--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An author writes a book, and that's the…" description: "\"An author writes a book, and that's the book at that point. And if the author writes the book again, then somehow something has gone wrong, if you see ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/terry-pratchett-19_again_an-author-writes-a-book-and-that-s-the-b_3152083.jpg" --- # An author writes a book, and that's the book at that… ![“An author writes a book, and that's the book at that point. And if the author writes the book again, then somehow something has gone wrong, if you see what I mean.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/terry-pratchett-19_again_an-author-writes-a-book-and-that-s-the-b_3152083.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/terry-pratchett-19_again_an-author-writes-a-book-and-that-s-the-b_3152083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/terry-pratchett-19_again_an-author-writes-a-book-and-that-s-the-b_3152083.jpg) > “An author writes a book, and that's the book at that point. And if the author writes the book again, then somehow something has gone wrong, if you see what I mean.” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the paradox of a work being both complete and needing revision, suggesting creative stagnation. **In simple terms:** Writing a book twice signals a problem. Key Takeaway Beware of unnecessary rewrites. Themes creativity process self‑critique Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - novel drafting - editing cycles - creative blocks - self‑evaluation Key Concepts iteration authorial intent Questions to Reflect On - Why might an author feel compelled to rewrite? - When does revision become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Repeated revisions may stifle originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Maybe other writers have perfect first drafts, but I am not one of them. I always try to get the book as tight as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/maybe-other-writers-have-perfect-first-drafts-but-i-am-not-one-of/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“A story is a letter the author writes to himself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/a-story-is-a-letter-the-author-writes-to-himself/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“It ain't just about writing on some documents, author writes on to the readers' heart and mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/it-ain-t-just-about-writing-on-some-documents-author-writes-on-to-the/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [And every place and time an author writes about is imaginary, from Oz to Raymond Chandler's L.A. to Dickens's London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-willis/and-every-place-and-time-an-author-writes-about-is-imaginary-from-oz/) [Connie Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-willis/) > [Everybody writes a book too many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everybody-writes-a-book-too-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Every person writes his own book with the example of his life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casper-silk/every-person-writes-his-own-book-with-the-example-of-his-life/) [Casper Silk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casper-silk/) > [No one ever writes a book in which he is the bad guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/no-one-ever-writes-a-book-in-which-he-is-the-bad-guy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [“One expert may be as good as another until one writes a book”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/one-expert-may-be-as-good-as-another-until-one-writes-a-book/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [“The book has gone out into the world and the world has remade it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-book-has-gone-out-into-the-world-and-the-world-has-remade-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“When a book leaves its author's desk it changes. 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I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. 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