Who said “Writers are a little below clowns and a little above trained seals.”?

Verified

John Steinbeck. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceQuote magazine (18 June 1961)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Quote magazine (18 June 1961).

APA

Steinbeck, J. (n.d.). Writers are a little below clowns and a little above trained seals. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/43008-writers-are-a-little-below-clowns-and-a/

MLA

Steinbeck, John. “Writers are a little below clowns and a little above trained seals.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/43008-writers-are-a-little-below-clowns-and-a/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Steinbeck, John. “Writers are a little below clowns and a little above trained seals.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/43008-writers-are-a-little-below-clowns-and-a/.