--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A writer must have all the confidence in…" description: "\"A writer must have all the confidence in the world when writing the first draft and none whatsoever when editing subsequent drafts.\" — T. Davis Bunn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/t-davis-bunn-65368_confidence_a-writer-must-have-all-the-confidence-in_1324675.jpg" --- # A writer must have all the confidence in the world when… ![“A writer must have all the confidence in the world when writing the first draft and none whatsoever when editing subsequent drafts.” quote by T. Davis Bunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/t-davis-bunn-65368_confidence_a-writer-must-have-all-the-confidence-in_1324675.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/t-davis-bunn-65368_confidence_a-writer-must-have-all-the-confidence-in_1324675.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/t-davis-bunn-65368_confidence_a-writer-must-have-all-the-confidence-in_1324675.jpg) > “A writer must have all the confidence in the world when writing the first draft and none whatsoever when editing subsequent drafts.” [T. Davis Bunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-davis-bunn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a first draft requires bold confidence, but editing demands humility and self‑criticism. **In simple terms:** Confidence for drafting, humility for editing. Key Takeaway Embrace confidence then humility. Themes writing confidence editing self‑criticism Mood introspective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - drafting - self‑editing - creative workshops Key Concepts creative process self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance confidence and humility in your work? - What strategies help you edit objectively? A Different Perspective Confidence may blind you to flaws in later revisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-world-357158/) [Draft Whatsoever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draft-whatsoever-4424945/) [Editing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editing/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Whatsoever Editing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whatsoever-editing-4424946/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-confidence-4424944/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Belief, confidence in yourself.. the world’s your playground. Limitless. My question is... will you be remembered?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-plitt/belief-confidence-in-yourself-the-world-s-your-playground-limitless/) [Greg Plitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-plitt/) > [“You can have all the confidence in the world and still be reluctant to self-promote out of a steadfast belief that a person’s work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-young/you-can-have-all-the-confidence-in-the-world-and-still-be-reluctant/) [Valerie Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-young/) > [You don't become great by thinking you're great. Working gives you all the confidence in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-rashad/you-don-t-become-great-by-thinking-you-re-great-working-gives-you-all/) [Ahmad Rashad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmad-rashad/) > [When you've got education, you've got knowledge and power and confidence to go out in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-dash/when-you-ve-got-education-you-ve-got-knowledge-and-power-and/) [Stacey Dash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-dash/) > [My goal is to give young girls confidence in this world so they can be more like men in the decision-making process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackee-harry/my-goal-is-to-give-young-girls-confidence-in-this-world-so-they-can/) [Jackee Harry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackee-harry/) > [Through imagination, thanks to the subtleties of the irreality function, we re-enter the world of confidence, the world of the confident being, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-bachelard/through-imagination-thanks-to-the-subtleties-of-the-irreality/) [Gaston Bachelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-bachelard/) > [ “have told you these things, so that in Me you may have \[perfect\] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-young/have-told-you-these-things-so-that-in-me-you-may-have-perfect-peace/) [Sarah Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-young/) > [“As human beings, we all have a unique perspective on the world , and when you don’t write because you lack the confidence, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-human-beings-we-all-have-a-unique-perspective-on-the-world-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Miracle Message #22: I speak with confidence because the world needs my light. #MiraclesNow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/miracle-message-22-i-speak-with-confidence-because-the-world-needs-my/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [I got all the confidence in the world in my game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ja-morant/i-got-all-the-confidence-in-the-world-in-my-game/) [Ja Morant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ja-morant/) > [“ Because when you love someone," she'd met my eyes and answered without a flicker in her confidence, "their world interests you more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurelin-paige/because-when-you-love-someone-she-d-met-my-eyes-and-answered-without/) [Laurelin Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurelin-paige/) > [If you have people that totally support you and have your back, I feel like you have all the confidence in the world, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/if-you-have-people-that-totally-support-you-and-have-your-back-i-feel/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [Make The Decision, Do It With Confidence, And The World Will Be Yours...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/make-the-decision-do-it-with-confidence-and-the-world-will-be-yours/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by T. Davis Bunn > [Without God we are but bruised reeds, ever threatened by the prospect of being crushed by life’s uncaring millstone. Without God we are nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-davis-bunn/without-god-we-are-but-bruised-reeds-ever-threatened-by-the-prospect/) [T. Davis Bunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-davis-bunn/) > [“I have a hundred reasons to dislike this gentleman,” Erica reminded herself aloud. “And a thousand reasons more not to go courting with any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-davis-bunn/i-have-a-hundred-reasons-to-dislike-this-gentleman-erica-reminded/) [T. Davis Bunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-davis-bunn/) > [“Halfway back up the hillside, Cecilia reached behind her, and it seemed the most natural thing in the world for Brian to lean forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-davis-bunn/halfway-back-up-the-hillside-cecilia-reached-behind-her-and-it-seemed/) [T. Davis Bunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-davis-bunn/) [Explore all 4 T. Davis Bunn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-davis-bunn/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A writer must have all the confidence in the world when writing the first draft and none whatsoever when editing subsequent drafts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "T. 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