--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try to avoid purple patches, fine…" description: "\"I try to avoid purple patches, fine writing, all that kind of thing... because I think they're a mistake. And then sometimes it comes through and somet..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/jorge-luis-borges-275_chance_i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writi_252704.jpg" --- # I try to avoid purple patches, fine writing, all that kind… ![“I try to avoid purple patches, fine writing, all that kind of thing... because I think they're a mistake. And then sometimes it comes through and sometimes it doesn't, but that's not up to me. It's up to chance.” quote by Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/jorge-luis-borges-275_chance_i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writi_252704.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/jorge-luis-borges-275_chance_i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writi_252704.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/jorge-luis-borges-275_chance_i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writi_252704.jpg) > “I try to avoid purple patches, fine writing, all that kind of thing... because I think they're a mistake. And then sometimes it comes through and sometimes it doesn't, but that's not up to me. It's up to chance.” [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author believes that over‑polished prose can be a flaw, and that success often depends on randomness beyond the writer’s control. **In simple terms:** Over‑polishing can be a mistake; chance affects outcomes. Key Takeaway Embrace imperfection and accept uncertainty. Themes writing creativity control chance perfectionism Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - drafting - editing - publishing - creative blocks - literary criticism Key Concepts literary criticism randomness authorial intent Questions to Reflect On - How much should you edit versus trust instinct? - Can randomness be harnessed positively? A Different Perspective Even careful editing cannot guarantee success; external factors matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoid Purple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid-purple-2509977/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-comes-669270/) [Patches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patches/) [Patches Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patches-fine-2509978/) [Purple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purple/) [Purple Patches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purple-patches-2509976/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Think Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-mistake-569983/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If you make a mistake,dont you think that's the end of our life.Try to stand even it hurt & hard. Mistake comes from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syaffykha/if-you-make-a-mistake-dont-you-think-that-s-the-end-of-our-life-try/) [Syaffykha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syaffykha/) > [Our most common mistake whEn it comes to love is realizing that we actually do love someone when it's too late and tryin' to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannea/our-most-common-mistake-when-it-comes-to-love-is-realizing-that-we/) [Shannea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannea/) > [“The only mistake when it comes to love, is not going for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-a-valentine/the-only-mistake-when-it-comes-to-love-is-not-going-for-it/) [Michelle A. Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-a-valentine/) > [When in doubt, it is better to do the less conservative thing and to err on the side of the more colorful, possibly terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/when-in-doubt-it-is-better-to-do-the-less-conservative-thing-and-to/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [“You think it is a mistake, Fräulein, that the part of the clock that allows us to read the time are called hands? It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-brandner/you-think-it-is-a-mistake-fr-ulein-that-the-part-of-the-clock-that/) [Cindy Brandner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-brandner/) > [Now is a good time to think about every mistake you've ever made. - 3 am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/now-is-a-good-time-to-think-about-every-mistake-you-ve-ever-made-3-am/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Why am I popular? I don't know. Is it a mistake? I should think it's a mistake somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/why-am-i-popular-i-don-t-know-is-it-a-mistake-i-should-think-it-s-a/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [Marriage is a very good thing, but I think it's a mistake to make a habit out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/marriage-is-a-very-good-thing-but-i-think-it-s-a-mistake-to-make-a/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [You are right, none of us live enough, and sometimes I think it is because we mistake hurrah and hullabaloo for experience, we get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/you-are-right-none-of-us-live-enough-and-sometimes-i-think-it-is/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) > [There are a couple of times I would've liked to have married. I think I made a mistake, especially once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/there-are-a-couple-of-times-i-would-ve-liked-to-have-married-i-think/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [“The old sorceress was not given to berating herself herself, but she could not help but think she had made a mistake. Possibly the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-french/the-old-sorceress-was-not-given-to-berating-herself-herself-but-she/) [Vivian French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-french/) > [I think it's a mistake to treat different realms of knowledge as if they are some how fundamentally the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/i-think-it-s-a-mistake-to-treat-different-realms-of-knowledge-as-if/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [The government is right to recognise the importance of science and technology, but I think it is a mistake to ringfence funds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/the-government-is-right-to-recognise-the-importance-of-science-and/) [Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/) > [I think that if there was one mistake that I took away, it would affect the man that I am today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurupt/i-think-that-if-there-was-one-mistake-that-i-took-away-it-would/) [Kurupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurupt/) > [You Are Not A Mistake. Never Think That You Are. You Are Not A Mistake. Never Think That You Are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-not-a-mistake-never-think-that-you-are-you-are-not-a-mistake/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jorge Luis Borges > [“No hables a menos que puedas mejorar el silencio.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/no-hables-a-menos-que-puedas-mejorar-el-silencio/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Like all writers, he measured the achievements of others by what they had accomplished, asking of them that they measure him by what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/like-all-writers-he-measured-the-achievements-of-others-by-what-they/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [How can we manage to illuminate the pathos of our lives?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/how-can-we-manage-to-illuminate-the-pathos-of-our-lives/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Loneliness does not worry me; life is difficult enough, putting up with yourself and with your own habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/loneliness-does-not-worry-me-life-is-difficult-enough-putting-up-with/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [The fact is that all writers create their precursors. Their work modifies our conception of the past, just as it is bound to modify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-fact-is-that-all-writers-create-their-precursors-their-work/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I don't think we're capable of knowledge, but I like to keep an open mind. So if you ask me whether I believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-don-t-think-we-re-capable-of-knowledge-but-i-like-to-keep-an-open/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [The web of time - the strands of which approach one another, bifurcate, intersect, or ignore each other through the centuries - embraces "every"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-web-of-time-the-strands-of-which-approach-one-another-bifurcate/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“My memory, sir, is like a garbage disposal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/my-memory-sir-is-like-a-garbage-disposal/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [When I write, I do it urged by an intimate necessity. I don't have in mind an exclusive public, or a public of multitudes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/when-i-write-i-do-it-urged-by-an-intimate-necessity-i-don-t-have-in/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [The mind was dreaming. The world was its dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-mind-was-dreaming-the-world-was-its-dream/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I foresee that man will resign himself each day to new abominations, and soon that only bandits and soldiers will be left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-foresee-that-man-will-resign-himself-each-day-to-new-abominations/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“If I could live again - I will travel light, If I could live again - I'll try to work bare feet at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/if-i-could-live-again-i-will-travel-light-if-i-could-live-again-i-ll/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Every man should be capable of all ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/every-man-should-be-capable-of-all-ideas/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Writing is only a guided dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/writing-is-only-a-guided-dream/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) [Explore all 558 Jorge Luis Borges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [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/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) [Alejandro Taubas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-taubas/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I try to avoid purple patches, fine writing, all that kind of thing... because I think they're a mistake. And then sometimes it comes through and sometimes it doesn't, but that's not up to me. It's up to chance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jorge Luis Borges" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writing-all-that-kind-of-thing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writing-all-that-kind-of-thing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/jorge-luis-borges-275_chance_i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writi_252704.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/jorge-luis-borges-275_chance_i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writi_252704.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/jorge-luis-borges-275_chance_i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writi_252704.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I try to avoid purple patches, fine writing, all that kind of thing... because I think they're a mistake…” — Jorge Luis Borges", "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": "Jorge Luis Borges", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I try to avoid purple patches,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writing-all-that-kind-of-thing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-try-to-avoid-purple-patches-fine-writing-all-that-kind-of-thing/#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 } } ] } ```