Book Quote by Fran Lebowitz
“Should novels generally be 600 pages? No, they should not. Half of writing, maybe 3/4 of writing, is editing. This seems to be a thing that has not gotten through to them. It's my impression that you could get rid of half of most of these books. These people are not good enough to be this long, but they're apparently also not good enough to be shorter.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New Yorker, 1995
Lengthy novels often suffer from excess; editing is essential to distill narrative and maintain quality.
In simple terms: Editing is crucial for good writing.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize editing to sharpen stories.
Themes
writing
editing
literature
quality
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
literary
advice
When to use this quote
- novel drafting
- self‑editing
- peer review
- publishing process
Key Concepts
narrative structure
conciseness
reader engagement
Questions to Reflect On
- How much should a story be trimmed?
- When does editing become harmful?
A Different Perspective
Over‑editing can strip voice; balance is needed.
![“[Friendships] are easy to get out of compared to love affairs, but they are not easy to get out of compared to, say, jail.” quote by Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cdb/fran-lebowitz-690_affair_friendships-are-easy-to-get-out-of-compa_77324.jpg)
