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There is no secret to success except hard work and getting something indefinable which we call 'the breaks.' In order for a writer to succeed, I suggest three things - read and write - and wait.
Countee Cullen
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Success comes from hard work and a bit of luck.

Countee Cullen emphasizes that achieving success is not based on hidden secrets, but rather on diligent effort and the unpredictable circumstances that can aid one's journey. For aspiring writers, he suggests a simple formula of reading, writing, and being patient, indicating that mastery and opportunity play crucial roles in finding success.

Themes

SuccessHard WorkWritingPatienceLuck

In practice

Example use cases

During a motivational speech to aspiring writers, one might say this quote to inspire them to keep working hard.

More from Countee Cullen

So in the dark we hide the heart that bleeds, And wait, and tend our agonizing seeds.
Countee CullenRead
The truth is... everything counts. Everything. Everything we do and everything we say. Everything helps or hurts; everything adds to or takes away from someone else.
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All day long and all night through, One thing only must I do: Quench my pride and cool my blood, Lest I perish in the flood.
Countee CullenRead
Your love to me was like an unread book.
Countee CullenRead

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