--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a writer rewrites an essay, people who…" description: "\"“If a writer rewrites an essay, people who read the new version are unlikely to complain that their thoughts have been broken by some newly introduced ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/paul-graham-7010_humor_if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who_2812203.jpg" --- # If a writer rewrites an essay, people who read the new… ![“If a writer rewrites an essay, people who read the new version are unlikely to complain that their thoughts have been broken by some newly introduced incompatibility.” quote by Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/paul-graham-7010_humor_if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who_2812203.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/paul-graham-7010_humor_if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who_2812203.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/paul-graham-7010_humor_if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who_2812203.jpg) > ““If a writer rewrites an essay, people who read the new version are unlikely to complain that their thoughts have been broken by some newly introduced incompatibility.”” [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rewrites rarely break thoughts; readers adapt to new versions without complaint. **In simple terms:** Revisions are generally accepted. Key Takeaway Embrace iterative improvement. Themes writing revision reader perception Mood analytical pragmatic Type technical literary When to use this quote - editing processes - software updates Key Concepts cognitive flexibility communication theory Questions to Reflect On - When does revision hinder understanding? - How to balance innovation with clarity? A Different Perspective Some changes can alienate audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Love is like an essay. Some people work really hard to make it work, is based on facts, and can support itself. Others are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ester-escalante/love-is-like-an-essay-some-people-work-really-hard-to-make-it-work-is/) [Ester Escalante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ester-escalante/) > [I have to re-write a lot. I couldn't tell you how many drafts I write, but I know I've done at least twenty rewrites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-willis-holt/i-have-to-re-write-a-lot-i-couldn-t-tell-you-how-many-drafts-i-write/) [Kimberly Willis Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-willis-holt/) > [Yes, I did some rewrites of the show as some of the stuff was not very good and I worked my butt off to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/yes-i-did-some-rewrites-of-the-show-as-some-of-the-stuff-was-not-very/) [Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/) > [When I finally finished writing 'Sisters,' I started getting hired for lots of rewrites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/when-i-finally-finished-writing-sisters-i-started-getting-hired-for/) [Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/) > [I'll sit for a couple of hours and write and do rewrites, and then I'll read and then I have a little area where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-elordi/i-ll-sit-for-a-couple-of-hours-and-write-and-do-rewrites-and-then-i/) [Jacob Elordi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-elordi/) > [“It rewrites the contract, I'd read somewhere. Your self's no longer central. This thing comes out of you and drags half your soul along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/it-rewrites-the-contract-i-d-read-somewhere-your-self-s-no-longer/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [I'm tired of doing rewrites for executives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-m-tired-of-doing-rewrites-for-executives/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [Every script always goes through rewrites so that everyone loves it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/every-script-always-goes-through-rewrites-so-that-everyone-loves-it/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [“And so we beat on, books against the critics, borne back ceaslessly into rewrites.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/and-so-we-beat-on-books-against-the-critics-borne-back-ceaslessly/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I rewrite my books until they're mostly memorized so that's a lot of rewrites, a lot of time spent with my stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-rewrite-my-books-until-they-re-mostly-memorized-so-that-s-a-lot-of/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [I've been very fortunate with my three spec scripts - which is sort of my thematic trilogy of the American Frontier. With 'Sicario', 'Hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/i-ve-been-very-fortunate-with-my-three-spec-scripts-which-is-sort-of/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [I don't do rewrites. I put all the pages in a pile next to the typewriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-pascal/i-don-t-do-rewrites-i-put-all-the-pages-in-a-pile-next-to-the/) [Francine Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-pascal/) > [Through ignorance, through faith, through intelligence, through trickery and cunning, through illumination, the reader rewrites the text with the same words of the original…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-manguel/through-ignorance-through-faith-through-intelligence-through-trickery/) [Alberto Manguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-manguel/) > [Everything I write goes through a lot of drafts. A hundred rewrites is not unusual for me to go through - the last fifty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/everything-i-write-goes-through-a-lot-of-drafts-a-hundred-rewrites-is/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [As a very experienced writer once told me, 'It's in the rewrites'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-skerritt/as-a-very-experienced-writer-once-told-me-it-s-in-the-rewrites/) [Tom Skerritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-skerritt/) ## More by Paul Graham > [“I'm not saying there's no such thing as genius. But if you're trying to choose between two theories and one gives you an excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/i-m-not-saying-there-s-no-such-thing-as-genius-but-if-you-re-trying/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“This is a good plan for life in general. If you have two choices, choose the harder. If