--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's very selfish when I write. I'm not…" description: "\"It's very selfish when I write. I'm not aware, ever, of writing for another person; I'm not even really aware of writing for myself.\" — Tanith Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/tanith-lee-3374_persons_it-s-very-selfish-when-i-write-i-m-not-a_2333069.jpg" --- # It's very selfish when I write. I'm not aware, ever, of… ![“It's very selfish when I write. I'm not aware, ever, of writing for another person; I'm not even really aware of writing for myself.” quote by Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/tanith-lee-3374_persons_it-s-very-selfish-when-i-write-i-m-not-a_2333069.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/tanith-lee-3374_persons_it-s-very-selfish-when-i-write-i-m-not-a_2333069.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/tanith-lee-3374_persons_it-s-very-selfish-when-i-write-i-m-not-a_2333069.jpg) > “It's very selfish when I write. I'm not aware, ever, of writing for another person; I'm not even really aware of writing for myself.” [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing is often self‑centered; the writer may not consciously aim to serve others or even themselves. **In simple terms:** Writing can be selfish and unconscious. Key Takeaway Reflect on your audience and purpose. Themes self‑awareness creativity purpose Mood introspective thoughtful Type reflective philosophical When to use this quote - novel writing - journalism - blogging - teaching Key Concepts authorial intent introspection Questions to Reflect On - Who truly benefits from your writing? - How can you balance self‑expression with audience need? A Different Perspective Self‑focus can alienate readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish/) [Selfish Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish-write-3341530/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-person-324719/) ## Related quotes > [In terms of whether I use humor to allow me or my readers to come up for air, I don't think I put that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-olivas/in-terms-of-whether-i-use-humor-to-allow-me-or-my-readers-to-come-up/) [Daniel Olivas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-olivas/) > [At a certain time in your career you can't share your time with anyone else. You have to be completely selfish - so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rabbitt/at-a-certain-time-in-your-career-you-can-t-share-your-time-with/) [Eddie Rabbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rabbitt/) > [When you're writing first person, all I can see and tell as the author is what that main character can see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/when-you-re-writing-first-person-all-i-can-see-and-tell-as-the-author/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [Whenever an encounter between a writer of good will and a regular person of good will happens to touch on the subject of writing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/whenever-an-encounter-between-a-writer-of-good-will-and-a-regular/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [Writing in another person's voice is a skill you have to develop when you're working on someone else's show. 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You want to write in a way that an actor has material to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/writing-for-the-stage-is-different-from-writing-for-a-book-you-want/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [“They were as real as Sara, and it was careless of them not to come out of the story shadowland and say, “Here I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/they-were-as-real-as-sara-and-it-was-careless-of-them-not-to-come-out/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [When you're a songwriter and you click with someone, you tend to want to keep writing with that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sherwood/when-you-re-a-songwriter-and-you-click-with-someone-you-tend-to-want/) [Billy Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sherwood/) > [I try to have something in common with my protagonists, especially when I'm writing in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-have-something-in-common-with-my-protagonists-especially/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## More by Tanith Lee > [No one more cynical than an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/no-one-more-cynical-than-an-idealist/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [The humble were the elect of God. Did not the priests teach so, in their gemmed, kingly robes, from their towering pulpits?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/the-humble-were-the-elect-of-god-did-not-the-priests-teach-so-in/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Having told of so much beauty, how is it possible to tell of her? There are no words left on the earth in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/having-told-of-so-much-beauty-how-is-it-possible-to-tell-of-her-there/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [As a child, my mother told me lots of fairy stories, many her own invention. She, too, tended to reverse the norm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/as-a-child-my-mother-told-me-lots-of-fairy-stories-many-her-own/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Often misunderstood, Dionysus is far more than a wine deity. 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But to say it's too complex is to insult the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/if-they-had-said-my-writing-wasn-t-good-enough-fair-enough-that-s-an/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Louisa beheld the grounds and house with the calm pleasure of one who has seen nothing, been nowhere, expects everything, and has little imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/louisa-beheld-the-grounds-and-house-with-the-calm-pleasure-of-one-who/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Live and let love. Love and let go. Go live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/live-and-let-love-love-and-let-go-go-live/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [Pirates have always fascinated me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/pirates-have-always-fascinated-me/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“All the Scarabae—all but one—were crowded in the garden. They watched her. Their grim old faces gave away nothing. Like elderly kiddies at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/all-the-scarabae-all-but-one-were-crowded-in-the-garden-they-watched/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“She did this not out of fear of him, but out of pity. Because she had come to see the ultimate terrible truth behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/she-did-this-not-out-of-fear-of-him-but-out-of-pity-because-she-had/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [Writing is writing, and stories are stories. Perhaps the only true genres are fiction and nonfiction. And even there, who can be sure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/writing-is-writing-and-stories-are-stories-perhaps-the-only-true/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Tanaquil gently toed the peeve. "I'll unfasten the window. Jump out to the lower roof and run." "Stay and bite," said the peeve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/tanaquil-gently-toed-the-peeve-i-ll-unfasten-the-window-jump-out-to/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) [Explore all 131 Tanith Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) ## More Persons quotes > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. 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If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [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/) > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should - so hard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/when-we-are-struck-at-without-a-reason-we-should-strike-back-again/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [I sound New York. I sound East Coast much more than a blonde person from L.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kavner/i-sound-new-york-i-sound-east-coast-much-more-than-a-blonde-person/) [Julie Kavner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kavner/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. 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