--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd thought I'd constructed a really…" description: "\"I'd thought I'd constructed a really wonderful book, and the teacher told me that my story basically began on page fifty, and that I should throw out e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rich-ferguson-88375_action_i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-won_2899563.jpg" --- # I'd thought I'd constructed a really wonderful book, and… ![“I'd thought I'd constructed a really wonderful book, and the teacher told me that my story basically began on page fifty, and that I should throw out everything prior, or figure out a way to weave only the most important information back into the story, and keep the action moving forward. Wow…” quote by Rich Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rich-ferguson-88375_action_i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-won_2899563.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rich-ferguson-88375_action_i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-won_2899563.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rich-ferguson-88375_action_i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-won_2899563.jpg) > “I'd thought I'd constructed a really wonderful book, and the teacher told me that my story basically began on page fifty, and that I should throw out everything prior, or figure out a way to weave only the most important information back into the story, and keep the action moving forward. Wow. That was a really humbling experience. A real eye-opener. Made me realize there are so many aspects involved with telling a story.” Rich Ferguson ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A story must engage early; unnecessary early content should be trimmed or integrated to maintain momentum. **In simple terms:** Trim or weave early parts to keep story moving. Key Takeaway Keep narrative momentum by editing early sections. Themes writing editing storytelling structure focus Mood reflective instructive Type advice creative When to use this quote - novel drafting - screenwriting - blog posts - academic papers Key Concepts narrative flow audience engagement revision Questions to Reflect On - Which early details are essential? - How can you integrate needed info without slowing pace? A Different Perspective Some writers value exhaustive detail for depth; balance is key. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Humbling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humbling/) [Moving forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-forward/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Telling A Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-a-story/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [“There are more people involved in telling a story than the writer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/there-are-more-people-involved-in-telling-a-story-than-the-writer/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [Whether I'm acting or making it, at the end of the day it's telling the story; action, drama. You want the audience to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/whether-i-m-acting-or-making-it-at-the-end-of-the-day-it-s-telling/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [That's possible to likely. We're involved, you and me. I'm telling you what I'm going to do because I figure when people are involved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/that-s-possible-to-likely-we-re-involved-you-and-me-i-m-telling-you/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [I think the best type of action movie combines a love story with the action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-chestnut/i-think-the-best-type-of-action-movie-combines-a-love-story-with-the/) [Morris Chestnut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-chestnut/) > [In my opinion, visual effects are great when it compliments a good story, and action is great when it compliments a good story, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-roy/in-my-opinion-visual-effects-are-great-when-it-compliments-a-good/) [Drew Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-roy/) > [If you're going to tell a story, make sure you tell the ENTIRE story...because every action has a REACTION!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-going-to-tell-a-story-make-sure-you-tell-the-entire-story/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The most important thing for me in an action sequence is, you understand the characters' intention and the challenges the characters are going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kinberg/the-most-important-thing-for-me-in-an-action-sequence-is-you/) [Simon Kinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kinberg/) > [An acting teacher once told me, 'Greet everything with yes... Even if you abandon one idea for another one, saying yes allows you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/an-acting-teacher-once-told-me-greet-everything-with-yes-even-if-you/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“My greatest teacher once told me,” said Yasujiro, “that a man who has risked his life knows that careers are worthless, and a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-greatest-teacher-once-told-me-said-yasujiro-that-a-man-who-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My teacher told me to write down what I wanted to be when I grow up. I wrote down happy. When I showed it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curly/my-teacher-told-me-to-write-down-what-i-wanted-to-be-when-i-grow-up-i/) [Curly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curly/) > [My teacher told my mum, 'I think William has dyspraxia,' and Mum asked what that meant. She said, 'Well, if I put a chair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/my-teacher-told-my-mum-i-think-william-has-dyspraxia-and-mum-asked/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [“hey hey its Brooke im 12 and having trouble my teacher told me to get on here sooo yaaa see ya soon pic uplaodin soon!!!!!!!!!!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/hey-hey-its-brooke-im-12-and-having-trouble-my-teacher-told-me-to-get/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [My second grade teacher told me I would never graduate high school. That I was going to be a juvenile delinquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/my-second-grade-teacher-told-me-i-would-never-graduate-high-school/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [I was in film school, we were making a movie, and the teacher told me 'You cannot make movies like this.' I said 'I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darby-allin/i-was-in-film-school-we-were-making-a-movie-and-the-teacher-told-me/) [Darby Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darby-allin/) > [“You've got to work. It's about structure. It's about discipline. It's all these deadly things that your school teacher told you you needed... You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/you-ve-got-to-work-it-s-about-structure-it-s-about-discipline-it-s/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) ## More by Rich Ferguson > [I've tried to use my love of music, and spoken word performance to create companion pieces for the book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-ferguson/i-ve-tried-to-use-my-love-of-music-and-spoken-word-performance-to/) Rich Ferguson > [As for the influence on my writing,music has definitely influenced how I write. That idea of cadence, repetition, all those elements appear throughout my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-ferguson/as-for-the-influence-on-my-writing-music-has-definitely-influenced/) Rich Ferguson Explore all 3 Rich Ferguson quotes ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'd thought I'd constructed a really wonderful book, and the teacher told me that my story basically began on page fifty, and that I should throw out everything prior, or figure out a way to weave only the most important information back into the story, and keep the action moving forward. Wow. That was a really humbling experience. A real eye-opener. Made me realize there are so many aspects involved with telling a story.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rich Ferguson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-ferguson/i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-wonderful-book-and-the-teacher/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-ferguson/i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-wonderful-book-and-the-teacher/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rich-ferguson-88375_action_i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-won_2899563.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rich-ferguson-88375_action_i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-won_2899563.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rich-ferguson-88375_action_i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-won_2899563.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'd thought I'd constructed a really wonderful book, and the teacher told me that my story basically began…” — Rich Ferguson", "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": "Rich Ferguson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-ferguson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'd thought I'd constructed a really...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-ferguson/i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-wonderful-book-and-the-teacher/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-ferguson/i-d-thought-i-d-constructed-a-really-wonderful-book-and-the-teacher/#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 } } ] } ```