--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wish I wrote drafts and then revised…" description: "\"I wish I wrote drafts and then revised them, but I don't. What I do is I seem to revise as I go.\" — Edward Hirsch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/edward-hirsch-1614_drafts_i-wish-i-wrote-drafts-and-then-revised-t_1374468.png" --- # I wish I wrote drafts and then revised them, but I don't… ![“I wish I wrote drafts and then revised them, but I don't. What I do is I seem to revise as I go.” quote by Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/edward-hirsch-1614_drafts_i-wish-i-wrote-drafts-and-then-revised-t_1374468.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/edward-hirsch-1614_drafts_i-wish-i-wrote-drafts-and-then-revised-t_1374468.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/edward-hirsch-1614_drafts_i-wish-i-wrote-drafts-and-then-revised-t_1374468.png) > “I wish I wrote drafts and then revised them, but I don't. What I do is I seem to revise as I go.” [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author acknowledges a habit of revising while writing instead of drafting then editing. **In simple terms:** He edits on the fly rather than revising after a draft. Key Takeaway Embrace iterative editing during creation. Themes writing creativity process Mood reflective analytical Type advice process When to use this quote - novel writing - academic papers - blog posts - creative projects Key Concepts drafting revision mindset Questions to Reflect On - How does real‑time revision affect overall coherence? - Can you balance spontaneous edits with planned drafts? A Different Perspective May miss broader structural improvements without a full draft. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [In my own work, I usually revise through forty or fifty drafts of a poem before I begin to feel content with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/in-my-own-work-i-usually-revise-through-forty-or-fifty-drafts-of-a/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“Awful first drafts are fine—Agree with this. If you don’t finish something, you’ll never get in the game. Just quell the voice in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-freveletti/awful-first-drafts-are-fine-agree-with-this-if-you-don-t-finish/) [Jamie Freveletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-freveletti/) > [Most books germinate within you for a long time before they are ready to come out. I wrote several drafts of the novel over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/most-books-germinate-within-you-for-a-long-time-before-they-are-ready/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [It's more like I write multiple first drafts, handwritten. So with my first novel, I wrote whole drafts from different points of view. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/it-s-more-like-i-write-multiple-first-drafts-handwritten-so-with-my/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [ To be honest, I wrote so many drafts of this book \[ The Nightingale \] and changed the characters so many times; the real… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-chance/to-be-honest-i-wrote-so-many-drafts-of-this-book-the-nightingale-and/) [Megan Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-chance/) > [So, the process of revision, it's not systematic. But for me, I mean, I know a lot of poets who write out a draft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/so-the-process-of-revision-it-s-not-systematic-but-for-me-i-mean-i/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [With a pencil and paper, I could revise the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-lurie/with-a-pencil-and-paper-i-could-revise-the-world/) [Alison Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-lurie/) > [SARS was a very important event... And many countries have learned from SARS... The SARS event sort of gave them additional impetus and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chan/sars-was-a-very-important-event-and-many-countries-have-learned-from/) [Margaret Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chan/) > [I started on computers with 'Billy Bathgate,' a little orange screen with black letters. I thought it was really cool, but it actually slowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/i-started-on-computers-with-billy-bathgate-a-little-orange-screen/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [As we begin to become aware of the narrative patterns around which we structure our lives, we learn how to take charge, revise, refine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-aftel/as-we-begin-to-become-aware-of-the-narrative-patterns-around-which-we/) Mandy Aftel > [I've found that in business opportunities will constantly emerge or situations develop that make you revise your plans along the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-cohen/i-ve-found-that-in-business-opportunities-will-constantly-emerge-or/) [Benjamin Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-cohen/) > [The economists will have to revise their theories of value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-economists-will-have-to-revise-their-theories-of-value/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'd drown in a sea of tears if I lived my life ruminating on the past. I would undoubtedly revise memories to be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximillian-degenerez/i-d-drown-in-a-sea-of-tears-if-i-lived-my-life-ruminating-on-the-past/) [Maximillian Degenerez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximillian-degenerez/) > [The advice I would offer to any writer is that even when you think you have revised your book to the point where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/the-advice-i-would-offer-to-any-writer-is-that-even-when-you-think/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) ## More by Edward Hirsch > [And my experience is the best titles, for me, emerge in the process of writing. They don't usually come at the very beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/and-my-experience-is-the-best-titles-for-me-emerge-in-the-process-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“I did not know the work of mourning Is like carrying a bag of cement Up a mountain at night The mountaintop is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-did-not-know-the-work-of-mourning-is-like-carrying-a-bag-of-cement/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“Fall" Fall, falling, fallen. That’s the way the season Changes its tense in the long-haired maples That dot the road; the veiny hand-shaped leaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/fall-fall-falling-fallen-that-s-the-way-the-season-changes-its-tense/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I find great consolation in having a lot of poetry books around. I believe that writing poetry and reading it are deeply intertwined. