--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nobody ever got started on a career as a…" description: "\"“Nobody ever got started on a career as a writer by exercising good judgment, and no one ever will, either, so the sooner you break the habit of relyin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3e/george-v-higgins-32928_books_nobody-ever-got-started-on-a-career-as-a_1800114.png" --- # Nobody ever got started on a career as a writer by… ![“Nobody ever got started on a career as a writer by exercising good judgment, and no one ever will, either, so the sooner you break the habit of relying on yours, the faster you will advance. People with good judgment weigh the assurance of a comfortable living represented by the mariners’…” quote by George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3e/george-v-higgins-32928_books_nobody-ever-got-started-on-a-career-as-a_1800114.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3e/george-v-higgins-32928_books_nobody-ever-got-started-on-a-career-as-a_1800114.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3e/george-v-higgins-32928_books_nobody-ever-got-started-on-a-career-as-a_1800114.png) > ““Nobody ever got started on a career as a writer by exercising good judgment, and no one ever will, either, so the sooner you break the habit of relying on yours, the faster you will advance. People with good judgment weigh the assurance of a comfortable living represented by the mariners’ certificates that declare them masters of all ships, whether steam or sail, and masters of all oceans and all navigable rivers, and do not forsake such work in order to learn English and write books signed Joseph Conrad. People who have had hard lives but somehow found themselves fetched up in executive positions with prosperous West Coast oil firms do not drink and wench themselves out of such comfy billets in order in their middle age to write books as Raymond Chandler; that would be poor judgment. No one on the payroll of a New York newspaper would get drunk and chuck it all to become a free-lance writer, so there was no John O’Hara. When you have at last progressed to the junction that enforces the decision of whether to proceed further, by sending your stuff out, and refusing to remain a wistful urchin too afraid to beg, and you have sent the stuff, it is time to pause and rejoice.”” [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that relying on good judgment alone hinders writing progress; breaking that habit accelerates advancement. **In simple terms:** Don't depend only on judgment; act to improve writing. Key Takeaway Break the habit of over‑relying on judgment. Themes writing career risk judgment Mood reflective determined Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - career pivots - freelance contracts - personal development plans Key Concepts creative risk self‑discipline career transition Questions to Reflect On - What judgment are you over‑relying on? - How can you balance caution with creative risk? A Different Perspective Risk‑taking can lead to financial instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Good judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-judgment/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joseph-conrad/) [Middle age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-age/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raymond-chandler/) [Sailing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sailing/) [West coast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west-coast/) [Writer Exercising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-exercising-2024280/) [Writer John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-john-2024279/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Nobody ever got started on a career as a writer by exercising good judgment, and no one ever will, either, so the sooner you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/nobody-ever-got-started-on-a-career-as-a-writer-by-exercising-good/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [The one author who has influenced my writing the most is the English writer John Fowles, who wrote 'The French Lieutenant's Woman,' 'The Magus,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/the-one-author-who-has-influenced-my-writing-the-most-is-the-english/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [My favourite writer is John Maxwell Coetzee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/my-favourite-writer-is-john-maxwell-coetzee/) [Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/) > [My favorite short-story writer is John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/my-favorite-short-story-writer-is-john-cheever/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [“Joseph Conrad described life as birth and death separated by struggle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-sevilla/joseph-conrad-described-life-as-birth-and-death-separated-by-struggle/) [Charles M. 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I look from your face to your genitals…..You look so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-lawrence/you-branded-my-virginity-with-the-union-jack-your-english-accent-your/) [Zola Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-lawrence/) > [“It was several decades later that I encountered that footnote, and with it my own ignorance of the Congo’s early history. Then it occurred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/it-was-several-decades-later-that-i-encountered-that-footnote-and/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [With 'Nostromo', Joseph Conrad said that he had wanted to write a novel about the degradation of an idea. That's what we wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-milch/with-nostromo-joseph-conrad-said-that-he-had-wanted-to-write-a-novel/) [David Milch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-milch/) > [The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/the-books-transported-her-into-new-worlds-and-introduced-her-to/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“(After relaying