--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I discovered that I had, in the past two…" description: "\"I discovered that I had, in the past two decades, written a far greater amount in the essay form than I remembered. Certainly I have written enough of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/931/william-styron-3859_able_i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two_2571323.png" --- # I discovered that I had, in the past two decades, written… ![“I discovered that I had, in the past two decades, written a far greater amount in the essay form than I remembered. Certainly I have written enough of it to demonstrate that I harbor no disdain for literary journalism or just plain journalism, under whose sponsorship I have been able to express…” quote by William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/931/william-styron-3859_able_i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two_2571323.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/931/william-styron-3859_able_i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two_2571323.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/931/william-styron-3859_able_i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two_2571323.png) > “I discovered that I had, in the past two decades, written a far greater amount in the essay form than I remembered. Certainly I have written enough of it to demonstrate that I harbor no disdain for literary journalism or just plain journalism, under whose sponsorship I have been able to express much that has fascinated me, or alarmed me, or amused me, or otherwise engaged my attention when I was not writing a book.” [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) ## 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 realized he writes more essays than he recalls, showing a habit of reflective, journalistic expression. **In simple terms:** He writes many essays, often forgetting them. Key Takeaway Recognize and value your habitual writing. Themes creativity self-awareness writing Mood thoughtful analytical Type literary reflective When to use this quote - academic research - personal journaling - media work - teaching - self‑reflection Key Concepts journalism memory habit expression Questions to Reflect On - How does frequent short writing shape your voice? - What topics could benefit from longer exploration? A Different Perspective Essay writing may limit deeper long‑form projects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Amount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amount/) [Amused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amused/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Certainly Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly-written-1694114/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Decades Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades-written-1694116/) [Disdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disdain/) [Engaged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaged/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Essays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essays/) [Fascinated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascinated/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Greater Essay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater-essay-1694115/) [Harbors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harbors/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Literary Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary-journalism-1694113/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Remembered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembered/) [Sponsorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sponsorship/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing a book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-a-book/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/nothing-is-more-certainly-written-in-the-book-of-fate-than-that-these/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I certainly have written a lot about police in my life, and it's not only something that I know about, but always something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/i-certainly-have-written-a-lot-about-police-in-my-life-and-it-s-not/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“Develop what you have. Project it to the world. God will put a star up there on you. Then the wise men will look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/develop-what-you-have-project-it-to-the-world-god-will-put-a-star-up/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Where there are no spectators, there is no sponsorship. Where there is no sponsorship, there is no money. Where there is no money, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/where-there-are-no-spectators-there-is-no-sponsorship-where-there-is/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [“Before you think of asking for support from someone for the success your dreams, ask yourself "how much of what I have can I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/before-you-think-of-asking-for-support-from-someone-for-the-success/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Of all public figures and benefactors of mankind, no one is loved by history more than the literary patron. Napoleon was just a general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/of-all-public-figures-and-benefactors-of-mankind-no-one-is-loved-by/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [Critics say Internet advertising suffers from limitless inventory, which depresses prices. These exclusive front-page sponsorships are not limitless. If HBO doesn't move quickly enough,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/critics-say-internet-advertising-suffers-from-limitless-inventory/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [When I took on the title sponsorship of the Western European League and the World Cup Final in October 2010, I did it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reem-acra/when-i-took-on-the-title-sponsorship-of-the-western-european-league/) [Reem Acra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reem-acra/) > [“As far as it’s ideal that you get helped by people, it doesn't mean they are compelled to make your dreams come true without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/as-far-as-it-s-ideal-that-you-get-helped-by-people-it-doesn-t-mean/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The touring business is obviously critical to selling records, building fan bases, selling T-shirts, fulfilling sponsorship commitments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rapino/the-touring-business-is-obviously-critical-to-selling-records/) [Michael Rapino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rapino/) > [When I moved down to Houston, I had people who were willing to support me with sponsorships and different endorsement deals. That's really how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-horton/when-i-moved-down-to-houston-i-had-people-who-were-willing-to-support/) [Jonathan Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-horton/) > [I made