Abandon Quote by Natasha Trethewey
“When I write notes in my journal, I'm just trying to scribble down as much as possible. Later on, I decide whether to follow some of those first impressions or whether to abandon them.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Poetry Discussion, 2015
The poet uses journaling to capture raw thoughts, then later filters them to decide which ideas merit development.
In simple terms: Writing captures ideas; later selection refines them.
Key Takeaway
Write freely, then edit selectively.
Themes
creativity
reflection
decision‑making
growth
Mood
contemplative
inquisitive
Type
advice
process
When to use this quote
- daily journaling
- creative brainstorming
- project planning
Key Concepts
mindfulness
creative process
self‑editing
Questions to Reflect On
- Which initial thoughts have you discarded?
- How do you decide what to pursue?
A Different Perspective
Some ideas may be lost in the editing process.
![“Most of the note-taking happens while I'm watching television. It's a broad window on the world, and a lot of things are already established in my mind as things I say, things that I'm interested in, things that are fodder for my [stand-up] machine. And when I see something that relates to one of…” quote by George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a40/george-carlin-155_broads_most-of-the-note-taking-happens-while-i_754895.jpg)
