittorio-vandelli/) > [When I was about 14 or 15 I decided to become a writer and never for a moment since have I wanted to do anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-wolff/when-i-was-about-14-or-15-i-decided-to-become-a-writer-and-never-for/) [Tobias Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-wolff/) > [A long, negative review I wrote of Rushdie's novel 'Fury' earned me a rebuke from the writer: He told an administrator at the college…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/a-long-negative-review-i-wrote-of-rushdie-s-novel-fury-earned-me-a/) [Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/) > [No, I never thought that I would be a writer. I had always been told I could write well, but it never occurred to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/no-i-never-thought-that-i-would-be-a-writer-i-had-always-been-told-i/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I hope to be known as a writer who told the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-karam/i-hope-to-be-known-as-a-writer-who-told-the-truth/) [Stephen Karam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-karam/) > [ “A fellow writer told me that Richard \[Hell\] once told her that the best thing about being a rock 'n roll star would be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bangs/a-fellow-writer-told-me-that-richard-hell-once-told-her-that-the-best/) [Lester Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bangs/) > [You're part of the human fabric of experience. You don't have to have cancer to write about cancer. You don't have to have somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/you-re-part-of-the-human-fabric-of-experience-you-don-t-have-to-have/) [Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/) > [“Writing makes you a writer,” he’d told me. “If you get up every morning and write, then you’re a writer. Publishing doesn’t make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-rakoff/writing-makes-you-a-writer-he-d-told-me-if-you-get-up-every-morning/) [Joanna Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-rakoff/) > [“Well, you’re part of the human fabric of experience. You don’t have to have cancer to write about cancer. You don’t have to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/well-you-re-part-of-the-human-fabric-of-experience-you-don-t-have-to/) [Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/) > [“Once I was asked be a seatmate on a trans-Pacific flight…what instruction he should give his fifteen-year-old daughters, who wanted to be a writer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-l-pez/once-i-was-asked-be-a-seatmate-on-a-trans-pacific-flight-what/) [Barry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-l-pez/) ## More by Sonia Levitin > [Through my writing, I have made new friends and continued to learn about this world of ours in all its wonder, with all its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-levitin/through-my-writing-i-have-made-new-friends-and-continued-to-learn/) [Sonia Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-levitin/) > [My entire adult life has been devoted to family and career, each adding to the other in many rewarding ways. I have never felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-levitin/my-entire-adult-life-has-been-devoted-to-family-and-career-each/) [Sonia Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-levitin/) > [“this book is really interesting(especially for holocaust lovers)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-levitin/this-book-is-really-interesting-especially-for-holocaust-lovers/) [Sonia Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-levitin/) > [You'll notice that my books offer great variety. Some are for adults, some for children and some for teens. There are mysteries, historical novels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-levitin/you-ll-notice-that-my-books-offer-great-variety-some-are-for-adults/) [Sonia Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-levitin/) [Explore all 5 Sonia Levitin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-levitin/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was only eleven years old, I decided to become a writer. I told this ambition in a letter to Laura Ingalls Wilder; the die was cast. How could I go back on my word?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sonia Levitin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-levitin/when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decided-to-become-a-writer-i-told/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-levitin/when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decided-to-become-a-writer-i-told/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/sonia-levitin-63629_ambition_when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decid_458347.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/sonia-levitin-63629_ambition_when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decid_458347.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/sonia-levitin-63629_ambition_when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decid_458347.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was only eleven years old, I decided to become a writer. I told this ambition in a letter to Laura…” — Sonia Levitin", "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": "Sonia Levitin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-levitin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was only eleven years...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-levitin/when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decided-to-become-a-writer-i-told/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-levitin/when-i-was-only-eleven-years-old-i-decided-to-become-a-writer-i-told/#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 } } ] } ```