more from sponsorship than I did from fighting. I did that for the longest time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/i-made-more-from-sponsorship-than-i-did-from-fighting-i-did-that-for/) [Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/) > [Five years after Boston 1967, I went to the Munich Olympics. I realized that major sponsorship could help me create the opportunity. I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathrine-switzer/five-years-after-boston-1967-i-went-to-the-munich-olympics-i-realized/) [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) > [Doubles does not have adequate support, promotion and sponsorship and budding shuttlers are more keen to take up singles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jwala-gutta/doubles-does-not-have-adequate-support-promotion-and-sponsorship-and/) [Jwala Gutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jwala-gutta/) > [We don't have that many tournaments so sponsorship from logos is another way of helping boost your income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/we-don-t-have-that-many-tournaments-so-sponsorship-from-logos-is/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) ## More by William Styron > [“Perhaps, he thought, if I only think of this second, this moment, the train won't come at all. Think of the water, think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/perhaps-he-thought-if-i-only-think-of-this-second-this-moment-the/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“Until that moment, although I’d had some trouble with his personality, I had not thought him totally lacking in perspicacity; now I was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/until-that-moment-although-i-d-had-some-trouble-with-his-personality/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [ Every writer since the beginning of time, just like other people, has been afflicted by what \[a\] friend of mine calls "the fleas of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/every-writer-since-the-beginning-of-time-just-like-other-people-has/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“Are there, as science fiction and Gnostic speculation imply, different species of time in the same world, 'good time' and enveloping folds of inhuman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/are-there-as-science-fiction-and-gnostic-speculation-imply-different/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [I felt the exultancy of a man just released from slavery and ready to set the universe on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/i-felt-the-exultancy-of-a-man-just-released-from-slavery-and-ready-to/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“date of the award approached, I would not have accepted at all. Depression is a disorder of mood, so mysteriously painful and elusive in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/date-of-the-award-approached-i-would-not-have-accepted-at-all/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“I actually shivered at the insincerity that gripped me as I spoke these words: their falseness was shameful. I was sure my coolness would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/i-actually-shivered-at-the-insincerity-that-gripped-me-as-i-spoke/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [Writing is a form of self-flagellation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/writing-is-a-form-of-self-flagellation/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [It's fine therapy for people who are perpetually scared of nameless threats as I am most of the time — for jittery people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/it-s-fine-therapy-for-people-who-are-perpetually-scared-of-nameless/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“He was made uneasy by unbraked hilarity and by extremes of sorrow alike, especially the latter; he preferred life to sail along pleasantly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/he-was-made-uneasy-by-unbraked-hilarity-and-by-extremes-of-sorrow/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“One of the century’s most famous intellectual pronouncements comes at the beginning of The Myth of Sisyphus: “There is but one truly serious philosophical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/one-of-the-century-s-most-famous-intellectual-pronouncements-comes-at/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“The good writing of any age has always been the product of someone's neurosis, and we'd have mighty dull literature if all the writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/the-good-writing-of-any-age-has-always-been-the-product-of-someone-s/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/e-quindi-uscimmo-a-riveder-le-stelle/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“Writing for me is the hardest thing in the world, but also a thing which, once completed, is the most satisfying. ... I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/writing-for-me-is-the-hardest-thing-in-the-world-but-also-a-thing/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [A disruption of the circadian cycle—the metabolic and glandular rhythms that are central to our workaday life—seems to be involved in many, if not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/a-disruption-of-the-circadian-cycle-the-metabolic-and-glandular/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) [Explore all 118 William Styron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I discovered that I had, in the past two decades, written a far greater amount in the essay form than I remembered. Certainly I have written enough of it to demonstrate that I harbor no disdain for literary journalism or just plain journalism, under whose sponsorship I have been able to express much that has fascinated me, or alarmed me, or amused me, or otherwise engaged my attention when I was not writing a book.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Styron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two-decades-written-a-far-greater/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two-decades-written-a-far-greater/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/931/william-styron-3859_able_i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two_2571323.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/931/william-styron-3859_able_i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two_2571323.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/931/william-styron-3859_able_i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two_2571323.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I discovered that I had, in the past two decades, written a far greater amount in the essay form than I…” — William Styron", "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 Styron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I discovered that I had, in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two-decades-written-a-far-greater/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/i-discovered-that-i-had-in-the-past-two-decades-written-a-far-greater/#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 } } ] } ```