--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Editing is like walking across a room…" description: "\"“Editing is like walking across a room strewn with rose petals and thorns. When you can walk across mostly unbloodied, you're finished.”\" — Richard Due" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-due-33547_editing_editing-is-like-walking-across-a-room-st_1114275.jpg" --- # Editing is like walking across a room strewn with rose… ![“Editing is like walking across a room strewn with rose petals and thorns. When you can walk across mostly unbloodied, you're finished.” quote by Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-due-33547_editing_editing-is-like-walking-across-a-room-st_1114275.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-due-33547_editing_editing-is-like-walking-across-a-room-st_1114275.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-due-33547_editing_editing-is-like-walking-across-a-room-st_1114275.jpg) > ““Editing is like walking across a room strewn with rose petals and thorns. When you can walk across mostly unbloodied, you're finished.”” [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Editing is navigating a field of beauty and danger; when you emerge unscathed, the work is complete, highlighting the skill of avoiding hidden pitfalls. **In simple terms:** Editing balances beauty and danger; success is avoiding hidden harms. Key Takeaway Develop keen awareness to spot hidden flaws. Themes editing creativity risk precision craftsmanship Mood focused analytical encouraging Type professional educational practical When to use this quote - writing workshops - manuscript review - creative projects Key Concepts literary criticism process art attention to detail Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure thoroughness? - What strategies reveal hidden issues? A Different Perspective Even careful editing can miss subtle errors, leading to later revisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Rose petals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rose-petals/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Writing a novel is like pottery. Your initial draft of your story is like a lump of clay. Editing is like shaping that piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monika-pardon/writing-a-novel-is-like-pottery-your-initial-draft-of-your-story-is/) Monika Pardon > [“Editing is like pruning the rose bush you thought was so perfect and beautiful until it overgrew the garden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-enright/editing-is-like-pruning-the-rose-bush-you-thought-was-so-perfect-and/) Larry Enright > [“Writing is like making love, editing is like giving your great grandfather a sponge bath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midnight-taylor/writing-is-like-making-love-editing-is-like-giving-your-great/) Midnight Taylor > [My goal is to strip things down so that you need just the right amount of words or shape to convey what you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-lin/my-goal-is-to-strip-things-down-so-that-you-need-just-the-right/) [Maya Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-lin/) > [“I've reached that final moment of editing a book—the one where the text manifests as a living breathing person and starts slugging me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/i-ve-reached-that-final-moment-of-editing-a-book-the-one-where-the/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“Don't pluck a rose's petals and then ask the rose why it is sad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/don-t-pluck-a-rose-s-petals-and-then-ask-the-rose-why-it-is-sad/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [Yep, that's me. I know. I know. You're humbled I'm here, feel like throwing rose petals at my feet, blah, blah, blah. No need,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/yep-that-s-me-i-know-i-know-you-re-humbled-i-m-here-feel-like/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [However, after the assassination of Salman Taseer, the killer of Salman Taseer was welcomed by the religious fanatics. And they showered rose petals on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahbaz-bhatti/however-after-the-assassination-of-salman-taseer-the-killer-of-salman/) [Shahbaz Bhatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahbaz-bhatti/) > [“Gabriel Edward Mackie, born with soulful maturity and an intrinsic sense of empathy, gazed at life through a poetic contemplative lens relishing the plangent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodee-neathery/gabriel-edward-mackie-born-with-soulful-maturity-and-an-intrinsic/) [JoDee Neathery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodee-neathery/) > [When wine drinkers tell me they taste notes of cherries, tobacco and rose petals, usually all I can detect is a whole lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/when-wine-drinkers-tell-me-they-taste-notes-of-cherries-tobacco-and/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [“Too many of my friends are dead, and others wrecked By various diseases of the intellect Or failing body. How am I still upright?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/too-many-of-my-friends-are-dead-and-others-wrecked-by-various/) [clive james](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [In the middle of a garden grew a rose tree; it was full of roses, and in the loveliest of them all lived an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-andersen/in-the-middle-of-a-garden-grew-a-rose-tree-it-was-full-of-roses-and/) [Hans Christian Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-andersen/) > [If you sprinkle a path of rose petals on the floor...you could make a trip to the bathroom look romantic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey/if-you-sprinkle-a-path-of-rose-petals-on-the-floor-you-could-make-a/) Lacey > [“The indoor picnic had been laid out in an octagonal-shaped sunroom featuring an atrium set in the center of the stone floor. Here a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/the-indoor-picnic-had-been-laid-out-in-an-octagonal-shaped-sunroom/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Slow buds the pink dawn like a rose From out night's gray and cloudy sheath; Softly and still it grows and grows, Petal by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-chauncey-woolsey/slow-buds-the-pink-dawn-like-a-rose-from-out-night-s-gray-and-cloudy/) [Sarah Chauncey Woolsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-chauncey-woolsey/) ## More by Richard Due > [“I was asked the age old question today: why are you an author? I suppose there are lots of answers to this question that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/i-was-asked-the-age-old-question-today-why-are-you-an-author-i/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“Odd names: Winter, Autumn—they almost sound as if someone just made them