--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Would-be novelists need to bring equal…" description: "\"Would-be novelists need to bring equal parts arrogance and ignorance to the task before them. The arrogance is almost self-explanatory. Walk into any b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c21/laura-lippman-7439_arrogance_would-be-novelists-need-to-bring-equal-p_1919511.jpg" --- # Would-be novelists need to bring equal parts arrogance and… ![“Would-be novelists need to bring equal parts arrogance and ignorance to the task before them. The arrogance is almost self-explanatory. Walk into any bookstore or library, calculate how many lifetimes the average person would need to read all the fiction contained therein. To think that one has…” quote by Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c21/laura-lippman-7439_arrogance_would-be-novelists-need-to-bring-equal-p_1919511.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c21/laura-lippman-7439_arrogance_would-be-novelists-need-to-bring-equal-p_1919511.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c21/laura-lippman-7439_arrogance_would-be-novelists-need-to-bring-equal-p_1919511.jpg) > “Would-be novelists need to bring equal parts arrogance and ignorance to the task before them. The arrogance is almost self-explanatory. Walk into any bookstore or library, calculate how many lifetimes the average person would need to read all the fiction contained therein. To think that one has anything to contribute, to any genre or tradition, takes genuine hubris.” [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful writing demands confidence that borders on hubris while acknowledging one’s limited knowledge. **In simple terms:** Writers need bold confidence and humility about what they don’t know. Key Takeaway Embrace daring self‑belief while staying open to learning. Themes confidence humility creativity writing risk Mood determined reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - starting a novel - pitching to agents - overcoming writer’s block - learning new genre - teaching workshops Key Concepts hubris self‑efficacy learning mindset Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance confidence with receptiveness to critique? - When does hubris become a hindrance? A Different Perspective Excessive arrogance can blind writers to feedback and market realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrogance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) [Average person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average-person/) [Bookstores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookstores/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Hubris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hubris/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Novelists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelists/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The worst kind of arrogance is arrogance from ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-worst-kind-of-arrogance-is-arrogance-from-ignorance/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [ You don't have to be Dave Halberstam to see that the American role in both conflicts \[the Iraq war and the Vietnam conflict\] is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-yardley/you-don-t-have-to-be-dave-halberstam-to-see-that-the-american-role-in/) [Jonathan Yardley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-yardley/) > [“Arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metallica/arrogance-and-ignorance-go-hand-in-hand/) [Metallica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metallica/) > [In terms of the ego, most religions teach in some way that all of us must die before we die, and then we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-terms-of-the-ego-most-religions-teach-in-some-way-that-all-of-us/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Foolishness is more than being stupid, that deadly combination of arrogance and ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/foolishness-is-more-than-being-stupid-that-deadly-combination-of/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“The imbecile always want to give suggestions in areas they know nothing about. There you have, arrogance and ignorance supporting one another and justifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/the-imbecile-always-want-to-give-suggestions-in-areas-they-know/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [Arrogance, ignorance, and incompetence. Not a pretty cocktail of personality traits in the best of situations. No sirree. Not a pretty cocktail in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/arrogance-ignorance-and-incompetence-not-a-pretty-cocktail-of/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [When someone has that combination of arrogance and ignorance - that drives me crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-lucci/when-someone-has-that-combination-of-arrogance-and-ignorance-that/) [Susan Lucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-lucci/) > [I never thought that I couldn't do what I set out to do. It wasn't from arrogance; it was from ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/i-never-thought-that-i-couldn-t-do-what-i-set-out-to-do-it-wasn-t/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [You know when you're young, you have this unbelievable stupidity and arrogance and ignorance all mixed in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/you-know-when-you-re-young-you-have-this-unbelievable-stupidity-and/) [Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/) > [“Any fiction writer who has never had his work misunderstood couldn't have written a lot. Somehow along the way you are going to run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rotimi-ogunjobi/any-fiction-writer-who-has-never-had-his-work-misunderstood-couldn-t/) [Rotimi Ogunjobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rotimi-ogunjobi/) > [“Lots of women read fiction. Most men don't. Women read fiction written by women and by men. Most men don't. If a man opens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/lots-of-women-read-fiction-most-men-don-t-women-read-fiction-written/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [“That first day I asked my students what they thought fiction should accomplish, why one should bother to read fiction at all. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/that-first-day-i-asked-my-students-what-they-thought-fiction-should/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [“Why is life a constant disappointment?' 