--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's like standing on the edge of a…" description: "\"It's like standing on the edge of a cliff. This is especially true of the first draft. Every day you're making up the earth you're going to stand on.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/peter-carey-4293_cliffs_it-s-like-standing-on-the-edge-of-a-clif_1810306.png" --- # It's like standing on the edge of a cliff. This is… ![“It's like standing on the edge of a cliff. This is especially true of the first draft. Every day you're making up the earth you're going to stand on.” quote by Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/peter-carey-4293_cliffs_it-s-like-standing-on-the-edge-of-a-clif_1810306.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/peter-carey-4293_cliffs_it-s-like-standing-on-the-edge-of-a-clif_1810306.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/peter-carey-4293_cliffs_it-s-like-standing-on-the-edge-of-a-clif_1810306.png) > “It's like standing on the edge of a cliff. This is especially true of the first draft. Every day you're making up the earth you're going to stand on.” [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a first draft is like building a foundation; each day you shape the ground you will stand on. **In simple terms:** Drafting builds your creative foundation. Key Takeaway Embrace daily writing to solidify ideas. Themes creativity process foundation Mood determined optimistic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - academic papers - blogging Key Concepts writing drafting construction Questions to Reflect On - What foundations are you laying today? - How does daily writing affect confidence? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑planning and stalling progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cliffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliffs/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Earth Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-going-692083/) [Edge Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edge-cliff-471857/) [Edges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edges/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Like Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-standing-342061/) [Making Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-earth-839195/) [Making up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-up/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/) [Standing Edge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing-edge-897351/) [Standing on the edge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing-on-the-edge/) ## Related quotes > [This is how it looks when I am standing on the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red/this-is-how-it-looks-when-i-am-standing-on-the-edge/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red/) > [“You're the one who doesn't understand, I've been standing on the edge with you for years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/you-re-the-one-who-doesn-t-understand-i-ve-been-standing-on-the-edge/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [When Im with you its like Im standing on the edge of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-im-with-you-its-like-im-standing-on-the-edge-of-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why spend life standing on the edge of glory when you can take the leap?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-timbre/why-spend-life-standing-on-the-edge-of-glory-when-you-can-take-the/) [Jamie Timbre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-timbre/) > [It's like every time I'm standing on the edge, they always find a way to pull me back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-like-every-time-i-m-standing-on-the-edge-they-always-find-a-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I'm standing on the edge I almost feel alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharp/when-i-m-standing-on-the-edge-i-almost-feel-alive/) [Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharp/) > [I'm always standing on the edge of something bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-m-always-standing-on-the-edge-of-something-bad/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“When standing on the edge of forever, be mindful of your next step.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-edward-simone/when-standing-on-the-edge-of-forever-be-mindful-of-your-next-step/) [Val Edward Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-edward-simone/) > [We're standing on the edge of a new frontier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-griffin/we-re-standing-on-the-edge-of-a-new-frontier/) [Anthony Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-griffin/) > [“I wasn’t wrecked, not by a long shot. But I’d come precariously close to standing on the edge of that cliff and thinking to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/i-wasn-t-wrecked-not-by-a-long-shot-but-i-d-come-precariously-close/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [I've always had an interest in doing something that was outside my comfort zone; I had this thing about standing on the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mullen/i-ve-always-had-an-interest-in-doing-something-that-was-outside-my/) [Larry Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mullen/) > [My friends status said, standing on the edge of a cliff :/¦so I poked him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryah/my-friends-status-said-standing-on-the-edge-of-a-cliff-so-i-poked-him/) [Ryah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryah/) > [Man must be a co-worker with God in making this earth a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hertz/man-must-be-a-co-worker-with-god-in-making-this-earth-a-garden/) [Joseph Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hertz/) > [In hope to merit heaven by making earth a hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/in-hope-to-merit-heaven-by-making-earth-a-hell/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [When I find myself in that same dark hole, I know that you will be there standing at the edge waiting for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-find-myself-in-that-same-dark-hole-i-know-that-you-will-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Peter Carey > [“I have traveled widely. I have seen this country in its infancy. I tell you what it will become. The public squares will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/i-have-traveled-widely-i-have-seen-this-country-in-its-infancy-i-tell/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [At the very end of a book I can manage to work for longer stretches, but mostly, making stuff up for three hours, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/at-the-very-end-of-a-book-i-can-manage-to-work-for-longer-stretches/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [Being famous as a writer is like being famous in a village. It's not really any very heady fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/being-famous-as-a-writer-is-like-being-famous-in-a-village-it-s-not/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [It's not like I've got 100 ideas. I finish a book, and I've got none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/it-s-not-like-i-ve-got-100-ideas-i-finish-a-book-and-i-ve-got-none/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [“Remember, this is the country of the duck-billed platypus. When you are cut off from the rest of the world, things are bound