--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The waste basket is the writer's best…" description: "\"The waste basket is the writer's best friend.\" — Isaac Bashevis Singer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_basket_the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-fr_3233602.jpg" --- # The waste basket is the writer's best friend. ![“The waste basket is the writer's best friend.” quote by Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_basket_the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-fr_3233602.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_basket_the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-fr_3233602.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_basket_the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-fr_3233602.jpg) > “The waste basket is the writer's best friend.” [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Constraints like a waste basket can spark creativity by forcing selective use of material. **In simple terms:** Limits can boost creativity. Key Takeaway Use constraints to sharpen ideas. Themes creativity writing constraints Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - editing process - artistic practice Key Concepts minimalism creative discipline Questions to Reflect On - What constraints could improve your work? - When do constraints become hindrances? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on constraints may stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basket/) [Basket Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basket-writer-5715638/) [Best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) [Waste Basket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste-basket-1166583/) [Writer Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-best-280013/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“The wastepaper basket is the writer’s best friend. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/the-wastepaper-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-friend/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [You must write for the waste basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mercer/you-must-write-for-the-waste-basket/) [Johnny Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mercer/) > [The wastebasket is a writer's best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/the-wastebasket-is-a-writer-s-best-friend/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [“Where do you think my new novel is? In the waste basket. I can see myself that it's no good on earth, and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-webster/where-do-you-think-my-new-novel-is-in-the-waste-basket-i-can-see/) [Jean Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-webster/) > [“Whenever a ball of tape or an empty water bottle didn’t land in the waste basket, Crosby would throw it again and again until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawna-richer/whenever-a-ball-of-tape-or-an-empty-water-bottle-didn-t-land-in-the/) [Shawna Richer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawna-richer/) > [“One of the most necessary things when you're writing? The waste basket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enkelejd-lamaj/one-of-the-most-necessary-things-when-you-re-writing-the-waste-basket/) [Enkelejd Lamaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enkelejd-lamaj/) > [LOVE LETTERS, are best mailed in the waste basket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/love-letters-are-best-mailed-in-the-waste-basket/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“I’ve written for the waste basket so often that we’ve become friends. He writes too, but it’s mostly garbage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lilly/i-ve-written-for-the-waste-basket-so-often-that-we-ve-become-friends/) [Ryan Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lilly/) > [I do truly believe that the smallest stories can wind up being the biggest because it's through the specific that a writer can best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/i-do-truly-believe-that-the-smallest-stories-can-wind-up-being-the/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [As a writer, the best mindset is to be unafraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/as-a-writer-the-best-mindset-is-to-be-unafraid/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I always say being a writer is the best gig around. I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-serle/i-always-say-being-a-writer-is-the-best-gig-around-i-love-it/) [Rebecca Serle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-serle/) > [A creative writer can do his best only with what lies within the range and character of his deepest sympathies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/a-creative-writer-can-do-his-best-only-with-what-lies-within-the/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [If you want to be a good writer, be the best writer in the world. That's what I've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-you-want-to-be-a-good-writer-be-the-best-writer-in-the-world-that/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The best thing about being a best-selling writer is being a best-selling writer. More seriously, today I can write full time and pay the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lee-burke/the-best-thing-about-being-a-best-selling-writer-is-being-a-best/) [James Lee Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lee-burke/) > [The best writing is not about the writer, the best writing is absolutely not about the writer, it's about us, it's about the reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/the-best-writing-is-not-about-the-writer-the-best-writing-is/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) ## More by Isaac Bashevis Singer > [Every body resisted (the slaughterer) in its own fashion, tried to escape and seemed to argue with the Creator to its last breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/every-body-resisted-the-slaughterer-in-its-own-fashion-tried-to/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/people-often-say-that-humans-have-always-eaten-animals-as-if-this-is/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/as-long-as-people-will-shed-the-blood-of-innocent-creatures-there-can/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [There must be a way for man to attain all possible pleasures, all the powers and knowledge that nature can grant him, and still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/there-must-be-a-way-for-man-to-attain-all-possible-pleasures-all-the/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [What nature creates has eternity in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/what-nature-creates-has-eternity-in-it/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [“The rabbi thought he saw an expression of perplexity in the golem's eyes. It seemed to the rabbi that his eyes were asking, Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/the-rabbi-thought-he-saw-an-expression-of-perplexity-in-the-golem-s/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [“If you hear I'm dead, don't come to my funeral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/if-you-hear-i-m-dead-don-t-come-to-my-funeral/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [If you keep saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/if-you-keep-saying-things-are-going-to-be-bad-you-have-a-good-chance/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Men want all women to lie down as whores and get up as virgins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/men-want-all-women-to-lie-down-as-whores-and-get-up-as-virgins/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [A story to me means a plot where there is some surprise... Because this is how life is full of surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/a-story-to-me-means-a-plot-where-there-is-some-surprise-because-this/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Night is a time of rigor, but also of mercy. There are truths which one can see only when it’s dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/night-is-a-time-of-rigor-but-also-of-mercy-there-are-truths-which-one/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [No doubt the world is entirely an imaginary world, but it is only once removed from the true world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/no-doubt-the-world-is-entirely-an-imaginary-world-but-it-is-only-once/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [It is a general rule that when the grain of truth cannot be found, men will swallow great helpings of falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/it-is-a-general-rule-that-when-the-grain-of-truth-cannot-be-found-men/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [As often as Herman had witnessed the slaughter of animals and fish, he always had the same thought: in their behaviour towards creatures, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/as-often-as-herman-had-witnessed-the-slaughter-of-animals-and-fish-he/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Sometimes love is stronger than a man's convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/sometimes-love-is-stronger-than-a-man-s-convictions/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) [Explore all 169 Isaac Bashevis Singer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) ## More Basket quotes > [“into the cell, put the basket down upon the magistrate’s”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mccammon/into-the-cell-put-the-basket-down-upon-the-magistrate-s/) [Robert McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mccammon/) > [It takes 10 hands to score a basket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-takes-10-hands-to-score-a-basket/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [I can play with my back to the basket, but I can face up as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jahlil-okafor/i-can-play-with-my-back-to-the-basket-but-i-can-face-up-as-well/) [Jahlil Okafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jahlil-okafor/) > [“Don't ever, ever give up. Moses was once a basket case.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilde/don-t-ever-ever-give-up-moses-was-once-a-basket-case/) [Larry Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilde/) > [The basket looked like an ocean, and I was just throwing rocks in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-iverson/the-basket-looked-like-an-ocean-and-i-was-just-throwing-rocks-in/) [Allen Iverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-iverson/) > [You must write for the waste basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mercer/you-must-write-for-the-waste-basket/) [Johnny Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mercer/) > [“Just tell me what's so irritating."(katsu) That's none of your damn business!"(kyok) Maybe not. But I'm curious."(katsu) It's EVERYTHING you prick! God, you're annoying!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuki-takaya/just-tell-me-what-s-so-irritating-katsu-that-s-none-of-your-damn/) [Natsuki Takaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuki-takaya/) > [Our belief is that it is a basket of well-diversified companies that are playing the Internet, but are not direct Internet companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zimmerman/our-belief-is-that-it-is-a-basket-of-well-diversified-companies-that/) [John Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zimmerman/) > [To put all of your eggs in one basket is silly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/to-put-all-of-your-eggs-in-one-basket-is-silly/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [Characters develop as the book progresses, but any that start to bore me end up in the wastepaper basket. In real life, we may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-graham/characters-develop-as-the-book-progresses-but-any-that-start-to-bore/) [Laurie Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-graham/) > [You can't play Around the World in the NBA, you've gotta go to the basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-oakley/you-can-t-play-around-the-world-in-the-nba-you-ve-gotta-go-to-the/) [Charles Oakley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-oakley/) > [Why is it so hard to find an exercise bike with a nice little basket where I can put my nachos?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-alderson/why-is-it-so-hard-to-find-an-exercise-bike-with-a-nice-little-basket/) [Ron Alderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-alderson/) > [I heave the basketball; I know it sails in a parabola, exhibiting perfect symmetry, which is interrupted by the basket. It's funny, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-heave-the-basketball-i-know-it-sails-in-a-parabola-exhibiting/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I was really a basket case. I admit that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-delorean/i-was-really-a-basket-case-i-admit-that/) [John DeLorean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-delorean/) > [When it's late in a game and things are tough and you need a basket, someone has to step up. That player has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/when-it-s-late-in-a-game-and-things-are-tough-and-you-need-a-basket/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) [Browse all 95 Basket quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basket/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The waste basket is the writer's best friend.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Isaac Bashevis Singer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-friend/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basket" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-friend/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_basket_the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-fr_3233602.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_basket_the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-fr_3233602.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/isaac-bashevis-singer-2215_basket_the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-fr_3233602.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The waste basket is the writer's best friend.” — Isaac Bashevis Singer", "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": "Isaac Bashevis Singer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The waste basket is the writer's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-friend/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/the-waste-basket-is-the-writer-s-best-friend/#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 } } ] } ```