--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have rewritten — often several times…" description: "\"I have rewritten — often several times — every word I have ever published. My pencils outlast their erasers.\" — Vladimir Nabokov" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/vladimir-nabokov-198_pencils_i-have-rewritten-often-several-times-eve_1097973.jpg" --- # I have rewritten — often several times — every word I have… ![“I have rewritten — often several times — every word I have ever published. My pencils outlast their erasers.” quote by Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/vladimir-nabokov-198_pencils_i-have-rewritten-often-several-times-eve_1097973.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/vladimir-nabokov-198_pencils_i-have-rewritten-often-several-times-eve_1097973.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/vladimir-nabokov-198_pencils_i-have-rewritten-often-several-times-eve_1097973.jpg) > “I have rewritten — often several times — every word I have ever published. My pencils outlast their erasers.” [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He constantly revises his work, emphasizing relentless editing and refinement. **In simple terms:** He rewrites everything, his pencils outlast erasers. Key Takeaway Embrace continual editing. Themes writing revision perseverance Mood reflective determined Type advice literary When to use this quote - authoring - academic papers - personal essays Key Concepts literary craft self‑critique Questions to Reflect On - How does endless revision affect creativity? - When is a draft good enough? A Different Perspective Editing can stall progress if overdone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Outlast Erasers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outlast-erasers-2871862/) [Pencils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pencils/) [Pencils Outlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pencils-outlast-2871859/) [Published Pencils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/published-pencils-2871861/) [Rewriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewriting/) [Rewritten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewritten/) [Rewritten Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewritten-times-2871860/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [But the longer I'm in the business, you see a lot of times these screenplays have been rewritten 5 times and you're not really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burns/but-the-longer-i-m-in-the-business-you-see-a-lot-of-times-these/) [Edward Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burns/) > [History has rewritten itself so many times I'm not really sure how it was to begin with -- it's a bit like trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/history-has-rewritten-itself-so-many-times-i-m-not-really-sure-how-it/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Rewriting to me means, if I work on it for three days, I've rewritten it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-shear/rewriting-to-me-means-if-i-work-on-it-for-three-days-i-ve-rewritten-it/) [Jules Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-shear/) > [Back when the Bible was written, then edited, then rewritten, then rewritten, then re-edited, then translated from dead languages, then re-translated, then edited, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/back-when-the-bible-was-written-then-edited-then-rewritten-then/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [Writing is rewriting what you have rewritten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-engle/writing-is-rewriting-what-you-have-rewritten/) [Paul Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-engle/) > [What happens is that as the scripts are rewritten and re-edited in order to make the story more compelling, you sometimes end up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-loceff/what-happens-is-that-as-the-scripts-are-rewritten-and-re-edited-in/) [Michael Loceff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-loceff/) > [“History has to be rewritten in every generation, because although the past does not change, the present does; each generation asks new questions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hill/history-has-to-be-rewritten-in-every-generation-because-although-the/) [Christopher Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hill/) > [If Al Gore had allowed us and if the Florida Supreme Court had not intervened and rewritten the law, which they're not supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-harris/if-al-gore-had-allowed-us-and-if-the-florida-supreme-court-had-not/) [Katherine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-harris/) > [I was sand, I was snow—written on, rewritten, smoothed over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-was-sand-i-was-snow-written-on-rewritten-smoothed-over/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“The New Testament does not need to be rewritten, but it needs to reread.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-lizorkin-eyzenberg/the-new-testament-does-not-need-to-be-rewritten-but-it-needs-to-reread/) [Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-lizorkin-eyzenberg/) > [In an upside down world, with all the rules being rewritten as the game goes on and spectators invading the pitch, it is good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-more/in-an-upside-down-world-with-all-the-rules-being-rewritten-as-the/) [Kenneth More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-more/) > [When I did '1,2,3,4' on 'Sesame Street' they'd rewritten the song and made it about counting. At first, I balked. I was like, 'Counting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/when-i-did-1-2-3-4-on-sesame-street-they-d-rewritten-the-song-and/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [I've been rewritten on past projects and thought, 'That's not what she was - she was this really powerful woman, and there's nothing wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/i-ve-been-rewritten-on-past-projects-and-thought-that-s-not-what-she/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [Books aren't written - they're rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/books-aren-t-written-they-re-rewritten-including-your-own-it-is-one/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“Our family history was erased and rewritten a thousand times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/our-family-history-was-erased-and-rewritten-a-thousand-times/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) ## More by Vladimir Nabokov > [And the rest is rust and stardust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/and-the-rest-is-rust-and-stardust/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [There is no science without fancy and no art without fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/there-is-no-science-without-fancy-and-no-art-without-fact/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“My solemn exasperation was to her the silence of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/my-solemn-exasperation-was-to-her-the-silence-of-love/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [ “...under no circumstances would he \[Humbert Humbert\] have interfered with the innocence of a child, if there was the least risk of a row.