--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not that [writers] are pompous…" description: "\"“It's not that [writers] are pompous jerks. We are insecure. We feel like we're fading away in this vast sea of scriveners.”\" — William Browning Spencer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/william-browning-spencer-10351_insecure_it-s-not-that-writers-are-pompous-jerks_522776.jpg" --- # It's not that \[writers\] are pompous jerks. We are… ![“It's not that [writers] are pompous jerks. We are insecure. We feel like we're fading away in this vast sea of scriveners.” quote by William Browning Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/william-browning-spencer-10351_insecure_it-s-not-that-writers-are-pompous-jerks_522776.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/william-browning-spencer-10351_insecure_it-s-not-that-writers-are-pompous-jerks_522776.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/william-browning-spencer-10351_insecure_it-s-not-that-writers-are-pompous-jerks_522776.jpg) > ““It's not that \[writers\] are pompous jerks. We are insecure. We feel like we're fading away in this vast sea of scriveners.”” William Browning Spencer ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers feel insecure and fear fading into a sea of other scribblers, despite perceptions of arrogance. **In simple terms:** Writers fear fading among peers. Key Takeaway Acknowledge insecurity and focus on authentic voice. Themes writing insecurity humility community confidence Mood reflective vulnerable Type Insecure:1 Writer:1 Writers:1 Writing:1 Insecure Feel:0 Writers Pompous:0 Jerks Insecure:0 When to use this quote - writing workshops - peer review - personal journaling - public readings Key Concepts literature psychology creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate confidence despite competition? A Different Perspective May generalize all writers' experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [No matter how insecure you feel. Somewhere deep down you have confidence.Whether it comes of when you're alone ,or with your loved ones,its there.You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-m/no-matter-how-insecure-you-feel-somewhere-deep-down-you-have/) Pamela M > [I get a bit insecure if I feel like there's too much makeup on my face or if I feel like I'm cakey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dua-lipa/i-get-a-bit-insecure-if-i-feel-like-there-s-too-much-makeup-on-my/) [Dua Lipa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dua-lipa/) > [I hate how insecure I feel without some makeup on my face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-how-insecure-i-feel-without-some-makeup-on-my-face/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It’s the backwards law again: the more you try to be certain about something, the more uncertain and insecure you will feel. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/it-s-the-backwards-law-again-the-more-you-try-to-be-certain-about/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [I don't know how any film can bother you. It doesn't have to do with multi-starrer films. If you are insecure, you can feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kriti-kharbanda/i-don-t-know-how-any-film-can-bother-you-it-doesn-t-have-to-do-with/) [Kriti Kharbanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kriti-kharbanda/) > [Even now while I'm acting on Broadway, I find myself saying things like, 'Well I'm not REALLY an actor, I'm more of a writer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-escola/even-now-while-i-m-acting-on-broadway-i-find-myself-saying-things/) [Cole Escola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-escola/) > [I'm always amazed by writers who tell me they plan everything at the beginning. I feel their writing days must be very bland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tremain/i-m-always-amazed-by-writers-who-tell-me-they-plan-everything-at-the/) [Rose Tremain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tremain/) > [“You know what they say about writers: we can do it quietly, in many different positions, and all night long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-d-votey/you-know-what-they-say-about-writers-we-can-do-it-quietly-in-many/) [Christopher D. Votey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-d-votey/) > [I've been an advocate against the view of the writer as a partitioned genius hanging in conceptual space, or up on a mountain, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/i-ve-been-an-advocate-against-the-view-of-the-writer-as-a-partitioned/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [“I have from the first felt sure that the writer, when he sits down to commence his novel, should do so, not because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/i-have-from-the-first-felt-sure-that-the-writer-when-he-sits-down-to/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [All writers, I think, are to one extent or another, damaged people. Writing is our way of repairing ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-writers-i-think-are-to-one-extent-or-another-damaged-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Writers are often the worst judges of what they have written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/writers-are-often-the-worst-judges-of-what-they-have-written/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Personal trainers and writers don't end up in history books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/personal-trainers-and-writers-don-t-end-up-in-history-books/) [Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/) > [Writers are used to being re-created, and need it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/writers-are-used-to-being-re-created-and-need-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To refer even in passing to unpublished or struggling authors and their problems is to put oneself at some risk, so I will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/to-refer-even-in-passing-to-unpublished-or-struggling-authors-and/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) ## More by William Browning Spencer > [“The advantage of being married a long time was that one could argue without the necessity of the other's actual, physical presence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-browning-spencer/the-advantage-of-being-married-a-long-time-was-that-one-could-argue/) William Browning Spencer Explore all 2 William Browning Spencer quotes ## More Insecure quotes > [I always look in the mirror to see somthing beautiful but all I see is me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/13-yearold/i-always-look-in-the-mirror-to-see-somthing-beautiful-but-all-i-see/) 13 Yearold > [I don't feel insecure about any of this work anymore. Maybe I don't have what I had when I was younger. I'm not really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-don-t-feel-insecure-about-any-of-this-work-anymore-maybe-i-don-t/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [I love how the most insecure people on Facebook are the ones who post a new self portrait every 6 hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-how-the-most-insecure-people-on-facebook-are-the-ones-who-post/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > ['I am insecure' means: I can't cope on my own. The odds are overwhelming. I can't resist them on my own. I need us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/i-am-insecure-means-i-can-t-cope-on-my-own-the-odds-are-overwhelming/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [I think that when you use the word 'plus-size,' you're putting all these women in a category: 'You don't eat well.' 'You don't work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/i-think-that-when-you-use-the-word-plus-size-you-re-putting-all-these/) [Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/) > [Being self conscious and insecure is a way of life, you can't expect to be confident 100% of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-self-conscious-and-insecure-is-a-way-of-life-you-can-t-expect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't have a man look at me for five seconds without being, insecure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-t-have-a-man-look-at-me-for-five-seconds-without-being-insecure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even though I am a professional, and I know what the steps are, I don't quite know how I'm going to do them, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-farrell/even-though-i-am-a-professional-and-i-know-what-the-steps-are-i-don-t/) [Suzanne Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-farrell/) > [People love to help. I don't have to be insecure and know it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-wilson/people-love-to-help-i-don-t-have-to-be-insecure-and-know-it-all/) Chip Wilson > [Stop being insecure every time a cute girl comes around your man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-being-insecure-every-time-a-cute-girl-comes-around-your-man/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All actors are insecure. And I've got my insecurities, which is why I go to the gym all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-heughan/all-actors-are-insecure-and-i-ve-got-my-insecurities-which-is-why-i/) [Sam Heughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-heughan/) > [Haters gonna hate. Insecure people will always be insecure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/haters-gonna-hate-insecure-people-will-always-be-insecure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At times, the curve/fat/plus convo tends be this 'out of the dark' story, like, 'I used to be insecure, but now here I am.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paloma-elsesser/at-times-the-curve-fat-plus-convo-tends-be-this-out-of-the-dark-story/) [Paloma Elsesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paloma-elsesser/) Browse all 1,135 Insecure quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's not that [writers] are pompous jerks. We are insecure. 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