"See, I have no journalism in my background, so I wasn't practised at research or writing non-fiction, nor at handling the truth in a journalistic way. Journalists know when to call a halt and write something, but I kept on looking for answers"

John Sladek's quote speaks with the trouble of writing non-fiction without a background in journalism. He acknowledges that reporters have the skill of knowing when to stop looking into and begin composing, but he himself lacks this ability due to his lack of experience in the field. This suggests that he is having a hard time to discover the answers he is looking for, and is having problem in composing non-fiction without the guidance of a journalist. His quote also indicates that reporters have a much better understanding of how to manage the fact in a journalistic way, which Sladek does not possess. This quote highlights the significance of having a background in journalism when composing non-fiction, as it can assist to guide the writer in their research and composing procedure.