--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An editor is like a priest or a…" description: "\"“An editor is like a priest or a psychiatrist; if you get the wrong one then you are better off alone.”\" — Toni Morrison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/toni-morrison-271_better-off-alone_an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiat_3028354.jpg" --- # An editor is like a priest or a psychiatrist; if you get… ![“An editor is like a priest or a psychiatrist; if you get the wrong one then you are better off alone.” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/toni-morrison-271_better-off-alone_an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiat_3028354.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/toni-morrison-271_better-off-alone_an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiat_3028354.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/toni-morrison-271_better-off-alone_an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiat_3028354.jpg) > ““An editor is like a priest or a psychiatrist; if you get the wrong one then you are better off alone.”” [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing the wrong editor can be more harmful than working alone. **In simple terms:** A bad editor hurts more than solitude. Key Takeaway Select collaborators wisely. Themes editing collaboration trust Mood cautious reflective Type advice professional When to use this quote - publishing - creative writing - project management Key Concepts communication professional judgment Questions to Reflect On - What qualities do you value in an editor? - Can you self‑edit effectively? A Different Perspective Finding a good editor is difficult and time‑consuming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better off alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-off-alone/) ## Related quotes > [“A good editor is like a pair of Spanx: firming up the body, making the subject look good, and absolutely invisible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandi-layne/a-good-editor-is-like-a-pair-of-spanx-firming-up-the-body-making-the/) [Sandi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandi-layne/) > [Working as an editor was like being a professional reader, and the better I became at reading the better I became at writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/working-as-an-editor-was-like-being-a-professional-reader-and-the/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Calling EMACS an editor is like calling the Earth a hunk of dirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dibona/calling-emacs-an-editor-is-like-calling-the-earth-a-hunk-of-dirt/) [Chris DiBona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dibona/) > [“A good editor is like tinsel to a Christmas Tree...they add the perfect amount of sparkle without being gaudy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobbi-romans/a-good-editor-is-like-tinsel-to-a-christmas-tree-they-add-the-perfect/) Bobbi Romans > [An editor is like a painter. There is a magic in that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-rockwell/an-editor-is-like-a-painter-there-is-a-magic-in-that/) [Sam Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-rockwell/) > [An editor is like a professional reader, and as I became a better reader, I also became a better writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/an-editor-is-like-a-professional-reader-and-as-i-became-a-better/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [ \[My father\] had spent his own short time like a priest in charge of a relic, forever expecting the blessed blood to liquefy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mavis-gallant/my-father-had-spent-his-own-short-time-like-a-priest-in-charge-of-a/) [Mavis Gallant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mavis-gallant/) > [My life has been about living like a monk and looking like a priest so that people will come up to me and tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/my-life-has-been-about-living-like-a-monk-and-looking-like-a-priest/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Professors of classics - not even a professor of English - professors of classics, they're something sacred; it's almost like being a priest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-segal/professors-of-classics-not-even-a-professor-of-english-professors-of/) [Erich Segal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-segal/) > [Think like a prophet, serve like a priest, and plan like a king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/think-like-a-prophet-serve-like-a-priest-and-plan-like-a-king/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [For an artist to think in terms of success is like a priest trying to think in terms of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/for-an-artist-to-think-in-terms-of-success-is-like-a-priest-trying-to/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“For the writer who truly loves language, a trip to the copy editor is like a week at a spa. You come out looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/for-the-writer-who-truly-loves-language-a-trip-to-the-copy-editor-is/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [ Maybe \[I care about language\] because I'm an editor, maybe because I'm picky, but it's all we got, don't shrink it. Don't dumb it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/maybe-i-care-about-language-because-i-m-an-editor-maybe-because-i-m/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Im better off alone, prove you can do it alone with a smile on your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-better-off-alone-prove-you-can-do-it-alone-with-a-smile-on-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes we're better off alone rather than with bad company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-re-better-off-alone-rather-than-with-bad-company/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You looked at them and wondered why the were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-looked-at-them-and-wondered-why-the-were-so-ugly-you-looked/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-know-how-a-star-is-supposed-to-twinkle-we-say-twinkle-because/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“She was fierce in the presence of death, heroic even, as she was at no other time. Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Explore all 774 Toni Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## More Better off alone quotes > [Im better off alone, prove you can do it alone with a smile on your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-better-off-alone-prove-you-can-do-it-alone-with-a-smile-on-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes we're better off alone rather than with bad company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-re-better-off-alone-rather-than-with-bad-company/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes I wish I could realize I'm better off alone than be with someone that hurts me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-wish-i-could-realize-i-m-better-off-alone-than-be-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hope you fall in love with someone who makes you question why you ever thought you would be better off alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/i-hope-you-fall-in-love-with-someone-who-makes-you-question-why-you/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Better off alone than in bad company.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salla-simukka/better-off-alone-than-in-bad-company/) [Salla Simukka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salla-simukka/) > [If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/if-you-find-a-girl-who-reads-keep-her-close-when-you-find-her-up-at-2-2/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [I am happy tat no one's got my back. 'coz if someone would had it, then I would have to be dependent on them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stiffler/i-am-happy-tat-no-one-s-got-my-back-coz-if-someone-would-had-it-then/) Stiffler > [“You should date a girl who reads. Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-should-date-a-girl-who-reads-date-a-girl-who-reads-date-a-girl/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes you're the only one who will understand yourself that's why you're better off alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-re-the-only-one-who-will-understand-yourself-that-s-why/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm better off alone not every Queen needs a King to sit by her throne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-better-off-alone-not-every-queen-needs-a-king-to-sit-by-her-throne/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why should I be in a relationship.. When I'm better off alone? :(](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redzel/why-should-i-be-in-a-relationship-when-i-m-better-off-alone/) Redzel > [I start making excuses in my head, and thinking of all the reasons why I am better off alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-start-making-excuses-in-my-head-and-thinking-of-all-the-reasons-why/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm better off alone then with another. Other's cause more stress than I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-better-off-alone-then-with-another-other-s-cause-more-stress-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every time I give someone a chance I get proven that I'm better off alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-time-i-give-someone-a-chance-i-get-proven-that-i-m-better-off/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't care how much you regret lettin me go. I don't want you back. I'm better off alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-care-how-much-you-regret-lettin-me-go-i-don-t-want-you-back-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 39 Better off alone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-off-alone/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“An editor is like a priest or a psychiatrist; if you get the wrong one then you are better off alone.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiatrist-if-you-get-the-wrong-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better off alone" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiatrist-if-you-get-the-wrong-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/toni-morrison-271_better-off-alone_an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiat_3028354.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/toni-morrison-271_better-off-alone_an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiat_3028354.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/toni-morrison-271_better-off-alone_an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiat_3028354.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An editor is like a priest or a psychiatrist; if you get the wrong one then you are better off alone.” — Toni Morrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Toni Morrison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“An editor is like a priest...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiatrist-if-you-get-the-wrong-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/an-editor-is-like-a-priest-or-a-psychiatrist-if-you-get-the-wrong-one/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```