--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Really, what you should tell a novelist…" description: "\"Really, what you should tell a novelist is, 'Keep going until you finish the draft. Don't show it to anyone.'\" — Andrew Sean Greer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/andrew-sean-greer-2689_draft_really-what-you-should-tell-a-novelist-i_1723374.png" --- # Really, what you should tell a novelist is, 'Keep going… ![“Really, what you should tell a novelist is, 'Keep going until you finish the draft. Don't show it to anyone.'” quote by Andrew Sean Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/andrew-sean-greer-2689_draft_really-what-you-should-tell-a-novelist-i_1723374.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/andrew-sean-greer-2689_draft_really-what-you-should-tell-a-novelist-i_1723374.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/andrew-sean-greer-2689_draft_really-what-you-should-tell-a-novelist-i_1723374.png) > “Really, what you should tell a novelist is, 'Keep going until you finish the draft. Don't show it to anyone.'” [Andrew Sean Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sean-greer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers should persevere and keep drafts private until completion. **In simple terms:** Keep writing, hide it until done. Key Takeaway Finish before seeking feedback. Themes writing perseverance privacy Mood encouraging practical Type creative motivational When to use this quote - novel drafting - creative blocks - self‑editing - peer review Key Concepts drafting self‑critique Questions to Reflect On - Why hide work from peers? - When is early feedback beneficial? A Different Perspective Risk of isolation and missed early improvements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Draft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draft/) [Finish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish/) [Finish Draft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish-draft-420348/) [Keep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep/) [Keep going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep-going/) [Novelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelist/) [Novelist Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelist-going-980051/) [Show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show/) [Tell Novelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-novelist-390950/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I'm always determined that as a novelist I'm going to go out there and research my characters very thoroughly before I start writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-m-always-determined-that-as-a-novelist-i-m-going-to-go-out-there/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [“I have from the first felt sure that the writer, when he sits down to commence his novel, should do so, not because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/i-have-from-the-first-felt-sure-that-the-writer-when-he-sits-down-to/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [If you tell a novelist, 'Life's not like that', he has to do something about it. 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Wow - I can't imagine one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sean-greer/a-downside-to-being-a-successful-novelist-wow-i-can-t-imagine-one/) [Andrew Sean Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sean-greer/) > [I have to get three pages done every day, and there's usually a point about 150 pages in where everything falls apart, where all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sean-greer/i-have-to-get-three-pages-done-every-day-and-there-s-usually-a-point/) [Andrew Sean Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sean-greer/) > [A lot of young guys coming up in this league, they're given the spotlight right away, depending on draft stature or whatever the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desean-jackson/a-lot-of-young-guys-coming-up-in-this-league-they-re-given-the/) [DeSean Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desean-jackson/) ## More by Andrew Sean Greer > [It takes too much imagination to see the sorrows of people we take for happy. 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