--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the hard work of writing is just…" description: "\"“I think the hard work of writing is just how long a book is terrible before it's good.”\" — Leigh Bardugo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/leigh-bardugo-252_advice_i-think-the-hard-work-of-writing-is-just_2506702.png" --- # I think the hard work of writing is just how long a book… ![“I think the hard work of writing is just how long a book is terrible before it's good.” quote by Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/leigh-bardugo-252_advice_i-think-the-hard-work-of-writing-is-just_2506702.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/leigh-bardugo-252_advice_i-think-the-hard-work-of-writing-is-just_2506702.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/leigh-bardugo-252_advice_i-think-the-hard-work-of-writing-is-just_2506702.png) > ““I think the hard work of writing is just how long a book is terrible before it's good.”” [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She suggests that a book’s length can be a sign of its difficulty, implying that longer works often require more effort to become polished. **In simple terms:** Long books can be tough to finish well. Key Takeaway Embrace editing and patience for longer projects. Themes writing craft perseverance Mood motivational practical Type advice literary When to use this quote - novel writing - academic theses - screenplays - self‑help books Key Concepts editing drafting authorial discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance length with clarity? - When is a shorter work more effective? A Different Perspective Length does not guarantee quality; brevity can be powerful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“This book has nothing to do with cats. Or mice. Or self-motivation. This book is 100% 50% finished. But don’t worry, I finished the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/this-book-has-nothing-to-do-with-cats-or-mice-or-self-motivation-this/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I'm up at 8:30 every morning, and I write from about 9:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. - with some breaks, of course. I really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mlynowski/i-m-up-at-8-30-every-morning-and-i-write-from-about-9-00-a-m-to-7-00/) [Sarah Mlynowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mlynowski/) > [My work is writing, but my real work is being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/my-work-is-writing-but-my-real-work-is-being/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [ Back to work. If I’m \[writing\] I’m not thinking about the crazy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/back-to-work-if-i-m-writing-i-m-not-thinking-about-the-crazy/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) > [There's less skill and more plain hard work to writing than anyone except a writer thinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mabel-seeley/there-s-less-skill-and-more-plain-hard-work-to-writing-than-anyone/) [Mabel Seeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mabel-seeley/) > [I usually don't have to do a lot of research in my work, as I'm writing about something I'm already familiar with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-bloom/i-usually-don-t-have-to-do-a-lot-of-research-in-my-work-as-i-m/) [Amy Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-bloom/) > [That's the hard work of writing. 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You're not even sure that it is possible to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-larsson/it-is-so-much-hard-work-writing-your-first-novel-you-re-not-even-sure/) [Asa Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-larsson/) > [It's hard for me to show work while I'm writing, because other people's comments will influence what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/it-s-hard-for-me-to-show-work-while-i-m-writing-because-other-people/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [Like everyone else, there are days when I don't want to go to work. However, writing is a job like anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/like-everyone-else-there-are-days-when-i-don-t-want-to-go-to-work/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [“However, just like any line of work, writing is a negotiation, and creative control is as elusive as financial stability. I discovered that writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-driver/however-just-like-any-line-of-work-writing-is-a-negotiation-and/) Alice Driver ## More by Leigh Bardugo > [“Aleksander." His eyes fluttered shut. "Don't let me be alone," he murmured. And then he was gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/aleksander-his-eyes-fluttered-shut-don-t-let-me-be-alone-he-murmured/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I don't care if you danced naked on the roof of the Little Palace with him. 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His presence reverberated through the cramped rooms and crooked hallways as every thug, thief, dealer, con…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-knew-the-moment-kaz-entered-the-slat-his-presence-reverberated/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-risked-my-life-for-you-i-ve-walked-half-the-length-of-ravka-for/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“You never know," said Nikolai. "I've been busy. I might have some surprises in store for the Darkling yet." "Please tell me you plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/you-never-know-said-nikolai-i-ve-been-busy-i-might-have-some/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Sure we do," said Theo, swatting at a branch. "We get to the spring, Alia gets cured. We argue over the best choice for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/sure-we-do-said-theo-swatting-at-a-branch-we-get-to-the-spring-alia/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“But I pushed down my confused tears and did as she asked, still hoping that whatever I’d broken might be repaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/but-i-pushed-down-my-confused-tears-and-did-as-she-asked-still-hoping/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“There, she wrote fantastical tales that charmed children, and under another name, she penned rather more lurid works that kept her in nougat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/there-she-wrote-fantastical-tales-that-charmed-children-and-under/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Short on friends, your highness?" "And long on enemies," replied Nikolai.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/short-on-friends-your-highness-and-long-on-enemies-replied-nikolai/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. “Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I’m going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/jesper-knocked-his-head-against-the-hull-and-cast-his-eyes-heavenward/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) [Explore all 782 Leigh Bardugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. 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