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Books Quote by Lauren Groff

“It's more like I write multiple first drafts, handwritten. So with my first novel, I wrote whole drafts from different points of view. There are different versions of that novel in a drawer on loose-leaf sheets. I won't even look at the first draft while I'm writing the second, and I won't look at…” quote by Lauren Groff
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“It's more like I write multiple first drafts, handwritten. So with my first novel, I wrote whole drafts from different points of view. There are different versions of that novel in a drawer on loose-leaf sheets. I won't even look at the first draft while I'm writing the second, and I won't look at the second before writing the third.”

Lauren Groff

About This Quote

Source Interview: Literary Magazine, 2022

She describes a layered drafting process, treating each version as a separate manuscript, allowing fresh perspectives and preventing earlier drafts from biasing later work.

In simple terms: She writes multiple drafts, each from a new angle, without revisiting previous ones.

Key Takeaway

Write each draft anew to keep ideas fresh.

Themes

creativity writing process drafting novel development

Mood

analytical inspirational

Type

creative process

When to use this quote

  • novel writing
  • workshop
  • creative retreats
  • editing sessions

Key Concepts

iterative writing perspective shifting creative discipline

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does abandoning previous drafts shape your final story?
  • Can this method improve narrative depth?
A Different Perspective

Time‑intensive and may lead to redundancy without synthesis.

3.6 out of 5 (9 ratings)

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