--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best time to write a story is…" description: "\"The best time to write a story is yesterday. The next best time is today.\" — R. A. Lafferty" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_best-time_the-best-time-to-write-a-story-is-yester_2908285.jpg" --- # The best time to write a story is yesterday. The next best… ![“The best time to write a story is yesterday. The next best time is today.” quote by R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_best-time_the-best-time-to-write-a-story-is-yester_2908285.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_best-time_the-best-time-to-write-a-story-is-yester_2908285.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_best-time_the-best-time-to-write-a-story-is-yester_2908285.jpg) > “The best time to write a story is yesterday. The next best time is today.” [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing thrives on immediacy; delaying loses momentum, while acting now captures urgency. **In simple terms:** Write now, don’t wait. Key Takeaway Start writing today. Themes creativity urgency productivity Mood determined hopeful Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - novel drafting - blog posts - journal entries - screenplays Key Concepts writing process time management Questions to Reflect On - What story are you postponing? - How does urgency shape quality? A Different Perspective Procrastination can still stall even with advice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-time/) [Best times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-times/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story Yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-yesterday-4174117/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-write/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Write Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-story/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yesterday/) [Yesterday Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yesterday-best-3296223/) ## Related quotes > [The best time to write is when your life is in the toilet. Writing offers an escape from your problems, so if you force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/the-best-time-to-write-is-when-your-life-is-in-the-toilet-writing/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [Nothing stops an organization faster than people who believe that the way you worked yesterday is the best way to work tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-c-madonna/nothing-stops-an-organization-faster-than-people-who-believe-that-the/) [Jon C. Madonna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-c-madonna/) > [It was a big story and yesterday's soup. Who cares?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-scott/it-was-a-big-story-and-yesterday-s-soup-who-cares/) [Willard Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-scott/) > [My best time to write is right after coffee and breakfast - four eggs because, full disclosure: I'm really a komodo dragon - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/my-best-time-to-write-is-right-after-coffee-and-breakfast-four-eggs/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [We who are born from above testify to the change that God has wrought in our hearts. Perhaps the best time for you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-reidhead/we-who-are-born-from-above-testify-to-the-change-that-god-has-wrought/) [Paris Reidhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-reidhead/) > [Find your best time of the day for writing and write. Don't let anything else interfere. Afterwards it won't matter to you that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-freud/find-your-best-time-of-the-day-for-writing-and-write-don-t-let/) [Esther Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-freud/) > [All the kids in the cast tell me they hated high school, but I had the best time. I guess I was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-morrison/all-the-kids-in-the-cast-tell-me-they-hated-high-school-but-i-had-the/) [Matthew Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-morrison/) > [If you are posing as religious and are not living the life as stressed by God, you should wake up. It is wrong to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/if-you-are-posing-as-religious-and-are-not-living-the-life-as/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [With stage, you feel completely like you're just in a bubble. I love not being able to see anything. I love coming out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/with-stage-you-feel-completely-like-you-re-just-in-a-bubble-i-love/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [For us, the best time is always yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatyana-tolstaya/for-us-the-best-time-is-always-yesterday/) [Tatyana Tolstaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatyana-tolstaya/) > [I decided to start anew-to strip away what I had been taught, to accept as true my own thinking. This was one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-decided-to-start-anew-to-strip-away-what-i-had-been-taught-to/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [I always think I should get on it if I want to have kids. Because once you hit thirty it can be difficult to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah/i-always-think-i-should-get-on-it-if-i-want-to-have-kids-because-once/) [Sarah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah/) > [Don't stop moving - the best time of your life is just around the corner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-austin/don-t-stop-moving-the-best-time-of-your-life-is-just-around-the-corner/) [Denise Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-austin/) > [I have never heard anyone say This is it. I know right now is the high point of my life. It will never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it-i-know-right-now-is-the-high/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) ## More by R. A. Lafferty > [When you have shot and killed a man you have in some measure clarified your attitude toward him. You have given a definite answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/when-you-have-shot-and-killed-a-man-you-have-in-some-measure/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [The good stories, of course, write themselves. And somebody wants to know who are the really good writers, and how many of them there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/the-good-stories-of-course-write-themselves-and-somebody-wants-to/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [True love is that we should hate whatever interferes with our vision of the high and the lowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/true-love-is-that-we-should-hate-whatever-interferes-with-our-vision/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [The lowest common denominator of the universe is both low and common.