to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/remember-this-is-the-country-of-the-duck-billed-platypus-when-you-are/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [Australia is my lens. I cannot see the world any other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/australia-is-my-lens-i-cannot-see-the-world-any-other-way/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [If you ever read one of my books I hope you'll think it looks so easy. In fact, I wrote those chapters 20 times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/if-you-ever-read-one-of-my-books-i-hope-you-ll-think-it-looks-so-easy/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [I had known loneliness before, and emptiness upon the moor, but I had never been a NOTHING, a nothing floating on a nothing, known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/i-had-known-loneliness-before-and-emptiness-upon-the-moor-but-i-had/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [I did not know that history is like a blood stain that keeps on showing on the wall no matter how many new owners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/i-did-not-know-that-history-is-like-a-blood-stain-that-keeps-on/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [I think that thing about the destruction of the world is there all the time, it's there every day when we look out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/i-think-that-thing-about-the-destruction-of-the-world-is-there-all/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [“Your American, you wouldn't know if you were up yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/your-american-you-wouldn-t-know-if-you-were-up-yourself/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [“He were still smiling but his voice were hard as a spoon rattling in a metal cup.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/he-were-still-smiling-but-his-voice-were-hard-as-a-spoon-rattling-in/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [“Would you rather have the lords and nobles back? What is Democracy for? Not so we can rob each other. Or cheat.' I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/would-you-rather-have-the-lords-and-nobles-back-what-is-democracy-for/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [“7. Some Theories that Arose at the Time 1. The world is merely a dream dreamt by god who is waking after a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/7-some-theories-that-arose-at-the-time-1-the-world-is-merely-a-dream/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [I'm always the one with the activist friends. I've been an activist very little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/i-m-always-the-one-with-the-activist-friends-i-ve-been-an-activist/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) [Explore all 113 Peter Carey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) ## More Cliffs quotes > [But actually theory is very practical. Gravity is a theory, for example. It allows you to predict that if you step off a cliff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/but-actually-theory-is-very-practical-gravity-is-a-theory-for-example/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [We are about to change history, said Saphira. We’re throwing ourselves off a cliff without knowing how deep the water below is. Ah, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/we-are-about-to-change-history-said-saphira-we-re-throwing-ourselves/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [O the mind, mind has mountains; cliffs of fall Frightful, sheer, no-man-fathomed. Hold them cheap May who ne'er hung there. Nor does long our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/o-the-mind-mind-has-mountains-cliffs-of-fall-frightful-sheer-no-man/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [You've got to junp off cliffs all the time and build wings on the way down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pradeepkumardevi/you-ve-got-to-junp-off-cliffs-all-the-time-and-build-wings-on-the-way/) [Pradeepkumardevi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pradeepkumardevi/) > [There are some moments in life that are like pivots around which your existence turns—small intuitive flashes, when you know you have done something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-davidson/there-are-some-moments-in-life-that-are-like-pivots-around-which-your/) [Robyn Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-davidson/) > [And yes, Holden would keep those kids from falling off the cliff, but WHO WOULDN'T? Does she think I would just fold my arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/and-yes-holden-would-keep-those-kids-from-falling-off-the-cliff-but/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I could see how easy it would be to fall into loving Bella. It would be exactly like falling: effortless. Not letting myself love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-could-see-how-easy-it-would-be-to-fall-into-loving-bella-it-would/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ignorantly is how we all fall in love; for it is a kind of fall. Closing our eyes, we leap from that cliff in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/ignorantly-is-how-we-all-fall-in-love-for-it-is-a-kind-of-fall/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Guernsey itself was overcrowded, but its cliffs were utterly empty. I spent a wonderful year with a friend, climbing them. It was sheer magic:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mawer/guernsey-itself-was-overcrowded-but-its-cliffs-were-utterly-empty-i/) [Simon Mawer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mawer/) > [I'm an adrenaline junkie. I love climbing crazy trees or cliffs, which doesn't make my mom very happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colletti/i-m-an-adrenaline-junkie-i-love-climbing-crazy-trees-or-cliffs-which/) [Stephen Colletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colletti/) > [I had killed our careful relationship by driving my tongue through its heart and pushing it off a cliff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/i-had-killed-our-careful-relationship-by-driving-my-tongue-through/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [“You’ve got to jump off cliffs and build your wings on the way down. —Ray Bradbury”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellery-adams/you-ve-got-to-jump-off-cliffs-and-build-your-wings-on-the-way-down/) [Ellery Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellery-adams/) > [The knowledge that she would never be loved in return acted upon her ideas as a tide acts upon cliffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/the-knowledge-that-she-would-never-be-loved-in-return-acted-upon-her/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [The entrepreneurial journey starts with jumping off a cliff and assembling an airplane on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-entrepreneurial-journey-starts-with-jumping-off-a-cliff-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [In our system, at about 11:30 on election night, they just push you off the edge of the cliff-and that's it. You might scream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-f-mondale/in-our-system-at-about-11-30-on-election-night-they-just-push-you-off/) [Walter F. Mondale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-f-mondale/) [Browse all 452 Cliffs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliffs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's like standing on the edge of a cliff. This is especially true of the first draft. 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