horrific stories that have been shared in popular news.) All of these stories are true. The conflict has seen acts of cannibalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-k-stearns/after-relaying-horrific-stories-that-have-been-shared-in-popular-news/) [Jason K. Stearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-k-stearns/) > [Expeditions can greatly contribute towards building strength of character. Joseph Conrad in Lord Jim tells us that it is necessary for a youth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-hahn/expeditions-can-greatly-contribute-towards-building-strength-of/) [Kurt Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-hahn/) > [For me a Writing Day was an occasion for self-reproach and panic, a time to lament the passing of the years, stare out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/for-me-a-writing-day-was-an-occasion-for-self-reproach-and-panic-a/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [I just gave them a little scare. A touch of psychological terror. As Joseph Conrad once wrote, true terror is the kind that men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-just-gave-them-a-little-scare-a-touch-of-psychological-terror-as/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## More by George V. Higgins > [“This life’s hard, but it’s harder if you’re stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/this-life-s-hard-but-it-s-harder-if-you-re-stupid/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [Egotism: The art of seeing in yourself what others cannot see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/egotism-the-art-of-seeing-in-yourself-what-others-cannot-see/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [You cannot write well without data.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/you-cannot-write-well-without-data/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [Show the reader what the character thinks about, and then the reader will think about it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/show-the-reader-what-the-character-thinks-about-and-then-the-reader/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [Nobody ever got started on a career as a writer by exercising good judgment, and no one ever will, either, so the sooner you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/nobody-ever-got-started-on-a-career-as-a-writer-by-exercising-good/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [“The customary blizzard of pigeons wheeled briefly across the walk and settled back around an old lady who fed them from a large, wrinkled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/the-customary-blizzard-of-pigeons-wheeled-briefly-across-the-walk-and/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [Life is hard but being stupid makes it harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/life-is-hard-but-being-stupid-makes-it-harder/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [What You Lose on the Swings You Make Up on the Merry-Go-Round,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/what-you-lose-on-the-swings-you-make-up-on-the-merry-go-round/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [Rental formal wear of the sky-blue, brocade and shiny varieties is favored by upwardly mobile young gangsters drafted as groomsmen for weddings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/rental-formal-wear-of-the-sky-blue-brocade-and-shiny-varieties-is/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [The characters are telling you the story. I’m not telling you the story, they’re going to do it. If I do it right, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/the-characters-are-telling-you-the-story-i-m-not-telling-you-the/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [The Red Sox are a religion. Every year we re-enact the agony and the temptation in the Garden. Baseball child's play? Hell, up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/the-red-sox-are-a-religion-every-year-we-re-enact-the-agony-and-the/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [Politics is a choice of enemas. You're gonna get it up the ass, no matter what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/politics-is-a-choice-of-enemas-you-re-gonna-get-it-up-the-ass-no/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [The seductiveness of baseball is that almost everyone with an abiding interest in it knows exactly how it should be played. And secretly believes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/the-seductiveness-of-baseball-is-that-almost-everyone-with-an-abiding/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) > [A cop told me, a long time ago, that there’s no substitute for knowing what you’re doing. Most of us scribblers do not. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-v-higgins/a-cop-told-me-a-long-time-ago-that-there-s-no-substitute-for-knowing/) [George V. Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) [Explore all 15 George V. Higgins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-v-higgins/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Nobody ever got started on a career as a writer by exercising good judgment, and no one ever will, either, so the sooner you break the habit of relying on yours, the faster you will advance. People with good judgment weigh the assurance of a comfortable living represented by the mariners’ certificates that declare them masters of all ships, whether steam or sail, and masters of all oceans and all navigable rivers, and do not forsake such work in order to learn English and write books signed Joseph Conrad. People who have had hard lives but somehow found themselves fetched up in executive positions with prosperous West Coast oil firms do not drink and wench themselves out of such comfy billets in order in their middle age to write books as Raymond Chandler; that would be poor judgment. No one on the payroll of a New York newspaper would get drunk and chuck it all to become a free-lance writer, so there was no John O’Hara. 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