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Acceptable Quote by Richard Meltzer

“I didn't mind writing incoherently, up until about 1980, occasionally. But after that, I decided, might as well be articulate. And I found, though, that writing poetry affected my prose to the point where I never again wrote in one draft, and my prose just took longer and longer and longer. It…” quote by Richard Meltzer
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“I didn't mind writing incoherently, up until about 1980, occasionally. But after that, I decided, might as well be articulate. And I found, though, that writing poetry affected my prose to the point where I never again wrote in one draft, and my prose just took longer and longer and longer. It took longer and longer to come up with an acceptable text. And that's probably one of the reasons that my output has slowed down.”

Richard Meltzer

About This Quote

Writing became more deliberate after 1980, slowing output as poetic influence made prose more labor‑intensive.

In simple terms: Poetry made prose slower and more careful.

Key Takeaway

Embrace deliberate writing.

Themes

creativity process craft

Mood

introspective analytical

Type

advisory reflective

When to use this quote

  • writing practice
  • editing
  • creative workshops

Key Concepts

literature self‑reflection

Questions to Reflect On

  • How balance speed and depth?
  • When to prioritize polish?
A Different Perspective

Slower output may affect productivity.

3.7 out of 5 (7 ratings)

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