--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not an overnight success. My early…" description: "\"I'm not an overnight success. My early publishing history, through my first five books, was unfortunate in many respects, typified by a couple of short..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/john-lescroart-26568_anecdotes_i-m-not-an-overnight-success-my-early-pu_2648665.png" --- # I'm not an overnight success. My early publishing history… ![“I'm not an overnight success. My early publishing history, through my first five books, was unfortunate in many respects, typified by a couple of short anecdotes.” quote by John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/john-lescroart-26568_anecdotes_i-m-not-an-overnight-success-my-early-pu_2648665.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/john-lescroart-26568_anecdotes_i-m-not-an-overnight-success-my-early-pu_2648665.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/john-lescroart-26568_anecdotes_i-m-not-an-overnight-success-my-early-pu_2648665.png) > “I'm not an overnight success. My early publishing history, through my first five books, was unfortunate in many respects, typified by a couple of short anecdotes.” [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He admits early publishing setbacks, emphasizing that success came after many challenges and short stories. **In simple terms:** Early failures precede later success. Key Takeaway Persist despite early setbacks. Themes creativity resilience career Mood reflective encouraging Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - writing - career planning - self‑assessment Key Concepts authorial journey publishing industry Questions to Reflect On - What lessons do early failures teach? - How can setbacks be reframed as growth? A Different Perspective Success often involves many failures before breakthrough. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anecdotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdotes/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Overnight success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overnight-success/) [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > ['Watchmen' is a cornerstone of both DC Comics' publishing history and its future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/watchmen-is-a-cornerstone-of-both-dc-comics-publishing-history-and/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [It's possible there are no two books in publishing history more dissimilar than 'Human Traces' and 'Devil May Care.' And that was really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-faulks/it-s-possible-there-are-no-two-books-in-publishing-history-more/) [Sebastian Faulks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-faulks/) > [“Aside from a very select few, there are no overnight success stories. Most of the time that single step took a thousand miles to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-henegan/aside-from-a-very-select-few-there-are-no-overnight-success-stories/) [Carl Henegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-henegan/) > [Only the film industry can make you an overnight success. Unlike other jobs where you have to work your way up, here you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-akkineni/only-the-film-industry-can-make-you-an-overnight-success-unlike-other/) [Samantha Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-akkineni/) > [An overnight success is ten years in the making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/an-overnight-success-is-ten-years-in-the-making/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [The media wants overnight successes (so they have someone to tear down). Ignore them. Ignore the early adopter critics that never have enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-media-wants-overnight-successes-so-they-have-someone-to-tear-down/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“Eventually, after years of blood, sweat, and lots of tears, you become an “overnight success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-wright/eventually-after-years-of-blood-sweat-and-lots-of-tears-you-become-an/) [Christy Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-wright/) > [It takes three years to be an overnight success, sometimes more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/it-takes-three-years-to-be-an-overnight-success-sometimes-more/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Chip maker Nvidia is the new old thing, an overnight success story years in the making that is having its moment and then some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lashinsky/chip-maker-nvidia-is-the-new-old-thing-an-overnight-success-story/) [Adam Lashinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lashinsky/) > [My sister was cute, she said, 'Oh my gosh, you're an overnight success.' 'Oh,' I said, 'this is the longest night.' I've been at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jordan/my-sister-was-cute-she-said-oh-my-gosh-you-re-an-overnight-success-oh/) [Leslie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jordan/) > [I was being ridiculed for going to school... But, you see, I had looked hard at the other musicians and the whole show-business scene...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-byrd/i-was-being-ridiculed-for-going-to-school-but-you-see-i-had-looked/) [Donald Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-byrd/) > [I tell you all this because it's worth recognizing that there is no such thing as an overnight success. You will do well to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-tell-you-all-this-because-it-s-worth-recognizing-that-there-is-no/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [It's so funny, this thing of 'overnight success.' I've been doing this for 20 years, but yes, sure, it happened overnight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-goldstein/it-s-so-funny-this-thing-of-overnight-success-i-ve-been-doing-this/) [Brett Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-goldstein/) > [Getting success really quickly - overnight success - it's a bit jarring at first, for sure, to transition into that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/violet-chachki/getting-success-really-quickly-overnight-success-it-s-a-bit-jarring/) [Violet Chachki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/violet-chachki/) > [I worked 18 years to become an overnight success. Now MagicPlace.com will short circuit that process for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-angel/i-worked-18-years-to-become-an-overnight-success-now-magicplace-com/) [Criss Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-angel/) ## More by John Lescroart > [The essence of fascism is to make laws forbidding everything and then enforce them selectively against your enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/the-essence-of-fascism-is-to-make-laws-forbidding-everything-and-then/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [“You ever think that life is something that happens and that you’re not ever completely prepared for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/you-ever-think-that-life-is-something-that-happens-and-that-you-re/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [“New opportunities abound if we but have the courage to face them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/new-opportunities-abound-if-we-but-have-the-courage-to-face-them/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [“The Beck seemed to feel that if she let her guard down for an instant, she would die. Kidnappers lurked in every public bathroom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/the-beck-seemed-to-feel-that-if-she-let-her-guard-down-for-an-instant/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [Acquiring