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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.
Arthur Quiller-Couch
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Interpretation

What this quote means

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.

Themes

WritingEditingCreativitySelf-CriticismExpression

In practice

Example use cases

In a writing workshop, a facilitator discussed the importance of being critical about one's own work, referencing Quiller-Couch's advice.

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A little wisdom, now and then

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