Firsts Quote by William James
“If there is aught of good in the style, it is the result of ceaseless toil in rewriting. Everything comes out wrong with me at first; but when once objectified in a crude shape, I can torture and poke and scrape and pat it till it offends me no more.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Will to Believe", 1896
Creative work requires relentless revision; initial attempts fail, but persistent refinement leads to satisfaction.
In simple terms: Art needs endless tweaking until it feels right.
Key Takeaway
Embrace iterative creation.
Themes
creativity
process
perseverance
self‑critique
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
philosophical
creative
When to use this quote
- writing
- visual arts
- design
- software development
Key Concepts
Iterative refinement
artist’s struggle
creative labor
Questions to Reflect On
- When does refinement become over‑working?
- How to balance effort and satisfaction?
A Different Perspective
Perfection is unattainable; endless tweaking can cause burnout.
![“[Rewriting is] a whole other art form; it's about craftsmanship.” quote by Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e8d/sam-shepard-2232_art_rewriting-is-a-whole-other-art-form-it-s_2644986.jpg)
![“Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and the screenplay of Simon (Beaufoy) and I was reading it, even before the shoot, some kind of sounds came into my mind and I put some stuff [down] and sent it to…” quote by A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/573/a-r-rahman-4481_cutting_since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-o_539.jpg)
