--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With my first book, I was hired to write…" description: "\"With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the script. I was so young and less confident. They put me through seven or eight drafts and it was..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/emma-donoghue-1499_book_with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write_30386.png" --- # With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the… ![“With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the script. I was so young and less confident. They put me through seven or eight drafts and it was just getting worse and worse, and then the film was never made.” quote by Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/emma-donoghue-1499_book_with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write_30386.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/emma-donoghue-1499_book_with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write_30386.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/emma-donoghue-1499_book_with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write_30386.png) > “With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the script. I was so young and less confident. They put me through seven or eight drafts and it was just getting worse and worse, and then the film was never made.” [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) ## 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 recounts a frustrating early career experience where repeated revisions degraded the script, ultimately leading to the project's collapse. **In simple terms:** Early drafts can erode quality if not guided well. Key Takeaway Iterative feedback must be constructive, not destructive. Themes creative process authorial confidence revision fatigue project failure learning curve Mood frustration disillusionment determination Type personal anecdote industry insight When to use this quote - first-time writer on a commission - young author facing industry pressure - script development with multiple revisions - project abandonment Key Concepts drafting collaboration film development career development Practical Applications - improving feedback loops in creative work - training programs for novice writers Questions to Reflect On - How can feedback be structured to enhance rather than diminish a draft? - What safeguards can prevent a project from collapsing after many revisions? A Different Perspective A counterpoint is that multiple drafts can also refine a work, and success often depends on the quality of guidance rather than the number of revisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Draft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draft/) [Draft Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draft-script-424836/) [Drafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drafts/) [Eight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eight/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripts/) [Seven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seven/) [Seven Drafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seven-drafts-424837/) [Write Draft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-draft-335521/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [“The other six or seven drafts are going to be pure torture. 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But, during the time of the writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-write-until-the-first-draft-is-finished-and-then-i-feel-that-i-can/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [“Write the draft from your heart!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-ballantine-watson/write-the-draft-from-your-heart/) [Kathleen Ballantine Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-ballantine-watson/) > [I always write on unlined typing paper and write the first draft in longhand, using cheap Bic pens. I try to write about four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/i-always-write-on-unlined-typing-paper-and-write-the-first-draft-in/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [ I was so mad at my agent. 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