---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Seventy percent of what I write, I throw…"
description: "\"Seventy percent of what I write, I throw out. I can write very easily, but writing original things is the hard bit.\" — Mike Rutherford"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/mike-rutherford-40034_hard_seventy-percent-of-what-i-write-i-throw_1277387.jpg"
---

#  Seventy percent of what I write, I throw out. I can write…

![“Seventy percent of what I write, I throw out. I can write very easily, but writing original things is the hard bit.” quote by Mike Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/mike-rutherford-40034_hard_seventy-percent-of-what-i-write-i-throw_1277387.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/mike-rutherford-40034_hard_seventy-percent-of-what-i-write-i-throw_1277387.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/mike-rutherford-40034_hard_seventy-percent-of-what-i-write-i-throw_1277387.jpg)

> “Seventy percent of what I write, I throw out. I can write very easily, but writing original things is the hard bit.”

[Mike Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rutherford/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Writing is iterative; most material is discarded, and true originality is difficult to achieve.

**In simple terms:** Most drafts are thrown away; originality is hard.

Key Takeaway

Persist through revision.

Themes

creativity writing process originality

Mood

reflective encouraging

Type

creative inspirational

When to use this quote

- novel writing
- songwriting
- content creation

Key Concepts

iterative refinement artistic struggle

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps help you refine ideas?
- How do you balance speed with originality?

A Different Perspective

Time constraints may limit depth.

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[Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

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