--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you write a phrase and think, 'Wow…" description: "\"“If you write a phrase and think, 'Wow, that's really poetic, that's really pretty, I really nailed it,' you get rid of it [because] you've overdone it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/david-sedaris-333_overdone_if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that_2810813.png" --- # If you write a phrase and think, 'Wow, that's really… ![“If you write a phrase and think, 'Wow, that's really poetic, that's really pretty, I really nailed it,' you get rid of it [because] you've overdone it.” quote by David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/david-sedaris-333_overdone_if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that_2810813.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/david-sedaris-333_overdone_if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that_2810813.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/david-sedaris-333_overdone_if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that_2810813.png) > ““If you write a phrase and think, 'Wow, that's really poetic, that's really pretty, I really nailed it,' you get rid of it \[because\] you've overdone it.”” [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Over‑polishing a phrase can strip it of its natural charm; simplicity often feels more authentic. **In simple terms:** Avoid over‑editing for authenticity. Key Takeaway Embrace simplicity, avoid over‑editing. Themes creativity authenticity writing editing Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - Drafting - poetry workshops - self‑reflection Key Concepts Literary style self‑criticism Questions to Reflect On - When have you over‑edited a piece? - How can you balance polish with honesty? A Different Perspective Risk of losing depth in simplicity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Overdone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overdone/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [Even though you picture Russians as stoic, their language is really poetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-riley/even-though-you-picture-russians-as-stoic-their-language-is-really/) [Rachel Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-riley/) > [ Patricia \[Rozema\] is really special, and she really worked hard to make the environment and the landscapes' natural beauty come alive. She was not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/patricia-rozema-is-really-special-and-she-really-worked-hard-to-make/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics: you are all stardust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/it-really-is-the-most-poetic-thing-i-know-about-physics-you-are-all/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [Overdone lipstick is a deterrent to men. It rubs off easily onto their skin and the edges of their shirts, so it discourages them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/overdone-lipstick-is-a-deterrent-to-men-it-rubs-off-easily-onto-their/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [The deathmatch thing is overdone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-drake/the-deathmatch-thing-is-overdone/) [Eli Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-drake/) > [Photoshop is just like makeup. When it’s done well it looks great, and when it’s overdone you look like a crazy asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/photoshop-is-just-like-makeup-when-it-s-done-well-it-looks-great-and/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Themes on some TV shows are overdone. That 'Playhouse 90' theme music was an example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/themes-on-some-tv-shows-are-overdone-that-playhouse-90-theme-music/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) > [I think maybe we were just a little bit overdone. It was saturated. People may have gotten tired of us. We were everywhere, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-zander/i-think-maybe-we-were-just-a-little-bit-overdone-it-was-saturated/) Robin Zander > [and the bananas are overdone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/and-the-bananas-are-overdone/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [“When God, the great mathematician, discovered that in making man he had overdone things a bit, he created the bedbug to even things out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruskin-bond/when-god-the-great-mathematician-discovered-that-in-making-man-he-had/) [Ruskin Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruskin-bond/) > [Remember, I come from such an excessively overdone, red-carpet place called Hollywood. So I'm used to people blowing up their success in ways that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/remember-i-come-from-such-an-excessively-overdone-red-carpet-place/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [“Anything worth doing is worth overdoing. Are you overdone yet?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-henley-babb/anything-worth-doing-is-worth-overdoing-are-you-overdone-yet/) Charlotte Henley Babb > [Photoshop is just like makeup. When its done well it looks great, and when its overdone you look like a crazy a\*\*hole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/photoshop-is-just-like-makeup-when-its-done-well-it-looks-great-and/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I felt, if I'm going to take on some of the most overdone material, which is men and women and affairs and betrayal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-labute/i-felt-if-i-m-going-to-take-on-some-of-the-most-overdone-material/) [Neil LaBute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-labute/) > [“Nothing overdone, nothing racy, which made her all the more alluring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/nothing-overdone-nothing-racy-which-made-her-all-the-more-alluring/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) ## More by David Sedaris > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“never fall asleep in a Dumpster, never underestimate a bee, never drive a convertible behind a flatbed truck, never get old, never get drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/never-fall-asleep-in-a-dumpster-never-underestimate-a-bee-never-drive/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“It was a father, one hand resting teapot-style on his hip, and the other - what would be the spout - formed into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-a-father-one-hand-resting-teapot-style-on-his-hip-and-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“A Japanese woman we’d met in Paris came to the apartment yesterday and spent several hours explaining our appliances. The microwave, the water kettle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/a-japanese-woman-we-d-met-in-paris-came-to-the-apartment-yesterday/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [One thing I like about the United States, and I kind of miss about the United States, is there's an election coming up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/one-thing-i-like-about-the-united-states-and-i-kind-of-miss-about-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [When you read comic material and people aren't laughing how do you know they're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/when-you-read-comic-material-and-people-aren-t-laughing-how-do-you/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You have how many children in your family?" the teacher would ask. "I'm guessing you must be Catholic, am I right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-have-how-many-children-in-your-family-the-teacher-would-ask-i-m/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“Like most seasoned phonies, I roundly