--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rewriting is a large part of the whole…" description: "\"Rewriting is a large part of the whole job. And get rid of stuff that's not working. Just pare it down until it's a beautiful thing you can hand in, pr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/kurt-loder-19993_beautiful_rewriting-is-a-large-part-of-the-whole-j_51095.png" --- # Rewriting is a large part of the whole job. And get rid of… ![“Rewriting is a large part of the whole job. And get rid of stuff that's not working. Just pare it down until it's a beautiful thing you can hand in, probably late, to your editor.” quote by Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/kurt-loder-19993_beautiful_rewriting-is-a-large-part-of-the-whole-j_51095.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/kurt-loder-19993_beautiful_rewriting-is-a-large-part-of-the-whole-j_51095.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/kurt-loder-19993_beautiful_rewriting-is-a-large-part-of-the-whole-j_51095.png) > “Rewriting is a large part of the whole job. And get rid of stuff that's not working. Just pare it down until it's a beautiful thing you can hand in, probably late, to your editor.” [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes iterative refinement: stripping away ineffective elements to achieve a polished, elegant result, even if delayed. **In simple terms:** Iterative editing improves quality. Key Takeaway Trim excess to reveal clarity. Themes editing creativity perfectionism productivity deadline management Mood focused determined patient Type advice process insight creative When to use this quote - drafting a manuscript - polishing a screenplay - finalizing a design - preparing a presentation - editing a research paper Key Concepts revision minimalism quality control workflow Practical Applications - editing services - creative writing workshops Questions to Reflect On - What elements are essential versus decorative? - How does allowing extra time affect the final product? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beautiful thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-thing/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Editor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editor/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hand/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Large](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Late Editor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late-editor-727091/) [Pare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pare-140101/) [Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part/) [Rewriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewriting/) [Rewriting Large](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewriting-large-727090/) [Rid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rid/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Stuff Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-working-727092/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Until](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/until/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [Rewriting is a large part of the whole job. And get rid of stuff that's not working. Just pare it down until it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/rewriting-is-a-large-part-of-the-whole-job-and-get-rid-of-stuff-that-2/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [So how's that hopey changey stuff working out for ya?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/so-how-s-that-hopey-changey-stuff-working-out-for-ya/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [It was nice, though, to have the long term benefit to be able to pare away those things and eventually make the character my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shanks/it-was-nice-though-to-have-the-long-term-benefit-to-be-able-to-pare/) [Michael Shanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shanks/) > [“Disfrutas haciendo que mi corazon se pare, no?" - Ash”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/disfrutas-haciendo-que-mi-corazon-se-pare-no-ash/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [I think you have to create your own stuff so I'm working on stuff for myself right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-elliott/i-think-you-have-to-create-your-own-stuff-so-i-m-working-on-stuff-for/) [Abby Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-elliott/) > [In a period of economic downturn, the overwhelming instinct is to pare back, cut costs, and lay off. If you do that, do so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-porter/in-a-period-of-economic-downturn-the-overwhelming-instinct-is-to-pare/) [Michael Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-porter/) > [I've always had my own career and my own stuff that I was working on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-taylor/i-ve-always-had-my-own-career-and-my-own-stuff-that-i-was-working-on/) [Diana Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-taylor/) > [I'm interested in the essence of things. If you pare things down, what's left? It's like I'm trying to describe the soul to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shea-hembrey/i-m-interested-in-the-essence-of-things-if-you-pare-things-down-what/) [Shea Hembrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shea-hembrey/) > [It's definitely nice to come and say, 'Yeah, I put in a lot of work and I worked on the right stuff and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-bauer/it-s-definitely-nice-to-come-and-say-yeah-i-put-in-a-lot-of-work-and/) [Trevor Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-bauer/) > [Some people write a thank you note for a gift, and it's three pages long, and some people write a thank you note, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/some-people-write-a-thank-you-note-for-a-gift-and-it-s-three-pages/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [“Growing up like rewriting is simply admitting how clueless you were not so long ago.