--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those books of mine that are remunerative…" description: "\"Those books of mine that are remunerative - I'm not talking about poetry here - take years to write, and I am never sure they'll be successful. So writ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/vikram-seth-4208_being-successful_those-books-of-mine-that-are-remunerativ_2789026.jpg" --- # Those books of mine that are remunerative - I'm not… ![“Those books of mine that are remunerative - I'm not talking about poetry here - take years to write, and I am never sure they'll be successful. So writing is a risk in more senses than one.” quote by Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/vikram-seth-4208_being-successful_those-books-of-mine-that-are-remunerativ_2789026.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/vikram-seth-4208_being-successful_those-books-of-mine-that-are-remunerativ_2789026.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/vikram-seth-4208_being-successful_those-books-of-mine-that-are-remunerativ_2789026.jpg) > “Those books of mine that are remunerative - I'm not talking about poetry here - take years to write, and I am never sure they'll be successful. So writing is a risk in more senses than one.” [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing profitable books is risky; artistic work often lacks guaranteed success, demanding perseverance. **In simple terms:** Writing for profit is risky and uncertain. Key Takeaway Balance artistic integrity with practical considerations. Themes writing risk creativity Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - publishing - freelance writing - creative projects - financial planning Key Concepts financial risk artistic integrity career uncertainty Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage creative risk? - What defines success for you? A Different Perspective Market forces can limit artistic freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Remunerative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-remunerative-3365208/) [Not talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-talking/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Senses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senses/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-writing/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-risk-3365207/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-write/) ## Related quotes > [I've never been averse to a little risk - after all, writing without risk is not really writing at all. Sometimes one has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/i-ve-never-been-averse-to-a-little-risk-after-all-writing-without/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [To be successful in writing, use short sentences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/to-be-successful-in-writing-use-short-sentences/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“I’ve often thought the biggest element of successful writing is the ability to get the seat of your pants to the seat of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-nixon/i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-of-successful-writing-is-the/) [Agnes Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-nixon/) > [The first and perhaps the most important requirement for a successful writing performance - and writing is a performance, like singing an aria or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-greenblatt/the-first-and-perhaps-the-most-important-requirement-for-a-successful/) [Stephen Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-greenblatt/) > [The secret of successful writing lies in striking the right keys on the typewriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-secret-of-successful-writing-lies-in-striking-the-right-keys-on/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The best way to succeed is to discover what you love and find a way to offer it to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/the-best-way-to-succeed-is-to-discover-what-you-love-and-find-a-way/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I feel successful when the writing goes well. This lasts five minutes. Once, when I was number one on the bestseller list, I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-briskin/i-feel-successful-when-the-writing-goes-well-this-lasts-five-minutes/) [Jacqueline Briskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-briskin/) > [I have been successful probably because I have always realized that I knew nothing about writing and have merely tried to tell an interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/i-have-been-successful-probably-because-i-have-always-realized-that-i/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [Exercise the writing muscle every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/exercise-the-writing-muscle-every-day/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [To have a successful writing career, you must be willing to sacrifice a great deal. The book, the deadline come first before anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-henley/to-have-a-successful-writing-career-you-must-be-willing-to-sacrifice/) [Virginia Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-henley/) > [There are three difficulties in authorship; to write any thing worth the publishing — to find honest men to publish it — and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/there-are-three-difficulties-in-authorship-to-write-any-thing-worth/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [I don't know if there is any one secret to successful writing, but one important step is to move beyond imitation and discover what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-don-t-know-if-there-is-any-one-secret-to-successful-writing-but-one/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [Writers and musicians know well the importance of extensive reading for successful writing or extensive listening for musical composition. Likewise, visual artists... understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laseau/writers-and-musicians-know-well-the-importance-of-extensive-reading/) [Paul Laseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laseau/) > [It took me 14 years to write poems about Vietnam. I had never thought about writing about it, and in a way I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusef-komunyakaa/it-took-me-14-years-to-write-poems-about-vietnam-i-had-never-thought/) [Yusef Komunyakaa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusef-komunyakaa/) > [It took me sixteen years to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## More by Vikram Seth > [Realism hasn't fallen out of favor with most people, who are interested in people's lives rather than gymnastics of style or literary trends. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/realism-hasn-t-fallen-out-of-favor-with-most-people-who-are/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [I don't think anyone should be banned. If you don't like a book, set it aside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-don-t-think-anyone-should-be-banned-if-you-don-t-like-a-book-set-it/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [It's not the gods But our own hearts We need to fear. The evil starts Against all odds Not there but here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/it-s-not-the-gods-but-our-own-hearts-we-need-to-fear-the-evil-starts/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“But what should I do?' Varun was saying. 'I'm not good for anything.' 'Write a book! Pull a rickshaw! Live! Don't make excuses,' said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/but-what-should-i-do-varun-was-saying-i-m-not-good-for-anything-write/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“In a clear brook With joyful haste The whimsical trout Shot past me like an arrow I play the line of the song, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/in-a-clear-brook-with-joyful-haste-the-whimsical-trout-shot-past-me/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Boredom provides a stronger inclination to write than anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/boredom-provides-a-stronger-inclination-to-write-than-anything/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [I don't think people give Indian society enough credit. We may not like to talk much about things but we do, basically, want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-don-t-think-people-give-indian-society-enough-credit-we-may-not/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [The problem with too beautiful a view is that it's alright for the mulling stage. But for the writing stage, you want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-problem-with-too-beautiful-a-view-is-that-it-s-alright-for-the/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Romantic retrospect aside, the night spent in the truck is distinctly unpleasant. We are cramped and cold. The much-vaunted heating of the truck is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/romantic-retrospect-aside-the-night-spent-in-the-truck-is-distinctly/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Is it not love that knows how to make smooth things rough and rough things smooth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/is-it-not-love-that-knows-how-to-make-smooth-things-rough-and-rough/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Well, what do you think? Avanti?" "Avanti," cries everyone, and, after a few quick re-tunings of our instruments, and re-initialisings of our hearts, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/well-what-do-you-think-avanti-avanti-cries-everyone-and-after-a-few/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Behind every door on every ordinary street, in every hut in every ordinary village in this middling planet of a trivial star, such riches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/behind-every-door-on-every-ordinary-street-in-every-hut-in-every/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Perhaps it is true that for all the evidence of the mirror, one pictures oneself in some deep niche of the mind as forever 18.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/perhaps-it-is-true-that-for-all-the-evidence-of-the-mirror-one/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [What is the difference between my life and my love? One gets me low, the other lets me go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/what-is-the-difference-between-my-life-and-my-love-one-gets-me-low/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope that the gain will outlast the damage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-amends-only-hope-that-the-gain/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) [Explore all 113 Vikram Seth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) ## More Being successful quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) [Chris Kirubi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kirubi/) > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [There has always been a display of wealth and always will be, until the depression comes, which it always does. And let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-has-always-been-a-display-of-wealth-and-always-will-be-until/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/there-s-nobody-that-wants-the-president-to-be-successful-more-than-i/) [James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/) > [Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/don-t-worry-about-your-individual-numbers-worry-about-the-team-if-the/) [Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/) > [We have to be successful at the cutting-edge industries of the future like Twitter. But we also have always been a country that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-be-successful-at-the-cutting-edge-industries-of-the-future/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Also, it's not the mathematical skill that's critical to winning, it's the discipline of being able to stick to the system. There are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-hull/also-it-s-not-the-mathematical-skill-that-s-critical-to-winning-it-s/) [Blair Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-hull/) [Browse all 1,002 Being successful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those books of mine that are remunerative - I'm not talking about poetry here - take years to write, and I am never sure they'll be successful. 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