--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never pretended to be a great…" description: "\"I have never pretended to be a great writer. I am totally immodest about being a great reporter and a good news writer. I write fast and I write accura..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/walter-cronkite-1759_good-news_i-have-never-pretended-to-be-a-great-wri_1808756.jpg" --- # I have never pretended to be a great writer. I am totally… ![“I have never pretended to be a great writer. I am totally immodest about being a great reporter and a good news writer. I write fast and I write accurately, nearly as accurately as anybody can be, and that's my skill.” quote by Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/walter-cronkite-1759_good-news_i-have-never-pretended-to-be-a-great-wri_1808756.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/walter-cronkite-1759_good-news_i-have-never-pretended-to-be-a-great-wri_1808756.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/walter-cronkite-1759_good-news_i-have-never-pretended-to-be-a-great-wri_1808756.jpg) > “I have never pretended to be a great writer. I am totally immodest about being a great reporter and a good news writer. I write fast and I write accurately, nearly as accurately as anybody can be, and that's my skill.” [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He claims modesty about writing but boasts speed and accuracy as his core skill. **In simple terms:** He is fast and accurate at reporting. Key Takeaway Value precision and speed in journalism. Themes journalism humility skill Mood pragmatic confident Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - newsroom reporting - deadline writing - breaking news - feature writing Key Concepts accuracy efficiency confidence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance speed with depth? - What risks arise from prioritizing speed? A Different Perspective Speed may compromise depth or nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good news](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-news/) [Great writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-writers/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Reporters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reporters/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [You can be a great reporter and not be such a great talk show host.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-abrams/you-can-be-a-great-reporter-and-not-be-such-a-great-talk-show-host/) [Dan Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-abrams/) > [I never pretended to have a great voice. It works and I can carry a tune. If you have a good song, that's about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/i-never-pretended-to-have-a-great-voice-it-works-and-i-can-carry-a/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [I never pretended to be a great actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mccrea/i-never-pretended-to-be-a-great-actor/) [Joel McCrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mccrea/) > [The News-writer lies down at Night in great Tranquillity, upon a piece of News which corrupts before Morning, and which he is obliged to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-news-writer-lies-down-at-night-in-great-tranquillity-upon-a-piece/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [“As one former fake news writer told 60 Minutes, if it is in a news-ish format and agrees with preexisting biases, people will believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-schieffer/as-one-former-fake-news-writer-told-60-minutes-if-it-is-in-a-news-ish/) [Bob Schieffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-schieffer/) > [I was at CBS News on a fluke. I replaced somebody who was on vacation. I worked as a copy boy, then became a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/i-was-at-cbs-news-on-a-fluke-i-replaced-somebody-who-was-on-vacation/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [The highest reach of a news-writer is an empty Reasoning on Policy, and vain Conjectures on the public Management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-highest-reach-of-a-news-writer-is-an-empty-reasoning-on-policy/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [An Ambassadore is a man of virtue sent to lie abroad for his country, a news writer is a man of no virtue who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wotton/an-ambassadore-is-a-man-of-virtue-sent-to-lie-abroad-for-his-country/) [Henry Wotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wotton/) > [“We should be told: Write fast, write close to the bone, write for ten hours straight until you’re not thinking in words anymore, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-friedman/we-should-be-told-write-fast-write-close-to-the-bone-write-for-ten/) [Bonnie Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-friedman/) > [I write fast, I write beautifully, I write convincingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-toback/i-write-fast-i-write-beautifully-i-write-convincingly/) [James Toback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-toback/) > [I only can write a book every two years, you know. And I write very fast, but I'm not always writing every day. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-only-can-write-a-book-every-two-years-you-know-and-i-write-very/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Write as much as you can. As fast as you can. Finish your shit. Hit your deadlines. Try very hard not to suck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/write-as-much-as-you-can-as-fast-as-you-can-finish-your-shit-hit-your/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [First, consider the pen you write with. It should be a fast-writing pen because your thoughts are always much faster than your hand. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/first-consider-the-pen-you-write-with-it-should-be-a-fast-writing-pen/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [“The dull people don't write interesting books. But they sure as hell can write them thick and fast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abram-gitspof/the-dull-people-don-t-write-interesting-books-but-they-sure-as-hell/) [Abram Gitspof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abram-gitspof/) > [As soon as I began, it seemed impossible to write fast enough - I wrote faster than I would write a letter - two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt-jackson/as-soon-as-i-began-it-seemed-impossible-to-write-fast-enough-i-wrote/) [Helen Hunt Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt-jackson/) ## More by Walter Cronkite > [I'm a liberal, but I'm not biased. Seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-m-a-liberal-but-i-m-not-biased-seriously/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I've gone from the most trusted man in America to one of the most debated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-ve-gone-from-the-most-trusted-man-in-america-to-one-of-the-most/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I do think that the success, although still not complete... in the recognition of equal rights... to all Americans, regardless of color, creed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-do-think-that-the-success-although-still-not-complete-in-the/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [Be kind to an old man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/be-kind-to-an-old-man/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I