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/under-no-circumstances-would-he-humbert-humbert-have-interfered-with/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [The cradle rocks above an abyss, and common sense tells us that our existence is but a brief crack of light between two eternities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/the-cradle-rocks-above-an-abyss-and-common-sense-tells-us-that-our/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Ami azt illeti, Vannak kezdtek nagyon tetszeni a fák is, a csodák is meg az Adák is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/ami-azt-illeti-vannak-kezdtek-nagyon-tetszeni-a-f-k-is-a-csod-k-is/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [We live not only in a world of thoughts, but also in a world of things. Words without experience are meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/we-live-not-only-in-a-world-of-thoughts-but-also-in-a-world-of-things/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“As palavras sem a experiência não teriam qualquer significado.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/as-palavras-sem-a-experi-ncia-n-o-teriam-qualquer-significado/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“It isn’t possible. I cannot imagine it. Come on over here, you foolish little doe, and tell me on what day I shall die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/it-isn-t-possible-i-cannot-imagine-it-come-on-over-here-you-foolish/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Precautions to be taken in the case Of freak reincarnation: what to do On suddenly discovering that you Are now a young and vulnerable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/precautions-to-be-taken-in-the-case-of-freak-reincarnation-what-to-do/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [And this is the only immortality you and i may share, my Lolita.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/and-this-is-the-only-immortality-you-and-i-may-share-my-lolita/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Be true to your Dick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/be-true-to-your-dick/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“It is indeed a tricky name. It is often misspelt, because the eye tends to regard the "a" of the first syllable as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/it-is-indeed-a-tricky-name-it-is-often-misspelt-because-the-eye-tends/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“(T)here exist friendships which develop their own inner duration, their own eons of transparent time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/t-here-exist-friendships-which-develop-their-own-inner-duration-their/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“She was all rose and honey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/she-was-all-rose-and-honey/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) [Explore all 883 Vladimir Nabokov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) ## More Pencils quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“Yes, when I get big and have my own home, no plush chairs and lace curtains for me. And no rubber plants. I'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/yes-when-i-get-big-and-have-my-own-home-no-plush-chairs-and-lace/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is perfect in the same way that The Great Gatsby is perfect. Take a pencil and read these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mckeen/fear-and-loathing-in-las-vegas-is-perfect-in-the-same-way-that-the/) [William McKeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mckeen/) > [Our greatest responsibility is not to be pencils of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-greatest-responsibility-is-not-to-be-pencils-of-the-past/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've got to feel the pencil and see the words at the end of the pencil,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-ve-got-to-feel-the-pencil-and-see-the-words-at-the-end-of-the-pencil/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/arithmetic-is-numbers-you-squeeze-from-your-head-to-your-hand-to-your/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [But I had never drawn on a tablet before. I've been doing pencil and paper and film for almost 20 years. I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-hertzfeldt/but-i-had-never-drawn-on-a-tablet-before-i-ve-been-doing-pencil-and/) [Don Hertzfeldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-hertzfeldt/) > [With pencil there is a tendency to be timid, either using very faint lines or erasing bad lines... Line sketching tends to emphasize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laseau/with-pencil-there-is-a-tendency-to-be-timid-either-using-very-faint/) [Paul Laseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laseau/) > [When you go somewhere like Kenya and you see how the children don't have pencils and pens, and all of these things are considered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomie-harris/when-you-go-somewhere-like-kenya-and-you-see-how-the-children-don-t/) [Naomie Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomie-harris/) > [The authority of the civil defense ... issued a warning to the civilian population not to pick up any of those pencils because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-authority-of-the-civil-defense-issued-a-warning-to-the-civilian/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [I've been blessed with good eyebrows, and I've worked very hard for them. 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They were still walking around but had lost so much that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ellis/in-refugee-camps-around-the-world-i-met-people-who-were-gone-they/) [Deborah Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ellis/) [Browse all 540 Pencils quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pencils/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have rewritten — often several times — every word I have ever published. 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