--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1999, I had my back against the wall…" description: "\"In 1999, I had my back against the wall, and WWE had a ghostwriter working on an autobiography for me. He was halfway through, and it was awful, just b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/mick-foley-4120_better_in-1999-i-had-my-back-against-the-wall-a_1571154.jpg" --- # In 1999, I had my back against the wall, and WWE had a… ![“In 1999, I had my back against the wall, and WWE had a ghostwriter working on an autobiography for me. He was halfway through, and it was awful, just boring. I took over as a way of trying to fix things, as I thought I could probably do a better job.” quote by Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/mick-foley-4120_better_in-1999-i-had-my-back-against-the-wall-a_1571154.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/mick-foley-4120_better_in-1999-i-had-my-back-against-the-wall-a_1571154.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/mick-foley-4120_better_in-1999-i-had-my-back-against-the-wall-a_1571154.jpg) > “In 1999, I had my back against the wall, and WWE had a ghostwriter working on an autobiography for me. He was halfway through, and it was awful, just boring. I took over as a way of trying to fix things, as I thought I could probably do a better job.” [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He took control of a poor ghostwritten autobiography to improve its quality and authenticity. **In simple terms:** He rewrote his own story to make it better. Key Takeaway Take charge of your narrative. Themes self‑determination authenticity creative control Mood reflective determined Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - writing a memoir - public speaking - personal branding - overcoming creative setbacks Key Concepts authorship personal branding narrative integrity Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure authenticity in collaborative projects? - What risks arise when taking over a project mid‑way? A Different Perspective Ghostwriters may lack personal voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autobiography Halfway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autobiography-halfway-5914454/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-job/) [Boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring/) [Ghostwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghostwriter-336975/) [Ghostwriter Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghostwriter-working-5914450/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Wall Wwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-wwe-5914452/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) [WWE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wwe/) [Wwe Ghostwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wwe-ghostwriter-5914449/) ## Related quotes > [A lot of people don't know what I do. In the industry they take credit for work because to some degree it makes them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-stone/a-lot-of-people-don-t-know-what-i-do-in-the-industry-they-take-credit/) [Angie Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-stone/) > [The whole process of telling my story to my ghostwriter was so intense, after all, because he would ask me questions that no journalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conchita-wurst/the-whole-process-of-telling-my-story-to-my-ghostwriter-was-so/) [Conchita Wurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conchita-wurst/) > [No one grows up thinking they want to be a ghostwriter. No one plans on that job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-liftin/no-one-grows-up-thinking-they-want-to-be-a-ghostwriter-no-one-plans/) [Hilary Liftin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-liftin/) > [I think when people hear about a celebrity writing a book of any kind, the assumption is that it was dictated to a ghostwriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ringwald/i-think-when-people-hear-about-a-celebrity-writing-a-book-of-any-kind/) [Molly Ringwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ringwald/) > [I’ve taken on some of the emotional weight of the stories I’ve worked on. I was writing about a very difficult time in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-liftin/i-ve-taken-on-some-of-the-emotional-weight-of-the-stories-i-ve-worked/) [Hilary Liftin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-liftin/) > [So I had a ghostwriter, they call them, or somebody who is an experienced writer, to help. I've got the ideas in my head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-boxleitner/so-i-had-a-ghostwriter-they-call-them-or-somebody-who-is-an/) [Bruce Boxleitner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-boxleitner/) > [Well, unlike a lot of authors, I will be the one to cop to having a ghostwriter. I've always written with someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-williams/well-unlike-a-lot-of-authors-i-will-be-the-one-to-cop-to-having-a/) [Wendy Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-williams/) > [I think that the celebrity memoir as a genre is looked upon as a lesser form. One of my missions as a ghostwriter has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-liftin/i-think-that-the-celebrity-memoir-as-a-genre-is-looked-upon-as-a/) [Hilary Liftin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-liftin/) > [Nas is one of the Greatest Ever. Never has and never will need a ghostwriter. That man’s pen and legacy is without question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-electronica/nas-is-one-of-the-greatest-ever-never-has-and-never-will-need-a/) [Jay Electronica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-electronica/) > [The trouble with being a ghostwriter or artist is that you must remain rather anonymously without credit. If one wants the credit, one has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kane/the-trouble-with-being-a-ghostwriter-or-artist-is-that-you-must/) [Bob Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kane/) > [“Nothing to say. I used to be a ghostwriter for a publisher.’ ‘Medieval stuff?’ ‘Eighty-page love stories. You have this guy, untrustworthy but good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vargas/nothing-to-say-i-used-to-be-a-ghostwriter-for-a-publisher-medieval/) [Fred Vargas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vargas/) > [It implies a slight failure as a writer that you are reduced to being a ghostwriter for the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/it-implies-a-slight-failure-as-a-writer-that-you-are-reduced-to-being/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“The nastiest kind of writer is a ghostwriter, who bears people’s children in their body for money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/the-nastiest-kind-of-writer-is-a-ghostwriter-who-bears-people-s/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [“No shame in having a ghostwriter," Storm said. "Some of the best books published every year are penned by talented writers whose identity the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-castle/no-shame-in-having-a-ghostwriter-storm-said-some-of-the-best-books/) [Richard Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-castle/) > [“For a long time before I met you, I felt my life was this kind of test. I was in deep, cold water, swimming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/for-a-long-time-before-i-met-you-i-felt-my-life-was-this-kind-of-test/) [Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/) ## More by Mick Foley > [There was a time when Vader and I had a main event Pay-Per-View match, back in 1993 at Halloween Havoc, and I firmly thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/there-was-a-time-when-vader-and-i-had-a-main-event-pay-per-view-match/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [My mother wanted me to be a writer, which I have ended up taking a long road round to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/my-mother-wanted-me-to-be-a-writer-which-i-have-ended-up-taking-a/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [I remember being really hurt by a relative of a good friend of mine when I mentioned that someone was a great wrestler -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/i-remember-being-really-hurt-by-a-relative-of-a-good-friend-of-mine/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [I see The Rock running in 2020 and being a two-term president. I think he would be great, and I'm joking when I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/i-see-the-rock-running-in-2020-and-being-a-two-term-president-i-think/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [I just feel like there's a better mind-to-pen connection for me than a mind-to-keyboard connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/i-just-feel-like-there-s-a-better-mind-to-pen-connection-for-me-than/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [I do some things just to entertain myself, and I figure that part of the audience will be entertained as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/i-do-some-things-just-to-entertain-myself-and-i-figure-that-part-of/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [Edge goes out every night, and not just on pay per views; every night, Edge goes out there with the intention of stealing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/edge-goes-out-every-night-and-not-just-on-pay-per-views-every-night/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [A lot of my loyalty is to the wrestlers - the guys who put their heart and health on the line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/a-lot-of-my-loyalty-is-to-the-wrestlers-the-guys-who-put-their-heart/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [There are guys who thrive completely on the action in the ring and see the promotion as a necessary evil, whereas I think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/there-are-guys-who-thrive-completely-on-the-action-in-the-ring-and/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [I was told that the fact that I had nothing but good things to say about Judith Regan distinguished me. 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I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) [Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In 1999, I had my back against the wall, and WWE had a ghostwriter working on an autobiography for me. He was halfway through, and it was awful, just boring. 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