--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Editors never buy manuscripts that are…" description: "\"Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet shelf at home.\" — John W. Campbell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/john-w-campbell-34793_closets_editors-never-buy-manuscripts-that-are-l_2902560.jpg" --- # Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet… ![“Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet shelf at home.” quote by John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/john-w-campbell-34793_closets_editors-never-buy-manuscripts-that-are-l_2902560.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/john-w-campbell-34793_closets_editors-never-buy-manuscripts-that-are-l_2902560.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/john-w-campbell-34793_closets_editors-never-buy-manuscripts-that-are-l_2902560.jpg) > “Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet shelf at home.” [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Editors reject manuscripts that remain unseen, highlighting the need for proactive sharing. **In simple terms:** Unsubmitted work is ignored by editors. Key Takeaway Submit your writing actively. Themes writing publishing proactivity Mood motivated hopeful Type practical encouraging When to use this quote - sending queries to magazines - participating in writing workshops - building a submission schedule Key Concepts literary market author‑editor dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What barriers stop you from sharing your work? - How can you overcome submission anxiety? A Different Perspective Fear of rejection can hinder submission. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buy Manuscripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buy-manuscripts-4134760/) [Closets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closets/) [Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editors/) [Editors Buy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editors-buy-4134761/) [Fiction writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-writers/) [Fiction writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-writing/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Manuscripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manuscripts/) [Manuscripts Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manuscripts-left-4134762/) [Reading and writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-and-writing/) [Reading writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-writing/) [Shelf Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shelf-home-4134763/) [Shelves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shelves/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writers reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers-reading/) [Writing and reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-and-reading/) ## Related quotes > [The reason 99% of all stories written are not bought by editors is very simple. Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-reason-99-of-all-stories-written-are-not-bought-by-editors-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love of books is the best of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-kennedy/love-of-books-is-the-best-of-all/) [Jackie Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-kennedy/) > [Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/writing-a-book-is-a-horrible-exhausting-struggle-like-a-long-bout-of/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [The road to Hell is paved with unbought stuffed dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-unbought-stuffed-dogs/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [You must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/you-must-find-time-for-reading-or-surrender-yourself-to-self-chosen/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In Brentwood we had a big safe-deposit box to put manuscripts in if we left town during fire season. It was such a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/in-brentwood-we-had-a-big-safe-deposit-box-to-put-manuscripts-in-if/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“For most writers, reading is also a very intense experience; they don’t read so much as compete. The writer measure’s himself against every text…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/for-most-writers-reading-is-also-a-very-intense-experience-they-don-t/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [The first sentence cant be written until the final sentence is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-first-sentence-cant-be-written-until-the-final-sentence-is-written/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Books are the quietest and most constant of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-william-eliot/books-are-the-quietest-and-most-constant-of-friends/) [Charles William Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-william-eliot/) > [A great book should leave you with many experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/a-great-book-should-leave-you-with-many-experiences/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“All of us are writers reading other people's writing, turning pages or clicking to the next screen with pleasure and admiration. All of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-paul/all-of-us-are-writers-reading-other-people-s-writing-turning-pages-or/) [Pamela Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-paul/) > [When I look back, I am so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/when-i-look-back-i-am-so-impressed-again-with-the-life-giving-power/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [As an actor, I know immediately if I'm saying a word that doesn't feel right coming out of my mouth, and I know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-foley/as-an-actor-i-know-immediately-if-i-m-saying-a-word-that-doesn-t-feel/) [Scott Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-foley/) > [Writers, because they write, are condemned never to be readers of their own stories...The memory of first putting a story into words will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-ferrante/writers-because-they-write-are-condemned-never-to-be-readers-of-their/) [Elena Ferrante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-ferrante/) > [I tell writers to keep reading, reading, reading. Read widely and deeply. And I tell them not to give up even after getting rejection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-diament/i-tell-writers-to-keep-reading-reading-reading-read-widely-and-deeply/) [Anita Diament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-diament/) ## More by John W. Campbell > [That's the trouble with languages. They have to be learned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/that-s-the-trouble-with-languages-they-have-to-be-learned/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [We presuppose two things: that there is yet to be learned infinitely more than is now known, and that man can learn it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/we-presuppose-two-things-that-there-is-yet-to-be-learned-infinitely/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [History does not always repeat itself. Sometimes it just yells, 'Can't you remember anything I told you?' and lets fly with a club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/history-does-not-always-repeat-itself-sometimes-it-just-yells-can-t/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [Science