--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To try to write better than you do now is…" description: "\"To try to write better than you do now is to risk rejection and failure. But not to risk those things in an insult to yourself, to other writers, and t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/louanne-johnson-57720_better-than-you_to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-i_1846709.jpg" --- # To try to write better than you do now is to risk… ![“To try to write better than you do now is to risk rejection and failure. But not to risk those things in an insult to yourself, to other writers, and to your readers.” quote by LouAnne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/louanne-johnson-57720_better-than-you_to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-i_1846709.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/louanne-johnson-57720_better-than-you_to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-i_1846709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/louanne-johnson-57720_better-than-you_to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-i_1846709.jpg) > “To try to write better than you do now is to risk rejection and failure. But not to risk those things in an insult to yourself, to other writers, and to your readers.” [LouAnne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louanne-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Improving writing requires risking rejection and failure, but avoiding risk harms oneself, peers, and audience. **In simple terms:** Writing better needs risk; avoiding it hurts all. Key Takeaway Embrace risk to grow as a writer. Themes growth risk creativity responsibility Mood anxious determined reflective Type advice motivational educational When to use this quote - writing workshops - personal essays - publishing submissions - peer review - creative practice Key Concepts self‑efficacy vulnerability feedback authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What fear holds you back from sharing your work? - How can constructive criticism improve your writing? A Different Perspective Risk avoidance can lead to stagnation and missed opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Rejection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejection/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Our lives are books and each day is a page. We can't erase what has already been written but we can always try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/our-lives-are-books-and-each-day-is-a-page-we-can-t-erase-what-has/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [There's nothing called a perfect pick-up line. Men always have to face the risk of rejection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-bedi/there-s-nothing-called-a-perfect-pick-up-line-men-always-have-to-face/) [Kabir Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-bedi/) > [It's the moment when you know that you can have what you want if you're only brave enough to say so. It's a split…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-douglas/it-s-the-moment-when-you-know-that-you-can-have-what-you-want-if-you/) [Penelope Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-douglas/) > [“I would rather risk rejection and fail, then never try, and live with regret.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-rosena-jones/i-would-rather-risk-rejection-and-fail-then-never-try-and-live-with/) Dianne Rosena Jones > [To love is to risk rejection, to live is to risk dying and to hope is to risk failure. But risk must be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-love-is-to-risk-rejection-to-live-is-to-risk-dying-and-to-hope-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Better to take a risk, than miss a moment...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/better-to-take-a-risk-than-miss-a-moment/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Anyone smart enough to accomplish what they have should know better than to risk everything by talking to the vultures in the media.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/anyone-smart-enough-to-accomplish-what-they-have-should-know-better/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [Sometimes it's better to risk everything than to hold onto anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anmol-andore/sometimes-it-s-better-to-risk-everything-than-to-hold-onto-anything/) [Anmol Andore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anmol-andore/) > [Indeed, better risk management may be the only truly necessary element of success in banking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/indeed-better-risk-management-may-be-the-only-truly-necessary-element/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [“better to risk the time faults.” “No,” Issie shook her head. “It’s not…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-gregg/better-to-risk-the-time-faults-no-issie-shook-her-head-it-s-not/) [Stacy Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-gregg/) > [Is better to risk everything than hold on to nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juniorjk/is-better-to-risk-everything-than-hold-on-to-nothing/) Juniorjk > [After I lost my fiance, it seemed like it would be better to always be alone than to risk being hurt again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-grace/after-i-lost-my-fiance-it-seemed-like-it-would-be-better-to-always-be/) [Nancy Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-grace/) > [This is how a man looks when he's deciding that the risk of death is better than the risk of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/this-is-how-a-man-looks-when-he-s-deciding-that-the-risk-of-death-is/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“It is better to risk your plans rather your whole life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/it-is-better-to-risk-your-plans-rather-your-whole-life/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [“Better to risk helping someone than regret what you could have done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/better-to-risk-helping-someone-than-regret-what-you-could-have-done/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) ## More by LouAnne Johnson > [Knowledge counts but common sense matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louanne-johnson/knowledge-counts-but-common-sense-matters/) [LouAnne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louanne-johnson/) > [There are two kinds of books in the world--the boring kind they make you read in school and the interesting kind that they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louanne-johnson/there-are-two-kinds-of-books-in-the-world-the-boring-kind-they-make/) [LouAnne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louanne-johnson/) > [Be careful. Everything you say, every single day, may be recorded in your students’ hearts forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louanne-johnson/be-careful-everything-you-say-every-single-day-may-be-recorded-in/) [LouAnne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louanne-johnson/) > [When classes are small enough to allow individual student-teacher interaction, a minor miracle occurs: Teachers teach and students learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louanne-johnson/when-classes-are-small-enough-to-allow-individual-student-teacher/) [LouAnne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louanne-johnson/) > [“I know you kids are angry, because the world isn't fair. Well, get over it, because it's never going to be fair. The white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louanne-johnson/i-know-you-kids-are-angry-because-the-world-isn-t-fair-well-get-over/) [LouAnne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louanne-johnson/) [Explore all 6 LouAnne Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louanne-johnson/) ## More Better than you quotes > [It is not too late. You are not too old. You are right on time-And you are better than you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-not-too-late-you-are-not-too-old-you-are-right-on-time-and-you/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [The message of frustration is an exciting signal. it means that your brain beleives you could be doing better than you currently are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/the-message-of-frustration-is-an-exciting-signal-it-means-that-your/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Your brain is much better than you think; just use it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/your-brain-is-much-better-than-you-think-just-use-it/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Today, Jesus stands ready to hear your cry and to answer prayer for you. He is interested in every detail of your life. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kuhlman/today-jesus-stands-ready-to-hear-your-cry-and-to-answer-prayer-for/) [Kathryn Kuhlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kuhlman/) > [Associate with those on your level, not the ones who bring you down a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/associate-with-those-on-your-level-not-the-ones-who-bring-you-down-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You just got to live your life not caring what they think, shake off the drama and prove to them your better than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-just-got-to-live-your-life-not-caring-what-they-think-shake-off/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always hire people who are better than you. Hiring dummies is shortsighted. You can't move up the ladder until everyone is comfortable with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-wyse/always-hire-people-who-are-better-than-you-hiring-dummies-is/) [Lois Wyse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-wyse/) > [I don't want to be better than you or her or him - I want to be better than I am right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerri-walsh/i-don-t-want-to-be-better-than-you-or-her-or-him-i-want-to-be-better/) [Kerri Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerri-walsh/) > [Your memory can make your life better. Starting from now you must change your awful life to the amazing so it can be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th/your-memory-can-make-your-life-better-starting-from-now-you-must/) @th > [Revenge? Nah I'm just gonna sit here and let karma fuck you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/revenge-nah-i-m-just-gonna-sit-here-and-let-karma-fuck-you-up/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What is courage? Let me tell you what I think it is. An indefinable quality that makes a man put out that extra something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-brooks/what-is-courage-let-me-tell-you-what-i-think-it-is-an-indefinable/) [Herb Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-brooks/) > [What do you care? You always liked loneliness better than you liked people. No offence liking yourself's the beginning of all love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-leiber/what-do-you-care-you-always-liked-loneliness-better-than-you-liked/) [Fritz Leiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-leiber/) > [Take others' jealousy as a positive sign, people will be jealous only when your life appears better to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/take-others-jealousy-as-a-positive-sign-people-will-be-jealous-only/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [O sir, you are old; nature in you stands on the very verge of her confine; you should be ruled and led by some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-sir-you-are-old-nature-in-you-stands-on-the-very-verge-of-her/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [They were a better football team than we were in every phase of the game tonight. I don't know what else to tell you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beatty/they-were-a-better-football-team-than-we-were-in-every-phase-of-the/) Bob Beatty Browse all 293 Better than you quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To try to write better than you do now is to risk rejection and failure. But not to risk those things in an insult to yourself, to other writers, and to your readers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "LouAnne Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louanne-johnson/to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-is-to-risk-rejection-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better than you" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louanne-johnson/to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-is-to-risk-rejection-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/louanne-johnson-57720_better-than-you_to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-i_1846709.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/louanne-johnson-57720_better-than-you_to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-i_1846709.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/louanne-johnson-57720_better-than-you_to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-i_1846709.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To try to write better than you do now is to risk rejection and failure. But not to risk those things in an…” — LouAnne Johnson", "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": "LouAnne Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louanne-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To try to write better than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louanne-johnson/to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-is-to-risk-rejection-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louanne-johnson/to-try-to-write-better-than-you-do-now-is-to-risk-rejection-and/#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 } } ] } ```