I am sure it has been done with less, but you should be…
“I am sure it has been done with less, but you should be prepared to write and throw away a million words of finished material. By finished, I mean completed, done, ready to submit, and written as well as you know how at the time you wrote it. You may be ashamed of it later, but that's another story.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Extensive drafting and revision are essential; expect to discard large amounts of work before finalizing.
In simple terms: Writing requires many drafts and deletions.
Key Takeaway
Embrace iterative writing.
Themes
writing
creativity
perseverance
Mood
reflective
pragmatic
Type
advice
inspirational
When to use this quote
- novel writing
- academic papers
- screenplays
- blog posts
Key Concepts
process
editing
learning
Questions to Reflect On
- How many drafts do you need before satisfaction?
- What can you learn from discarded material?
A Different Perspective
Time spent on drafts can be costly and discouraging.