--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to get something down, and then…" description: "\"You have to get something down, and then find ways of working in complexity and different layers of meaning... My first drafts are usually the ravings ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20a/peter-wolf-43240_complexity_you-have-to-get-something-down-and-then_3165560.jpg" --- # You have to get something down, and then find ways of… ![“You have to get something down, and then find ways of working in complexity and different layers of meaning... My first drafts are usually the ravings of a delusional fantasist.” quote by Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20a/peter-wolf-43240_complexity_you-have-to-get-something-down-and-then_3165560.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20a/peter-wolf-43240_complexity_you-have-to-get-something-down-and-then_3165560.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20a/peter-wolf-43240_complexity_you-have-to-get-something-down-and-then_3165560.jpg) > “You have to get something down, and then find ways of working in complexity and different layers of meaning... My first drafts are usually the ravings of a delusional fantasist.” [Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Drafting involves messy beginnings that must be refined through layered thinking and iterative revision. **In simple terms:** First drafts are chaotic. Key Takeaway Embrace revision and depth. Themes writing process complexity revision Mood analytical encouraging Type creative process-oriented When to use this quote - novel writing - academic papers - marketing copy - script development - design documentation Key Concepts creative iteration layered meaning drafting techniques Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance raw ideas with structure? - What layers add depth to your work? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complexity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexity/) [Complexity Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexity-different-5740457/) [Delusional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusional/) [Delusional Fantasist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusional-fantasist-5740454/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Drafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drafts/) [Drafts Usually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drafts-usually-5740455/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Layers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/layers/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think anything I've written has been done in under six or eight drafts. Usually it takes me a few years to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/i-don-t-think-anything-i-ve-written-has-been-done-in-under-six-or/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [I can get really obsessive. I like writing many drafts, and I try not to because it is very time-consuming, especially when you're working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-windley/i-can-get-really-obsessive-i-like-writing-many-drafts-and-i-try-not/) [Carol Windley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-windley/) > [I wrote the screenplay for 'This Is Where I Leave You' - all 40 drafts of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/i-wrote-the-screenplay-for-this-is-where-i-leave-you-all-40-drafts-of/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [The thing about our movies is, we write thirty drafts. That's a very detailed script. Which means that if you try to crank it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/the-thing-about-our-movies-is-we-write-thirty-drafts-that-s-a-very/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [I haven't had trouble with writer's block. I think it's because my process involves writing very badly. My first drafts are filled with lurching,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-haven-t-had-trouble-with-writer-s-block-i-think-it-s-because-my/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [It's always hard, but it's always fun to attack a premise that you think is interesting. It does take a few drafts for sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-levin/it-s-always-hard-but-it-s-always-fun-to-attack-a-premise-that-you/) [Victor Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-levin/) > [I'm constantly at war with myself to quit goofing around, and the internet hasn't helped that any. I've learned that I have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-abu-jaber/i-m-constantly-at-war-with-myself-to-quit-goofing-around-and-the/) [Diana Abu-Jaber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-abu-jaber/) > [I'm pretty obsessive-compulsive, and I'm very fast. I tend to not write for a long period of time until I can't not write, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rapp/i-m-pretty-obsessive-compulsive-and-i-m-very-fast-i-tend-to-not-write/) [Adam Rapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rapp/) > [I'd really be happy with any team that drafts me. It means they see something in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ja-morant/i-d-really-be-happy-with-any-team-that-drafts-me-it-means-they-see/) [Ja Morant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ja-morant/) > [Obviously, drafts sometimes are good ones, or bad ones; I think you can get a good, quality player late in the lottery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-hill/obviously-drafts-sometimes-are-good-ones-or-bad-ones-i-think-you-can/) [Grant Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-hill/) > [I don't read anything electronically. I don't write electronically, either - except e-mails to my family and friends. I write in longhand. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-don-t-read-anything-electronically-i-don-t-write-electronically/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I number my drafts, and by the time a book is done, I'll have 75 or 80 drafts of some sections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-number-my-drafts-and-by-the-time-a-book-is-done-i-ll-have-75-or-80/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [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/) > [With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the script. I was so young and less confident. They put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write-a-draft-of-the-script-i-was/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [Recently a study proved that working from a larger, less cluttered computer screen increases concentration. I could have told them that. And yes, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/recently-a-study-proved-that-working-from-a-larger-less-cluttered/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) ## More by Peter Wolf > [I was like one of those people who is allergic to the twentieth century... I'd been brought up to think there was some order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wolf/i-was-like-one-of-those-people-who-is-allergic-to-the-twentieth/) [Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) > [You have to put yourself to one side and get away from the 'Victorian poet' model where you are the universe. