--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nobody wanted me. I just kept writing…" description: "\"Nobody wanted me. I just kept writing books and learning my craft. Most writers aren't very good in the beginning.\" — Phyllis A. Whitney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/phyllis-a-whitney-34320_book_nobody-wanted-me-i-just-kept-writing-boo_1227510.jpg" --- # Nobody wanted me. I just kept writing books and learning… ![“Nobody wanted me. I just kept writing books and learning my craft. Most writers aren't very good in the beginning.” quote by Phyllis A. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/phyllis-a-whitney-34320_book_nobody-wanted-me-i-just-kept-writing-boo_1227510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/phyllis-a-whitney-34320_book_nobody-wanted-me-i-just-kept-writing-boo_1227510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/phyllis-a-whitney-34320_book_nobody-wanted-me-i-just-kept-writing-boo_1227510.jpg) > “Nobody wanted me. I just kept writing books and learning my craft. Most writers aren't very good in the beginning.” [Phyllis A. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-a-whitney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early struggles are common; persistence in writing and learning the craft eventually leads to success despite initial rejection. **In simple terms:** Keep writing and improving despite early rejection. Key Takeaway Persist and hone your craft. Themes perseverance creativity growth Mood determined hopeful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - self‑study - publishing attempts Key Concepts skill development resilience authorial journey Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take today to improve your writing? - How do you handle rejection constructively? A Different Perspective Talent alone isn’t enough without dedication. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Perseverance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perseverance/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing a book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-a-book/) ## Related quotes > [I try to be aware of what I'm concerned about, aware of how I feel about myself in the world, aware of how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/i-try-to-be-aware-of-what-i-m-concerned-about-aware-of-how-i-feel/) [Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [Nothing mattered ... but writing books, and living the kind of life that made it possible to write them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/nothing-mattered-but-writing-books-and-living-the-kind-of-life-that/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [My problem is that people have been writing books about me.A lot of things that people write about you are incorrect, but you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-ross/my-problem-is-that-people-have-been-writing-books-about-me-a-lot-of/) [Diana Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-ross/) > [I hope I am not too old to take it up seriously, nor too stupid about machines to qualify as a commercial pilot. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/i-hope-i-am-not-too-old-to-take-it-up-seriously-nor-too-stupid-about/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Writing books is certainly a most unpleasant occupation. It is lonesome, unsanitary, and maddening. Many authors go crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/writing-books-is-certainly-a-most-unpleasant-occupation-it-is/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [There is the myth that writing books for children is easier than writing books for grownups, whereas we know that truly great books for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/there-is-the-myth-that-writing-books-for-children-is-easier-than/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Fahrenheit 451 is one of those books that is about how amazing books are and how amazing the people who write books are. Writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lieb/fahrenheit-451-is-one-of-those-books-that-is-about-how-amazing-books/) [Josh Lieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lieb/) > [Most established novelists are writing books informed by experiences gained in their youth. Middle age is not the best time to be changing smartphones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/most-established-novelists-are-writing-books-informed-by-experiences/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [I like writing books. I'd rather be at home with my wife. I can write, take a break, come out, have a glass of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-like-writing-books-i-d-rather-be-at-home-with-my-wife-i-can-write/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [And yes, there's a simplicity to writing books because you're not a member of a team, so you make all the decisions yourself instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/and-yes-there-s-a-simplicity-to-writing-books-because-you-re-not-a/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [If you were a fully realized person-whatever the hell that would be-you wouldn't fool around writing books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-gass/if-you-were-a-fully-realized-person-whatever-the-hell-that-would-be/) [William H. Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-gass/) > [The fun one can have writing books about books is limitless, to be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/the-fun-one-can-have-writing-books-about-books-is-limitless-to-be/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [There are no grown-ups. 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Whitney > [But emotion cannot be buried by words, though it can be aroused by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-a-whitney/but-emotion-cannot-be-buried-by-words-though-it-can-be-aroused-by-them/) [Phyllis A. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-a-whitney/) > [Reading has always been a major part of my life. It has broadened my world and taken me to places I would otherwise have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-a-whitney/reading-has-always-been-a-major-part-of-my-life-it-has-broadened-my/) [Phyllis A. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-a-whitney/) > [One of the wonderful things about being ALIVE is that it's never too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-a-whitney/one-of-the-wonderful-things-about-being-alive-is-that-it-s-never-too/) [Phyllis A. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-a-whitney/) > [A map is not a journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-a-whitney/a-map-is-not-a-journey/) [Phyllis A. 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But when a writer's work is in competition with all those thousands of other manuscripts that pour over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-a-whitney/as-good-as-always-spells-mediocrity-but-when-a-writer-s-work-is-in/) [Phyllis A. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-a-whitney/) > [You must want to enough. Enough to take all the rejections, enough to pay the price of disappointment and discouragement while you are learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-a-whitney/you-must-want-to-enough-enough-to-take-all-the-rejections-enough-to-2/) [Phyllis A. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-a-whitney/) > [A good book isn't written, it's rewritten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-a-whitney/a-good-book-isn-t-written-it-s-rewritten/) [Phyllis A. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-a-whitney/) > [It's hard to come up with a 'quote' about myself. 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Whitney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-a-whitney/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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