--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first Chapter Law is, \"Don't spend…" description: "\"The first Chapter Law is, \"Don't spend much time on it. You're going to have to rewrite it.\"\" — Tony Hillerman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/tony-hillerman-22962_chapter_the-first-chapter-law-is-don-t-spend-muc_469448.jpg" --- # The first Chapter Law is, "Don't spend much time on it… ![“The first Chapter Law is, "Don't spend much time on it. You're going to have to rewrite it."” quote by Tony Hillerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/tony-hillerman-22962_chapter_the-first-chapter-law-is-don-t-spend-muc_469448.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/tony-hillerman-22962_chapter_the-first-chapter-law-is-don-t-spend-muc_469448.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/tony-hillerman-22962_chapter_the-first-chapter-law-is-don-t-spend-muc_469448.jpg) > “The first Chapter Law is, "Don't spend much time on it. You're going to have to rewrite it."” [Tony Hillerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hillerman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously advises that initial drafts are often imperfect and will need revision. **In simple terms:** First drafts are rarely final and need rewriting. Key Takeaway Accept that revisions are part of the process. Themes writing creativity revision process learning Mood reflective lighthearted practical Type creative process advice When to use this quote - Writing a novel - screenplay development - academic paper drafting - software design - marketing copy creation Key Concepts Drafting iteration authorial humility Questions to Reflect On - Do you procrastinate before starting? - How do you handle necessary rewrites? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on perfection can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [As soon as I started writing, other writers stopped wanting me acting in their shows - maybe they thought I was going to rewrite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-fierstein/as-soon-as-i-started-writing-other-writers-stopped-wanting-me-acting/) [Harvey Fierstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-fierstein/) > [Life may not always fall into neat chapters, and you may not always get the satisfying ending you're looking for, but sometimes a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/life-may-not-always-fall-into-neat-chapters-and-you-may-not-always/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [I'm a relatively disciplined writer who composes the whole book before beginning to execute and write it. 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Page 1 of 365. Let's begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/chapter-2012-page-1-of-365-let-s-begin/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Chapter One: The world is flat. I know it is, because for the last five hours the view has been exactly the same. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-p-dahlke/chapter-one-the-world-is-flat-i-know-it-is-because-for-the-last-five/) R.P. Dahlke > [“CHAPTER 37: The Importance of Jedi Wolverine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-king/chapter-37-the-importance-of-jedi-wolverine/) [Sara King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-king/) > [“CHAPTER III—FOUR AND FOUR”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/chapter-iii-four-and-four/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [When I'm deciding to read a book, I never open to the first chapter, because that's been revised and worked over 88 times. 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Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“I’d like the last chapter of my life to be like a good read that you enjoyed to the end and were sorry to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lipsey/i-d-like-the-last-chapter-of-my-life-to-be-like-a-good-read-that-you/) Michael Lipsey > [My parents homeschooled my sister and me for many years. Why? Because the local school insisted that I, being three, should go to preschool,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/my-parents-homeschooled-my-sister-and-me-for-many-years-why-because/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I think that if you have a knack for storytelling, and you work really hard at it, you'll have a chance to tap into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ross/i-think-that-if-you-have-a-knack-for-storytelling-and-you-work-really/) [Adam Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ross/) > [“CHAPTER VIII—THE DEATH OF A HORSE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/chapter-viii-the-death-of-a-horse/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) Browse all 231 Chapter quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first Chapter Law is, \"Don't spend much time on it. 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