--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a writer of prose knows enough about…" description: "\"If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing about he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/ernest-hemingway-83_books_if-a-writer-of-prose-knows-enough-about_1213892.jpg" --- # If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing… ![“If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing about he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only…” quote by Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/ernest-hemingway-83_books_if-a-writer-of-prose-knows-enough-about_1213892.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/ernest-hemingway-83_books_if-a-writer-of-prose-knows-enough-about_1213892.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/ernest-hemingway-83_books_if-a-writer-of-prose-knows-enough-about_1213892.jpg) > “If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing about he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water. A writer who omits things because he does not know them only makes hollow places in his writing.” [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A writer should trust the reader to infer unspoken details, using omission to create depth. **In simple terms:** Omit details to let readers imagine. Key Takeaway Write with implication, not over‑explanation. Themes writing implication reader engagement Mood thoughtful creative Type instructional literary When to use this quote - Novels - short stories - screenplays - journalism Key Concepts Narrative technique show don’t tell Questions to Reflect On - What details can you leave unsaid? - How does omission affect pacing? A Different Perspective Over‑omission can confuse readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Iceberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iceberg/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) [Tip of the iceberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tip-of-the-iceberg/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/if-a-writer-of-prose-knows-enough-about-what-he-is-writing-about-he-2/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. 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Anything you know you can eliminate and it only strengthens your iceberg.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-is-seven-eights-of-it-under-water-for-every-part-that-shows/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Every novel which is truly written contributes to the total of knowledge which is there at the disposal of the next writer who comes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/every-novel-which-is-truly-written-contributes-to-the-total-of/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature. 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It was only perfect bull-fighting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/it-was-not-brilliant-bull-fighting-it-was-only-perfect-bull-fighting/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Creation's probably overrated. 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There was the green of the headlands, the white, red-roofed villas, patches of forest, and the ocean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/we-drove-out-along-the-coast-road-there-was-the-green-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [As a Nobel Prize winner I cannot but regret that the award was never given to Mark Twain, nor to Henry James, speaking only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/as-a-nobel-prize-winner-i-cannot-but-regret-that-the-award-was-never/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Oh, darling, I've been so miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/oh-darling-i-ve-been-so-miserable/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I read my own books sometimes to cheer me when it is hard to write, and then I remember that it was always difficult,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-read-my-own-books-sometimes-to-cheer-me-when-it-is-hard-to-write/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“You find everything on earth at Harry's." "Yes, my Colonel. Except, possibly, happiness." "I'll damn well find happiness, too," the Colonel assured him. "Happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/you-find-everything-on-earth-at-harry-s-yes-my-colonel-except/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“No. It's bad for me. Cole Porter wrote the words and the music. This knowledge that you're going mad for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/no-it-s-bad-for-me-cole-porter-wrote-the-words-and-the-music-this/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive, he thought. 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