---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bantam Press. And they commissioned me to…"
description: "\"Bantam Press. And they commissioned me to write it. And when that was completed, they sold it to Harper and Row. And then I put it out to every movie s..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/william-peter-blatty-6688_commissioned_bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to_2478197.jpg"
---

#  Bantam Press. And they commissioned me to write it. And…

![“Bantam Press. And they commissioned me to write it. And when that was completed, they sold it to Harper and Row. And then I put it out to every movie studio in town. And they all turned it down.” quote by William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/william-peter-blatty-6688_commissioned_bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to_2478197.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/william-peter-blatty-6688_commissioned_bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to_2478197.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/william-peter-blatty-6688_commissioned_bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to_2478197.jpg)

> “Bantam Press. And they commissioned me to write it. And when that was completed, they sold it to Harper and Row. And then I put it out to every movie studio in town. And they all turned it down.”

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

## 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 describes the publishing and film pitch process, highlighting repeated rejections before eventual success.

**In simple terms:** He faced many rejections before success.

Key Takeaway

Persist despite setbacks.

Themes

publishing film industry perseverance rejection success

Mood

determined reflective

Type

inspirational industry insight

When to use this quote

- author pitching
- studio negotiations
- film adaptation
- marketing strategy

Key Concepts

creative process industry dynamics resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- What strategies can you use when repeatedly turned down?
- How do you stay motivated amid rejection?

A Different Perspective

Even after many rejections, finding the right partner can be elusive.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bantam Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bantam-press-834729/) [Commissioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commissioned/) [Commissioned Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commissioned-write-834728/) [Completed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/completed/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/press/) [Press Commissioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/press-commissioned-834731/) [Put](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put/) [Row](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/row/) [Sold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sold/) [Sold Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sold-harper-834730/) [Studio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studio/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Town](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/town/) [Turned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turned/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Completed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-completed-834732/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [I have been commissioned to write an autobiography and I would be grateful to any of your readers who could tell me what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-bernard/i-have-been-commissioned-to-write-an-autobiography-and-i-would-be/)

[Jeffrey Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-bernard/)

> [My kind publishers, Toby Mundy and Margaret Stead of Atlantic Books, have commissioned me to write the life of Queen Victoria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-n-wilson/my-kind-publishers-toby-mundy-and-margaret-stead-of-atlantic-books/)

[A. N. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-n-wilson/)

> [I commissioned this artist to make these silver tomahawks by hand. Larry Sellers, who plays Cloud Dancing on the show, blessed and cleansed them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lando/i-commissioned-this-artist-to-make-these-silver-tomahawks-by-hand/)

[Joe Lando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lando/)

> [I believe Moses was 80 when God first commissioned him for public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-believe-moses-was-80-when-god-first-commissioned-him-for-public/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [I know that a ridiculous number of classic serials have been commissioned, and that reviews show a reaction against them. The critics seem fed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davies/i-know-that-a-ridiculous-number-of-classic-serials-have-been/)

[Andrew Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davies/)

> [I served in all commissioned ranks from a second Lieutenant to a Major General. And during that time, I spent most of my time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-served-in-all-commissioned-ranks-from-a-second-lieutenant-to-a/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [Topshop is one of my favourite shops, and I love shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. There's a graduate fashion designer called Kate Falcus who makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mvula/topshop-is-one-of-my-favourite-shops-and-i-love-shoes-by-giuseppe/)

[Laura Mvula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mvula/)

> [The concept of who your audience is becomes more important than your site. Sometimes you can be commissioned to do a piece in Strasburg,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-weiner/the-concept-of-who-your-audience-is-becomes-more-important-than-your/)

[Lawrence Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-weiner/)

> [We commissioned an independent statutory economic body - the Productivity Commission - to review the possibility of funding a disability scheme. The commission returned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shorten/we-commissioned-an-independent-statutory-economic-body-the/)

[Bill Shorten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shorten/)

> [I wish I'd been better able to resist the sense of obligation to write some of the poems I did. It's in the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-motion/i-wish-i-d-been-better-able-to-resist-the-sense-of-obligation-to/)

