You have to kill a lot of trees before you write anything good.
J. K. RowlingRead
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
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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