---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My rule is never save bits. They get in…"
description: "\"“My rule is never save bits. They get in the way, and you don't think of anything new. Put 'em in. Make a big mess.”\" — Gene Wolfe"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/gene-wolfe-2530_bits_my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-t_587858.jpg"
---

#  My rule is never save bits. They get in the way, and you…

![“My rule is never save bits. They get in the way, and you don't think of anything new. Put 'em in. Make a big mess.” quote by Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/gene-wolfe-2530_bits_my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-t_587858.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/gene-wolfe-2530_bits_my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-t_587858.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/gene-wolfe-2530_bits_my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-t_587858.jpg)

> ““My rule is never save bits. They get in the way, and you don't think of anything new. Put 'em in. Make a big mess.””

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator advises never to save bits of data because they clutter thinking; instead, discard them to avoid mess and foster creativity.

**In simple terms:** Discard unnecessary data to stay creative.

Key Takeaway

Embrace simplicity, avoid clutter.

Themes

creativity efficiency minimalism

Mood

reflective analytical inspirational

Type

philosophical practical

When to use this quote

- writing process
- software development
- research
- design brainstorming

Key Concepts

information overload cognitive bias innovation

Questions to Reflect On

- What bits are essential to keep?
- How does minimalism affect problem solving?

A Different Perspective

Total elimination may lose useful details.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Writing-craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-craft/)

## Related quotes

> [Happy Boss's Day to someone who walked into almost as big of a mess as Obama did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happy-boss-s-day-to-someone-who-walked-into-almost-as-big-of-a-mess/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My rule is to save myself first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/my-rule-is-to-save-myself-first/)

[Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/)

> [I live by the ten percent rule. Save one, you save a thousand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-gates/i-live-by-the-ten-percent-rule-save-one-you-save-a-thousand/)

[Kevin Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-gates/)

> [Gahhh! I just made a big mess, now the floors are gonna be sticky... (shutup I spilled my sunny D. ) lol dirty minds..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syoung/gahhh-i-just-made-a-big-mess-now-the-floors-are-gonna-be-sticky/)

Syoung

> [I learned to not separate writing, shooting, and editing, it's all sort of one big mess of creative output.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lowery/i-learned-to-not-separate-writing-shooting-and-editing-it-s-all-sort/)

[David Lowery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lowery/)

> [“Dream big! But not so big that it becomes a mess, and you may never reach reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasil-paudyal/dream-big-but-not-so-big-that-it-becomes-a-mess-and-you-may-never/)

Hasil Paudyal

> [“By the end of that first day, what I'd made was a big mess. But if chaos is a necessary step in the organization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendelin-van-draanen/by-the-end-of-that-first-day-what-i-d-made-was-a-big-mess-but-if/)

[Wendelin Van Draanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendelin-van-draanen/)

> [ His \[Andy warhol\] films were way ahead of the times...and I'm not suggesting this has all necessarily been a good thing for America, mind… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-colacello/his-andy-warhol-films-were-way-ahead-of-the-times-and-i-m-not/)

[Bob Colacello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-colacello/)

> [“A charging black rhinoceros is nothing to mess with. When it is headed straight toward you, it is the ultimate exercise in sphincter control.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-norton/a-charging-black-rhinoceros-is-nothing-to-mess-with-when-it-is-headed/)

Boyd Norton

> [“There will be pages. Lots and lots of pages. Most of the pages will have letters on them, and a vast majority of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-allston/there-will-be-pages-lots-and-lots-of-pages-most-of-the-pages-will/)

[Aaron Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-allston/)

> [“I know it's difficult in the beginning. But, listen. If you have the impulse to write, do yourself a favor, do the world a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-hall/i-know-it-s-difficult-in-the-beginning-but-listen-if-you-have-the/)

[Christy Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-hall/)

> [You don’t create a diamond by rubbing it with fluffy bunny slippers. You need to apply pressure and heat. There are enough air-headed cheerleaders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-ann-dawson/you-don-t-create-a-diamond-by-rubbing-it-with-fluffy-bunny-slippers/)

[Julie Ann Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-ann-dawson/)

> [“...what draws us into a story and keeps us there is the firing of our dopamine neurons, signaling that intriguing information is on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-cron/what-draws-us-into-a-story-and-keeps-us-there-is-the-firing-of-our/)

[Lisa Cron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-cron/)

> [“The creative writer is compulsively concrete . . . . His fictional house should be haunted by ideas, not inhabited by them; they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/the-creative-writer-is-compulsively-concrete-his-fictional-house/)

[Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/)

> [“Contrary to popular belief, people always say "It was a pleasure doing business with you". It is the only thing that has stayed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-sharda/contrary-to-popular-belief-people-always-say-it-was-a-pleasure-doing/)

[Nikhil Sharda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-sharda/)

