Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting.

Morley’s aphorism collapses the distance between the famous and the unknown: “big shots” are not a different species, but ordinary people who persist. The metaphor of “shooting” suggests repeated attempts—taking chances, producing work, and enduring misses—until cumulative effort creates the appearance of greatness. It also gently punctures celebrity or authority by implying that prominence is often the byproduct of stamina rather than innate superiority. In a Morleyan spirit (witty, democratic, and encouraging), the line reads as advice to writers, professionals, and strivers: keep sending the next shot, because continuity is what turns small beginnings into recognized achievement.