--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know what writers say about their…" description: "\"You know what writers say about their long books: If I had another year, the book would be half as long.\" — David Remnick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/david-remnick-4397_about_you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-lo_2788894.jpg" --- # You know what writers say about their long books: If I had… ![“You know what writers say about their long books: If I had another year, the book would be half as long.” quote by David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/david-remnick-4397_about_you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-lo_2788894.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/david-remnick-4397_about_you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-lo_2788894.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/david-remnick-4397_about_you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-lo_2788894.jpg) > “You know what writers say about their long books: If I had another year, the book would be half as long.” [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authors often feel their work would be shorter if they had more time, highlighting the tension between depth and brevity. **In simple terms:** More time would make books shorter. Key Takeaway Allocate time wisely. Themes writing time management creative process Mood thoughtful analytical Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - novel writing - academic research - journalistic pieces Key Concepts authorial intent editing Questions to Reflect On - What would you cut if you had limited time? - How does time pressure affect your writing? A Different Perspective Time constraints may force rushed decisions, reducing quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another/) [Another year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another-year/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-half-989599/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Half Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half-long-1355028/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-books-286260/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Say Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-long-836084/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writers Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers-say-499483/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [“There's a formula for how long it takes to get over someone, that it's half as long as the time you've been together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/there-s-a-formula-for-how-long-it-takes-to-get-over-someone-that-it-s/) [Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/) > [“I don't know the meaning of half those long words, and, what's more, I don't believe you do either!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-don-t-know-the-meaning-of-half-those-long-words-and-what-s-more-i/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [I'd once read somewhere that is takes about half as long to recover from a deep relationship as the relationship lasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/i-d-once-read-somewhere-that-is-takes-about-half-as-long-to-recover/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [“Someone once told her there's a formula for how long it takes to get over someone, that it's half as long as the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/someone-once-told-her-there-s-a-formula-for-how-long-it-takes-to-get-2/) [Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/) > [He tosses aside his paint-pots and his words a foot and a half long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/he-tosses-aside-his-paint-pots-and-his-words-a-foot-and-a-half-long/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [The average attention span of the modern human being is about half as long as whatever you're trying to tell them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-rosoff/the-average-attention-span-of-the-modern-human-being-is-about-half-as/) [Meg Rosoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-rosoff/) > [The average attention span of the modern human being is about half as long as whatever youre trying to tell them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-rosoff/the-average-attention-span-of-the-modern-human-being-is-about-half-as-2/) [Meg Rosoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-rosoff/) > [Two can Live as Cheaply as One for Half as Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-kandel/two-can-live-as-cheaply-as-one-for-half-as-long/) [Howard Kandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-kandel/) > [My publicist actually told me about the book. She's half-Indian, half-Dutch, and she was like, 'You've got to do this book. It's called 'Crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-o-yang/my-publicist-actually-told-me-about-the-book-she-s-half-indian-half/) [Jimmy O. Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-o-yang/) > [“There is something awfully nice about reading a book again, with all the half-unconscious memories it brings back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/there-is-something-awfully-nice-about-reading-a-book-again-with-all/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Book is a half of a clapping hand and the reader is the other half of it. :))](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reader-s-digest/book-is-a-half-of-a-clapping-hand-and-the-reader-is-the-other-half-of/) [Reader's Digest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reader-s-digest/) > [“… if necessary, the books shall be divided as follows: you get the odd, I get the even pages; "the books" are understood to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-pavlova/if-necessary-the-books-shall-be-divided-as-follows-you-get-the-odd-i/) [Vera Pavlova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-pavlova/) > [“Manage me, I'm a mess Turn a page, I'm a book Half unread”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/all-time-low/manage-me-i-m-a-mess-turn-a-page-i-m-a-book-half-unread/) [All Time Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/all-time-low/) > [A writer is, after all, only half his book. The other half is the reader and from the reader the writer learns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-l-travers/a-writer-is-after-all-only-half-his-book-the-other-half-is-the-reader/) [P. L. Travers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-l-travers/) > [I look at life like a big book and sometimes you get half way through it and go 'Even though I've been enjoying it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/i-look-at-life-like-a-big-book-and-sometimes-you-get-half-way-through/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) ## More by David Remnick > [The internet is very democratizing in some ways, but it also has other effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-internet-is-very-democratizing-in-some-ways-but-it-also-has-other/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [We can hope that the responsibilities and realities will weigh on Donald Trump and he will not be the president we fear, but rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/we-can-hope-that-the-responsibilities-and-realities-will-weigh-on/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The future is itself a story, and predictions are stories we tell to amaze ourselves, to give hope to the desperate, to jolt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-future-is-itself-a-story-and-predictions-are-stories-we-tell-to/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Russian is such a tough and complex language that I am happy enough to understand everything and read most things pretty well, but, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/russian-is-such-a-tough-and-complex-language-that-i-am-happy-enough/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [You are losing because of Jewish bankers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/you-are-losing-because-of-jewish-bankers/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [“One cannot exclude the possibility of a fascist period in Russia,” Staravoitova said on the radio station Echo of Moscow. “We can see too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/one-cannot-exclude-the-possibility-of-a-fascist-period-in-russia/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I'm a civilian, a citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-m-a-civilian-a-citizen/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I'm a journalist - I'm not Robert Caro. I have a day job, and a pretty consuming one - a joyfully consuming one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-m-a-journalist-i-m-not-robert-caro-i-have-a-day-job-and-a-pretty/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [My time as editor has been overlapped by a crisis - a prolonged, labyrinthine, tragic, seemingly non-ending crisis - that involves the prehistory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/my-time-as-editor-has-been-overlapped-by-a-crisis-a-prolonged/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Democratic institutions, even in the oldest operating democracy in the world, are anything but perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/democratic-institutions-even-in-the-oldest-operating-democracy-in-the/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Donald Trump seems to think it is within his rights to trample the First Amendment, to disdain the press, to punish protesters or flag-burners,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/donald-trump-seems-to-think-it-is-within-his-rights-to-trample-the/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I understand the difference between journalism and scholarship that comes 20 years later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-understand-the-difference-between-journalism-and-scholarship-that/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The Communist Party apparatus was the most gigantic mafia the world has ever known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-communist-party-apparatus-was-the-most-gigantic-mafia-the-world/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The only reason the word "brand" gets a little tiresome is that something that is complex and wonderful and deep begins to sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-only-reason-the-word-brand-gets-a-little-tiresome-is-that/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I got in journalism for any number of reasons, not least because it's so much fun. Journalism should be in the business of putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-got-in-journalism-for-any-number-of-reasons-not-least-because-it-s/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) [Explore all 111 David Remnick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [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/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know what writers say about their long books: If I had another year, the book would be half as long.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Remnick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-long-books-if-i-had-another/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-long-books-if-i-had-another/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/david-remnick-4397_about_you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-lo_2788894.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/david-remnick-4397_about_you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-lo_2788894.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/david-remnick-4397_about_you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-lo_2788894.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You know what writers say about their long books: If I had another year, the book would be half as long.” — David Remnick", "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": "David Remnick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You know what writers say about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-long-books-if-i-had-another/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/you-know-what-writers-say-about-their-long-books-if-i-had-another/#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 } } ] } ```