you're trying to decide whether to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/this-is-a-good-plan-for-life-in-general-if-you-have-two-choices/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“When I was a kid I was constantly being told to look at things from someone else’s point of view. What this always meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-constantly-being-told-to-look-at-things-from/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [You know your business model is broken when you're suing your customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/you-know-your-business-model-is-broken-when-you-re-suing-your/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“Hackers are unruly. That is the essence of hacking. And it is also the essence of Americanness. It is no accident that Silicon Valley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/hackers-are-unruly-that-is-the-essence-of-hacking-and-it-is-also-the/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“We often like to think of World War II as a triumph of freedom over totalitarianism. We conveniently forget that the Soviet Union was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/we-often-like-to-think-of-world-war-ii-as-a-triumph-of-freedom-over/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [It's hard to say exactly what it is about face-to-face contact that makes deals happen, but whatever it is, it hasn't yet been duplicated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/it-s-hard-to-say-exactly-what-it-is-about-face-to-face-contact-that/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [One startup I dream of funding is the one that kills the record companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/one-startup-i-dream-of-funding-is-the-one-that-kills-the-record/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“It’s easier to get people to fight for an idea. And whichever side wins, their ideas will also be considered to have triumphed, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/it-s-easier-to-get-people-to-fight-for-an-idea-and-whichever-side/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“Could civil liberties really be a cause, rather than just an effect? I think so. I think a society in which people can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/could-civil-liberties-really-be-a-cause-rather-than-just-an-effect-i/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“A great programmer, on a roll, could create a million dollars worth of wealth in a couple weeks. A mediocre programmer over the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/a-great-programmer-on-a-roll-could-create-a-million-dollars-worth-of/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [We don't have to go that far to sell our beer because our immediate accounts sell so much. Places that sold 10 cases before,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/we-don-t-have-to-go-that-far-to-sell-our-beer-because-our-immediate/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [I get a lot of criticism for telling founders to focus first on making something great, instead of worrying about how to make money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/i-get-a-lot-of-criticism-for-telling-founders-to-focus-first-on/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“So the optimal plan, if you can manage it, is to have a few trusted friends you can speak openly to. This is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/so-the-optimal-plan-if-you-can-manage-it-is-to-have-a-few-trusted/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“Public school teachers are in much the same position as prison wardens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/public-school-teachers-are-in-much-the-same-position-as-prison-wardens/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) [Explore all 94 Paul Graham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) ## More Humor quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [In my opinion, sexiness comes down to three things: chemistry, sense of humor, and treatment of waitstaff at restaurants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-janzen/in-my-opinion-sexiness-comes-down-to-three-things-chemistry-sense-of/) [Rhoda Janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-janzen/) > [“...I haven't guessed where your shirt is from yet Bane, but I don't think it'll matter once it's underwater!' Tristan looked at Bane questioningly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-k-munt/i-haven-t-guessed-where-your-shirt-is-from-yet-bane-but-i-don-t-think/) S.K. Munt > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [“I only have two words to say More or Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timbur/i-only-have-two-words-to-say-more-or-less/) TimBur > [“ “Do Southerners laugh at different things than Northerners do? Yes, I say--Northerners.” Roy Blount, Jr., Roy Blount’s Book of Southern Humor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/do-southerners-laugh-at-different-things-than-northerners-do-yes-i/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) [Browse all 33,155 Humor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If a writer rewrites an essay, people who read the new version are unlikely to complain that their thoughts have been broken by some newly introduced incompatibility.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Graham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who-read-the-new-version-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Humor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who-read-the-new-version-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/paul-graham-7010_humor_if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who_2812203.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/paul-graham-7010_humor_if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who_2812203.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/paul-graham-7010_humor_if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who_2812203.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a writer rewrites an essay, people who read the new version are unlikely to complain that their thoughts…” — Paul Graham", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Graham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If a writer rewrites an essay,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who-read-the-new-version-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/if-a-writer-rewrites-an-essay-people-who-read-the-new-version-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```