--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I'm editing my work, I'm looking for…" description: "\"When I'm editing my work, I'm looking for everything to fit, to feel seamless, for every detail or line of dialogue or scene to feel necessary and orga..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/roxane-gay-520_communication_when-i-m-editing-my-work-i-m-looking-for_2263706.jpg" --- # When I'm editing my work, I'm looking for everything to… ![“When I'm editing my work, I'm looking for everything to fit, to feel seamless, for every detail or line of dialogue or scene to feel necessary and organic. I approach the writing of others in much the same way while always working to preserve the writer's voice. To allow myself to be vulnerable on…” quote by Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/roxane-gay-520_communication_when-i-m-editing-my-work-i-m-looking-for_2263706.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/roxane-gay-520_communication_when-i-m-editing-my-work-i-m-looking-for_2263706.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/roxane-gay-520_communication_when-i-m-editing-my-work-i-m-looking-for_2263706.jpg) > “When I'm editing my work, I'm looking for everything to fit, to feel seamless, for every detail or line of dialogue or scene to feel necessary and organic. I approach the writing of others in much the same way while always working to preserve the writer's voice. To allow myself to be vulnerable on the page, I tell myself no one is going to read my work. There's no way I could put myself out there otherwise.” [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She seeks seamless, organic prose, preserving voice while allowing vulnerability, reminding herself no one will read it. **In simple terms:** Write fluidly, keep voice, accept vulnerability. Key Takeaway Write authentically, edit for flow. Themes writing authenticity editing Mood introspective encouraging Type creative inspirational When to use this quote - novel drafting - screenplay polishing - self‑editing Key Concepts voice preservation creative risk Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance polish with raw voice? - When is vulnerability most powerful? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑editing may strip personality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach-writing-355200/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Dialogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dialogue/) [Editing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editing/) [Editing Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editing-work-1767896/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Preserve Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preserve-writer-5219118/) [Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene/) [Vulnerable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerable/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Editing is work, and it's hard to do while working on one's own writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-joseph/editing-is-work-and-it-s-hard-to-do-while-working-on-one-s-own-writing/) [Allison Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-joseph/) > [The secret to editing your work is simple: you need to become its reader instead of its writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/the-secret-to-editing-your-work-is-simple-you-need-to-become-its/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [The (editing) work was like peeling an onion. The outer skin came off with difficulty... but in no time youd be down to its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-blishen/the-editing-work-was-like-peeling-an-onion-the-outer-skin-came-off/) [Edward Blishen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-blishen/) > [I think I'm succinct to the point of trying to write the two-word novel. Editing my work almost never means taking anything out but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-think-i-m-succinct-to-the-point-of-trying-to-write-the-two-word/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [My approach to writing and recording now is pretty much the same as when I started. Except now I worry even less about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/my-approach-to-writing-and-recording-now-is-pretty-much-the-same-as/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [My approach to writing is, it's either going to be a personal story about me and what I've personally been through, or it's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giveon/my-approach-to-writing-is-it-s-either-going-to-be-a-personal-story/) [Giveon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giveon/) > [I don't approach my writing or my work from an academic or analytical point of view. I do it for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chath-piersath/i-don-t-approach-my-writing-or-my-work-from-an-academic-or-analytical/) [Chath Piersath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chath-piersath/) > [I think of it as the lasagna approach to writing because I'm always adding layers. I'll sometimes do it layer by layer, with dialogue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-cain/i-think-of-it-as-the-lasagna-approach-to-writing-because-i-m-always/) [Chelsea Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-cain/) > [At the end, I cobbled scenes all together and smoothed out the transitions as much as possible. Incidentally, I would not recommend this approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-campbell/at-the-end-i-cobbled-scenes-all-together-and-smoothed-out-the/) [Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-campbell/) > [There are two ways to approach the writing of a mystery novel: adhere to the rules, or break them with glee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weinman/there-are-two-ways-to-approach-the-writing-of-a-mystery-novel-adhere/) [Sarah Weinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weinman/) > [You've got to be a good reader. So whatever genre that you're interested in, read a lot of books about it and it's better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-hickam/you-ve-got-to-be-a-good-reader-so-whatever-genre-that-you-re/) [Homer Hickam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-hickam/) > [I wanted to be the girl that talks about getting a guy. I felt like that was a different approach to writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsea-ballerini/i-wanted-to-be-the-girl-that-talks-about-getting-a-guy-i-felt-like/) [Kelsea Ballerini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsea-ballerini/) > [I always struggled going against the grain of how pop music should be structured and the seriousness with which people approach writing sessions in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/i-always-struggled-going-against-the-grain-of-how-pop-music-should-be/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [A good book is a good book, and there are a lot of different ways to approach writing or reading one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-barton/a-good-book-is-a-good-book-and-there-are-a-lot-of-different-ways-to/) [Emily Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-barton/) > [“As with most things, my approach to writing has been entirely ass-backwards. I first had to become everything but a writer -- exhaust all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-r-bufogle/as-with-most-things-my-approach-to-writing-has-been-entirely-ass/) [Quentin R. Bufogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-r-bufogle/) ## More by Roxane Gay > [“Human endurance fascinates me, probably too much because more often than not, I think of life in terms of enduring instead of living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/human-endurance-fascinates-me-probably-too-much-because-more-often/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“Being useful was a balm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/being-useful-was-a-balm/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [No woman or man is any one thing and the men in my stories, well, some of them are good and some of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/no-woman-or-man-is-any-one-thing-and-the-men-in-my-stories-well-some/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“I was a daydreamer and I resented being pulled out of my daydreams to deal with the business of living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/i-was-a-daydreamer-and-i-resented-being-pulled-out-of-my-daydreams-to/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [Feminism is, I hope, a way to a better future for everyone who inhabits this world. 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There’s no room for such distinctions in a country where too many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/i-shouted-this-is-not-right-knowing-my-words-were-useless-there-s-no/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [Most of my favorite tweets go completely ignored but most of my favorite tweets are probably really lame or inside jokes between me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/most-of-my-favorite-tweets-go-completely-ignored-but-most-of-my/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“What about other women of color? For Hispanic and Latina women, Indian women, Middle Eastern women, Asian women, their absence in popular culture is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/what-about-other-women-of-color-for-hispanic-and-latina-women-indian/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [There has been, and there will continue to be, vigorous discussions about race in America. I worry that little will come of these discussions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/there-has-been-and-there-will-continue-to-be-vigorous-discussions/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [Writing, at its best and truest, can offer solace and salvation for both readers and writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/writing-at-its-best-and-truest-can-offer-solace-and-salvation-for/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“I knew I was in love with The Hunger Games when I did not want to get off the treadmill”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/i-knew-i-was-in-love-with-the-hunger-games-when-i-did-not-want-to-get/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“Just because you survive something does not mean you are strong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/just-because-you-survive-something-does-not-mean-you-are-strong/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“Celebrities understand the economy of thinness, and most of them are willing to participate in that economy, taking to social media, where they pose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/celebrities-understand-the-economy-of-thinness-and-most-of-them-are/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) [Explore all 503 Roxane Gay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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