[Andrew Motion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-motion/)

> [On the first season of our show, I commissioned a Native American artist to make up, 'cause I'm known for the tomahawk, besides the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lando/on-the-first-season-of-our-show-i-commissioned-a-native-american/)

[Joe Lando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lando/)

> [There's still a lot I need to do as a player, as a musician, as a sound creator. I have commissioned 170 pieces: that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-glennie/there-s-still-a-lot-i-need-to-do-as-a-player-as-a-musician-as-a-sound/)

[Evelyn Glennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-glennie/)

> [I was commissioned in 2003 to create an original show, and began developing 'Upwake.' 'Upwake' tells the story of Zero, a modern-day business man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-tsakos/i-was-commissioned-in-2003-to-create-an-original-show-and-began/)

[Natasha Tsakos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-tsakos/)

> [In 1995, the Paul Keating Labor government commissioned an inquiry into the forcible removal of Aboriginal children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/in-1995-the-paul-keating-labor-government-commissioned-an-inquiry/)

[Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/)

> [“The novelist is like a scout commissioned to go and see what is happening in the depth of the soul. He comes back and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-green/the-novelist-is-like-a-scout-commissioned-to-go-and-see-what-is/)

[Julien Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-green/)

## More by William Peter Blatty

> [“Henri Bergson thought the principal function of the brain was to filter out most of reality so that we could focus on the tasks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/henri-bergson-thought-the-principal-function-of-the-brain-was-to/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [“Ah, well … at last I realized that God would never ask of me that which I know to be psychologically impossible; that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/ah-well-at-last-i-realized-that-god-would-never-ask-of-me-that-which/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [“We have familiar experience of the order, the constancy, the perpetual renovation of the material world which surrounds us. Frail and transitory as is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/we-have-familiar-experience-of-the-order-the-constancy-the-perpetual/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [“More rooted in logic was the silence of God. In the world there was evil and much of it resulted from doubt, from an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/more-rooted-in-logic-was-the-silence-of-god-in-the-world-there-was/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [As far as God goes, I \_am\_ a nonbeliever. Still am. But when it comes to a devil---well, that's something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/as-far-as-god-goes-i-am-a-nonbeliever-still-am-but-when-it-comes-to-a/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [Well, the research into it affected me. And the novel, it very much strengthened my faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/well-the-research-into-it-affected-me-and-the-novel-it-very-much/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [The demon is a liar. He will lie to confuse us; but he will also mix lies with the truth to attack us. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/the-demon-is-a-liar-he-will-lie-to-confuse-us-but-he-will-also-mix/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [“Abruptly sagging, Chris stared at the floor. “Go ahead,” she said softly. “Do whatever you have to. Just make her well.” “May”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/abruptly-sagging-chris-stared-at-the-floor-go-ahead-she-said-softly/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [I didn't read The Haunting of Hill House until sometime early in the 1990's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/i-didn-t-read-the-haunting-of-hill-house-until-sometime-early-in-the/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [“Well, what’s wrong?” “I don’t know, Doc, I just can’t describe it! Please come over right away! Come now!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/well-what-s-wrong-i-don-t-know-doc-i-just-can-t-describe-it-please/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [“They Said, "what sign can you give us to see, so that we may believe you?" - John 6: 30 - 31 You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/they-said-what-sign-can-you-give-us-to-see-so-that-we-may-believe-you/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [I lived in Georgetown in the late 70s about four houses down from the steps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/i-lived-in-georgetown-in-the-late-70s-about-four-houses-down-from-the/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [“He thought of death in its infinite groanings, of Aztecs ripping out living hearts and of cancer and three-year-olds buried alive and he wondered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/he-thought-of-death-in-its-infinite-groanings-of-aztecs-ripping-out/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

> [“We mourn the blossoms of May because they are to wither; but we know that May is one day to have its revenge upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/we-mourn-the-blossoms-of-may-because-they-are-to-wither-but-we-know/)

[William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

[Explore all 92 William Peter Blatty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/)

