--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best I can say is that it's better…" description: "\"The best I can say is that it's better for me to write about despair and darkness than to be incapable of getting off the sofa. It's better to write ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/paul-westerberg-14078_darkness_the-best-i-can-say-is-that-it-s-better-f_214435.png" --- # The best I can say is that it's better for me to write… ![“The best I can say is that it's better for me to write about despair and darkness than to be incapable of getting off the sofa. It's better to write about suicide than to contemplate it too heavily.” quote by Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/paul-westerberg-14078_darkness_the-best-i-can-say-is-that-it-s-better-f_214435.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/paul-westerberg-14078_darkness_the-best-i-can-say-is-that-it-s-better-f_214435.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/paul-westerberg-14078_darkness_the-best-i-can-say-is-that-it-s-better-f_214435.png) > “The best I can say is that it's better for me to write about despair and darkness than to be incapable of getting off the sofa. It's better to write about suicide than to contemplate it too heavily.” [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing about darkness can be therapeutic, whereas dwelling on it can be paralyzing. **In simple terms:** Expressing pain helps, overthinking it harms. Key Takeaway Write to process, not to glorify despair. Themes mental health creativity suicide despair coping Mood reflective somber Type therapeutic inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - journaling - artist retreats Key Concepts psychotherapy expressive writing self‑care Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure writing remains healthy? - What support helps after confronting dark topics? A Different Perspective Writing may trigger negative thoughts if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-write-501919/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Incapable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incapable/) [Suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide/) [Suicide Contemplate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide-contemplate-2205807/) [Write Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-despair-2205806/) [Write Suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-suicide-1269496/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [People have writer's block not because they can't write, but because they despair of writing eloquently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-have-writer-s-block-not-because-they-can-t-write-but-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It was not easy to commit suicide as to contemplate it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-not-easy-to-commit-suicide-as-to-contemplate-it/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [It was not as easy to commit suicide as to contemplate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-not-as-easy-to-commit-suicide-as-to-contemplate-it/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [U already died the day you wear born,when u decided to pic up that pen write that suicide note.you only existed not lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentine-chikoma/u-already-died-the-day-you-wear-born-when-u-decided-to-pic-up-that/) [Valentine Chikoma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentine-chikoma/) > [I can't relate to the idea of suicide. I guess I'm just one of those people that is always optimistic and upbeat. But one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/i-can-t-relate-to-the-idea-of-suicide-i-guess-i-m-just-one-of-those/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [“Probably nobody ever jogs toward the room where they will write their suicide note,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/probably-nobody-ever-jogs-toward-the-room-where-they-will-write-their/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [Th' ethereal mould Incapable of stain would soon expel Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire, Victorious. Thus repuls'd, our final hope Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/th-ethereal-mould-incapable-of-stain-would-soon-expel-her-mischief/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [It sometimes is better to write in a more directed, focused way when the pages are aimed at something already, a mission statement or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-black/it-sometimes-is-better-to-write-in-a-more-directed-focused-way-when/) [Shane Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-black/) > [Many read self help books I often wonder if they are just searching for one better than they can write themselves?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/many-read-self-help-books-i-often-wonder-if-they-are-just-searching/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [“It is always better to write your feeling in GRAPHITE than in INK, As it’s much easier to erase them and start fresh as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarvesh-murthi-d-d/it-is-always-better-to-write-your-feeling-in-graphite-than-in-ink-as/) [Sarvesh Murthi .D.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarvesh-murthi-d-d/) > [“You don't have to have the most exciting life to write. If you have a story to tell, tell it; or better yet, write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-y-barris/you-don-t-have-to-have-the-most-exciting-life-to-write-if-you-have-a/) [J.Y. Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-y-barris/) > [Nothing trains you better to write fiction than being really good at writing about your own interiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-gould/nothing-trains-you-better-to-write-fiction-than-being-really-good-at/) [Emily Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-gould/) > [People who don't read are brutes. It is better to write than to make war, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eug-ne-ionesco/people-who-don-t-read-are-brutes-it-is-better-to-write-than-to-make/) [Eugene Ionesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eug-ne-ionesco/) > [“Better to write than to dare live, even if living means merely to buy bananas in the sunlight, as long as the sun lasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/better-to-write-than-to-dare-live-even-if-living-means-merely-to-buy/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [In Stratford you either turn into an alcoholic or you better write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-plummer/in-stratford-you-either-turn-into-an-alcoholic-or-you-better-write/) [Christopher Plummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-plummer/) ## More by Paul Westerberg > [Nobody can miss you unless you go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/nobody-can-miss-you-unless-you-go-away/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [I didn't wake up one morning and not be in the Replacements. We're all that forever, and I've just grown older. I mean, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/i-didn-t-wake-up-one-morning-and-not-be-in-the-replacements-we-re-all/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [I'm constantly recording and playing down in the basement, and my voice is starting to sound really good. There's cracks and scratches in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/i-m-constantly-recording-and-playing-down-in-the-basement-and-my/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [The hack songwriter will write the absolute truth every single word, whether it makes a great song or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/the-hack-songwriter-will-write-the-absolute-truth-every-single-word/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [Nobody gets married to a clever song, let alone falls in love to one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/nobody-gets-married-to-a-clever-song-let-alone-falls-in-love-to-one/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [Reading music is like listening to flowers. I don't understand the concept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/reading-music-is-like-listening-to-flowers-i-don-t-understand-the/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [The ones that love us least, are the ones we'll die to please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/the-ones-that-love-us-least-are-the-ones-we-ll-die-to-please/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [So I figured in keeping with the record, I'd do something off the wall which is show up for free and wing it... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/so-i-figured-in-keeping-with-the-record-i-d-do-something-off-the-wall/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [Some records are timeless, and some absolutely sound of their day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/some-records-are-timeless-and-some-absolutely-sound-of-their-day/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [I don't think there's anything that will make me stop doing it. There may be a time when it's not available to anyone. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-that-will-make-me-stop-doing-it-there/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [ We \[The Replacements\] never made any money on tour. None of us came out of the school of economics. We took it for granted… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/we-the-replacements-never-made-any-money-on-tour-none-of-us-came-out/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [Stick with your heart and you'll be fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/stick-with-your-heart-and-you-ll-be-fine/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [It's like, it's up to the people to fall in love with the song. The record company can only do so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/it-s-like-it-s-up-to-the-people-to-fall-in-love-with-the-song-the/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [The sheer volumes of songs have come from the hours of cold and darkness that one spends inside with the lights on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/the-sheer-volumes-of-songs-have-come-from-the-hours-of-cold-and/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) > [I try to write for highest common denominator. I don't write for dumb people. I figure if everybody doesn't get it, that's OK. Someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westerberg/i-try-to-write-for-highest-common-denominator-i-don-t-write-for-dumb/) [Paul Westerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) [Explore all 48 Paul Westerberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-westerberg/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) [Nicole Gentile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gentile/) [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best I can say is that it's better for me to write about despair and darkness than to be incapable of getting off the sofa. 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