up.” —Dubb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/odd-names-winter-autumn-they-almost-sound-as-if-someone-just-made/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“You won't find the tales I bear in any books . . . My tales are from the Moon Realm.” —Ebb Autumn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/you-won-t-find-the-tales-i-bear-in-any-books-my-tales-are-from-the/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“I've reached that final moment of editing a book—the one where the text manifests as a living breathing person and starts slugging me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/i-ve-reached-that-final-moment-of-editing-a-book-the-one-where-the/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“Some people are just sad when there aren't talking squirrels.” —Lily Winter”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/some-people-are-just-sad-when-there-aren-t-talking-squirrels-lily/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“I must warn you, my story isn’t a pretty one: abductions, time-traveling dragons, the Order of the Black Fez, highly verbal cats, a secret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/i-must-warn-you-my-story-isn-t-a-pretty-one-abductions-time-traveling/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“History is always older. —Black Fez axiom”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/history-is-always-older-black-fez-axiom/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“Never mess with the Fez.” —Heather Peaceout, Black Fez, Second Order”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/never-mess-with-the-fez-heather-peaceout-black-fez-second-order/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“Tavin cupped his hands to his mouth. “Here, dragon-dragon-dragon!” he yelled. Lily stared in amazement. Well, that was bold, she thought, and stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/tavin-cupped-his-hands-to-his-mouth-here-dragon-dragon-dragon-he/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“You’d be surprised what an eleven-year-old can get away with.” —Tuppence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/you-d-be-surprised-what-an-eleven-year-old-can-get-away-with-tuppence/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“Just a cat! Just a cat! I am the stealer of breaths, the walker of shadows, the keeper of nine lives.” —the Magnificent Lady…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/just-a-cat-just-a-cat-i-am-the-stealer-of-breaths-the-walker-of/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“Do not stare directly into his eyes!” she warned, in an accent I couldn’t place. “Why not?” I said, but she was already too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/do-not-stare-directly-into-his-eyes-she-warned-in-an-accent-i-couldn/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) > [“But—" yelped Twizbang, “Greydor will eat us!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-due/but-yelped-twizbang-greydor-will-eat-us/) [Richard Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) [Explore all 14 Richard Due quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-due/) ## More Editing quotes > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [Whenever I finish a film, I feel that this is the worst film that I have made. This is bound to happen because while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/whenever-i-finish-a-film-i-feel-that-this-is-the-worst-film-that-i/) [Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/) > [A perfect movie is a different thing, but a funny movie is easy. I was really happy that I got everyone that I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/a-perfect-movie-is-a-different-thing-but-a-funny-movie-is-easy-i-was/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [When I see my movies on the editing table, I do think I could have done them a certain way. The satisfaction is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-nadiadwala/when-i-see-my-movies-on-the-editing-table-i-do-think-i-could-have/) [Sajid Nadiadwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-nadiadwala/) > [I've driven people mad on films that I've made - I want more takes; I want to try new lines. Then I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/i-ve-driven-people-mad-on-films-that-i-ve-made-i-want-more-takes-i/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [Songwriting is like editing. You write down all this stuff - all this bad, stupid stuff - and then you have to get rid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/songwriting-is-like-editing-you-write-down-all-this-stuff-all-this/) [Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/) > [I think what holds people up in creative processes is the expectation of what it is they're doing. It's also the sense of judgement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-hegarty/i-think-what-holds-people-up-in-creative-processes-is-the-expectation/) [Antony Hegarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-hegarty/) > [And then to see the whole movie, you're pretty much waiting until the end of production. And the major lifting in terms of editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/and-then-to-see-the-whole-movie-you-re-pretty-much-waiting-until-the/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [I believe there's a platonic ideal for every book that is written, like there's the perfect version of the book somewhere in the ether,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-believe-there-s-a-platonic-ideal-for-every-book-that-is-written/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [“It’s easy to see what to do once it’s already been done. The difficult time is before it’s to be done, and while you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-s-easy-to-see-what-to-do-once-it-s-already-been-done-the-difficult/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Once you sign on as an actor, you know, you don't go to the editing room, you don't see how they cut, you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/once-you-sign-on-as-an-actor-you-know-you-don-t-go-to-the-editing/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [The momentum of production keeps you from giving up, so it's really the editing and writing phases where things can look bleakest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-johnson/the-momentum-of-production-keeps-you-from-giving-up-so-it-s-really/) [Rian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rian-johnson/) > [I spend a lot of time in preproduction working with authors, and a lot of time in postproduction.: editing, music, all that sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-in-preproduction-working-with-authors-and-a-lot/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) Browse all 938 Editing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Editing is like walking across a room strewn with rose petals and thorns. 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