'Because we read fiction,' Mia said, and Shelley nodded, knowing it was true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/why-is-life-a-constant-disappointment-because-we-read-fiction-mia/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [It's a guilty secret of a lot of writers, as you get older you don't read as much fiction as you used to, mainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-a-guilty-secret-of-a-lot-of-writers-as-you-get-older-you-don-t/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Laura Lippman > [“Relationships are chess for women," he said. "They can see the whole board, plan way ahead. They're the queens, after all. We're the kings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/relationships-are-chess-for-women-he-said-they-can-see-the-whole/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [People still struggle with this notion of gifted writers somehow being in touch with a higher power, but it's all about showing up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/people-still-struggle-with-this-notion-of-gifted-writers-somehow/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [Every person you meet has a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/every-person-you-meet-has-a-story/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [If I waited to be inspired to go to the gym, I'd never get there. I schedule my exercise time; I schedule my work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/if-i-waited-to-be-inspired-to-go-to-the-gym-i-d-never-get-there-i/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [“I hate to think how many minutes of my life I've spent on goddamn hold. I want those minutes back. When death comes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/i-hate-to-think-how-many-minutes-of-my-life-i-ve-spent-on-goddamn/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [I've long believed that the work-out life has lessons for the writing life. I've 'solved' a lot of books while at the gym, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/i-ve-long-believed-that-the-work-out-life-has-lessons-for-the-writing/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [...Baltimore. It's imperfect. Boy, is it imperfect. And there are parts of its past that make you wince. It's not all marble steps and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/baltimore-it-s-imperfect-boy-is-it-imperfect-and-there-are-parts-of/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [“She was furious, with the kind of fury peculiar to the nonpaying client. Those who can't afford private attorneys . . . assumed legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/she-was-furious-with-the-kind-of-fury-peculiar-to-the-nonpaying/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [We become comfortable saying that there's nothing new, and then something like Malarky comes along, which is new and old and different and familiar,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/we-become-comfortable-saying-that-there-s-nothing-new-and-then/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [My husband, David Simon, and I make our livings using our imaginations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/my-husband-david-simon-and-i-make-our-livings-using-our-imaginations/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [I think Baltimore suffers from nostalgia and it keeps us from being honest in talking about what really happened here. A place doesn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/i-think-baltimore-suffers-from-nostalgia-and-it-keeps-us-from-being/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [Baltimore has been a punchline/punching bag for years - I've landed a few blows, to be fair - but those old jokes are out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/baltimore-has-been-a-punchline-punching-bag-for-years-i-ve-landed-a/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [“Working on the editorial page had sharpened Whitney's mind and coarsened her feelings, so she treated every subject as theoretical and abstract. Devil's advocate?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/working-on-the-editorial-page-had-sharpened-whitney-s-mind-and/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [“There it was again, another strange usage. 'We had words.' Everyone has words...What a useless euphemism. The phrases that people used to make things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/there-it-was-again-another-strange-usage-we-had-words-everyone-has/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [I don't know where my phone is half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/i-don-t-know-where-my-phone-is-half-the-time/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) [Explore all 91 Laura Lippman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) ## More Arrogance quotes > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [What you see of me on TV and all of that, that is me - that's truly how I feel. I'm just multiplying it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-corbin/what-you-see-of-me-on-tv-and-all-of-that-that-is-me-that-s-truly-how/) [Baron Corbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-corbin/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Never mistake someones quietness for their arrogance as you can surely miss out on an awsome personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-mistake-someones-quietness-for-their-arrogance-as-you-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“I was consumed by a selfishness and arrogance that I didn't dare let go of until I found a new persona to hide behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/i-was-consumed-by-a-selfishness-and-arrogance-that-i-didn-t-dare-let/) [Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/) > [Arrogance is the outgrowth of prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/arrogance-is-the-outgrowth-of-prosperity/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [Timing and arrogance are decisive factors in the successful use of talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/timing-and-arrogance-are-decisive-factors-in-the-successful-use-of/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [Closed some doors, not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they no longer lead somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenz-jeffrey/closed-some-doors-not-because-of-pride-incapacity-or-arrogance-but/) [Frenz Jeffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenz-jeffrey/) > [My success isn't a result of arrogance - it's a result of belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcgregor/my-success-isn-t-a-result-of-arrogance-it-s-a-result-of-belief/) [Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcgregor/) > [“...a great man who is vicious will only be a great doer of evil, and a rich man who is not liberal will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cervantes/a-great-man-who-is-vicious-will-only-be-a-great-doer-of-evil-and-a/) Miguel Cervantes > [An increasing number of people are growing uncomfortable with the gulf between the world's rich and the poor. Ostentatiously splashing your money around simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalle-lasn/an-increasing-number-of-people-are-growing-uncomfortable-with-the/) [Kalle Lasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalle-lasn/) [Browse all 1,418 Arrogance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Would-be novelists need to bring equal parts arrogance and ignorance to the task before them. The arrogance is almost self-explanatory. Walk into any bookstore or library, calculate how many lifetimes the average person would need to read all the fiction contained therein. 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