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/the-lowest-common-denominator-of-the-universe-is-both-low-and-common/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [An excess of science will leave none of us alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/an-excess-of-science-will-leave-none-of-us-alive/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Strangers may not lodge complaints till they have been in residence here for ninety days," the Cacique said, "and no stranger has ever remained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/strangers-may-not-lodge-complaints-till-they-have-been-in-residence/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Death is for a long time. Those of shallow thought say that it is forever. There is, at least, a long night of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/death-is-for-a-long-time-those-of-shallow-thought-say-that-it-is/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [The law of levity is allowed to supersede the law of gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/the-law-of-levity-is-allowed-to-supersede-the-law-of-gravity/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [There is a secret society of seven men that controls the finances of the world. This is known to everyone but the details are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/there-is-a-secret-society-of-seven-men-that-controls-the-finances-of/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Learn the true topography; the monstrous and wonderful archetypes are not inside you, not inside your consciousness; you are inside them, trapped and howling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/learn-the-true-topography-the-monstrous-and-wonderful-archetypes-are/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [We must kill the Devil afresh every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/we-must-kill-the-devil-afresh-every-day/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Every science is made up entirely of anomalies rearranged to fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/every-science-is-made-up-entirely-of-anomalies-rearranged-to-fit/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [When we travel we find how greatly our boyhood dreams are outstripped by reality .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/when-we-travel-we-find-how-greatly-our-boyhood-dreams-are-outstripped/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Though my short stories are the more readable, my novels do have more to say; and they will, if anyone has the patience for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/though-my-short-stories-are-the-more-readable-my-novels-do-have-more/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Do not be deceived by the way men of bad faith misuse words and names … Things are set up as contraries that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/do-not-be-deceived-by-the-way-men-of-bad-faith-misuse-words-and-names/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) [Explore all 18 R. A. Lafferty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) ## More Best time quotes > [I say this about everything: when I was on 'Neighbours,' I said, 'These are the best years of my life!' When I was filming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/i-say-this-about-everything-when-i-was-on-neighbours-i-said-these-are/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) > [A Relationship Doesnt Shine By Just Shaking Hands In Best Times.. But, It Blossoms By Holding Hands Firmly In Critical Times..!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-relationship-doesnt-shine-by-just-shaking-hands-in-best-times-but/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“My favorite unit of time is the hour, because I collect them and store as many as 10 new and unused ones each night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/my-favorite-unit-of-time-is-the-hour-because-i-collect-them-and-store/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Being close to my friends. I like to spend time alone as well, but the best time is with friends around when you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chace-crawford/being-close-to-my-friends-i-like-to-spend-time-alone-as-well-but-the/) [Chace Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chace-crawford/) > [“Wintertime is the best time of the year to get really fat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/wintertime-is-the-best-time-of-the-year-to-get-really-fat/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [The best time to write is when your life is in the toilet. Writing offers an escape from your problems, so if you force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/the-best-time-to-write-is-when-your-life-is-in-the-toilet-writing/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [I have never heard anyone say This is it. I know right now is the high point of my life. It will never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it-i-know-right-now-is-the-high/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Some other people are very lucky and always get in to the very best teams at the very best times and therefore go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leslie/some-other-people-are-very-lucky-and-always-get-in-to-the-very-best/) [David Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leslie/) > [“My studio team and I approached the creation of this series with enthusiasm, wit, sincerity and sometimes more than a dash of humour. Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waswo-x-waswo-2/my-studio-team-and-i-approached-the-creation-of-this-series-with/) [Waswo X Waswo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waswo-x-waswo-2/) > [Don't stop moving - the best time of your life is just around the corner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-austin/don-t-stop-moving-the-best-time-of-your-life-is-just-around-the-corner/) [Denise Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-austin/) > [The best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago. The second-best time to plant a tree is today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliud-kipchoge/the-best-time-to-plant-a-tree-was-25-years-ago-the-second-best-time/) [Eliud Kipchoge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliud-kipchoge/) > [From my point of view, this is the best time of the year. I don't love heat. I'm a winter guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/from-my-point-of-view-this-is-the-best-time-of-the-year-i-don-t-love/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [Even the best of us are at least part-time bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/even-the-best-of-us-are-at-least-part-time-bastards/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) [Browse all 568 Best time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-time/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best time to write a story is yesterday. The next best time is today.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. A. 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