--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first novel I wrote was a monster…" description: "\"The first novel I wrote was a monster - clocking in at 180,000 words - but it died a death, a death it deserved. It was called 'The Gods First Make Mad..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/wilbur-smith-7617_about_the-first-novel-i-wrote-was-a-monster-cl_1355522.jpg" --- # The first novel I wrote was a monster - clocking in at… ![“The first novel I wrote was a monster - clocking in at 180,000 words - but it died a death, a death it deserved. It was called 'The Gods First Make Mad.' It was a good title, but it was the only good thing about the book. I didn't let that put me off.” quote by Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/wilbur-smith-7617_about_the-first-novel-i-wrote-was-a-monster-cl_1355522.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/wilbur-smith-7617_about_the-first-novel-i-wrote-was-a-monster-cl_1355522.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/wilbur-smith-7617_about_the-first-novel-i-wrote-was-a-monster-cl_1355522.jpg) > “The first novel I wrote was a monster - clocking in at 180,000 words - but it died a death, a death it deserved. It was called 'The Gods First Make Mad.' It was a good title, but it was the only good thing about the book. I didn't let that put me off.” [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author admits his work was flawed but still valued its title, showing that even poor creations can hold a spark of merit. **In simple terms:** Even bad books can have a good title. Key Takeaway Find value in small successes. Themes creativity self‑critique resilience literature Mood reflective determined analytical Type literary motivational When to use this quote - author workshops - self‑editing - publishing decisions Key Concepts writing self‑assessment title importance Questions to Reflect On - Can a title redeem a weak work? - How do you keep motivated after a failure? A Different Perspective It may overemphasize title over overall quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods/) [Monster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monster/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I wrote 'Monster' and thought that it would solve a lot of my problems, that I'd have money in the bank, but I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bellion/i-wrote-monster-and-thought-that-it-would-solve-a-lot-of-my-problems/) [Jon Bellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bellion/) > [The best novel I wrote was one called 'Crusoe's Daughter,' which never won any prizes. But I was getting somewhere in that. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-gardam/the-best-novel-i-wrote-was-one-called-crusoe-s-daughter-which-never/) [Jane Gardam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-gardam/) > [The first novel that I wrote was because I was having very interesting sorts of experiences, for Indians of my generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/the-first-novel-that-i-wrote-was-because-i-was-having-very/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [Before trying a novel I wrote a couple of plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-merrill/before-trying-a-novel-i-wrote-a-couple-of-plays/) [James Merrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-merrill/) > [I wasn't aware I'd write the novel when I wrote the New Yorker story either. And the narration of their construction in 10:04 is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-wasn-t-aware-i-d-write-the-novel-when-i-wrote-the-new-yorker-story/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [My first novel - the novel I wrote before 'Midnight's Children' - feels, to me, now, very - I mean, I get embarrassed when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/my-first-novel-the-novel-i-wrote-before-midnight-s-children-feels-to/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I'd never written a novel before, and I wrote a novel, and that turned out OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-d-never-written-a-novel-before-and-i-wrote-a-novel-and-that-turned/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“The only thing you can count on is that the gods make other plans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janie-chang/the-only-thing-you-can-count-on-is-that-the-gods-make-other-plans/) [Janie Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janie-chang/) > [“The gods do make playthings of us. But it is we mortals who provide them with tools.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/the-gods-do-make-playthings-of-us-but-it-is-we-mortals-who-provide/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [Ah! why, ye Gods, should two and two make four?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/ah-why-ye-gods-should-two-and-two-make-four/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Those who the gods would make rich and famous on TV, they first drive mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/those-who-the-gods-would-make-rich-and-famous-on-tv-they-first-drive/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [“The gods do make playthings of us,” the priest-king acknowledged. “But it is we mortals who provide them with the tools.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/the-gods-do-make-playthings-of-us-the-priest-king-acknowledged-but-it/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [Creators aren't gods. They make places, which is quite hard. It's men that make gods. This explains a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/creators-aren-t-gods-they-make-places-which-is-quite-hard-it-s-men/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Be Gods and make Gods.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/be-gods-and-make-gods/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [In my years, I have seen that people must be their own gods and make their own good fortune. The bad will come or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-my-years-i-have-seen-that-people-must-be-their-own-gods-and-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Wilbur Smith > [To me, my characters are more real than most people I meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/to-me-my-characters-are-more-real-than-most-people-i-meet/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [Sometimes it is best for men not to attempt to interfere with destiny. Our prayers can be answered in ways which we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/sometimes-it-is-best-for-men-not-to-attempt-to-interfere-with-destiny/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [“uninvited help he might offer would be rejected. He was surprised and delighted when she placed a hand on his shoulder as she climbed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/uninvited-help-he-might-offer-would-be-rejected-he-was-surprised-and/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [I still get enormous pleasure and a sense of fulfillment out of writing a book that I'm proud of. I see myself as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/i-still-get-enormous-pleasure-and-a-sense-of-fulfillment-out-of/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [My mother-in-law speaks not a word of English. I speak not a word of Tajiki. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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