I asked Ring Lardner the other day how he writes his short…
““I asked Ring Lardner the other day how he writes his short stories, and he said he wrote a few widely separated words or phrases on a piece of paper and then went back and filled in the spaces. Harold Ross””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Ross describes a minimalist drafting method where only key words are noted before fleshing out the full story.
In simple terms: He writes a few key words first, then expands them into a story.
Key Takeaway
Start with a skeleton of ideas before elaborating.
Themes
writing
creativity
process
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
instructional
process
When to use this quote
- author brainstorming
- novel drafting
- screenwriting
- academic research
Key Concepts
minimalism
drafting
expansion
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you choose which words to capture?
- What risks arise from expanding minimal notes?
A Different Perspective
May lack depth if initial words are too vague.