Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it - whole-heartedly - and delete it before sending your manuscript to press. Murder your darlings.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of editing and letting go of cherished writing to enhance the overall quality of a work.
Arthur Quiller-Couch's quote, 'Murder your darlings,' serves as a reminder for writers to prioritize the overall coherence and quality of their work over attachment to individual portions of their writing. It suggests that sometimes, even the best-written passages may need to be cut if they do not serve the greater narrative, reinforcing the idea that clarity and effectiveness are paramount in written communication.
In practice
In a writing workshop, a facilitator discussed the importance of being critical about one's own work, referencing Quiller-Couch's advice.
I had to decide that, you know what, I don't know who the hell I am or what I'm doing, but I do know that historically and scientifically and anecdotally, and anyone who is not an idiot knows, that waking up early and starting the day off with a nice, simple routine is a healthy and productive way to live one's life.
The graveyard is the richest place on the surface of the earth because there you will see the books that were not published, ideas that were not harnessed, songs that were not sung, and drama pieces that were never acted.
It is a far, far better thing to have a firm anchor in nonsense than to put out on the troubled seas of thought.
Words are wind, Brienne told herself. They cannot hurt you. Let them wash over you.
The scepticism which men affect towards their higher inspirations is often not an honest doubt, but a guilty negligence, and is a sign of narrow mind and defective wisdom.
Be still, sad heart! and cease repining; Behind the clouds is the sun still shining; Thy fate is the common fate of all, Into each life some rain must fall
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