--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being a good writer meant he could make a…" description: "\"“Being a good writer meant he could make a living and do as he chose. Being a great one would bring responsibilities and expectations he had no desire ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/nora-roberts-128_good-writer_being-a-good-writer-meant-he-could-make_169859.jpg" --- # Being a good writer meant he could make a living and do as… ![“Being a good writer meant he could make a living and do as he chose. Being a great one would bring responsibilities and expectations he had no desire to face.” quote by Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/nora-roberts-128_good-writer_being-a-good-writer-meant-he-could-make_169859.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/nora-roberts-128_good-writer_being-a-good-writer-meant-he-could-make_169859.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/nora-roberts-128_good-writer_being-a-good-writer-meant-he-could-make_169859.jpg) > ““Being a good writer meant he could make a living and do as he chose. Being a great one would bring responsibilities and expectations he had no desire to face.”” [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts the modest benefits of competence with the burdens that come with excellence, suggesting that higher achievement brings unwanted obligations. **In simple terms:** Being good pays the bills; being great adds pressure. Key Takeaway Consider if fame’s responsibilities align with your goals. Themes career creativity responsibility expectations success Mood reflective ambivalent Type cautionary motivational When to use this quote - writing career - publishing contracts - public speaking - teaching workshops Key Concepts intrinsic motivation social pressure identity legacy Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer stability over fame? - How would you handle increased expectations? A Different Perspective Greatness may limit personal freedom and increase scrutiny. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I see myself as a technical person who chose a great project and a great way of doing that project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-see-myself-as-a-technical-person-who-chose-a-great-project-and-a/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Words mean more than we mean to express when we use them: so a whole book ought to mean a great deal more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/words-mean-more-than-we-mean-to-express-when-we-use-them-so-a-whole/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [When I first decided to be a writer, that meant dealing with preoccupations and concerns that took little account of Indian traditions. I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/when-i-first-decided-to-be-a-writer-that-meant-dealing-with/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [The ideal reader cannot sleep when holding the writer he was meant to be with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/the-ideal-reader-cannot-sleep-when-holding-the-writer-he-was-meant-to/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“The question is not what the writer meant, but what he conveyed to those who heard or read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-gatley/the-question-is-not-what-the-writer-meant-but-what-he-conveyed-to/) Clement Gatley > [I think writer is a word without gender, and a good writer observes, absorbs, hopefully empathizes then translates that into character and story. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-think-writer-is-a-word-without-gender-and-a-good-writer-observes/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You don't have to be a good person to be a good writer--history shows it's better if you're not--but you have to understand your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abrahams/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-good-person-to-be-a-good-writer-history-shows/) [Peter Abrahams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abrahams/) > [“Grayson: Fiction is just a lie anyway. Brianna: But it's not - it's a different kind of truth - it would be your truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/grayson-fiction-is-just-a-lie-anyway-brianna-but-it-s-not-it-s-a/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [What makes a good writer of history is a guy who is suspicious. 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You need to be fearless when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/first-and-foremost-if-you-want-to-be-a-good-writer-you-need-to-be-a/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) > [I will say that the prison regime is rather a good one for a writer because you have plenty of time to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-archer/i-will-say-that-the-prison-regime-is-rather-a-good-one-for-a-writer/) [Mary Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-archer/) > [“Honestly,” he says, “I judge writers on how they write queries. If you’re a good writer, you’re a good writer.” And if not, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-gessen/honestly-he-says-i-judge-writers-on-how-they-write-queries-if-you-re/) [Keith Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-gessen/) > [A good writer does not write as people write, but as he writes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/a-good-writer-does-not-write-as-people-write-but-as-he-writes/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) ## More by Nora Roberts > [“Why stop now? Seduce me, Brian.I dare you." "I've always found it hard to turn aside a dare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/why-stop-now-seduce-me-brian-i-dare-you-i-ve-always-found-it-hard-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Flowers that had bloomed brilliant from spring through autumn blackened under the killing frost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/flowers-that-had-bloomed-brilliant-from-spring-through-autumn/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“He's back in Maine now.She did say he badgered her with questions. Of course, she didn't have the answer until she spoke to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/he-s-back-in-maine-now-she-did-say-he-badgered-her-with-questions-of/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Every professor worth his PhD should have a fireplace in his study.