Book Quote by Rebecca Stead
“There's a great temptation to throw things in, as you put it, that you think are neat, or that you have a very clear, specific memory of and think you could do a good job writing about. What I find is that it's like a seed you plant. You can try it, and if it will grow and connect with other ideas in the book, and you can see connections that you can actually realize on the page, then you're allowed to leave it in. But if it just kind of lies there and doesn't really add up to anything or there's no chemistry with everything else going on in the book, then you have to take it out.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Mysterious Benedict Society, Rebecca Stead, 2007
Writers should keep only ideas that integrate well with the whole work, discarding those that feel isolated.
In simple terms: Keep ideas that fit the story; discard the rest.
Key Takeaway
Edit ruthlessly for coherence.
Themes
writing
editing
creativity
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
instructional
process-oriented
When to use this quote
- novel drafting
- storyboarding
- revision
- creative brainstorming
Key Concepts
narrative cohesion
idea selection
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you test if an idea truly belongs?
- What criteria decide an idea's relevance?
A Different Perspective
Some ideas may seem valuable alone but hinder overall flow.
