--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I sold my first short story while I was…" description: "\"I sold my first short story while I was home on maternity leave, then began working on novels. Since I was reading and enjoying romance novels at the t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/tess-gerritsen-3102_after_i-sold-my-first-short-story-while-i-was_699754.jpg" --- # I sold my first short story while I was home on maternity… ![“I sold my first short story while I was home on maternity leave, then began working on novels. Since I was reading and enjoying romance novels at the time, the first two unpublished manuscripts I wrote were both romances. I sold my third novel, 'Call After Midnight,' to Harlequin Intrigue after…” quote by Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/tess-gerritsen-3102_after_i-sold-my-first-short-story-while-i-was_699754.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/tess-gerritsen-3102_after_i-sold-my-first-short-story-while-i-was_699754.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/tess-gerritsen-3102_after_i-sold-my-first-short-story-while-i-was_699754.jpg) > “I sold my first short story while I was home on maternity leave, then began working on novels. Since I was reading and enjoying romance novels at the time, the first two unpublished manuscripts I wrote were both romances. I sold my third novel, 'Call After Midnight,' to Harlequin Intrigue after submitting it unagented.” [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) ## 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 leveraged maternity leave to launch a career, turning personal circumstances into creative output and later achieving success without an agent. **In simple terms:** She used her time at home to write and sell stories, eventually publishing a novel directly. Key Takeaway Embrace your current situation as a creative catalyst. Themes creativity career entrepreneurship writing life balance Mood determined optimistic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - maternity leave - first manuscript - self‑publishing - agent‑less submission - genre transition Key Concepts Self‑efficacy market entry genre exploration Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a life event into a professional opportunity? - What risks are worth taking without representation? A Different Perspective Success may depend on networking and market awareness beyond personal drive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Intrigue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intrigue/) [Maternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maternity/) [Maternity leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maternity-leave/) [Midnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midnight/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novels/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Romance Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance-novels-2/) [Romances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romances/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Unpublished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpublished/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I sold my very first novel when I was 24 or 25 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/i-sold-my-very-first-novel-when-i-was-24-or-25-years-old/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [Believe it or not, I sold my first novel, 'Crank,' with only seventy-five pages complete. It was in verse then, and it was hard-hitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/believe-it-or-not-i-sold-my-first-novel-crank-with-only-seventy-five/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [I started blogging in 2006 when I had sold my first novel but it had not yet been published, in those anxious months in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/i-started-blogging-in-2006-when-i-had-sold-my-first-novel-but-it-had/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [I had a writing professor at Brandeis who told me I'd never make it - and when I sold my first novel a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-leavitt/i-had-a-writing-professor-at-brandeis-who-told-me-i-d-never-make-it/) [Caroline Leavitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-leavitt/) > [Once the travel guide came out and won an award, once I got an MFA in creative writing, once I sold my next novel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bernard-frost/once-the-travel-guide-came-out-and-won-an-award-once-i-got-an-mfa-in/) [James Bernard Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bernard-frost/) > [My first job was to run a concessions cart. Later, I found a position at the Pacific Film Archive. Thus began a long series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-simpson/my-first-job-was-to-run-a-concessions-cart-later-i-found-a-position/) [Mona Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-simpson/) > [If I can give a young author any advice, whatsoever, never let anyone announce the film sale of your first novel. Film rights are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/if-i-can-give-a-young-author-any-advice-whatsoever-never-let-anyone/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [“We all have chapters we would prefer unpublished.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/we-all-have-chapters-we-would-prefer-unpublished/) [Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/) > [Nothing stinks like a pile of unpublished writing, which remark I guess shows I still don't have a pure motive (O it's-such-fun-I-just-can't-stop-who-cares-if-it's-published-or-read) about writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/nothing-stinks-like-a-pile-of-unpublished-writing-which-remark-i/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“Very few authors, especially the unpublished, can resist an invitation to read aloud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/very-few-authors-especially-the-unpublished-can-resist-an-invitation/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [My father was a very prolific writer and he left behind a huge body of unpublished work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carter-cash/my-father-was-a-very-prolific-writer-and-he-left-behind-a-huge-body/) [John Carter Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carter-cash/) > [The first thing an unpublished author should remember is that no one asked him to write in the first place. With this firmly in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-farrar/the-first-thing-an-unpublished-author-should-remember-is-that-no-one/) John Farrar > [I've written 16 children's books and five unpublished novels. Some of the latter were breathtakingly bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/i-ve-written-16-children-s-books-and-five-unpublished-novels-some-of/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [In the end, the difference between a published writer and an unpublished one comes down to one thing: The unpublished writer gave up, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-delton/in-the-end-the-difference-between-a-published-writer-and-an/) [Judy Delton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-delton/) > [To me, all the juice of a book is in an unpublished manuscript, and the published book is like a dead tree - just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/to-me-all-the-juice-of-a-book-is-in-an-unpublished-manuscript-and-the/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) ## More by Tess Gerritsen > [There is honor between bitches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/there-is-honor-between-bitches/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [“Had she always been so insulated from human contact, like a bloom encased in frost?