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-find-great-consolation-in-having-a-lot-of-poetry-books-around-i/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I had feelings that I didn't know what to do with, and I felt better when I started writing them. I thought of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-had-feelings-that-i-didn-t-know-what-to-do-with-and-i-felt-better/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I think in terms of educating a group of readers, MFA programs are very good. I just think the model of MFA programs in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-think-in-terms-of-educating-a-group-of-readers-mfa-programs-are/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“Jonson wrote a poem and called his son His best piece of poetrie A lovely line a little loathsome I loved that poem once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/jonson-wrote-a-poem-and-called-his-son-his-best-piece-of-poetrie-a/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [After my grandfather died I went down to the basement of my family house where my family kept books, anthologies and things and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/after-my-grandfather-died-i-went-down-to-the-basement-of-my-family/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [It does demand a certain space in order to read it and I think that space is somewhat threatened by the lack of attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/it-does-demand-a-certain-space-in-order-to-read-it-and-i-think-that/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [...I put down these memorandums of my affections in honor of tenderness, in honor of all of those who have been conscripted into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-put-down-these-memorandums-of-my-affections-in-honor-of-tenderness/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Poetry is a vocation. It is not a career but a calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/poetry-is-a-vocation-it-is-not-a-career-but-a-calling/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [You're shadowed by your own dream, especially as you get older, of trying to create something that will last in poetry. And so, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/you-re-shadowed-by-your-own-dream-especially-as-you-get-older-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [The attention deficit disorder of the culture is very distressing in America now and I think it puts a lot of things at risk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/the-attention-deficit-disorder-of-the-culture-is-very-distressing-in/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Now, as I've gotten older I've been able to write more quickly. Sometimes I get in the space of something and I can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/now-as-i-ve-gotten-older-i-ve-been-able-to-write-more-quickly/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Poetry takes courage because you have to face things and you try to articulate how you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/poetry-takes-courage-because-you-have-to-face-things-and-you-try-to/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) [Explore all 222 Edward Hirsch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) ## More Drafts quotes > [Recently a study proved that working from a larger, less cluttered computer screen increases concentration. I could have told them that. And yes, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/recently-a-study-proved-that-working-from-a-larger-less-cluttered/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the script. I was so young and less confident. They put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write-a-draft-of-the-script-i-was/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [I have to re-write a lot. I couldn't tell you how many drafts I write, but I know I've done at least twenty rewrites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-willis-holt/i-have-to-re-write-a-lot-i-couldn-t-tell-you-how-many-drafts-i-write/) [Kimberly Willis Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-willis-holt/) > [I number my drafts, and by the time a book is done, I'll have 75 or 80 drafts of some sections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-number-my-drafts-and-by-the-time-a-book-is-done-i-ll-have-75-or-80/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I don't read anything electronically. I don't write electronically, either - except e-mails to my family and friends. I write in longhand. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-don-t-read-anything-electronically-i-don-t-write-electronically/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Obviously, drafts sometimes are good ones, or bad ones; I think you can get a good, quality player late in the lottery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-hill/obviously-drafts-sometimes-are-good-ones-or-bad-ones-i-think-you-can/) [Grant Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-hill/) > [I'd really be happy with any team that drafts me. It means they see something in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ja-morant/i-d-really-be-happy-with-any-team-that-drafts-me-it-means-they-see/) [Ja Morant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ja-morant/) > [I'm pretty obsessive-compulsive, and I'm very fast. I tend to not write for a long period of time until I can't not write, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rapp/i-m-pretty-obsessive-compulsive-and-i-m-very-fast-i-tend-to-not-write/) [Adam Rapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rapp/) > [I'm constantly at war with myself to quit goofing around, and the internet hasn't helped that any. I've learned that I have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-abu-jaber/i-m-constantly-at-war-with-myself-to-quit-goofing-around-and-the/) [Diana Abu-Jaber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-abu-jaber/) > [It's always hard, but it's always fun to attack a premise that you think is interesting. It does take a few drafts for sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-levin/it-s-always-hard-but-it-s-always-fun-to-attack-a-premise-that-you/) [Victor Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-levin/) > [I haven't had trouble with writer's block. I think it's because my process involves writing very badly. My first drafts are filled with lurching,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-haven-t-had-trouble-with-writer-s-block-i-think-it-s-because-my/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [The thing about our movies is, we write thirty drafts. That's a very detailed script. Which means that if you try to crank it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/the-thing-about-our-movies-is-we-write-thirty-drafts-that-s-a-very/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [I wrote the screenplay for 'This Is Where I Leave You' - all 40 drafts of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/i-wrote-the-screenplay-for-this-is-where-i-leave-you-all-40-drafts-of/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [I can get really obsessive. I like writing many drafts, and I try not to because it is very time-consuming, especially when you're working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-windley/i-can-get-really-obsessive-i-like-writing-many-drafts-and-i-try-not/) [Carol Windley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-windley/) > [I began my first novel when I was 15. It went through three drafts, of around 40,000 words each. If I find it, I'll burn it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/i-began-my-first-novel-when-i-was-15-it-went-through-three-drafts-of/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) Browse all 132 Drafts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wish I wrote drafts and then revised them, but I don't. 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