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/every-professor-worth-his-phd-should-have-a-fireplace-in-his-study/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Sorry, bad wing." When Theo kissed him, surprise and pleasure flustered him. He couldn't remember the last time this boy, this young man, had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/sorry-bad-wing-when-theo-kissed-him-surprise-and-pleasure-flustered/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Because it's hard not to matter, even to someone you dislike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/because-it-s-hard-not-to-matter-even-to-someone-you-dislike/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“No point in wishing for what you can't have. - Blair What's the point in wishing for what you can and do? - Larken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/no-point-in-wishing-for-what-you-can-t-have-blair-what-s-the-point-in/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Grayson: Fiction is just a lie anyway. Brianna: But it's not - it's a different kind of truth - it would be your truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/grayson-fiction-is-just-a-lie-anyway-brianna-but-it-s-not-it-s-a/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“I was going to make a confession. Then I remembered I don't make them very well. We still need to see the monkeys." "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-was-going-to-make-a-confession-then-i-remembered-i-don-t-make-them/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [I've wanted to be with you when I didn't have the right to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-ve-wanted-to-be-with-you-when-i-didn-t-have-the-right-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You can't write well what you don't read for pleasure. If it doesn't entertain you, it's not going to entertain anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-write-well-what-you-don-t-read-for-pleasure-if-it-doesn-t/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You can't edit a blank page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-edit-a-blank-page/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“There was a boy down at the stables." She laughed suddenly with her back comfortably nestled against Grant's chest. "Oh,Lord,he was a bit like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/there-was-a-boy-down-at-the-stables-she-laughed-suddenly-with-her/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Some people refuse to take the next step. You could refuse to take what you wanted most, because you're afraid someday you might lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/some-people-refuse-to-take-the-next-step-you-could-refuse-to-take/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Oh, i'm going to kick his ass, and when i'm done, i'm going to squeeze his balls blue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/oh-i-m-going-to-kick-his-ass-and-when-i-m-done-i-m-going-to-squeeze/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) [Explore all 1,138 Nora Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) ## More Good writer quotes > [You don't have to be a good person to be a good writer--history shows it's better if you're not--but you have to understand your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abrahams/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-good-person-to-be-a-good-writer-history-shows/) [Peter Abrahams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abrahams/) > [“Honestly,” he says, “I judge writers on how they write queries. If you’re a good writer, you’re a good writer.” And if not, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-gessen/honestly-he-says-i-judge-writers-on-how-they-write-queries-if-you-re/) [Keith Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-gessen/) > [I will say that the prison regime is rather a good one for a writer because you have plenty of time to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-archer/i-will-say-that-the-prison-regime-is-rather-a-good-one-for-a-writer/) [Mary Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-archer/) > [First and foremost, if you want to be a good writer, you need to be a good eater. You need to be fearless when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/first-and-foremost-if-you-want-to-be-a-good-writer-you-need-to-be-a/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) > [“A good writer knew when not to write. Anybody could type. Not that I was a good typist; also I couldn't spell and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/a-good-writer-knew-when-not-to-write-anybody-could-type-not-that-i/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [What makes a good writer of history is a guy who is suspicious. Suspicion marks the real difference between the man who wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bishop/what-makes-a-good-writer-of-history-is-a-guy-who-is-suspicious/) [Jim Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bishop/) > [A good writer does not write as people write, but as he writes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/a-good-writer-does-not-write-as-people-write-but-as-he-writes/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [“It’s not that I want people to think I am smart, or even that I am a good writer. I write because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/it-s-not-that-i-want-people-to-think-i-am-smart-or-even-that-i-am-a/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [A good journalist, as you know, is a great listener. And so's a good writer. And I got to listen to people for almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/a-good-journalist-as-you-know-is-a-great-listener-and-so-s-a-good/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [I don't think I'm a particularly good writer, and I'm not terribly insightful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-don-t-think-i-m-a-particularly-good-writer-and-i-m-not-terribly/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [You can't be a good writer without being a good thinker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/you-can-t-be-a-good-writer-without-being-a-good-thinker/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [What good is a writer if he can't destroy literature? And us... what good are we if we don't help as much as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/what-good-is-a-writer-if-he-can-t-destroy-literature-and-us-what-good/) [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [When it comes to writing characters, whether men or women, I think a good writer writes good characters. I know many men who, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoya-akhtar/when-it-comes-to-writing-characters-whether-men-or-women-i-think-a/) [Zoya Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoya-akhtar/) > [Nothing can destroy the good writer. The only thing that can alter the good writer is death. Good ones don't have time to bother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/nothing-can-destroy-the-good-writer-the-only-thing-that-can-alter-the/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Priyadarshan makes good films because he is a good writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohanlal/priyadarshan-makes-good-films-because-he-is-a-good-writer/) [Mohanlal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohanlal/) Browse all 203 Good writer quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Being a good writer meant he could make a living and do as he chose. 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