suspect that everyone is as disingenuous as I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/like-most-seasoned-phonies-i-roundly-suspect-that-everyone-is-as/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [As a child I assumed that when I reached adulthood, I would have grown-up thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/as-a-child-i-assumed-that-when-i-reached-adulthood-i-would-have-grown/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You just take and take don´t you? Out there with your thumb in the air—not a care in the world, just grabbing whatever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-just-take-and-take-don-t-you-out-there-with-your-thumb-in-the-air/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [In other parts of the country people tried to stay together for the sake of the children. In New York they tried to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/in-other-parts-of-the-country-people-tried-to-stay-together-for-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [My boyfriend got me a computer three years ago. I'll admit it does make things a lot easier. When I was working on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/my-boyfriend-got-me-a-computer-three-years-ago-i-ll-admit-it-does/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I spent months searching for some secret code before I realized that common sense has nothing to do with it. Hysteria, psychosis, torture, depression:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-spent-months-searching-for-some-secret-code-before-i-realized-that/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I hated leaving a hole in the smoking world, and so I recruited someone to take my place. People have given me a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-hated-leaving-a-hole-in-the-smoking-world-and-so-i-recruited/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Write relentlessly, until you find your voice. Then, use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/write-relentlessly-until-you-find-your-voice-then-use-it/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) [Explore all 667 David Sedaris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## More Overdone quotes > [“Nothing overdone, nothing racy, which made her all the more alluring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/nothing-overdone-nothing-racy-which-made-her-all-the-more-alluring/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [I felt, if I'm going to take on some of the most overdone material, which is men and women and affairs and betrayal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-labute/i-felt-if-i-m-going-to-take-on-some-of-the-most-overdone-material/) [Neil LaBute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-labute/) > [Photoshop is just like makeup. When its done well it looks great, and when its overdone you look like a crazy a\*\*hole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/photoshop-is-just-like-makeup-when-its-done-well-it-looks-great-and/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“Anything worth doing is worth overdoing. Are you overdone yet?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-henley-babb/anything-worth-doing-is-worth-overdoing-are-you-overdone-yet/) Charlotte Henley Babb > [Remember, I come from such an excessively overdone, red-carpet place called Hollywood. So I'm used to people blowing up their success in ways that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/remember-i-come-from-such-an-excessively-overdone-red-carpet-place/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [“When God, the great mathematician, discovered that in making man he had overdone things a bit, he created the bedbug to even things out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruskin-bond/when-god-the-great-mathematician-discovered-that-in-making-man-he-had/) [Ruskin Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruskin-bond/) > [and the bananas are overdone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/and-the-bananas-are-overdone/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [I think maybe we were just a little bit overdone. It was saturated. People may have gotten tired of us. We were everywhere, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-zander/i-think-maybe-we-were-just-a-little-bit-overdone-it-was-saturated/) Robin Zander > [Themes on some TV shows are overdone. That 'Playhouse 90' theme music was an example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/themes-on-some-tv-shows-are-overdone-that-playhouse-90-theme-music/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) > [Photoshop is just like makeup. When it’s done well it looks great, and when it’s overdone you look like a crazy asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/photoshop-is-just-like-makeup-when-it-s-done-well-it-looks-great-and/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [The deathmatch thing is overdone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-drake/the-deathmatch-thing-is-overdone/) [Eli Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-drake/) > [Overdone lipstick is a deterrent to men. It rubs off easily onto their skin and the edges of their shirts, so it discourages them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/overdone-lipstick-is-a-deterrent-to-men-it-rubs-off-easily-onto-their/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [“To be doable is to be overdoable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/to-be-doable-is-to-be-overdoable/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I like when a man has one strong accessory. If it's a watch, it has to be major. If you have strong shoes, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riccardo-tisci/i-like-when-a-man-has-one-strong-accessory-if-it-s-a-watch-it-has-to/) [Riccardo Tisci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riccardo-tisci/) > [Crossing too many t's and dotting too many i's makes a room look overdone and tiresome. One should create something that fires the imagination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-lancaster/crossing-too-many-t-s-and-dotting-too-many-i-s-makes-a-room-look/) [Nancy Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-lancaster/) [Browse all 24 Overdone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overdone/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you write a phrase and think, 'Wow, that's really poetic, that's really pretty, I really nailed it,' you get rid of it [because] you've overdone it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Sedaris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that-s-really-poetic-that-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Overdone" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that-s-really-poetic-that-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/david-sedaris-333_overdone_if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that_2810813.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/david-sedaris-333_overdone_if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that_2810813.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/david-sedaris-333_overdone_if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that_2810813.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you write a phrase and think, 'Wow, that's really poetic, that's really pretty, I really nailed it,' you…” — David Sedaris", "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 Sedaris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If you write a phrase and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that-s-really-poetic-that-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-you-write-a-phrase-and-think-wow-that-s-really-poetic-that-s/#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 } } ] } ```