--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Therefore I would ask you to write all…" description: "\"“Therefore I would ask you to write all kinds of books, hesitating at no subject however trivial or however vast. By hook or by crook, I hope that you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/virginia-woolf-49_books_therefore-i-would-ask-you-to-write-all-k_430151.jpg" --- # Therefore I would ask you to write all kinds of books… ![“Therefore I would ask you to write all kinds of books, hesitating at no subject however trivial or however vast. By hook or by crook, I hope that you will possess yourselves of money enough to travel and to idle, to contemplate the future or the past of the world, to dream over books and loiter at…” quote by Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/virginia-woolf-49_books_therefore-i-would-ask-you-to-write-all-k_430151.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/virginia-woolf-49_books_therefore-i-would-ask-you-to-write-all-k_430151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/virginia-woolf-49_books_therefore-i-would-ask-you-to-write-all-k_430151.jpg) > ““Therefore I would ask you to write all kinds of books, hesitating at no subject however trivial or however vast. By hook or by crook, I hope that you will possess yourselves of money enough to travel and to idle, to contemplate the future or the past of the world, to dream over books and loiter at street corners and let the line of thought dip deep into the stream. For I am by no means confining you to fiction. If you would please me - and there are thousands like me - you would write books of travel and adventure, and research and scholarship, and history and biography, and criticism and philosophy and science. By so doing you will certainly profit the art of fiction. For books have a way of influencing each other. Fiction will be much the better for standing cheek by jowl with poetry and philosophy.”” [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages writers to explore all subjects and genres, believing cross‑disciplinary reading enriches fiction. **In simple terms:** Write about anything; varied reading improves storytelling. Key Takeaway Read widely, write boldly. Themes creativity literature interdisciplinary learning Mood inspirational thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - author workshops - creative writing classes - literary festivals - research projects Key Concepts genre blending intellectual curiosity cultural exchange Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate diverse topics into a single narrative? - What genre combinations excite you? A Different Perspective Balancing depth with breadth can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) ## Related quotes > [“Therefore I would ask you to write all kinds of books, hesitating at no subject however trivial or however vast. 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I write to find out what I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/people-ask-me-why-i-write-i-write-to-find-out-what-i-know/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“One of the first books of travel, giving European readers some insight into the unfamiliar world of the Orient, was published in 1356-67 in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-carter/one-of-the-first-books-of-travel-giving-european-readers-some-insight/) [Ronald Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-carter/) > [Before we had the kids, my husband and I were traveling a lot and working and really enjoying our lives and each other. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/before-we-had-the-kids-my-husband-and-i-were-traveling-a-lot-and/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [When I write, I'm still imagining a kid reading it on paper. I read e-books when I travel, but in general I still prefer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/when-i-write-i-m-still-imagining-a-kid-reading-it-on-paper-i-read-e/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“My grandfather always says that's what books are for. To travel without moving an inch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhumpa-lahiri/my-grandfather-always-says-that-s-what-books-are-for-to-travel/) [Jhumpa Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhumpa-lahiri/) > [That's what books are for... to travel without moving an inch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhumpa-lahiri/that-s-what-books-are-for-to-travel-without-moving-an-inch/) [Jhumpa Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhumpa-lahiri/) > [The two things that constantly inspired me were books and travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/the-two-things-that-constantly-inspired-me-were-books-and-travel/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [People ask me: "Why do you write about food, and eating, and drinking? Why don't you write about the struggle for power and security,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-k-fisher/people-ask-me-why-do-you-write-about-food-and-eating-and-drinking-why/) [M. F. K. 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I'm not even close to running out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/when-people-ask-what-i-write-about-that-s-what-i-tell-them-the-drama/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [I'm not the guy to ask to write a sequel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/i-m-not-the-guy-to-ask-to-write-a-sequel/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) ## More by Virginia Woolf > [Fatigue is the safest sleeping draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fatigue-is-the-safest-sleeping-draught/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“The train slows and lengthens, as we approach London, the centre, and my heart draws out too, in fear, in exaltation. I am about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-train-slows-and-lengthens-as-we-approach-london-the-centre-and-my/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Across the broad continent of a woman's life falls the shadow of a sword. On one side all is correct, definite, orderly; the paths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/across-the-broad-continent-of-a-woman-s-life-falls-the-shadow-of-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Other worshipful objects were content with worship; men, women, God, all let one kneel prostrate; but this form, were it only the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/other-worshipful-objects-were-content-with-worship-men-women-god-all/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? 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I think I could happily live here & read forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-vast-fertility-of-pleasure-books-hold-for-me-i-think-i-could/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“what a luxury to be alone once more,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-luxury-to-be-alone-once-more/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“...a woman writing thinks back through her mothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-woman-writing-thinks-back-through-her-mothers/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“For one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-one-s-children-so-often-gave-one-s-own-perceptions-a-little/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) [Explore all 1,872 Virginia Woolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Therefore I would ask you to write all kinds of books, hesitating at no subject however trivial or however vast. By hook or by crook, I hope that you will possess yourselves of money enough to travel and to idle, to contemplate the future or the past of the world, to dream over books and loiter at street corners and let the line of thought dip deep into the stream. For I am by no means confining you to fiction. If you would please me - and there are thousands like me - you would write books of travel and adventure, and research and scholarship, and history and biography, and criticism and philosophy and science. By so doing you will certainly profit the art of fiction. For books have a way of influencing each other. 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