“I will pass over my flirtation with journalism as a way of making a living, an idea I dropped when I discovered that in the fifties — unlike now — female journalists always ended up writing the obituaries and the ladies' page. But how was I to make a living? There was not a roaring market in poetry, there, then. I thought of running away and being a waitress, which I later tried, but got very tired and thin; there's nothing like clearing away other people's mushed-up dinners to make you lose your appetite”

— Margaret Atwood

On Writing Poetry (1995)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "I will pass over my flirtation with journalism as a way of making a living, an idea I dropped when I discovered that in…" by Margaret Atwood?

Margaret Atwood 348

Canadian writer 1939

Related quotes

“I pulled On The Road off the shelf and found myself reading it between classes, and at that time in my life it was exactly what I craved, exactly what I needed to hear. I thought, “That’s the way, that’s the ideal life, that’s great. You get in a car and you drive and you see your friends and you end up in a city for a night and you go out drinking and you catch up and you share these really intense experiences. And then you’re on the road and you’re doing it again.” The romance of the road, particularly from Kerouac’s work, encapsulated how I wanted to live. I found a way to do it by being a musician, which is what I always wanted to be. The traveling and the being on tour and being away from home set a precedent for me where I thought, “Oh yeah, this is how it works.”
But then in reading Big Sur, it’s the end of the road. You end up with a series of failed relationships and you end up being an alcoholic and in your late 30s, and not having any kind of real grip on the lives of the people around you. That’s the potential other end of the spectrum when you’re never tied to anybody or anything. I run the risk of losing touch with the people in my life that mean the most to me because I have made the decision to live like this.”

Ben Gibbard (1976) American singer, songwriter and guitarist

Source: The Meaning Of Life, I

“All the other animals in the forest naturally expect me to be brave, for the Lion is everywhere thought to be the King of Beasts. I learned that if I roared very loudly every living thing was frightened and got out of my way. Whenever I've met a man I've been awfully scared; but I just roared at him, and he has always run away as fast as he could go. If the elephants and the tigers and the bears had ever tried to fight me, I should have run myself — I'm such a coward; but just as soon as they hear me roar they all try to get away from me, and of course I let them go.”

L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)

“I am glad you are no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt as long as I live. I will never come to see you when I am grown up; and if any asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the very thought of you makes me sick.”

Charlotte Brontë book Jane Eyre

Jane to Mrs. Reed (Ch. 4)
Jane Eyre (1847)

“I was nobody to make a pass to. I was very thin like a boy and I was very un-sexy.”

Luise Rainer (1910–2014) German-born Austrian and American film actress

Spartacus Schoolnet biography http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USArainer.htm

“hey. I just wanted to make sure you got home," I say. "Katniss, I live three houses away from you," he says.”

Suzanne Collins book Catching Fire

Source: Catching Fire

“You are more than now;
You are for always.
I can see in you
My dreams come true.
Don't you ever go away.

You make me feel like
There's nothing I can't do.
And when I hold you,
I only want to say
I love you.”

Lionel Richie (1949) American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and actor

Ballerina Girl.
Song lyrics, Dancing on the Ceiling (1986)

“Everything comes out of living with an idea. If I knew how to summon up inspiration, would I give my secret away?”

P. L. Travers (1899–1996) Australian-British novelist, actress and journalist

The Paris Review interview (1982)

“Although the masters make the rules
For the wise men and the fools
I got nothing, Ma, to live up to”

Bob Dylan (1941) American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and artist

Song lyrics, Bringing It All Back Home (1965), It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)

“Speechless, speechless,
That's how you make me feel,
When I'm with you I am far away,
And nothing is for real.”

Michael Jackson (1958–2009) American singer, songwriter and dancer

Speechless
Invincible (2001)

“How do you like me now?
How do you like me now,
Now that I'm on my way?
Do you still think I'm crazy,
Standin here today?
I couldn't make you love me.
But I always dreamed about living in your radio.
How do you like me now?”

Toby Keith (1961) American country music singer and actor

How Do You Like Me Now?!, written with Chuck Cannon
Song lyrics, How Do You Like Me Now?! (1999)

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Margaret Atwood 348

Related quotes

Related topics