## More by Gene Wolfe

> [Some writers say they cannot write in front of a window; many say they cannot function without almost perfect quiet. A writer with only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/some-writers-say-they-cannot-write-in-front-of-a-window-many-say-they/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [“Sometimes driven aground by the photon storms, by the swirling of the galaxies, clockwise and counterclockwise, ticking with light down the dark sea-corridors lined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/sometimes-driven-aground-by-the-photon-storms-by-the-swirling-of-the/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [Ambiguity is necessary in some of my stories, not in all. In those, it certainly contributes to the richness of the story. I doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/ambiguity-is-necessary-in-some-of-my-stories-not-in-all-in-those-it/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [“There are beings—and artifacts—against which we batter our intelligence raw, and in the end make peace with reality only by saying, “It was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/there-are-beings-and-artifacts-against-which-we-batter-our/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [Science has so accustomed us to devising and accepting theories to account for the facts we observe, however fantastic, that our minds must begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/science-has-so-accustomed-us-to-devising-and-accepting-theories-to/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [“The experienced feel love or desire, or both. The inexperienced are sick with a thousand feelings, most of them unformed: fearful that they may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/the-experienced-feel-love-or-desire-or-both-the-inexperienced-are/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [“For those who have never attended a science fiction convention, masquerades are features of most of the larger ones. Awards are presented for best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/for-those-who-have-never-attended-a-science-fiction-convention/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [“He had a wild yellow beard and long, tangled hair that stood out from his head in a way that made it seem too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/he-had-a-wild-yellow-beard-and-long-tangled-hair-that-stood-out-from/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [ ...in some situations winning consist\[s\] of disentangling oneself. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/in-some-situations-winning-consist-s-of-disentangling-oneself/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [“For after all, if the lives of most men are examined in detail, it will be found that they have been experts of immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/for-after-all-if-the-lives-of-most-men-are-examined-in-detail-it-will/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [You never learn how to write a novel. You just learn how to write the novel that you're writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/you-never-learn-how-to-write-a-novel-you-just-learn-how-to-write-the/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [There is no magic. There is only knowledge, more or less hidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/there-is-no-magic-there-is-only-knowledge-more-or-less-hidden/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [“...the progress of science depends much less upon either theoretical considerations or systematic investigation than is commonly believed, but rather on the transmittal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/the-progress-of-science-depends-much-less-upon-either-theoretical/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [“Whatever we may say, all of us suffer from disturbed sleep at times. Some in truth hardly sleep, though some who sleep copiously swear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/whatever-we-may-say-all-of-us-suffer-from-disturbed-sleep-at-times/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [“. . .Consciousness came and went. Consciousness went and came like the errant winds of spring, and I, who so often have had difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/consciousness-came-and-went-consciousness-went-and-came-like-the/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

[Explore all 160 Gene Wolfe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

## More Bits quotes

> [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/)

[David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/)

> [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/)

[Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/)

> [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/)

[Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/)

> [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/)

[Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/)

> [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/)

[Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/)

> [He referred to me as an 'insufferable puffed-up prat'. This is a bit rich coming from a man who actually married his own mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/he-referred-to-me-as-an-insufferable-puffed-up-prat-this-is-a-bit/)

[Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/)

> [It won't do you a bit of good to know everything if you don't do anything with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-fitzhugh/it-won-t-do-you-a-bit-of-good-to-know-everything-if-you-don-t-do/)

[Louise Fitzhugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-fitzhugh/)

> [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/)

[Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/)

> [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/)

[Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/)

> [We, as pop stars, are people not androids. We’ve got views. I’ve got opinions and I don’t see why I shouldn’t use a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-meddows-taylor/we-as-pop-stars-are-people-not-androids-we-ve-got-views-i-ve-got/)

[Roger Meddows Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-meddows-taylor/)

> [In terms of style, too, I think I've been working with a somewhat limited -- although intentionally limited -- set of tools. So I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/in-terms-of-style-too-i-think-i-ve-been-working-with-a-somewhat/)

[Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/)

> [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [When my name started popping up I was quite irritated and a little bit in shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snow/when-my-name-started-popping-up-i-was-quite-irritated-and-a-little/)

[Michael Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-snow/)

> [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/)

[Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/)

Browse all 5,709 Bits quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“My rule is never save bits. They get in the way, and you don't think of anything new. Put 'em in. Make a big mess.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gene Wolfe"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-the-way-and-you-don-t-think-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bits"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-the-way-and-you-don-t-think-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/gene-wolfe-2530_bits_my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-t_587858.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/gene-wolfe-2530_bits_my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-t_587858.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/gene-wolfe-2530_bits_my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-t_587858.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“My rule is never save bits. They get in the way, and you don't think of anything new. Put 'em in. Make a big…” — Gene Wolfe",
                "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": "Gene Wolfe",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“My rule is never save bits....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-the-way-and-you-don-t-think-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/my-rule-is-never-save-bits-they-get-in-the-way-and-you-don-t-think-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
