--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Revision has its own peculiar pleasures…" description: "\"Revision has its own peculiar pleasures and its own peculiar frustrations. The ground rules are already established; the characters already exist. You ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/vikram-seth-4208_character_revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures_1011514.jpg" --- # Revision has its own peculiar pleasures and its own… ![“Revision has its own peculiar pleasures and its own peculiar frustrations. The ground rules are already established; the characters already exist. You don't have to bring the characters to life, but you do have to make them more convincing.” quote by Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/vikram-seth-4208_character_revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures_1011514.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/vikram-seth-4208_character_revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures_1011514.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/vikram-seth-4208_character_revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures_1011514.jpg) > “Revision has its own peculiar pleasures and its own peculiar frustrations. The ground rules are already established; the characters already exist. You don't have to bring the characters to life, but you do have to make them more convincing.” [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Revision involves both enjoyment and irritation; the framework is set, characters exist, and the task is to deepen their believability. **In simple terms:** Rewriting can be rewarding yet frustrating as you refine existing elements. Key Takeaway Embrace the process of deepening characters. Themes writing revision creativity character development Mood reflective determined Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - novel drafting - screenplay polishing - academic paper editing - marketing copy refinement Key Concepts Narrative structure psychology of characters Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance polish with progress? - When is a character “good enough”? A Different Perspective May become stuck in endless tweaking without moving the story forward. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-exist-1120111/) [Characters Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-life-322673/) [Convincing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convincing/) [Established Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/established-characters-2200255/) [Frustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration/) [Ground rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ground-rules/) [Peculiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peculiar/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Revision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revision/) [Revision Peculiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revision-peculiar-2200254/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [The established characters are easy to recall. I don't know why, but they come back to me instantly when I need them. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/the-established-characters-are-easy-to-recall-i-don-t-know-why-but/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [You eventually come to the conclusion that there's only so much you can do with these established characters, and you start wondering who among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/you-eventually-come-to-the-conclusion-that-there-s-only-so-much-you/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [As a writer, it's fun to create. And once you get into a long-running show with very established characters and a very established tone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/as-a-writer-it-s-fun-to-create-and-once-you-get-into-a-long-running/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [We like existentially wacky characters who exist in existential crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-russo/we-like-existentially-wacky-characters-who-exist-in-existential-crisis/) [Joe Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-russo/) > [My women characters should not exist only to play the 'love interest' of a male character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sriram-raghavan/my-women-characters-should-not-exist-only-to-play-the-love-interest/) [Sriram Raghavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sriram-raghavan/) > [“Our relationship with literary characters, at least to those that exercise a certain attraction over us, rests in fact on a denial. We know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bayard/our-relationship-with-literary-characters-at-least-to-those-that/) [Pierre Bayard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bayard/) > [Characters exist in a flat line until we challenge them - sometimes they challenge themselves, sometimes they're challenged by other people, by nature, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/characters-exist-in-a-flat-line-until-we-challenge-them-sometimes/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [All my characters exist in risk, in the places we are either too afraid to go to, or have enough privilege not to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-abani/all-my-characters-exist-in-risk-in-the-places-we-are-either-too/) [Chris Abani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-abani/) > [Fictional characters exist in only two places, neither of which is on the printed page. They exist, first, in the mind of the writer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maren-elwood/fictional-characters-exist-in-only-two-places-neither-of-which-is-on/) [Maren Elwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maren-elwood/) > [I look forward to playing characters where I want to play the ordinary, to be honest... Farmer's wife, tailor's daughter, the teacher characters that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sobhita-dhulipala/i-look-forward-to-playing-characters-where-i-want-to-play-the/) [Sobhita Dhulipala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sobhita-dhulipala/) > [What I crave, and what I want to see on television, is when you see a minority character, not to have it being about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zazie-beetz/what-i-crave-and-what-i-want-to-see-on-television-is-when-you-see-a/) [Zazie Beetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zazie-beetz/) > [“I have lived so long within the circle of this book and with these characters that often it seems to me that the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-have-lived-so-long-within-the-circle-of-this-book-and-with-these/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Everything