--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing is the art of remembering and…" description: "\"“Writing is the art of remembering and forgetting. You must forget what you’ve already written, because if you’re dwelling on your old material you can..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jarod-kintz-2_art_writing-is-the-art-of-remembering-and-fo_978289.jpg" --- # Writing is the art of remembering and forgetting. You must… ![“Writing is the art of remembering and forgetting. You must forget what you’ve already written, because if you’re dwelling on your old material you can’t write new material, and you must remember all you’ve written and read, so you are not duplicating already existing writing.” quote by Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jarod-kintz-2_art_writing-is-the-art-of-remembering-and-fo_978289.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jarod-kintz-2_art_writing-is-the-art-of-remembering-and-fo_978289.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jarod-kintz-2_art_writing-is-the-art-of-remembering-and-fo_978289.jpg) > ““Writing is the art of remembering and forgetting. You must forget what you’ve already written, because if you’re dwelling on your old material you can’t write new material, and you must remember all you’ve written and read, so you are not duplicating already existing writing.”” [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing requires both letting go of old ideas and retaining essential knowledge to create fresh, original work. **In simple terms:** Forget old writing, remember what matters. Key Takeaway Balance memory and forgetting in writing. Themes creativity writing memory learning productivity Mood inspirational practical Type instructional creative When to use this quote - authoring books - journalism - academic writing - content creation Key Concepts cognitive flexibility creative process knowledge management originality Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide what to forget? - What strategies help you retain useful ideas? A Different Perspective Excessive forgetting may erase valuable insights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Existing Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existing-writing-1923854/) [Forgetting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetting/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Remembering Forgetting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembering-forgetting-996968/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“It seems like it’s all just remembering and forgetting. Things happen so fast, and then they’re gone before you notice them. 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I'm not sure which is worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/remembering-forgetting-i-m-not-sure-which-is-worse/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“The whole point is that time passes. That things fade. He is already hard to remember. Look, I used to cry because I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-galloway/the-whole-point-is-that-time-passes-that-things-fade-he-is-already/) [Janice Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-galloway/) > [“Remembering and Forgetting You have not forgotten to remember; You have remembered to forget. But people can forget to forget. 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