--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't keep rewriting and polishing…" description: "\"Don't keep rewriting and polishing something if it isn't setting the world on fire: start something new instead and consider the earlier story a learni..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/alastair-reynolds-2186_experience_don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-somet_1784207.jpg" --- # Don't keep rewriting and polishing something if it isn't… ![“Don't keep rewriting and polishing something if it isn't setting the world on fire: start something new instead and consider the earlier story a learning experience.” quote by Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/alastair-reynolds-2186_experience_don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-somet_1784207.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/alastair-reynolds-2186_experience_don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-somet_1784207.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/alastair-reynolds-2186_experience_don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-somet_1784207.jpg) > “Don't keep rewriting and polishing something if it isn't setting the world on fire: start something new instead and consider the earlier story a learning experience.” [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If a work isn’t igniting passion, abandon it and treat it as a lesson, then start a fresh project. **In simple terms:** Quit unfulfilling work, learn, and begin anew. Key Takeaway Shift focus to projects that inspire you. Themes productivity learning growth creativity Mood reflective pragmatic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - writing drafts - story development - career pivots - creative workshops Key Concepts project management motivation risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What criteria tell you a story has lost its spark? - How can you extract value from a failed attempt? A Different Perspective Leaving projects unfinished may waste effort and resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Learning experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-experience/) [Start Something New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-something-new/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Anyone can start something new. It takes real leaders to stop something old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anyone-can-start-something-new-it-takes-real-leaders-to-stop/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Today, I will start something NEW. Forget the problems and those who hurt me yesterday.Just go with the flow ans STAY HAPPY!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhoni13/today-i-will-start-something-new-forget-the-problems-and-those-who/) Jhoni13 > [“When you make the decision to start something new, first figure out the jobs you want to do. Then position yourself to play where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-johnson/when-you-make-the-decision-to-start-something-new-first-figure-out/) [Whitney Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-johnson/) > [And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/and-suddenly-you-know-it-s-time-to-start-something-new-and-trust-the/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“I have no patience with people who grow old at sixty... Sixty should be the time to start something new, not put your feet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wesley/i-have-no-patience-with-people-who-grow-old-at-sixty-sixty-should-be/) [Mary Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wesley/) > [I am always scared when I start something new. That hasn't changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawad-khan/i-am-always-scared-when-i-start-something-new-that-hasn-t-changed/) [Fawad Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawad-khan/) > [“How often do people start down a path and then give up on it entirely? How many treadmills, exercise bikes, and weight sets are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/how-often-do-people-start-down-a-path-and-then-give-up-on-it-entirely/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“By now it's March, and it's too late to start another new year's resolution: you'll simply have to wait until December 31st again. Everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/by-now-it-s-march-and-it-s-too-late-to-start-another-new-year-s/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [Out to start something new](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eyes-set-to-kill/out-to-start-something-new/) [Eyes Set To Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eyes-set-to-kill/) > [There comes A time in LIFE when you'll have to leave EVERYTHING BEHIND and start something NEW...BUT never forget the ones who stood bu…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umkown/there-comes-a-time-in-life-when-you-ll-have-to-leave-everything/) UmKOWN > [We are free to change the world and start something new in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/we-are-free-to-change-the-world-and-start-something-new-in-it/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Everyday is an opportunity for reinvention. Everyday you can start something new.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-wolf/everyday-is-an-opportunity-for-reinvention-everyday-you-can-start/) Guillaume Wolf > [This is the period from ages 60 to 90 in which many people have a new sense of freedom, kids grown up, retired from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/this-is-the-period-from-ages-60-to-90-in-which-many-people-have-a-new/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [“You always leave something behind when you start something new.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-acampora/you-always-leave-something-behind-when-you-start-something-new/) [Paul Acampora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-acampora/) > [News organisations that have been around a while have a lot of traditions and ways of doing things that may have served them for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-omidyar/news-organisations-that-have-been-around-a-while-have-a-lot-of/) [Pierre Omidyar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-omidyar/) ## More by Alastair Reynolds > [“We have made some collective mistakes as a species, it’s true – invested too much power in things we can’t see, let alone control.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/we-have-made-some-collective-mistakes-as-a-species-it-s-true-invested/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“So much for the tolerant acceptance of the other. We’re forging out into deep space – who knows what we’ll meet out there? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/so-much-for-the-tolerant-acceptance-of-the-other-we-re-forging-out/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“Believe me, when you're dealing with infectious alien mind parasites, I always find primitive is best." Then, calmly, almost as if it were a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/believe-me-when-you-re-dealing-with-infectious-alien-mind-parasites-i/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“There's a vorg loose," Meroka explained. "In case that escaped your attention. Ricasso's doing his bit for Swarm, trying to kill the thing before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/there-s-a-vorg-loose-meroka-explained-in-case-that-escaped-your/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“The two men -- Fray and Malkin -- were standing near each other. They were not unarmed. They were quite seriously not unarmed. Both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/the-two-men-fray-and-malkin-were-standing-near-each-other-they-were/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [I couldn't think of anything more pointless than reading a piece of fiction written by a robot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/i-couldn-t-think-of-anything-more-pointless-than-reading-a-piece-of/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [When I'm working on one book, part of my imagination is thinking ahead to the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/when-i-m-working-on-one-book-part-of-my-imagination-is-thinking-ahead/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [There is enough material in the Kuiper Belt to build anything out there. We could gobble up all the little asteroids, filtering out all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/there-is-enough-material-in-the-kuiper-belt-to-build-anything-out/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [Victory loses its meaning without the memory of what you've vanquished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/victory-loses-its-meaning-without-the-memory-of-what-you-ve-vanquished/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“I don't know." That was typical Sajaki; like all the genuinely clever people Sylveste had met he knew better than to feign understanding where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/i-don-t-know-that-was-typical-sajaki-like-all-the-genuinely-clever/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [Autocratic governments are masters of self-contradiction. They say one thing, do another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/autocratic-governments-are-masters-of-self-contradiction-they-say-one/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [Speaking for myself, I really struggle to pinpoint whether I became a scientist because I like science fiction, or did I gravitate to science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/speaking-for-myself-i-really-struggle-to-pinpoint-whether-i-became-a/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“It’s not the span of time that counts, but what you do with it. While you humans have been grubbing around the galaxy, looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/it-s-not-the-span-of-time-that-counts-but-what-you-do-with-it-while/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [Dreams of warp drives and hyperspace are just that - dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/dreams-of-warp-drives-and-hyperspace-are-just-that-dreams/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [I had - and continued to have - great fun exploring the Revelation Space universe, but it was always clear to me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/i-had-and-continued-to-have-great-fun-exploring-the-revelation-space/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) [Explore all 176 Alastair Reynolds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) Michael Bugeja > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't keep rewriting and polishing something if it isn't setting the world on fire: start something new instead and consider the earlier story a learning experience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alastair Reynolds" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-something-if-it-isn-t-setting-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-something-if-it-isn-t-setting-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/alastair-reynolds-2186_experience_don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-somet_1784207.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/alastair-reynolds-2186_experience_don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-somet_1784207.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11c/alastair-reynolds-2186_experience_don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-somet_1784207.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don't keep rewriting and polishing something if it isn't setting the world on fire: start something new…” — Alastair Reynolds", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alastair Reynolds", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Don't keep rewriting and polishing something...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-something-if-it-isn-t-setting-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/don-t-keep-rewriting-and-polishing-something-if-it-isn-t-setting-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```