--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I might spend 100 pages trying to get to…" description: "\"I might spend 100 pages trying to get to know the world I'm writing about: its contours, who are my main characters, what are their relationships to ea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/michael-chabon-627_art-making_i-might-spend-100-pages-trying-to-get-to_3226694.jpg" --- # I might spend 100 pages trying to get to know the world… ![“I might spend 100 pages trying to get to know the world I'm writing about: its contours, who are my main characters, what are their relationships to each other, and just trying to get a sense of what and who this book is about. Usually around that point of 100 pages, I start to feel like I'm lost…” quote by Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/michael-chabon-627_art-making_i-might-spend-100-pages-trying-to-get-to_3226694.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/michael-chabon-627_art-making_i-might-spend-100-pages-trying-to-get-to_3226694.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/michael-chabon-627_art-making_i-might-spend-100-pages-trying-to-get-to_3226694.jpg) > “I might spend 100 pages trying to get to know the world I'm writing about: its contours, who are my main characters, what are their relationships to each other, and just trying to get a sense of what and who this book is about. Usually around that point of 100 pages, I start to feel like I'm lost, I have too much material, it's time to start making some choices. It's typically at that point that I sit down and try to make a formal outline and winnow out what's not working and what I'm most interested in, where the story seems to be going.” [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers often get lost in research and must decide when to outline and prune material to advance the narrative. **In simple terms:** Research can overwhelm; outline to focus. Key Takeaway Create outlines to clarify and prioritize story elements. Themes writing clarity decision‑making Mood practical instructive Type advice creative When to use this quote - novel drafting - plot development - editing phase Key Concepts creative process structure Questions to Reflect On - When do you know it’s time to outline? - How do you decide what material to cut? A Different Perspective Too much research can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-making/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Main characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/main-characters/) [Making choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-choices/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I spend my days looking through pages Trying to find a way to get away from me. With love to give that leaves you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asking-alexandria/i-spend-my-days-looking-through-pages-trying-to-find-a-way-to-get/) [Asking Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asking-alexandria/) > [Usually, when I write a novel, it takes me about 100 pages to figure out the voice of the narrator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/usually-when-i-write-a-novel-it-takes-me-about-100-pages-to-figure/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [If you get a book which is 600 pages, you have to reduce it to a script of 100 pages. In two hours of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dino-de-laurentiis/if-you-get-a-book-which-is-600-pages-you-have-to-reduce-it-to-a/) [Dino De Laurentiis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dino-de-laurentiis/) > [The danger of writing a so-called thriller is that in your last 100 pages, all of these really interesting characters you've created are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-danger-of-writing-a-so-called-thriller-is-that-in-your-last-100/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [“Only a reader can understand how a book with 100 pages can be too long and one with 1000 pages can be too short.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofija/only-a-reader-can-understand-how-a-book-with-100-pages-can-be-too/) Sofija > [It takes me two to three years to write a novel. A screenplay is 100 pages and takes five years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/it-takes-me-two-to-three-years-to-write-a-novel-a-screenplay-is-100/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“It is strange that there should be so little reading in the world, and so much writing. People in general do not willingly read,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-strange-that-there-should-be-so-little-reading-in-the-world-and/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [There's enough dismemberment going on in the world without writing music about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-haden/there-s-enough-dismemberment-going-on-in-the-world-without-writing/) [Charlie Haden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-haden/) > [I'm not much interested in prizes, whether from the Arab world or from the Western world. 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You're introducing the world, and I was also writing in a vacuum because I didn't know who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/in-twilight-you-re-setting-up-the-world-you-re-introducing-the-world/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [It seems to me that 'women's writing' by nature would not seek equivalence in the male world. It would be a writing that sought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cusk/it-seems-to-me-that-women-s-writing-by-nature-would-not-seek/) [Rachel Cusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cusk/) > [“The whole world's writing novels, but nobody's reading them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-galbraith/the-whole-world-s-writing-novels-but-nobody-s-reading-them/) [Robert Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-galbraith/) ## More by Michael Chabon > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Anyway, it's a pretty good story," I said. "You have to admit." "Yeah?" He crumpled up the Kleenex, having dispatched the solitary tear. "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/anyway-it-s-a-pretty-good-story-i-said-you-have-to-admit-yeah-he/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [There were so many Pittsburgh poets in my hallway that if, at that instant, a meteorite had come smashing through my roof, there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/there-were-so-many-pittsburgh-poets-in-my-hallway-that-if-at-that/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Badass.'" My grandfather sampled the flavor of the word. 