--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The writing process for a short story…" description: "\"The writing process for a short story feels more like field geology, where you keep turning the thing over and over, noting its qualities in detail, ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/rivka-galchen-23950_acid_the-writing-process-for-a-short-story-fe_2584225.jpg" --- # The writing process for a short story feels more like… ![“The writing process for a short story feels more like field geology, where you keep turning the thing over and over, noting its qualities in detail, hammering at it, putting it near flame, pouring different acids on it, and then finally you figure out what it is, or you just give up and mount it…” quote by Rivka Galchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/rivka-galchen-23950_acid_the-writing-process-for-a-short-story-fe_2584225.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/rivka-galchen-23950_acid_the-writing-process-for-a-short-story-fe_2584225.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/rivka-galchen-23950_acid_the-writing-process-for-a-short-story-fe_2584225.jpg) > “The writing process for a short story feels more like field geology, where you keep turning the thing over and over, noting its qualities in detail, hammering at it, putting it near flame, pouring different acids on it, and then finally you figure out what it is, or you just give up and mount it on a ring and have an awkward chunky piece of jewelry that seems weirdly dominating but that you for some reason like. I could be wrong about field geology here.” [Rivka Galchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivka-galchen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writing process is like field geology: repeatedly examining, testing, and reshaping material until its true form emerges, or it becomes a flawed artifact. **In simple terms:** Writing is a messy, iterative discovery process. Key Takeaway Embrace iteration and be willing to discard failed drafts. Themes creativity process iteration Mood reflective analytical Type creative writing process-oriented. When to use this quote - novel writing - short story development - editing - creative workshops Key Concepts exploration refinement metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What part of your work feels like a “rock” to you? - How do you decide when to keep or discard a piece? A Different Perspective Not all drafts will succeed; some may be abandoned. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acid/) [Awkward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awkward/) [Details](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/details/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Dominating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dominating/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Field Geology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/field-geology-1804109/) [Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fields/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Flames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flames/) [Geology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geology/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Jewelry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jewelry/) [Jewelry Weirdly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jewelry-weirdly-1804110/) [Just give up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-give-up/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Pouring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pouring/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Rings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rings/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-feels-400639/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-process/) ## Related quotes > [It's always very important to me to try to create a story that feels unpredictable. 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