“The greatest pleasure in writing is rewriting.”
– Donald Hall
Revision for the experienced writer is often a far more radical process than the inexperienced writer imagines. The experienced writer knows that to cut often means to reveal. Once I cut 237 pages from a draft in response to a modest but perceptive comment by a horrified editor. It did improve the book. The master writer knows that what is taken out is necessary to get the draft to the place where it can be made to work. The writing that is cut isn’t a sign of failure but progress toward an effective final draft.
– Donald Murray