--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are thousands of talented writers…" description: "\"“There are thousands of talented writers at work in America, and only a few of them (I think the number might be as low as five per cent) can support t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c53/stephen-king-13_creative-people_there-are-thousands-of-talented-writers_1454530.jpg" --- # There are thousands of talented writers at work in… ![“There are thousands of talented writers at work in America, and only a few of them (I think the number might be as low as five per cent) can support their families and themselves with their work. There’s always some grant money available, but it’s never enough to go around. As for government…” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c53/stephen-king-13_creative-people_there-are-thousands-of-talented-writers_1454530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c53/stephen-king-13_creative-people_there-are-thousands-of-talented-writers_1454530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c53/stephen-king-13_creative-people_there-are-thousands-of-talented-writers_1454530.jpg) > ““There are thousands of talented writers at work in America, and only a few of them (I think the number might be as low as five per cent) can support their families and themselves with their work. There’s always some grant money available, but it’s never enough to go around. As for government subsidies for creative writers, perish the thought. Tobacco subsidies, sure. Research grants to study the motility of unpreserved bull sperm, of course. Creative-writing subsidies, never. …America has never much revered her creative people; as a whole, we’re more interested in commemorative plates from the Franklin Mint and Internet greeting-cards. And if you don’t like it, it’s a case of tough titty, said the kitty, ‘cause that’s just the way things are. Americans are a lot more interested in TV quiz shows than in the short fiction of Raymond Carver.”” [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many talented writers struggle financially because the market and government support prioritize other fields over creative writing **In simple terms:** Writers often cannot earn a living from their craft Key Takeaway Support writers through better pay and funding Themes art economics culture government media Mood critical reflective Type observational commentary When to use this quote - literary festivals - grant applications - publishing negotiations - teaching writing - crowdfunding Key Concepts creative economy market dynamics public policy Questions to Reflect On - How can society better value literary contributions? - What alternative income models could writers pursue? A Different Perspective Limited market demand and low public valuation of literary art hinder sustainable careers ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-people/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Quiz show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiz-show/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [And I have to say, I agree with some of the criticisms that some have made about that state program which allocates the grant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/and-i-have-to-say-i-agree-with-some-of-the-criticisms-that-some-have/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [From the Bush Administration to the 9-11 Commission, there is an urgent and universally recognized need to change the broken formula through which Homeland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-fossella/from-the-bush-administration-to-the-9-11-commission-there-is-an/) [Vito Fossella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-fossella/) > [Our volunteer fire departments know their needs better than Washington, D.C. They need more flexibility on spending grant money from FEMA and Homeland Security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-ross/our-volunteer-fire-departments-know-their-needs-better-than/) [Mike Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-ross/) > [ Billions of dollars of grant money \[over $50 billion\] are flowing into the pockets of those on the man-made global warming bandwagon. No man-made… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-spann/billions-of-dollars-of-grant-money-over-50-billion-are-flowing-into/) James Spann > [Scientists are being portrayed by much of the power structure in politics and business as having a vested interest - that they're just out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/scientists-are-being-portrayed-by-much-of-the-power-structure-in/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [We've seen the government give out subsidies to companies, those companies turn around and use it for executive bonuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/we-ve-seen-the-government-give-out-subsidies-to-companies-those/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) > [Government subsidies can be critically analyzed according to a simple principle: You are smarter than the government, so when the government pays you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/government-subsidies-can-be-critically-analyzed-according-to-a-simple/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Government subsidies to elite private universities take the form of tax deductions for people who make charitable contributions to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/government-subsidies-to-elite-private-universities-take-the-form-of/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [It's a vain hope to believe that people will voluntarily turn their back on government subsidies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/it-s-a-vain-hope-to-believe-that-people-will-voluntarily-turn-their/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [When corporations get special handouts from the government, subsidies and tax breaks, it costs you. It means you have to pay more in taxes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/when-corporations-get-special-handouts-from-the-government-subsidies/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [The American Dream, coupled with government subsidies of utilities and cheap consumer goods courtesy of slave labour somewhere else, has kept the poor huddled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/the-american-dream-coupled-with-government-subsidies-of-utilities-and/) [Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/) > [As the contest proceeded, public interest increased and the entire country watched to see which company would win the big government subsidies through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-moody/as-the-contest-proceeded-public-interest-increased-and-the-entire/) [John Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-moody/) > [China's idea of fair trade is government subsidies of its textile and apparel exports to the United States, currency manipulation, and forgiveness of loans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-foxx/china-s-idea-of-fair-trade-is-government-subsidies-of-its-textile-and/) [Virginia Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-foxx/) > [I read a lot of short fiction, like Kurt Vonnegut and Raymond Carver and Wells Tower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/i-read-a-lot-of-short-fiction-like-kurt-vonnegut-and-raymond-carver/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I still love Carson McCullers and Raymond Carver and Toni Morrison and James Baldwin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-still-love-carson-mccullers-and-raymond-carver-and-toni-morrison/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) ## More by Stephen King > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Eddie saw great things and near misses. Albert Einstein as a child, not quite struck by a run-away milk-wagon as he crossed a street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eddie-saw-great-things-and-near-misses-albert-einstein-as-a-child-not/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The sun had burned through and the day had gone from dull to dazzling, yet in the west blask-satin thunderheads continued to stack up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-sun-had-burned-through-and-the-day-had-gone-from-dull-to-dazzling/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Flakes of snow swirled and danced across the porch. The Overlook faced it as it had for nearly three-quarters of a century, its darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/flakes-of-snow-swirled-and-danced-across-the-porch-the-overlook-faced/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/who-gets-to-be-best-liked-in-any-community-who-is-the-most-trusted/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“¿Lo ves, tonto? Volvió a regañarse. Tú lo inventaste todo, gato asustado. No fue más que tu imaginación, gato asustado, gato asustado... No te…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/lo-ves-tonto-volvi-a-rega-arse-t-lo-inventaste-todo-gato-asustado-no/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Death . . . but not for you. That was what Walter, clever as Satan even at the end, had said. A lawyer’s answer . . . so close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/death-but-not-for-you-that-was-what-walter-clever-as-satan-even-at/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The ghost story movie that scared me the most was The Changeling with George C. Scott. I think that's sometimes overlooked, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-ghost-story-movie-that-scared-me-the-most-was-the-changeling-with/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Climb aboard, Jonesy. I'm going to send you up where the air is rare and the view is much more than fair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/climb-aboard-jonesy-i-m-going-to-send-you-up-where-the-air-is-rare/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) [Explore all 3,589 Stephen King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More Creative people quotes > [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“A lot of habitually creative people have preparation rituals linked to the setting in which they choose to start their day. By putting themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/a-lot-of-habitually-creative-people-have-preparation-rituals-linked/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [Establish an atmosphere that energizes you. Some creative people flourish in confusion; others need to be free from interruption. Many prepare themselves for work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-leland/establish-an-atmosphere-that-energizes-you-some-creative-people/) [Nita Leland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-leland/) > [“Where visual artists are concerned, the Baroque sculptor and architect Bernini and the painter and sculptor Picasso were clearly adept at both experiential and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-gallagher/where-visual-artists-are-concerned-the-baroque-sculptor-and-architect/) [Winifred Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-gallagher/) > [Neither of my parents are involved in theater or acting, but they are very artistic. My mom is a painter; she's an artist. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-kampouris/neither-of-my-parents-are-involved-in-theater-or-acting-but-they-are/) [Elena Kampouris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-kampouris/) > [All I'm interested in is being creative and working with creative people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-evans/all-i-m-interested-in-is-being-creative-and-working-with-creative/) [Lee Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-evans/) > [I understand why creative people like dark, but American audiences dont like dark. They like story. They do not respond to nervous breakdowns and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-moonves/i-understand-why-creative-people-like-dark-but-american-audiences/) [Leslie Moonves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-moonves/) > [My husband is a musician. He cooks and he's a chef but he also, he makes basement recordings. So many people in my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-spiotta/my-husband-is-a-musician-he-cooks-and-he-s-a-chef-but-he-also-he/) [Dana Spiotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-spiotta/) > [“... an artist should paint from the heart, and not always what people expect. Predictability often leads to the dullest work, in my opinion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-artist-should-paint-from-the-heart-and-not-always-what-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Creative people don't behave very well generally. If you're looking for examples of good relationships in show business, you're gonna be depressed real fast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/creative-people-don-t-behave-very-well-generally-if-you-re-looking/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [Hollywood's like a warehouse. It's just a place that you go. What's interesting in the warehouse has to do with the creative people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-kilmer/hollywood-s-like-a-warehouse-it-s-just-a-place-that-you-go-what-s/) [Val Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-kilmer/) > [I'm very supportive of creative people being paid for the work that they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-weiner/i-m-very-supportive-of-creative-people-being-paid-for-the-work-that/) [Matthew Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-weiner/) > [You know a shooter when you see it. At least the creative people do. If a picture isn't obvious in the first draft you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/you-know-a-shooter-when-you-see-it-at-least-the-creative-people-do-if/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [“Autonomous people assert themselves against the status quo. They don't accept the prevailing opinion just because it's the one given to them. Nothing creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brito/autonomous-people-assert-themselves-against-the-status-quo-they-don-t/) Maria Brito > [The traditional model for a company like Coca-Cola is to hire one big advertising agency and essentially outsource all of its creativity in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kao/the-traditional-model-for-a-company-like-coca-cola-is-to-hire-one-big/) [John Kao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kao/) [Browse all 463 Creative people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There are thousands of talented writers at work in America, and only a few of them (I think the number might be as low as five per cent) can support their families and themselves with their work. There’s always some grant money available, but it’s never enough to go around. As for government subsidies for creative writers, perish the thought. Tobacco subsidies, sure. Research grants to study the motility of unpreserved bull sperm, of course. Creative-writing subsidies, never. …America has never much revered her creative people; as a whole, we’re more interested in commemorative plates from the Franklin Mint and Internet greeting-cards. And if you don’t like it, it’s a case of tough titty, said the kitty, ‘cause that’s just the way things are. 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