learned early on that in the real world, the masks of tragedy and comedy adorn the proscenium of every life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-learned-early-on-that-in-the-real-world-the-masks-of-tragedy-and/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [It is clear that military force and our policy of preemption are alone insufficient to make us safe. But help is on the way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/it-is-clear-that-military-force-and-our-policy-of-preemption-are/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [In all my years as a news commentator I was never once, able to tell the truth, about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/in-all-my-years-as-a-news-commentator-i-was-never-once-able-to-tell/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I think people make way too much of ratings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-think-people-make-way-too-much-of-ratings/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I grew my mustache when I was nineteen in order to look older. I never shaved it off even though it overran its usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-grew-my-mustache-when-i-was-nineteen-in-order-to-look-older-i-never/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I'm so tired of stories starting, 'Maud Jones was walking her dog down Broadway.' You've got to go over to the back page somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-m-so-tired-of-stories-starting-maud-jones-was-walking-her-dog-down/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [All through my life, I have never disguised my sentiments about politics in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/all-through-my-life-i-have-never-disguised-my-sentiments-about/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [The battle for the airwaves cannot be limited to only those who have the bank accounts to pay for the battle and win it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/the-battle-for-the-airwaves-cannot-be-limited-to-only-those-who-have/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [The successful landing on the moon, very probably, is the best story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/the-successful-landing-on-the-moon-very-probably-is-the-best-story/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [If, as they say, the threat of the hangman's noose has a powerful way of focusing one's attention, the same can be said of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/if-as-they-say-the-threat-of-the-hangman-s-noose-has-a-powerful-way/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [We must strengthen the United Nations as a first step toward a World Government, patterned after our Own Government with a legislature, executive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/we-must-strengthen-the-united-nations-as-a-first-step-toward-a-world/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) [Explore all 210 Walter Cronkite quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) ## More Good news quotes > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [The tax code is 10 times the size of the Bible with none of the good news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/the-tax-code-is-10-times-the-size-of-the-bible-with-none-of-the-good/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [It is not good news, but we have to face reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-lamy/it-is-not-good-news-but-we-have-to-face-reality/) [Pascal Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-lamy/) > [“I remember a man, a very lonely man, coming up to me at the end of a reading and looking into my face and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-howe/i-remember-a-man-a-very-lonely-man-coming-up-to-me-at-the-end-of-a/) [Marie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-howe/) > [“What I can tell you is that yoga is about removing the muck by shining the light of awareness on it. That is why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-main/what-i-can-tell-you-is-that-yoga-is-about-removing-the-muck-by/) [Darren Main](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-main/) > [“Frequently, when I suggest to people that they detach from a person or problem, they recoil in horror. “Oh, no!” they say. “I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/frequently-when-i-suggest-to-people-that-they-detach-from-a-person-or/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [“Darling Daddy, This is Rose. Very good news. Caddy is going to marry Micheal. In case you have forgotten because you have not been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mckay/darling-daddy-this-is-rose-very-good-news-caddy-is-going-to-marry/) [Hilary McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mckay/) > [If the gospel isn't good news for everybody, then it isn't good news for anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/if-the-gospel-isn-t-good-news-for-everybody-then-it-isn-t-good-news/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [“The good news is that there is one kind of food you can never have too much of. The best way to fully recover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-wicker/the-good-news-is-that-there-is-one-kind-of-food-you-can-never-have/) [Kate Wicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-wicker/) > [In the business world, bad news is usually good news - for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/in-the-business-world-bad-news-is-usually-good-news-for-somebody-else/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [“Some, in an effort to protect and preserve the gospel message, have become like the guards in that museum, fueled by fear that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-hipps/some-in-an-effort-to-protect-and-preserve-the-gospel-message-have/) Shane Hipps > [“Grace gave Emma's arm a gentle squeeze and curved her mouth into a thoughtful smile. "That's what God does for its, honey; He takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene-maclaren/grace-gave-emma-s-arm-a-gentle-squeeze-and-curved-her-mouth-into-a/) Sharlene MacLaren > [“Cultural criticism always attacks the mass media. I don't think that makes sense. We should look more closely at the work of deformation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sloterdijk/cultural-criticism-always-attacks-the-mass-media-i-don-t-think-that/) [Peter Sloterdijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sloterdijk/) > [It's good news that he is proposing to restore budget cuts that he made, but the reality is that he is still proposing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-rosapepe/it-s-good-news-that-he-is-proposing-to-restore-budget-cuts-that-he/) James Rosapepe > [The good news is that even if your early crepes have funny lumps and bulges or aren't paper-thin, they're still gonna be plenty edible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-kenji-lopez-alt/the-good-news-is-that-even-if-your-early-crepes-have-funny-lumps-and/) [J. Kenji Lopez-Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-kenji-lopez-alt/) [Browse all 1,193 Good news quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-news/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have never pretended to be a great writer. I am totally immodest about being a great reporter and a good news writer. 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