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/had-she-always-been-so-insulated-from-human-contact-like-a-bloom/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [Fans are always asking me where I get my ideas from. The answer is that I'm very curious, and I get inspiration from everywhere.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/fans-are-always-asking-me-where-i-get-my-ideas-from-the-answer-is/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [After twelve years of living in Hawaii, I'd gotten a serious case of 'rock fever.' I just couldn't live on an island any longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/after-twelve-years-of-living-in-hawaii-i-d-gotten-a-serious-case-of/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [The best heroes in the world are the reluctant ones. Courage isn't fearlessness - it's acting in the face of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/the-best-heroes-in-the-world-are-the-reluctant-ones-courage-isn-t/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [“If you don't love him, if you don't even care about him, then seeing him now shouldn't be all that painful. Should it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/if-you-don-t-love-him-if-you-don-t-even-care-about-him-then-seeing/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [“My name is Mila, and this is my journey. There are so many places where I could begin the story. I could start in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/my-name-is-mila-and-this-is-my-journey-there-are-so-many-places-where/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [“Now we sit and wait,” the woman said, and she settled into a chair, the gun on her lap. “What are we waiting for?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/now-we-sit-and-wait-the-woman-said-and-she-settled-into-a-chair-the/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [The Christmas tree, twinkling with lights, had a mountain of gifts piled up beneath it, like offerings to the great god of excess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/the-christmas-tree-twinkling-with-lights-had-a-mountain-of-gifts/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [Because I never plan anything out ahead of time, I'm always in the process of learning about my characters. Without a biographical sketch to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/because-i-never-plan-anything-out-ahead-of-time-i-m-always-in-the/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [When you're a fifty-year-old woman, no one really bothers to look at you anymore, much less value your opinion. It's hard on the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/when-you-re-a-fifty-year-old-woman-no-one-really-bothers-to-look-at/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [Mom and I often talked about the trip we'd someday take together to the 'city of eternal spring' where she was born. In Kunming,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/mom-and-i-often-talked-about-the-trip-we-d-someday-take-together-to/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [“But human anatomy and human endurance are variable. While the much younger nun had succumbed to her injuries, Ursula's heart kept beating, her body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/but-human-anatomy-and-human-endurance-are-variable-while-the-much/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [Where we go depends on what we know, and what we know depends on where we go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/where-we-go-depends-on-what-we-know-and-what-we-know-depends-on-where/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [“Some people make choices hoping for the best; Korsak had made a choice simply to avoid the worst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/some-people-make-choices-hoping-for-the-best-korsak-had-made-a-choice/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) [Explore all 134 Tess Gerritsen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) ## More After quotes > [At the drop of a hat, people will say there are no roles for women after 40. It's there with a bunch of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/at-the-drop-of-a-hat-people-will-say-there-are-no-roles-for-women/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [I was strictly after hits when it came down to the Jackson 5. That's all I was concerned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deke-richards/i-was-strictly-after-hits-when-it-came-down-to-the-jackson-5-that-s/) Deke Richards > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. 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Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [When good media takes a bounded form, and comes once in a period of time, it begs to be consumed as a whole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/when-good-media-takes-a-bounded-form-and-comes-once-in-a-period-of/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I have a lot of success and make a good living, but after while, you start going 'Why? Why are you doing all this?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-have-a-lot-of-success-and-make-a-good-living-but-after-while-you/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [See to do good, and you will find that happiness will run after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman-clarke/see-to-do-good-and-you-will-find-that-happiness-will-run-after-you/) [James Freeman Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman-clarke/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. 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I did have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-m-pretty-cautious-and-not-very-athletic-so-i-ve-only-had-really/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [I'd like an omelet named after me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/i-d-like-an-omelet-named-after-me/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) Browse all 3,411 After quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I sold my first short story while I was home on maternity leave, then began working on novels. Since I was reading and enjoying romance novels at the time, the first two unpublished manuscripts I wrote were both romances. 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