Cutting Quote by David Mamet
“A good writer gets better only by learning to cut, to remove the ornamental, the descriptive, the narrative, and especially the deeply felt and meaningful. What remains? The story remains.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Glengarry Glen Ross, 1984
Effective writing demands stripping away excess to reveal the core narrative.
In simple terms: Cut unnecessary details to keep the story alive.
Edit ruthlessly, keep the story.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- novel drafting
- script polishing
- blog post revision
- academic paper editing
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What elements are essential to your story?
- How do you balance brevity with depth?
Over‑editing can erase nuance and voice.