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wolf/you-have-to-put-yourself-to-one-side-and-get-away-from-the-victorian/) [Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) > [My journey is technical complexity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wolf/my-journey-is-technical-complexity/) [Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) > [Of course, your ideas can be stolen... I used to think it was immoral; now I think of it as a compliment... Ultimately, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wolf/of-course-your-ideas-can-be-stolen-i-used-to-think-it-was-immoral-now/) [Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) > [It's important to balance the drudgery with inspiration. It's a nightmare if you are just existing in the present project - you don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wolf/it-s-important-to-balance-the-drudgery-with-inspiration-it-s-a/) [Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) > [Sometimes people say I should see a therapist, but I don't want any therapist wrecking my weirdness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wolf/sometimes-people-say-i-should-see-a-therapist-but-i-don-t-want-any/) [Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) > [My big struggle has been how to expand my mind without being able to expand my physical experience of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wolf/my-big-struggle-has-been-how-to-expand-my-mind-without-being-able-to/) [Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) > [If you have a success, the terror is how on earth can you follow it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wolf/if-you-have-a-success-the-terror-is-how-on-earth-can-you-follow-it-up/) [Peter Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) [Explore all 9 Peter Wolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wolf/) ## More Complexity quotes > [Programmers are always surrounded by complexity; we cannot avoid it… If our basic tool, the language in which we design and code our programs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hoare/programmers-are-always-surrounded-by-complexity-we-cannot-avoid-it-if/) [Tony Hoare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hoare/) > [From the 1990s onward, the financial sector created a vast array of instruments designed to separate investors from their money, financial derivatives of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-casti/from-the-1990s-onward-the-financial-sector-created-a-vast-array-of/) [John L. Casti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-casti/) > [Being actors we are dealing with the beauty and complexity of human confusion, no? And we are always trying to get answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/being-actors-we-are-dealing-with-the-beauty-and-complexity-of-human/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [ \[In science any model depends on a pre-chosen taxonomy\] a set of classifications into which we divide the enormous complexity of the real world...… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/in-science-any-model-depends-on-a-pre-chosen-taxonomy-a-set-of/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [The complexity increases exponentially when you try and combine two companies that both need to be restructured in their own right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-waitt/the-complexity-increases-exponentially-when-you-try-and-combine-two/) [Ted Waitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-waitt/) > [We're in this strange age where we can't say 'I love you,' at least not sincerely. It's something where, if you simplify it, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoffer-boe/we-re-in-this-strange-age-where-we-can-t-say-i-love-you-at-least-not/) [Christoffer Boe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoffer-boe/) > [I've realized that life is indeed full of contradictions. Sometimes its crazy to be sane.You need to fall to fly. People suffer because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-realized-that-life-is-indeed-full-of-contradictions-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Calvin: The more you know, the harder it is to take decisive action. Once you are informed, you start seeing complexities and shades of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/calvin-the-more-you-know-the-harder-it-is-to-take-decisive-action/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [As we get more transparent with data sets about infrastructure and systems management, I have a feeling we'll see big changes in how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-koblin/as-we-get-more-transparent-with-data-sets-about-infrastructure-and/) [Aaron Koblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-koblin/) > [Show me a person without prejudice of any kind on any subject and I'll show you someone who may be admirably virtuous but is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/show-me-a-person-without-prejudice-of-any-kind-on-any-subject-and-i/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [We're all complex human beings, and if some of that complexity shows through, I think it's advantageous for the movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-de-bont/we-re-all-complex-human-beings-and-if-some-of-that-complexity-shows/) [Jan de Bont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-de-bont/) > [The base of artistic pursuit is ambivalence and complexity. And that's what I try to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-perez/the-base-of-artistic-pursuit-is-ambivalence-and-complexity-and-that-s/) [Fernando Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-perez/) > [If you want to gain market share at your competitor's expense - look for a customer that's suffering from too much complexity and simplify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-cohan/if-you-want-to-gain-market-share-at-your-competitor-s-expense-look/) [Peter Cohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-cohan/) > [What music is better able to do than language is to represent the complexity of human emotional states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/what-music-is-better-able-to-do-than-language-is-to-represent-the/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [I have become convinced, through my studies, that the only way to achieve a safe, just and viable world is to live by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-have-become-convinced-through-my-studies-that-the-only-way-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) [Browse all 1,258 Complexity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have to get something down, and then find ways of working in complexity and different layers of meaning... 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