Hard Quote by David McCullough
“I work very hard on the writing, writing and rewriting and trying to weed out the lumber.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New York Times, 2005
He emphasizes rigorous drafting and editing to eliminate unnecessary material.
In simple terms: Write, rewrite, and cut excess.
Key Takeaway
Edit relentlessly for clarity.
Themes
writing
editing
discipline
Mood
thoughtful
practical
Type
creative
professional
When to use this quote
- author workshops
- self‑editing
- publishing
Key Concepts
process
clarity
efficiency
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you know when a draft is ready?
- What criteria guide your cuts?
A Different Perspective
Over‑editing can stifle creativity.
![“[Writing is] largely a matter of application and hard work, or writing and rewriting endlessly until you are satisfied that you have said what you want to say as clearly and simply as possible. For me that usually means many, many revisions.” quote by Rachel Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/99e/rachel-carson-2645_application_writing-is-largely-a-matter-of-applicati_1416364.jpg)
![“The only thing I might have noticed [and this is pretty anecdotal] is that there is some tendency to need to be taught that 'writing is rewriting' - maybe more of a sense than was pervasive 10 years ago that the first or second pass of a story is sufficient. That is an idea that is easily…” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/249/george-saunders-317_blogging_the-only-thing-i-might-have-noticed-and_2019915.jpg)
