Try any goddam thing you like, no matter how boringly normal or outrageous. If it works, fine. If it doesn't, toss it. Toss it even if you love it.
Stephen KingRead
Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Let go of your favorite ideas or creations if they hinder your work.
In this quote, Stephen King emphasizes the importance of being ruthless in editing one's work. The phrase 'kill your darlings' suggests that writers should not cling to their beloved phrases or concepts if they do not serve the overall purpose of the narrative, highlighting the need for objectivity and self-discipline in the creative process.
Themes
EditingWritingCreativityObjectivitySelf-Discipline
In practice
Example use cases
A writer gives a talk at a literary festival about the importance of letting go of over-written passages.
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