--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think in most cases, unless you're…" description: "\"I think in most cases, unless you're writing about a character who is garrulous, you say what you've got to say and then get out. Those little conjunct..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/randy-newman-8029_add_i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writ_74783.jpg" --- # I think in most cases, unless you're writing about a… ![“I think in most cases, unless you're writing about a character who is garrulous, you say what you've got to say and then get out. Those little conjunctions, those little turnaround words help you do it. That's the way I like to write: I get rid of things rather than add them.” quote by Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/randy-newman-8029_add_i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writ_74783.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/randy-newman-8029_add_i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writ_74783.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/randy-newman-8029_add_i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writ_74783.jpg) > “I think in most cases, unless you're writing about a character who is garrulous, you say what you've got to say and then get out. Those little conjunctions, those little turnaround words help you do it. That's the way I like to write: I get rid of things rather than add them.” [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates concise writing by eliminating unnecessary words, especially filler conjunctions, to convey ideas directly. **In simple terms:** Prioritize brevity over verbosity. Key Takeaway Trim excess language. Themes conciseness writing style clarity efficiency Mood focused direct pragmatic Type advice instruction When to use this quote - drafting essays - editing reports - creative writing Key Concepts editing sentence structure Practical Applications - editing copy - teaching writing Questions to Reflect On - How does removing filler affect reader engagement? - When is a more elaborate style appropriate? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Turnaround](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turnaround/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“If we do not determine to aspire to that which we write about, we should rid ourselves of every single sheet of paper and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/if-we-do-not-determine-to-aspire-to-that-which-we-write-about-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I've written about a lot of different things, but the whole idea of writing for another character is unusual for pop music... Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-ve-written-about-a-lot-of-different-things-but-the-whole-idea-of/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [I like to write my lyrics on clay tablets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-like-to-write-my-lyrics-on-clay-tablets/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [I've never gone through the paces that writing textbooks sometimes recommend, such as writing out a character's biography, or determining what his favorite food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-wayne/i-ve-never-gone-through-the-paces-that-writing-textbooks-sometimes/) [Teddy Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-wayne/) > [Once you start writing a character visually, you're in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-mccarthy/once-you-start-writing-a-character-visually-you-re-in-trouble/) [Melissa McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-mccarthy/) > [I think we need a superhero in India that needs a great amount of writing and character behind it. if someone manages to crack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/i-think-we-need-a-superhero-in-india-that-needs-a-great-amount-of/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't see one as bring better or more literate than the other and there's a real buzz to not only writing about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-millar/i-don-t-see-one-as-bring-better-or-more-literate-than-the-other-and/) [Mark Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-millar/) > [There's a kind of acting that goes on in my head when I'm writing a character where I put myself in their place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/there-s-a-kind-of-acting-that-goes-on-in-my-head-when-i-m-writing-a/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I'm never writing as a character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/i-m-never-writing-as-a-character/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [When you are writing a character, what the character says is obviously crucial. But what the character doesn't say is absolutely as important as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-busch/when-you-are-writing-a-character-what-the-character-says-is-obviously/) [Frederick Busch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-busch/) > [I'm pulling out different aspects of my personality in writing each character and, if I'm doing my job well, I'm being true to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-m-pulling-out-different-aspects-of-my-personality-in-writing-each/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [It's usually easier for me to begin writing in a character's voice if that person is different from me in some significant way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-freudenberger/it-s-usually-easier-for-me-to-begin-writing-in-a-character-s-voice-if/) [Nell Freudenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-freudenberger/) > [There's a point I can get to where I start writing character and then through the dialogue, after all of this preparation, the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/there-s-a-point-i-can-get-to-where-i-start-writing-character-and-then/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [Even when I'm writing in character I'm normally still writing about things I know or things that have happened to me or using that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-walker/even-when-i-m-writing-in-character-i-m-normally-still-writing-about/) [Karen Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-walker/) > [Writing from a character is really fun - sometimes you can be more honest through somebody else's perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willy-mason/writing-from-a-character-is-really-fun-sometimes-you-can-be-more/) Willy Mason ## More by Randy Newman > [Thank God for the potholes on memory lane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/thank-god-for-the-potholes-on-memory-lane/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [The best of my songs are more than just a joke. There's something else going on - a character, or it's not just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/the-best-of-my-songs-are-more-than-just-a-joke-there-s-something-else/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [Cleveland, city of light! City of magic!