--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's good to try stuff. I wrote a book…" description: "\"It's good to try stuff. I wrote a book that I threw away, and I think I just wrote it so I could try stuff in it and not be scared\" — Jami Attenberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/jami-attenberg-2877_book_it-s-good-to-try-stuff-i-wrote-a-book-th_2516191.jpg" --- # It's good to try stuff. I wrote a book that I threw away… ![“It's good to try stuff. I wrote a book that I threw away, and I think I just wrote it so I could try stuff in it and not be scared” quote by Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/jami-attenberg-2877_book_it-s-good-to-try-stuff-i-wrote-a-book-th_2516191.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/jami-attenberg-2877_book_it-s-good-to-try-stuff-i-wrote-a-book-th_2516191.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/jami-attenberg-2877_book_it-s-good-to-try-stuff-i-wrote-a-book-th_2516191.jpg) > “It's good to try stuff. I wrote a book that I threw away, and I think I just wrote it so I could try stuff in it and not be scared” [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Experimentation in writing frees fear, allowing creative risk‑taking and personal growth through trial and error. **In simple terms:** Try things without fear. Key Takeaway Write boldly, learn from mistakes. Themes creativity risk self‑discovery Mood encouraging reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - draft workshops - creative retreats - journaling - peer feedback Key Concepts Literary experimentation personal development writing process Questions to Reflect On - What would you try if fear vanished? - How does failure shape your work? A Different Perspective Fear of failure can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scared/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Stuff Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-scared-557638/) [Stuff Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-wrote-1205281/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Try Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-stuff-399005/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Wrote Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-book/) [Wrote Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-try-1205280/) ## Related quotes > [The only thing that's really important is the stuff he wrote. That's what he cared about, and that's what's worth protecting. The myth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hemingway/the-only-thing-that-s-really-important-is-the-stuff-he-wrote-that-s/) [Jack Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hemingway/) > [I love exploring in a rehearsal room with other actors, scenes and you know, stuff you are scared of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-exploring-in-a-rehearsal-room-with-other-actors-scenes-and-you/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [“We do stuff even though we’re scared.”  The warrior’s creed at its most basic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debora-geary/we-do-stuff-even-though-we-re-scared-the-warrior-s-creed-at-its-most/) [Debora Geary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debora-geary/) > [“Did you know that almost everybody has stuff in their life they don’t like dealing with? And stuff they’re scared of?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/did-you-know-that-almost-everybody-has-stuff-in-their-life-they-don-t/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [And all of Laura's stuff, what they wrote originally wasn't as good and Constance wound up doing that herself. That was all her stuff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-devane/and-all-of-laura-s-stuff-what-they-wrote-originally-wasn-t-as-good/) [William Devane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-devane/) > [I like the songwriting. I don't ever listen and then go back and change stuff. 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I wrote adventure stuff, I wrote for the 'National Enquirer,' I wrote advertising copy for cemeteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/i-wrote-for-magazines-i-wrote-adventure-stuff-i-wrote-for-the/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [I think I got serious about writing in the late '90s. The first stuff I wrote was terrible and got rejected, but I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-g-tremblay/i-think-i-got-serious-about-writing-in-the-late-90s-the-first-stuff-i/) [Paul G. Tremblay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-g-tremblay/) > [Focus on what you want to do. Don't be scared to try stuff. You only live once. Get your mind towards what you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zupan/focus-on-what-you-want-to-do-don-t-be-scared-to-try-stuff-you-only/) [Mark Zupan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zupan/) > [I try stuff. I synthesize what's of value with some of the other things I have at my disposal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-try-stuff-i-synthesize-what-s-of-value-with-some-of-the-other/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [People don't want to do new things if they think they're going to be bad at them or people are going to laugh at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-want-to-do-new-things-if-they-think-they-re-going-to-be/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [I've just got to go out there and play, don't try to do stuff that I'm not used to doing, do the best thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wall/i-ve-just-got-to-go-out-there-and-play-don-t-try-to-do-stuff-that-i-m/) [John Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wall/) > [The Internet is a good way to try some stuff with no big crew and no money being spent. Since there are no stakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-krisel/the-internet-is-a-good-way-to-try-some-stuff-with-no-big-crew-and-no/) [Jonathan Krisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-krisel/) ## More by Jami Attenberg > [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-just-think-structure-can-make-a-book-feel-so-much-bigger-it-s-the/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [“And she was funny and beautiful and she liked the same books, the same music, and she wanted everything I did, was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/and-she-was-funny-and-beautiful-and-she-liked-the-same-books-the-same/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [Most of my writer friends are women, and they're all extremely talented, so of course I think the state of contemporary fiction for women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/most-of-my-writer-friends-are-women-and-they-re-all-extremely/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [I'm not really interested in writing or reading about people who are nice and easy. I like the problem children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-m-not-really-interested-in-writing-or-reading-about-people-who-are/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [“mostly I have found myself resisting their sadness when I have so much of my own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/mostly-i-have-found-myself-resisting-their-sadness-when-i-have-so/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [You write a book, and after 50 pages you think it's about one thing, and then you write another hundred and you realize it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/you-write-a-book-and-after-50-pages-you-think-it-s-about-one-thing/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [Do you often find yourself uttering the phrase, 'I feel like I should go?' You do not need to go. You are busy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/do-you-often-find-yourself-uttering-the-phrase-i-feel-like-i-should/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [We've all got flesh. I've just got a little more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/we-ve-all-got-flesh-i-ve-just-got-a-little-more/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [In the wintertime I like macaroni and cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/in-the-wintertime-i-like-macaroni-and-cheese/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [“We listen to NPR for the first two hours on the road, the strange comfort of bad news reported in reasonable tones,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/we-listen-to-npr-for-the-first-two-hours-on-the-road-the-strange/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [I am not one of those people who string their exes along. Instead, I run and hide: under the covers, behind my computer screen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-am-not-one-of-those-people-who-string-their-exes-along-instead-i/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [When I was growing up in Chicago, my family and I used to go to a local chain, Hackney's, for burgers and their French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/when-i-was-growing-up-in-chicago-my-family-and-i-used-to-go-to-a/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [I remember being banned from other houses as a younger child during the winter holiday season; I was the only one who didn't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-remember-being-banned-from-other-houses-as-a-younger-child-during/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [Sometimes, things are just exercises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/sometimes-things-are-just-exercises/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [I've just always written, and always considered myself a writer. I wrote my first story when I was five. 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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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