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/growing-up-like-rewriting-is-simply-admitting-how-clueless-you-were/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“Writing is rewriting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-winter/writing-is-rewriting/) [Alan Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-winter/) > [The elevator shaft was a kind of heat sink. Hot food was cold by the time it arrived. Cold food got colder. No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-elevator-shaft-was-a-kind-of-heat-sink-hot-food-was-cold-by-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The book really comes to life in the rewriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-book-really-comes-to-life-in-the-rewriting/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Donald Trump has been rewriting the rules since he got into politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/donald-trump-has-been-rewriting-the-rules-since-he-got-into-politics/) [Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/) ## More by Kurt Loder > [Whomever you're going to interview, you have to be interested in what it is you want to know from them. You have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/whomever-you-re-going-to-interview-you-have-to-be-interested-in-what/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [Well, in features, and in writing especially, it's often the style of the writer comes in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/well-in-features-and-in-writing-especially-it-s-often-the-style-of/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [It's not a good thing to be friends with people you're covering. There's just no point in doing it. It's tempting, but they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/it-s-not-a-good-thing-to-be-friends-with-people-you-re-covering-there/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [Unless you're doing a feature piece, which is going to be longer, and you have more time to get into stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/unless-you-re-doing-a-feature-piece-which-is-going-to-be-longer-and/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [And that's very important, too, 'cause a lot of people just assume everyone's a Democrat, or everyone's a Republican or whatever, and they're not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/and-that-s-very-important-too-cause-a-lot-of-people-just-assume/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [I know what the structure of the language is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/i-know-what-the-structure-of-the-language-is/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [So you shouldn't really flatter yourself that they want to be your buddy. They don't. Generally. They want you for some reason or other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/so-you-shouldn-t-really-flatter-yourself-that-they-want-to-be-your/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [So, yeah, I think it had a major effect. I think in franchising younger people, it was just an idea that's never been trotted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/so-yeah-i-think-it-had-a-major-effect-i-think-in-franchising-younger/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [I think television often has dismissed younger people. They figure, well, they're not really watching news, that's not our audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/i-think-television-often-has-dismissed-younger-people-they-figure/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [And so popular culture raises issues that are very important, actually, in the country I think. You get issues of the First Amendment rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/and-so-popular-culture-raises-issues-that-are-very-important-actually/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [And the most important thing you can do is learn to edit yourself. And then go back and rewrite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/and-the-most-important-thing-you-can-do-is-learn-to-edit-yourself-and/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [I worked for a newspaper in Europe for, I lived in Europe for about seven years, so I worked in this sort of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/i-worked-for-a-newspaper-in-europe-for-i-lived-in-europe-for-about/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [I spent time in, like, criminal courts, and covering murder trials for papers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/i-spent-time-in-like-criminal-courts-and-covering-murder-trials-for/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [If your audience is young, it'd be youth culture, if your audience is older, it'd be older people, if it were senior citizens, it'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/if-your-audience-is-young-it-d-be-youth-culture-if-your-audience-is/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [Rewriting is a large part of the whole job. And get rid of stuff that's not working. Just pare it down until it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/rewriting-is-a-large-part-of-the-whole-job-and-get-rid-of-stuff-that-2/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) [Explore all 31 Kurt Loder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) ## More Beautiful quotes > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Being beautiful comes naturally!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-beautiful-comes-naturally/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) [Tumblr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tumblr/) > [You will never know just how beautiful you are to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-just-how-beautiful-you-are-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [Growing up in Iceland, it was very beautiful, very safe, but quite isolated. There was something about jazz music that had a way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/growing-up-in-iceland-it-was-very-beautiful-very-safe-but-quite/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [Sometimes it's about less is more. It's about the seed. Thinking about this gigantic tree that you think is so beautiful but it started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/sometimes-it-s-about-less-is-more-it-s-about-the-seed-thinking-about/) [Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/) > [God's Word does provide life lessons to teach us how to live. And it gives us beautiful poetry that gives voice to our human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rothschild/god-s-word-does-provide-life-lessons-to-teach-us-how-to-live-and-it/) [Jennifer Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rothschild/) [Browse all 17,976 Beautiful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Rewriting is a large part of the whole job. And get rid of stuff that's not working. 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