David Foster Wallace Quotes

For a long time I managed to think two things simultaneously, that I am actually a good playwright, and that the next time I write a play I will be revealed as someone who is no good at all.

It's a phobia I have. I never assume I'm going to be able to write another album after I finish one.

I'd be far too self-conscious and insecure if I suspected my editor might be a better novelist than I.

Despite my confidence and self-belief, I've always wrestled with feelings of insecurity. To be honest, I think most people in show business are insecure.

Every writer I've ever spoken to feels fraudulent in some way or other.

I don't associate work with feelings of satisfaction. Rather, guilt, frustration, and resentment of people who write better than I do.

Writers always have confidence issues - it comes with the territory. We never know where we fit in, or what the actual value of our work might be. So we hit lulls, or slogs. Throw in the idea that many creative people are somewhat manic-depressive, and it can get pretty dark at times.

I have fear, always, on the set. Insecurity to the point where the first week I always think I could be fired. I think that's a fear most actors have.

I was kind of scared of failing at acting.

It's hard to write when you think every sentence is going to be read by a million kids.

Every writer knows that unless you were born gifted with either supreme confidence or outsize ego, handing in your work holds, in some cases, admitted terror. If that's too strong, at least fairly high anxiety.

I'm an introvert at heart... And show business - even though I've loved it so much - has always been hard for me.

I find it difficult to explain, but I'm quite ashamed of being an actress.

Creative people are very insecure people because they don't know whether people like them or are in awe of them. That insecurity always comes out. It makes them a better actor, I feel.

If I spent my time worrying about what other people would think of my work, I would be too self-conscious to write.

I had a period where I thought I might not be good enough to publish.

As a writer, you live in permanent self-doubt; you're on permanent trial.

I grew up craving the spotlight, and once it happened, I immediately recoiled.

I think most actors are insecure and scared of rejection.

I didn't want to play these people any more songs and have them say that they weren't good enough. So my response was to just not be able to write anymore. I know that's not the healthiest of responses.

I ended up becoming so self-conscious that my songs stopped being about my life and started being about what people thought of my music. And that was really bad.

Every day I wake up afraid that I won't be able to write, that today is the day it has left me.

I always think the insecurity is going to go away, but it's always there. Only bad writers think they're good.

I have a hard time sometimes watching my own work.

If you're a writer, you're constantly doubting yourself.