--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Crushed to earth and rising again is an…" description: "\"Crushed to earth and rising again is an author's gymnastic. Once he fails to struggle to his feet and grab his pen, he will contemplate a fact he shoul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/fannie-hurst-19326_book_crushed-to-earth-and-rising-again-is-an_171416.jpg" --- # Crushed to earth and rising again is an author's… ![“Crushed to earth and rising again is an author's gymnastic. Once he fails to struggle to his feet and grab his pen, he will contemplate a fact he should never permit himself to face: that in all probability books have been written, are being written, will be written, better than anything he has…” quote by Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/fannie-hurst-19326_book_crushed-to-earth-and-rising-again-is-an_171416.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/fannie-hurst-19326_book_crushed-to-earth-and-rising-again-is-an_171416.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/fannie-hurst-19326_book_crushed-to-earth-and-rising-again-is-an_171416.jpg) > “Crushed to earth and rising again is an author's gymnastic. Once he fails to struggle to his feet and grab his pen, he will contemplate a fact he should never permit himself to face: that in all probability books have been written, are being written, will be written, better than anything he has done, is doing, or will do.” [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes the writer's fear of being eclipsed by the endless stream of literature, urging perseverance despite self‑doubt. **In simple terms:** Writers fear being outdone by existing books, but must keep writing. Key Takeaway Keep writing despite fear of comparison. Themes creativity self‑doubt perseverance literary anxiety Mood anxious determined Type motivational reflective literary. When to use this quote - writing a novel - overcoming writer’s block - seeking inspiration - publishing first work - academic research Key Concepts authorial identity comparative insecurity creative resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure your own growth beyond others? - What steps can you take to stay motivated when doubt arises? A Different Perspective The quote may overstate the inevitability of being outshone, ignoring unique voices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Perseverance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perseverance/) [Probability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probability/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Truth crushed to earth is truth still and like a seed will rise again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/truth-crushed-to-earth-is-truth-still-and-like-a-seed-will-rise-again/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truth-crushed-to-earth-shall-rise-again/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Truth crushed to the earth will rise again!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-bryant/truth-crushed-to-the-earth-will-rise-again/) [William C. Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-bryant/) > [Truth crushed to earth will rise again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/truth-crushed-to-earth-will-rise-again/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [It is very important for young people not to be afraid of engaging in areas that are not common to the youth. Get involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/it-is-very-important-for-young-people-not-to-be-afraid-of-engaging-in/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [If you make mistakes that is alright because we all make mistakes and we learn from those mistakes. You gain confidence from learning, failing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/if-you-make-mistakes-that-is-alright-because-we-all-make-mistakes-and/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [People say the cross is a sign of how much man is worth. 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Then when you discover that you actually need people who want to do the right thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/when-you-rely-on-incentives-you-undermine-virtues-then-when-you/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) ## More by Fannie Hurst > [The creative writer is usually captive to his next book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/the-creative-writer-is-usually-captive-to-his-next-book/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [Oh - oh, why is it that the members of a family feel privileged to treat one another with a cruelty they would not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/oh-oh-why-is-it-that-the-members-of-a-family-feel-privileged-to-treat/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [It would be a fallacy to deduce that the slow writer necessarily comes up with superior work. There seems to be scant relationshipbetween prolificness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/it-would-be-a-fallacy-to-deduce-that-the-slow-writer-necessarily/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [Any writer worth the name is always getting into one thing or getting out of another thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/any-writer-worth-the-name-is-always-getting-into-one-thing-or-getting/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [we dig our graves with our teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/we-dig-our-graves-with-our-teeth/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [The literary wiseacres prognosticate in many languages, as they have throughout so many centuries, setting the stage for new hautmonde in letters and making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/the-literary-wiseacres-prognosticate-in-many-languages-as-they-have/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [A woman is not a whole woman without the experience of marriage. 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There's always that frustrating chasm to bridge between the concept and the writing of it. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/writing-is-the-loneliest-job-in-the-world-there-s-always-that/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [Luscious feet that listened to the soil and stole its secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/luscious-feet-that-listened-to-the-soil-and-stole-its-secrets/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [I'm not happy when I'm writing, but I'm more unhappy when I'm not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/i-m-not-happy-when-i-m-writing-but-i-m-more-unhappy-when-i-m-not/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [Life owes me a living worth living. Yes, Eden regarded life as her debtor, she its relentless paymaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/life-owes-me-a-living-worth-living-yes-eden-regarded-life-as-her/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [Some authors have what amounts to a metaphysical approach. They admit to inspiration. 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People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. 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