--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I actually went into writing first to…" description: "\"I actually went into writing first to supplement my income, which was a strange thing to do, and actually failed.\" — Steve Toltz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/steve-toltz-3783_actually_i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-su_2229439.png" --- # I actually went into writing first to supplement my… ![“I actually went into writing first to supplement my income, which was a strange thing to do, and actually failed.” quote by Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/steve-toltz-3783_actually_i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-su_2229439.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/steve-toltz-3783_actually_i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-su_2229439.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/steve-toltz-3783_actually_i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-su_2229439.png) > “I actually went into writing first to supplement my income, which was a strange thing to do, and actually failed.” [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing was initially a financial stopgap, but it failed to provide the expected income. **In simple terms:** Writing for money didn't work. Key Takeaway Plan for multiple income streams. Themes career creativity risk Mood reflective realistic Type career motivational When to use this quote - freelance writing - side hustles - publishing - budgeting Key Concepts financial planning creative entrepreneurship Questions to Reflect On - What alternative income sources can support creative work? - How does failure reshape artistic goals? A Different Perspective Relying on a single creative pursuit can be financially unstable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Most people who are successful today have actually failed millon times before their accomplishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prodigy/most-people-who-are-successful-today-have-actually-failed-millon/) [Prodigy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prodigy/) > [I actually failed my first license test. I got an automatic fail. I guess I had been doing well but she had to pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-levy/i-actually-failed-my-first-license-test-i-got-an-automatic-fail-i/) [Jane Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-levy/) > [I think I went more toward writing because that's my talent. I don't think I was a great performer... 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But the differences between us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-wilkinson/the-average-well-being-of-our-societies-is-not-dependent-any-longer/) [Richard G. Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-wilkinson/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) ## More by Steve Toltz > [ “To my horror principles have wormed their way into \[the\] fabric of my being.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/to-my-horror-principles-have-wormed-their-way-into-the-fabric-of-my/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [I'm not sure if I always wanted to be a writer, but I was always writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/i-m-not-sure-if-i-always-wanted-to-be-a-writer-but-i-was-always/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [“The problem is most of the time when God’s supposed to be the hero, he comes across as the villain. I mean, look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/the-problem-is-most-of-the-time-when-god-s-supposed-to-be-the-hero-he/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [ \[I'll teach you\] how not to leave the windows of your heart open when it looks like rain and how everyone has a stump… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/i-ll-teach-you-how-not-to-leave-the-windows-of-your-heart-open-when/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [...I thought how I hate any kind of mob - I hate mobs of sports fans, mobs of environmental demonstrators, I even hate mobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/i-thought-how-i-hate-any-kind-of-mob-i-hate-mobs-of-sports-fans-mobs/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [I was in the hospital and I was paralyzed and I went through all of these things. I've had all of these crazy experiences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/i-was-in-the-hospital-and-i-was-paralyzed-and-i-went-through-all-of/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [Let’s not mince words: the inside of the Sydney casino looks as if Vegas had an illegitimate child with Liberace’s underpants, and that child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/let-s-not-mince-words-the-inside-of-the-sydney-casino-looks-as-if/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [Optimism isn't funny unless you are laughing at the person, whereas extreme pessimism is extremely funny. It's exaggeration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/optimism-isn-t-funny-unless-you-are-laughing-at-the-person-whereas/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [There's nothing perplexing to me about a leafy shrub evolving out of the big bang, but that the post office exists because carbon exploded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/there-s-nothing-perplexing-to-me-about-a-leafy-shrub-evolving-out-of/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [The game is an analogy for life: there are not enough chairs or good times to go around, not enough food, not enough joy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/the-game-is-an-analogy-for-life-there-are-not-enough-chairs-or-good/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [“Don't touch me, you fat ghost!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/don-t-touch-me-you-fat-ghost/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [Raymond Chandler I love a lot, and the Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard. I really love his voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/raymond-chandler-i-love-a-lot-and-the-austrian-writer-thomas-bernhard/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [The universe doesn't really care if you bounce back. It doesn't feel that weird to write about paralysis or being in hospital or losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/the-universe-doesn-t-really-care-if-you-bounce-back-it-doesn-t-feel/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [“The world's not falling apart imperceptibly anymore, these days it makes a loud shredding noise!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/the-world-s-not-falling-apart-imperceptibly-anymore-these-days-it/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) > [“Sex: the match that sets off human firework.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/sex-the-match-that-sets-off-human-firework/) [Steve Toltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) [Explore all 119 Steve Toltz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/) ## More Actually quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [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/) > [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Failure actually makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/failure-actually-makes-you-strong/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/) [Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/) > [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [I actually do sing sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morten-harket/i-actually-do-sing-sometimes/) [Morten Harket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morten-harket/) > [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. It's often things which other people might not notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/i-ve-actually-got-quite-a-good-memory-i-ve-good-recall-it-s-often/) [Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/) > [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) Browse all 4,248 Actually quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I actually went into writing first to supplement my income, which was a strange thing to do, and actually failed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Toltz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-supplement-my-income-which-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actually" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-supplement-my-income-which-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/steve-toltz-3783_actually_i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-su_2229439.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/steve-toltz-3783_actually_i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-su_2229439.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/steve-toltz-3783_actually_i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-su_2229439.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I actually went into writing first to supplement my income, which was a strange thing to do, and actually…” — Steve Toltz", "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": "Steve Toltz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-toltz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I actually went into writing first...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-supplement-my-income-which-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-toltz/i-actually-went-into-writing-first-to-supplement-my-income-which-was/#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 } } ] } ```