--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Write the best story that you can and…" description: "\"Write the best story that you can and write it as straight as you can.\" — Ernest Hemingway" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/507/ernest-hemingway-83_inspirational_write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-wr_377774.jpg" --- # Write the best story that you can and write it as straight… ![“Write the best story that you can and write it as straight as you can.” quote by Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/507/ernest-hemingway-83_inspirational_write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-wr_377774.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/507/ernest-hemingway-83_inspirational_write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-wr_377774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/507/ernest-hemingway-83_inspirational_write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-wr_377774.jpg) > “Write the best story that you can and write it as straight as you can.” [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages clear, straightforward storytelling, emphasizing simplicity and honesty in narrative. **In simple terms:** Write simply and directly. Key Takeaway Write clearly, avoid unnecessary complexity. Themes writing clarity authenticity Mood instructive pragmatic Type literary educational When to use this quote - novel writing - journalism - teaching Key Concepts literary style communication Questions to Reflect On - How to balance simplicity with depth? - When does straightforwardness hinder artistic expression? A Different Perspective Over‑simplicity may strip depth and nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-story/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-write/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-best/) [Write Straight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-straight-742855/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [You're going to write straight and simple and good now. That's the start.''What if I'm not straight and simple and good? Do you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/you-re-going-to-write-straight-and-simple-and-good-now-that-s-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [In a fit of pique, I said to my agent, 'I'm going to write something you can sell.' The idea was to write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/in-a-fit-of-pique-i-said-to-my-agent-i-m-going-to-write-something-you/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [When I am working on a book or a story, I write every morning as soon after first light as possible. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/when-i-am-working-on-a-book-or-a-story-i-write-every-morning-as-soon-4/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [When I am working on a book or a story I write every morning as soon after first light as possible. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/when-i-am-working-on-a-book-or-a-story-i-write-every-morning-as-soon-3/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [When I am working on a book or a story I write every morning as soon after first light as possible. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/when-i-am-working-on-a-book-or-a-story-i-write-every-morning-as-soon/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [When I am working on a book or a story I write every morning as soon after the first light as possible. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/when-i-am-working-on-a-book-or-a-story-i-write-every-morning-as-soon-2/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/for-a-long-time-now-i-have-tried-simply-to-write-the-best-i-can/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“I have tried simply to write the best I can; sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-have-tried-simply-to-write-the-best-i-can-sometimes-i-have-good/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I don't really decide what the core of the story is before I write. I write to figure out what the story is. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-don-t-really-decide-what-the-core-of-the-story-is-before-i-write-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [“Write straight into the emotional center of things. Write toward vulnerability. Don’t worry about appearing sentimental. Worry about being unavailable; worry about being absent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/write-straight-into-the-emotional-center-of-things-write-toward-2/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Write straight into the emotional center of things. Write toward vulnerability. Don't worry about appearing sentimental. Worry about being unavailable; worry about being absent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/write-straight-into-the-emotional-center-of-things-write-toward/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I'm worthless garbage that can't even write a straight looking K!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atsuhi-ohkubo/i-m-worthless-garbage-that-can-t-even-write-a-straight-looking-k/) [Atsuhi Ohkubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atsuhi-ohkubo/) > [“Fortunately the Lord is patient and understanding, and does write straight with our crooked lines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-h-green/fortunately-the-lord-is-patient-and-understanding-and-does-write/) [Thomas H. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-h-green/) > [I attribute my good fortune to the simple fact that I have always tried to write straight from my own heart to the hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-corelli/i-attribute-my-good-fortune-to-the-simple-fact-that-i-have-always/) [Marie Corelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-corelli/) > [I don't really know how to write a straight drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-victor/i-don-t-really-know-how-to-write-a-straight-drama/) [Eva Victor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-victor/) ## More by Ernest Hemingway > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“There was no wind, and, outside now of the warm air of the cave, heavy with smoke of both tobacco and charcoal, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-was-no-wind-and-outside-now-of-the-warm-air-of-the-cave-heavy/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“It was not brilliant bull-fighting. It was only perfect bull-fighting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/it-was-not-brilliant-bull-fighting-it-was-only-perfect-bull-fighting/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Creation's probably overrated. After all, God made the world in only six days and rested on the seventh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/creation-s-probably-overrated-after-all-god-made-the-world-in-only/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Viva my husband who was Mayor of this town”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/viva-my-husband-who-was-mayor-of-this-town/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“The earth gets tired of being exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-earth-gets-tired-of-being-exploited/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/what-is-moral-is-what-you-feel-good-after-and-what-is-immoral-is-what/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“We drove out along the coast road. There was the green of the headlands, the white, red-roofed villas, patches of forest, and the ocean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/we-drove-out-along-the-coast-road-there-was-the-green-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [As a Nobel Prize winner I cannot but regret that the award was never given to Mark Twain, nor to Henry James, speaking only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/as-a-nobel-prize-winner-i-cannot-but-regret-that-the-award-was-never/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Oh, darling, I've been so miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/oh-darling-i-ve-been-so-miserable/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I read my own books sometimes to cheer me when it is hard to write, and then I remember that it was always difficult,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-read-my-own-books-sometimes-to-cheer-me-when-it-is-hard-to-write/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“You find everything on earth at Harry's." "Yes, my Colonel. Except, possibly, happiness." "I'll damn well find happiness, too," the Colonel assured him. "Happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/you-find-everything-on-earth-at-harry-s-yes-my-colonel-except/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“No. It's bad for me. Cole Porter wrote the words and the music. This knowledge that you're going mad for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/no-it-s-bad-for-me-cole-porter-wrote-the-words-and-the-music-this/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive, he thought. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/everything-kills-everything-else-in-some-way-fishing-kills-me-exactly/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) [Explore all 1,464 Ernest Hemingway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Write the best story that you can and write it as straight as you can.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ernest Hemingway" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-write-it-as-straight-as-you-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-write-it-as-straight-as-you-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/507/ernest-hemingway-83_inspirational_write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-wr_377774.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/507/ernest-hemingway-83_inspirational_write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-wr_377774.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/507/ernest-hemingway-83_inspirational_write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-wr_377774.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Write the best story that you can and write it as straight as you can.” — Ernest Hemingway", "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": "Ernest Hemingway", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Write the best story that you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-write-it-as-straight-as-you-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/write-the-best-story-that-you-can-and-write-it-as-straight-as-you-can/#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 } } ] } ```