an aggressive, honest, and communicative agent with actual relationships in real-live New York publishing houses is, in my opinion, the single most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/acquiring-an-aggressive-honest-and-communicative-agent-with-actual/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [“up all morning; it would not be unheard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/up-all-morning-it-would-not-be-unheard/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [“So Donald Trump and Sarah Palin are both drowning in the pool right in front of you, and you know there’s only going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/so-donald-trump-and-sarah-palin-are-both-drowning-in-the-pool-right/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [“Rob Leininger, via”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/rob-leininger-via/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [“entry from three years ago, gave her tag as WineBitch and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/entry-from-three-years-ago-gave-her-tag-as-winebitch-and/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [“What was so tough, you had to get all worked up over them? He didn’t get it. You just did your job, you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/what-was-so-tough-you-had-to-get-all-worked-up-over-them-he-didn-t/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [I love most melodic music - classical, reggae, big band, jazz, blues, country, pop, swing, folk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/i-love-most-melodic-music-classical-reggae-big-band-jazz-blues/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [“huddled, whispering together at the railing that separated the gallery from the courtroom”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/huddled-whispering-together-at-the-railing-that-separated-the-gallery/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [“He thought that he was a human being with rights, when in fact he was just another animal in the zoo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/he-thought-that-he-was-a-human-being-with-rights-when-in-fact-he-was/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [In Land of Milk and Money, Anthony Barcellos mines rich family history to create a full-blooded tale that readers will find insightful, rewarding, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/in-land-of-milk-and-money-anthony-barcellos-mines-rich-family-history/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [Support your public library! It is a treasure and a legacy that will provide entertainment, information, a sense of community, and real continuity from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/support-your-public-library-it-is-a-treasure-and-a-legacy-that-will/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) [Explore all 18 John Lescroart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) ## More Anecdotes quotes > [“There was a skill to organizing your life into neatly bundled anecdotes, and he lacked it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/there-was-a-skill-to-organizing-your-life-into-neatly-bundled/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [Art to me is an anecdote of the spirit,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rothko/art-to-me-is-an-anecdote-of-the-spirit/) [Mark Rothko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rothko/) > [There comes a point where certain things are becoming my Achilles heel; you know when you start repeating yourself and saying the same anecdotes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elson/there-comes-a-point-where-certain-things-are-becoming-my-achilles/) [Karen Elson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elson/) > [Why should I ever get fed up talking about my father? He was a brilliant, colorful man who left us with thousands of memories.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-huston/why-should-i-ever-get-fed-up-talking-about-my-father-he-was-a/) [Danny Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-huston/) > [If you would stick to the concrete, and put your discoveries in the form of entertaining anecdotes about your adventures with women, your conversation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/if-you-would-stick-to-the-concrete-and-put-your-discoveries-in-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Painters were also attorneys, happy storytellers of anecdote, psychologists, botanists, zoologists, archaeologists, engineers, but there were no creative painters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazimir-malevich/painters-were-also-attorneys-happy-storytellers-of-anecdote/) [Kazimir Malevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazimir-malevich/) > [Art isn't anecdote. It's the consciousness we bring to bear in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/art-isn-t-anecdote-it-s-the-consciousness-we-bring-to-bear-in-our/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [Something about the possession of a book - an object that can contain infinite fables, words of wisdom, chronicles of times gone by, humorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-manguel/something-about-the-possession-of-a-book-an-object-that-can-contain/) [Alberto Manguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-manguel/) > [Men grind and grind in the mill of a truism, and nothing comes out but what was put in. But the moment they desert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/men-grind-and-grind-in-the-mill-of-a-truism-and-nothing-comes-out-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Anecdote: The extent of Michael Jackson's fame at its height, and his eagerness to exploit it is shown by an incident in 1984 when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/anecdote-the-extent-of-michael-jackson-s-fame-at-its-height-and-his/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I don't have a lot of thrilling anecdotes about my career or personal life. All the stuff that is interesting is private and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-merchant/i-don-t-have-a-lot-of-thrilling-anecdotes-about-my-career-or-personal/) [Natalie Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-merchant/) > [Life divides into amazing enjoyable times and appalling experiences that will make future amazing anecdotes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/life-divides-into-amazing-enjoyable-times-and-appalling-experiences/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [I write and write and write, and then I edit it down to the parts that I think are amusing, or that help the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/i-write-and-write-and-write-and-then-i-edit-it-down-to-the-parts-that/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [If you notice phrases, ideas, and anecdotes that closely resemble those that appear elsewhere in my writing, it's not a matter of sloppy editing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/if-you-notice-phrases-ideas-and-anecdotes-that-closely-resemble-those/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [At the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, Sanford Meisner said, 'When you go into the professional world, at a stock theatre somewhere, backstage, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/at-the-neighborhood-playhouse-school-of-theatre-sanford-meisner-said/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) [Browse all 180 Anecdotes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdotes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not an overnight success. 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