--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Having your book edited is like watching…" description: "\"Having your book edited is like watching your cat being operated on. It's uncomfortable and someone is probably going to get hurt. Most likely the cat...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7db/jenny-lawson-3391_book_having-your-book-edited-is-like-watching_569982.png" --- # Having your book edited is like watching your cat being… ![“Having your book edited is like watching your cat being operated on. It's uncomfortable and someone is probably going to get hurt. Most likely the cat. But in the end, things work out for the best and your cat is better it. And then your cat gets released in hardcover, and you have to read all of…” quote by Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7db/jenny-lawson-3391_book_having-your-book-edited-is-like-watching_569982.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7db/jenny-lawson-3391_book_having-your-book-edited-is-like-watching_569982.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7db/jenny-lawson-3391_book_having-your-book-edited-is-like-watching_569982.png) > “Having your book edited is like watching your cat being operated on. It's uncomfortable and someone is probably going to get hurt. Most likely the cat. But in the end, things work out for the best and your cat is better it. And then your cat gets released in hardcover, and you have to read all of his reviews.” [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Editing a book is painful and risky, like a cat surgery, but ultimately improves the work despite discomfort. **In simple terms:** Editing hurts but makes the book better. Key Takeaway Embrace discomfort for better results. Themes creativity vulnerability growth Mood humorous reflective Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - writing - publishing - creative projects - feedback loops Key Concepts editing risk authorial anxiety Questions to Reflect On - What part of editing scares you most? - How can you protect your well‑being during revisions? A Different Perspective The process can be emotionally draining and may cause self‑doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Edited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-edited-4707110/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Edited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edited/) [Edited Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edited-like-4707112/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Hardcover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardcover/) [Hardcover Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardcover-read-4707111/) [Having Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-book-744155/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Reviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reviews/) [Things work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-work-out/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Being edited is like falling face down into a threshing machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/being-edited-is-like-falling-face-down-into-a-threshing-machine/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I dreamed of having a book of my own, of writing one that I could put on a shelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-dreamed-of-having-a-book-of-my-own-of-writing-one-that-i-could-put/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [When I was a kid, I loved having a book in my hand. I still do. I wasn't a fast reader, but I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/when-i-was-a-kid-i-loved-having-a-book-in-my-hand-i-still-do-i-wasn-t/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [Going to the library was the one place we got to go without asking for permission. And they let us choose what we wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/going-to-the-library-was-the-one-place-we-got-to-go-without-asking/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [There is nothing quite like having your book read and truly understood. It's all the better when it's someone who knows how to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/there-is-nothing-quite-like-having-your-book-read-and-truly/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [The cool thing about having a book is that it takes on its own life. Once it's in the world, you can't follow it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-marvin/the-cool-thing-about-having-a-book-is-that-it-takes-on-its-own-life/) [Cate Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-marvin/) > [The most important thing about writing a book is having book parties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-important-thing-about-writing-a-book-is-having-book-parties/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Having a book is actually like a great master - helping to build a universe and unify work - especially in my pictures where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-aldridge/having-a-book-is-actually-like-a-great-master-helping-to-build-a/) [Miles Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-aldridge/) > [Having a book is somewhat like having a baby, as many woman writers have observed before me: the conception, the long preparation, the wait,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-grumbach/having-a-book-is-somewhat-like-having-a-baby-as-many-woman-writers/) [Doris Grumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-grumbach/) > [Certainly one of the surprising truths of having a book published is realizing that your book is as open to interpretation as an abstract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/certainly-one-of-the-surprising-truths-of-having-a-book-published-is/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [Having your book turned into a movie is like seeing your oxen turned into bouillon cubes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/having-your-book-turned-into-a-movie-is-like-seeing-your-oxen-turned/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [It is like having a book out from the library. It is like constantly having a book out from the library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/it-is-like-having-a-book-out-from-the-library-it-is-like-constantly/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“Having found the book which has a message for us, let us not be guilty of the folly of saying we have read it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mason/having-found-the-book-which-has-a-message-for-us-let-us-not-be-guilty/) [Charlotte Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mason/) > [Having a book published whenever is a huge honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/having-a-book-published-whenever-is-a-huge-honor/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) > [I've never actually even contemplated writing a book or having a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-machado/i-ve-never-actually-even-contemplated-writing-a-book-or-having-a-book/) [Rob Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-machado/) ## More by Jenny Lawson > [the most terribly human moments - the ones we want to pretend never happened - are the very moments that make us who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/the-most-terribly-human-moments-the-ones-we-want-to-pretend-never/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“I MADE MY CATS A WATER BED OUT OF A ZIPLOC BAG AND A SHOEBOX. THEY POPPED IT WITH THEIR CLAWS AND THEY ALMOST…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/i-made-my-cats-a-water-bed-out-of-a-ziploc-bag-and-a-shoebox-they/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Everything in this book is mostly true but some details have been changed to protect the guilty. I know it’s usually about “protecting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/everything-in-this-book-is-mostly-true-but-some-details-have-been/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [Have you ever been homesick for someplace that doesn't actually exist anymore? Someplace that exists only in your mind?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/have-you-ever-been-homesick-for-someplace-that-doesn-t-actually-exist/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“As far as I'm concerned, a house should look lived-in, and I consider it clean as long as I don't stick to it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-a-house-should-look-lived-in-and-i-consider/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Something wonderful about experiencing life with friendly strangers and stranger-friends who all fit in your pocket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/something-wonderful-about-experiencing-life-with-friendly-strangers/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“And while our families made their way to the church doorsteps to prepare to throw birdseed at us, we hid in the empty church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/and-while-our-families-made-their-way-to-the-church-doorsteps-to/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“There's a very mean girl down the hall who's trying to get me fired. I'm no good with confrontation, so whenever I say, "Have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/there-s-a-very-mean-girl-down-the-hall-who-s-trying-to-get-me-fired-i/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Then a man onstage quoted Sam Houston, saying, “Texas can make it without the United States, BUT THE UNITED STATES CANNOT MAKE IT WITHOUT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/then-a-man-onstage-quoted-sam-houston-saying-texas-can-make-it/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [Some people we define as trolls are just critics. Sometimes they have a point. And I hear them. But for the ones who comment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/some-people-we-define-as-trolls-are-just-critics-sometimes-they-have/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“By my tenth glass of wine I started to wonder whether there was something wrong with my palate. Everyone else was marking the wine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/by-my-tenth-glass-of-wine-i-started-to-wonder-whether-there-was/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [It's interesting with my blog, because it feels to me less like a blog and more like a forum, because my readers are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/it-s-interesting-with-my-blog-because-it-feels-to-me-less-like-a-blog/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Hey, Grandlibby?” I asked. “What’s a ‘turn-on’?” She paled visibly, looking mildly ill. “Well,” she said…struggling for words, “it’s…um…the things that make you happy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/hey-grandlibby-i-asked-what-s-a-turn-on-she-paled-visibly-looking/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“It would be hard to believe that a man had invented walls when most of them couldn’t even be bothered to close the bathroom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/it-would-be-hard-to-believe-that-a-man-had-invented-walls-when-most/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [A friend is someone who knows where all your bodies are buried. Because they're the ones who helped you put them there." And sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/a-friend-is-someone-who-knows-where-all-your-bodies-are-buried/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) [Explore all 132 Jenny Lawson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Having your book edited is like watching your cat being operated on. 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