## More Commissioned quotes

> [“The novelist is like a scout commissioned to go and see what is happening in the depth of the soul. He comes back and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-green/the-novelist-is-like-a-scout-commissioned-to-go-and-see-what-is/)

[Julien Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-green/)

> [In 1995, the Paul Keating Labor government commissioned an inquiry into the forcible removal of Aboriginal children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/in-1995-the-paul-keating-labor-government-commissioned-an-inquiry/)

[Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/)

> [I was commissioned in 2003 to create an original show, and began developing 'Upwake.' 'Upwake' tells the story of Zero, a modern-day business man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-tsakos/i-was-commissioned-in-2003-to-create-an-original-show-and-began/)

[Natasha Tsakos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-tsakos/)

> [There's still a lot I need to do as a player, as a musician, as a sound creator. I have commissioned 170 pieces: that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-glennie/there-s-still-a-lot-i-need-to-do-as-a-player-as-a-musician-as-a-sound/)

[Evelyn Glennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-glennie/)

> [On the first season of our show, I commissioned a Native American artist to make up, 'cause I'm known for the tomahawk, besides the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lando/on-the-first-season-of-our-show-i-commissioned-a-native-american/)

[Joe Lando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lando/)

> [I wish I'd been better able to resist the sense of obligation to write some of the poems I did. It's in the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-motion/i-wish-i-d-been-better-able-to-resist-the-sense-of-obligation-to/)

[Andrew Motion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-motion/)

> [We commissioned an independent statutory economic body - the Productivity Commission - to review the possibility of funding a disability scheme. The commission returned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shorten/we-commissioned-an-independent-statutory-economic-body-the/)

[Bill Shorten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shorten/)

> [The concept of who your audience is becomes more important than your site. Sometimes you can be commissioned to do a piece in Strasburg,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-weiner/the-concept-of-who-your-audience-is-becomes-more-important-than-your/)

[Lawrence Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-weiner/)

> [Topshop is one of my favourite shops, and I love shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. There's a graduate fashion designer called Kate Falcus who makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mvula/topshop-is-one-of-my-favourite-shops-and-i-love-shoes-by-giuseppe/)

[Laura Mvula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mvula/)

> [I served in all commissioned ranks from a second Lieutenant to a Major General. And during that time, I spent most of my time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-served-in-all-commissioned-ranks-from-a-second-lieutenant-to-a/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [I know that a ridiculous number of classic serials have been commissioned, and that reviews show a reaction against them. The critics seem fed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davies/i-know-that-a-ridiculous-number-of-classic-serials-have-been/)

[Andrew Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davies/)

> [I believe Moses was 80 when God first commissioned him for public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-believe-moses-was-80-when-god-first-commissioned-him-for-public/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [I commissioned this artist to make these silver tomahawks by hand. Larry Sellers, who plays Cloud Dancing on the show, blessed and cleansed them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lando/i-commissioned-this-artist-to-make-these-silver-tomahawks-by-hand/)

[Joe Lando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lando/)

> [I was so proud when I was commissioned into the Army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-duckworth/i-was-so-proud-when-i-was-commissioned-into-the-army/)

[Tammy Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-duckworth/)

> [“We are not sent to do everything good. We are commissioned and equipped for a certain noble task”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-michael/we-are-not-sent-to-do-everything-good-we-are-commissioned-and/)

[Christian Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-michael/)

[Browse all 39 Commissioned quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commissioned/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Bantam Press. And they commissioned me to write it. And when that was completed, they sold it to Harper and Row. And then I put it out to every movie studio in town. And they all turned it down.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Peter Blatty"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to-write-it-and-when-that-was/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Commissioned"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to-write-it-and-when-that-was/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/william-peter-blatty-6688_commissioned_bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to_2478197.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/william-peter-blatty-6688_commissioned_bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to_2478197.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/william-peter-blatty-6688_commissioned_bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to_2478197.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Bantam Press. And they commissioned me to write it. And when that was completed, they sold it to Harper and…” — William Peter Blatty",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "William Peter Blatty",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Bantam Press. And they commissioned me...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to-write-it-and-when-that-was/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/bantam-press-and-they-commissioned-me-to-write-it-and-when-that-was/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