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In my panache is their hope for salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/see-you-in-the-funny-papers-he-said-jaunty-he-reminded-himself-always/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“I didn't want to be left alone with Timothy, not because I was afraid of him but because I was afraid that somebody would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/i-didn-t-want-to-be-left-alone-with-timothy-not-because-i-was-afraid/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“He had already seized this particular day once, but he was prepared, if need be, to go ahead and seize the motherfucker all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/he-had-already-seized-this-particular-day-once-but-he-was-prepared-if/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“We figure he must have let him out. The perpetrator, I mean. He's blind and we figure he just wandered off and maybe got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/we-figure-he-must-have-let-him-out-the-perpetrator-i-mean-he-s-blind/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Then I reminded myself that I was always willing to listen to arguments in favor of avoiding an unpleasant chore, and I shook my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/then-i-reminded-myself-that-i-was-always-willing-to-listen-to/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Love great first lines and paragraphs. From The Yiddish Policemen's Union: Nine months Landsman's been flopping at the Hotel Zamenhof without any of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/love-great-first-lines-and-paragraphs-from-the-yiddish-policemen-s/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Life blew in gusts from the hole in the side of the elephant with a rank smell and a comic flatulence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/life-blew-in-gusts-from-the-hole-in-the-side-of-the-elephant-with-a/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Not only would I never want to belong to any club that would have me for a member--if elected I would wear street shoes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/not-only-would-i-never-want-to-belong-to-any-club-that-would-have-me/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [That's the best thing about writing, when you're in that zone, you're porous, ready to absorb the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/that-s-the-best-thing-about-writing-when-you-re-in-that-zone-you-re/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Most science fiction seemed to be written for people who already liked science fiction; I wanted to write stories for anyone, anywhere, living at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/most-science-fiction-seemed-to-be-written-for-people-who-already/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [ “For as long as I could remember, I'd been making vague and confident assurances that any day I would finish the thing \[my book\].… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/for-as-long-as-i-could-remember-i-d-been-making-vague-and-confident/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) [Explore all 436 Michael Chabon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## More Art making quotes > [Russia and the USA are two largest nuclear powers in the world; it's a really important relationship. How do we start making this work?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-w-tillerson/russia-and-the-usa-are-two-largest-nuclear-powers-in-the-world-it-s-a/) [Rex W. Tillerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-w-tillerson/) > [“Someone’s coming.” Terry McCaleb looked at his wife and then followed her eyes down to the winding road below. He could see the golf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/someone-s-coming-terry-mccaleb-looked-at-his-wife-and-then-followed/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out what it means. I've never heard of bonds sharing languages either, and yet...' I pull her even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-messenger/yeah-i-m-just-trying-to-figure-out-what-it-means-i-ve-never-heard-of/) [Shannon Messenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-messenger/) > [Whenever we start making a 'Devil May Cry' game, one thing we think about is, 'What new weapons are we going to have for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-itsuno/whenever-we-start-making-a-devil-may-cry-game-one-thing-we-think/) [Hideaki Itsuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideaki-itsuno/) > [Before we start making blanket statements about abolishing the IRS, I think it's important to focus on what the tax code for the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/before-we-start-making-blanket-statements-about-abolishing-the-irs-i/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [I grew up watching monster movies and horror movies, which I felt were like fairy tales and I think this always spoke to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/i-grew-up-watching-monster-movies-and-horror-movies-which-i-felt-were/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [“Should we start making preparations here? (Tory) Punk-ass won’t come to my island! He knows better. You don’t tap on the Devil’s shoulder unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/should-we-start-making-preparations-here-tory-punk-ass-won-t-come-to/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [In a way, to have whatever people talk about as "crossover success," I think it means you start making bad music. I mean, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/in-a-way-to-have-whatever-people-talk-about-as-crossover-success-i/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [“Strong Mercy: My desires are many and my cry is pitiful, but ever didst thou save me by hard refusals; and this strong mercy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/strong-mercy-my-desires-are-many-and-my-cry-is-pitiful-but-ever-didst/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Where did this whole thing begin? If what we think of as reality is just a pattern that somebody brought Outside, and the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/where-did-this-whole-thing-begin-if-what-we-think-of-as-reality-is/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [We never sit down before we start making a record and talk about this new sonic palette that we are going to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/we-never-sit-down-before-we-start-making-a-record-and-talk-about-this/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [I think it killed my sister as the times she was living in were so conformist. This is a subject I really want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-think-it-killed-my-sister-as-the-times-she-was-living-in-were-so/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [It's kind of true that they just start making the same movie over and over again. 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Usually around that point of 100 pages, I start to feel like I'm lost, I have too much material, it's time to start making some choices. 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