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/cleveland-city-of-light-city-of-magic/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [If getting on the radio was a major motivation, I'd be one of the worst writers of all time. I admire people who do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/if-getting-on-the-radio-was-a-major-motivation-i-d-be-one-of-the/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [I sit here in this chair, I pour myself some whiskey, and watch my troubles vanish into the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-sit-here-in-this-chair-i-pour-myself-some-whiskey-and-watch-my/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [I seen her with the milkman, riding down the street. When you're through with my baby, milkman, send her home to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-seen-her-with-the-milkman-riding-down-the-street-when-you-re/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [If I were to die tomorrow, I think they'd say Newman 56, composer of the hit song, Short People. Jumped off a mountain today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/if-i-were-to-die-tomorrow-i-think-they-d-say-newman-56-composer-of/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [I like science - geography, meteorology, cosmology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-like-science-geography-meteorology-cosmology/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [It takes a whole lot of medicine for me to pretend I am somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/it-takes-a-whole-lot-of-medicine-for-me-to-pretend-i-am-somebody-else/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [I've written a song for Prince. I never showed it to Prince, but just to see if I could do it. At the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-ve-written-a-song-for-prince-i-never-showed-it-to-prince-but-just/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [Some fools in the desert with nothing to do...invented me, and they invented you. And other fools keep it all going and growing. Everybody,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/some-fools-in-the-desert-with-nothing-to-do-invented-me-and-they/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [If we'd had another carefree 70's, I'd have been dead. It was a little too carefree, you know? I don't know how carefree they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/if-we-d-had-another-carefree-70-s-i-d-have-been-dead-it-was-a-little/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [“Yes, Baby...I've been drinkin'...I shouldn't come by I know...but I found myself in trouble, darlin'...and I have no place else to go. Honey I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/yes-baby-i-ve-been-drinkin-i-shouldn-t-come-by-i-know-but-i-found/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [I like the idea of taking a true classic written by a true genius and essentially destroying it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-like-the-idea-of-taking-a-true-classic-written-by-a-true-genius-and/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [I've always had a lot of respect from the people I respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-ve-always-had-a-lot-of-respect-from-the-people-i-respected/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) [Explore all 85 Randy Newman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) ## More Add quotes > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Thirty days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit - like watching the news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cutts/thirty-days-is-just-about-the-right-amount-of-time-to-add-a-new-habit/) [Matt Cutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cutts/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase, 'Let no one be called happy till his death;' to which I would add, 'Let no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-greeks-said-grandly-in-their-tragic-phrase-let-no-one-be-called/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Global is a unifying bond for people. Once they get outside their own heads and their own communities and see themselves in a broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-calvin/global-is-a-unifying-bond-for-people-once-they-get-outside-their-own/) [Kathy Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-calvin/) Browse all 2,710 Add quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think in most cases, unless you're writing about a character who is garrulous, you say what you've got to say and then get out. Those little conjunctions, those little turnaround words help you do it. That's the way I like to write: I get rid of things rather than add them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Randy Newman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writing-about-a-character-who-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Add" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writing-about-a-character-who-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/randy-newman-8029_add_i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writ_74783.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/randy-newman-8029_add_i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writ_74783.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/randy-newman-8029_add_i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writ_74783.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think in most cases, unless you're writing about a character who is garrulous, you say what you've got to…” — Randy Newman", "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": "Randy Newman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think in most cases, unless...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writing-about-a-character-who-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writing-about-a-character-who-is/#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 } } ] } ```