I make is with intention. I'm not very haphazard with my artist work, although I wish I was sometimes. I'm very conscious of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xaviera-simmons/everything-i-make-is-with-intention-i-m-not-very-haphazard-with-my/) [Xaviera Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xaviera-simmons/) > [I like characters. I like spirited characters whether they exist in fiction or real life. Whether they're the invention of artistic people or directors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/i-like-characters-i-like-spirited-characters-whether-they-exist-in/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) > [My characters are fictional. I get ideas from real people, sometimes, but my characters always exist only in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/my-characters-are-fictional-i-get-ideas-from-real-people-sometimes/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) ## More by Vikram Seth > [Realism hasn't fallen out of favor with most people, who are interested in people's lives rather than gymnastics of style or literary trends. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/realism-hasn-t-fallen-out-of-favor-with-most-people-who-are/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [I don't think anyone should be banned. If you don't like a book, set it aside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-don-t-think-anyone-should-be-banned-if-you-don-t-like-a-book-set-it/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [It's not the gods But our own hearts We need to fear. The evil starts Against all odds Not there but here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/it-s-not-the-gods-but-our-own-hearts-we-need-to-fear-the-evil-starts/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“But what should I do?' Varun was saying. 'I'm not good for anything.' 'Write a book! Pull a rickshaw! Live! Don't make excuses,' said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/but-what-should-i-do-varun-was-saying-i-m-not-good-for-anything-write/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“In a clear brook With joyful haste The whimsical trout Shot past me like an arrow I play the line of the song, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/in-a-clear-brook-with-joyful-haste-the-whimsical-trout-shot-past-me/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Boredom provides a stronger inclination to write than anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/boredom-provides-a-stronger-inclination-to-write-than-anything/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [I don't think people give Indian society enough credit. We may not like to talk much about things but we do, basically, want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-don-t-think-people-give-indian-society-enough-credit-we-may-not/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [The problem with too beautiful a view is that it's alright for the mulling stage. But for the writing stage, you want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-problem-with-too-beautiful-a-view-is-that-it-s-alright-for-the/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Romantic retrospect aside, the night spent in the truck is distinctly unpleasant. We are cramped and cold. The much-vaunted heating of the truck is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/romantic-retrospect-aside-the-night-spent-in-the-truck-is-distinctly/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Is it not love that knows how to make smooth things rough and rough things smooth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/is-it-not-love-that-knows-how-to-make-smooth-things-rough-and-rough/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Well, what do you think? Avanti?" "Avanti," cries everyone, and, after a few quick re-tunings of our instruments, and re-initialisings of our hearts, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/well-what-do-you-think-avanti-avanti-cries-everyone-and-after-a-few/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Behind every door on every ordinary street, in every hut in every ordinary village in this middling planet of a trivial star, such riches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/behind-every-door-on-every-ordinary-street-in-every-hut-in-every/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Perhaps it is true that for all the evidence of the mirror, one pictures oneself in some deep niche of the mind as forever 18.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/perhaps-it-is-true-that-for-all-the-evidence-of-the-mirror-one/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [What is the difference between my life and my love? One gets me low, the other lets me go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/what-is-the-difference-between-my-life-and-my-love-one-gets-me-low/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope that the gain will outlast the damage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-amends-only-hope-that-the-gain/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) [Explore all 113 Vikram Seth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Revision has its own peculiar pleasures and its own peculiar frustrations. The ground rules are already established; the characters already exist. You don't have to bring the characters to life, but you do have to make them more convincing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vikram Seth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures-and-its-own-peculiar/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures-and-its-own-peculiar/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/vikram-seth-4208_character_revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures_1011514.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/vikram-seth-4208_character_revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures_1011514.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/vikram-seth-4208_character_revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures_1011514.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Revision has its own peculiar pleasures and its own peculiar frustrations. The ground rules are already…” — Vikram Seth", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Vikram Seth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Revision has its own peculiar pleasures...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures-and-its-own-peculiar/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/revision-has-its-own-peculiar-pleasures-and-its-own-peculiar/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```