Bits Quote by Winifred Holtby
“The only difficulty is to know what bits to choose and what to leave out. Novel-writing is not creation, it is selection.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, 1905
Writing is about deciding which details to include and which to omit, shaping a story through selection rather than raw invention.
In simple terms: Writing is selecting key details, not just creating everything.
Focus on essential elements.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- drafting a novel
- editing a manuscript
- story planning
- academic essay writing
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Which parts of your work truly serve its purpose?
- How do you balance detail with clarity?
Over‑editing can strip a work of its unique voice.