is not a sacred cow-but there are a large number of would-be sacred cowherds busily devoting quantities of time, energy and effort to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/science-is-not-a-sacred-cow-but-there-are-a-large-number-of-would-be/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [It was the law that if a white man was caught trying to educate a Negro slave, he was liable to prosecution entailing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/it-was-the-law-that-if-a-white-man-was-caught-trying-to-educate-a/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [Too darned good a machine can be a menace, not a help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/too-darned-good-a-machine-can-be-a-menace-not-a-help/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [Pioneering basically amounts to finding new and more horrible ways to die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/pioneering-basically-amounts-to-finding-new-and-more-horrible-ways-to/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [No literature is sound, no philosophy of action workable, if it doesn't take a hard look at itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/no-literature-is-sound-no-philosophy-of-action-workable-if-it-doesn-t/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [Never accept the initial premise of the opposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/never-accept-the-initial-premise-of-the-opposition/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [There's nothing quite so stultifying as having someone around who has all the answers-and gives them to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/there-s-nothing-quite-so-stultifying-as-having-someone-around-who-has/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [Immunity corrupts; absolute immunity corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/immunity-corrupts-absolute-immunity-corrupts-absolutely/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [Generally, a desirable, practically attainable idea, suggested in prophecy, has a chance of forcing itself into reality by its very existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/generally-a-desirable-practically-attainable-idea-suggested-in/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) > [Man studied birds for centuries, trying to learn how to make a machine to fly like them. He never did do the trick; his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-campbell/man-studied-birds-for-centuries-trying-to-learn-how-to-make-a-machine/) [John W. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) [Explore all 14 John W. Campbell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-campbell/) ## More Closets quotes > [I always sleep on my own. I can't sleep with somebody else. Always separate bedrooms, bathrooms and closets. I'm very individual and I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-tonioli/i-always-sleep-on-my-own-i-can-t-sleep-with-somebody-else-always/) [Bruno Tonioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-tonioli/) > [I own about 300 pairs of shoes. When I start to go over 300, I have mini-sales from my closet and give the money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/i-own-about-300-pairs-of-shoes-when-i-start-to-go-over-300-i-have/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [But what struck me was the book-madness of the place--books lay scattered across the unmade bed and the top of a battered-looking desk, books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-millhauser/but-what-struck-me-was-the-book-madness-of-the-place-books-lay/) [Steven Millhauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-millhauser/) > [I used it in a shot where Richard Burton goes down the hall to get a gun in a closet. And I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haskell-wexler/i-used-it-in-a-shot-where-richard-burton-goes-down-the-hall-to-get-a/) [Haskell Wexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haskell-wexler/) > [I feel like I've been shut in a closet, and he's on the other side, and he doesn't have the key to unlock the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-feel-like-i-ve-been-shut-in-a-closet-and-he-s-on-the-other-side-and/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [People dance and we have a lot of music and... this might be the closet I get for a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-crowe/people-dance-and-we-have-a-lot-of-music-and-this-might-be-the-closet/) [Cameron Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-crowe/) > [We will not win our rights by staying quietly in our closets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/we-will-not-win-our-rights-by-staying-quietly-in-our-closets/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [Fairy tales have always been about getting through the worst of everything, the darkest and the deepest and the bloodiest of events. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/fairy-tales-have-always-been-about-getting-through-the-worst-of/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Friends are readily disappointed by the size of my closet. And I thought it was big!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/friends-are-readily-disappointed-by-the-size-of-my-closet-and-i/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > [All of my life, actually, I had a real strong relationship with God, but I was always in the closet about it. The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/all-of-my-life-actually-i-had-a-real-strong-relationship-with-god-but/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [SM is an art. Doing it well requires more than a bag full of expensive whips and exotic electrical toys, a closet full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sm-is-an-art-doing-it-well-requires-more-than-a-bag-full-of-expensive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Weddings seem to be magnets for mishap and for whatever craziness lurks in family closets. In more ways than one, weddings bring out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/weddings-seem-to-be-magnets-for-mishap-and-for-whatever-craziness/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Twenty-eight years ago, I created my first game on an Apple II in my bedroom closet at a time when the interactive entertainment industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-garriott/twenty-eight-years-ago-i-created-my-first-game-on-an-apple-ii-in-my/) [Richard Garriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-garriott/) > [That holy, humble, meek, modest, retiring Form, sometimes called the Spirit of Prayer, has been dragged from the closet, and so rudely handled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asahel-nettleton/that-holy-humble-meek-modest-retiring-form-sometimes-called-the/) [Asahel Nettleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asahel-nettleton/) > [No one is ignorant that our character and turn of mind are intimately connected with the water-closet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/no-one-is-ignorant-that-our-character-and-turn-of-mind-are-intimately/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Browse all 594 Closets quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closets/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet shelf at home.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John W. 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