--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing about finishing a story is that…" description: "\"“The thing about finishing a story is that finishing is really only the beginning.”\" — William Herring" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/william-herring-77668_beginning_the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-tha_2809468.jpg" --- # The thing about finishing a story is that finishing is… ![“The thing about finishing a story is that finishing is really only the beginning.” quote by William Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/william-herring-77668_beginning_the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-tha_2809468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/william-herring-77668_beginning_the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-tha_2809468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/william-herring-77668_beginning_the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-tha_2809468.jpg) > ““The thing about finishing a story is that finishing is really only the beginning.”” [William Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herring/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Completing a narrative is merely the start of new ideas, interpretations, and continuations. **In simple terms:** Finishing a story opens the door for more storytelling. Key Takeaway Embrace endings as seeds for new beginnings. Themes creativity continuity growth Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - writing workshops - publishing - personal reflection Key Concepts narrative cycles authorial intent Questions to Reflect On - What does “the beginning” mean to you? - How can you extend a story’s impact? A Different Perspective Some may view endings as final, limiting further development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Finishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finishing/) [Finishing Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finishing-really-3509491/) [Finishing Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finishing-story-3509490/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Story Finishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-finishing-3509489/) [Thing Finishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-finishing-3509492/) ## Related quotes > [“Many people think that the idea is the difficult part of writing a story, and this can be true. But there is another challenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herring/many-people-think-that-the-idea-is-the-difficult-part-of-writing-a/) [William Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herring/) > [I can't bear to finish things, beyond a certain point they get heavy. There's something so dead about a finished painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-can-t-bear-to-finish-things-beyond-a-certain-point-they-get-heavy/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [It is easy to have a lot of paintings or projects hanging around that are 'almost done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-kinkade/it-is-easy-to-have-a-lot-of-paintings-or-projects-hanging-around-that/) [Thomas Kinkade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-kinkade/) > [You can always improve with the team. There are tactical things, finishing in front of goal, speed as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/you-can-always-improve-with-the-team-there-are-tactical-things/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [Always quit for the day when you know what you want to do next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/always-quit-for-the-day-when-you-know-what-you-want-to-do-next/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I think it started with both the shows and the box set from finishing White Material. I think we were also pretty desperate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-a-staples/i-think-it-started-with-both-the-shows-and-the-box-set-from-finishing/) [Stuart A. Staples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-a-staples/) > [So many people are good at starts and not so good at finishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-corcoran/so-many-people-are-good-at-starts-and-not-so-good-at-finishing/) [Barbara Corcoran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-corcoran/) > [I need to improve my finishing. I need more goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-ji-sung/i-need-to-improve-my-finishing-i-need-more-goals/) [Park Ji-sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-ji-sung/) > [Don't start shit you can't finish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden/don-t-start-shit-you-can-t-finish/) [Jaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden/) > [I didn't finish high school - left home when I was 15. I moved away to Fresno and worked as a grocery clerk. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-covey/i-didn-t-finish-high-school-left-home-when-i-was-15-i-moved-away-to/) [Joy Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-covey/) > [Salah already played in England. He has high skills at dribbling, tempo and finishing and he makes defenders despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/salah-already-played-in-england-he-has-high-skills-at-dribbling-tempo/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [“Never be afraid to offer a smile; sure the risk is that a few foolish people may misinterpret your kindness as weakness, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/never-be-afraid-to-offer-a-smile-sure-the-risk-is-that-a-few-foolish/) [Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/) > [A good, finished scandal, fully armed and equipped, such as circulates in the world, is rarely the production of a single individual, or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/a-good-finished-scandal-fully-armed-and-equipped-such-as-circulates/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) > [One should never forget that by actually perfecting one piece one gains and learns more than by starting or half-finishing a dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-brahms/one-should-never-forget-that-by-actually-perfecting-one-piece-one/) [Johannes Brahms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-brahms/) > [There is usually no dreamer so unworldly as the anthologist. He wanders in a vast garden, lost in wonder, unable to decide often between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-webb/there-is-usually-no-dreamer-so-unworldly-as-the-anthologist-he/) [Mary Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-webb/) ## More by William Herring > [“Many people think that the idea is the difficult part of writing a story, and this can be true. But there is another challenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herring/many-people-think-that-the-idea-is-the-difficult-part-of-writing-a/) [William Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herring/) > [“Tortoises are not very fast, as everyone knows, but they make up for their slow speed by being very determined. And if you turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herring/tortoises-are-not-very-fast-as-everyone-knows-but-they-make-up-for/) [William Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herring/) [Explore all 3 William Herring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herring/) ## More Beginning quotes > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) [Adam Imad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-imad/) > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The only vocal training I had was playing with a tape recorder as a kid, and you know, doing the beginning of the 'Lone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/the-only-vocal-training-i-had-was-playing-with-a-tape-recorder-as-a/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [January is the beginning of a new year for us in the Western world. Let us give to God what belongs to him: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/january-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-year-for-us-in-the-western-world/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [In the beginning, if you look at those early label albums of the Chicks, we didn't write all that much. We had an A&R…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/in-the-beginning-if-you-look-at-those-early-label-albums-of-the/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [When there is a mission before you, you see it from its beginning to its conclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-white/when-there-is-a-mission-before-you-you-see-it-from-its-beginning-to/) [Jesse White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-white/) > [When God made the world, all things began with him. Life, death, it all began when he said so. That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) [Manae Poet Of Carisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manae-poet-of-carisis/) > [From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-noyce/from-the-beginning-at-intel-we-planned-on-being-big/) [Robert Noyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-noyce/) > [In the very beginning, Yelp started as a service where we really didn't think people would write reviews for fun. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/in-the-very-beginning-yelp-started-as-a-service-where-we-really-didn/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [Some projects feel like the stars are aligning for them from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-smith/some-projects-feel-like-the-stars-are-aligning-for-them-from-the-very/) [Gregory Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-smith/) > [Do not judge me by my beginning, Only by my end, Nor by the path I took, But where it led me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacklyn-h-lucas/do-not-judge-me-by-my-beginning-only-by-my-end-nor-by-the-path-i-took/) [Jacklyn H Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacklyn-h-lucas/) [Browse all 3,566 Beginning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The thing about finishing a story is that finishing is really only the beginning.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Herring" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herring/the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-that-finishing-is-really-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beginning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herring/the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-that-finishing-is-really-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/william-herring-77668_beginning_the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-tha_2809468.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/william-herring-77668_beginning_the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-tha_2809468.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/william-herring-77668_beginning_the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-tha_2809468.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing about finishing a story is that finishing is really only the beginning.” — William Herring", "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": "William Herring", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herring/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The thing about finishing a story...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herring/the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-that-finishing-is-really-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herring/the-thing-about-finishing-a-story-is-that-finishing-is-really-only/#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 } } ] } ```