Mark Twain Response

http://editorialengine.com/?p=808

In this article on Mark Twain, there is a quote that reads, "The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is that you really want to say."

Mark Twain is communicating that the majority of the time spent writing a piece is actually time just spent trying to figure out what you even want to say. So much of one's writing can be edited out because it doesn't contain any progressive thought. Twain is advocating for revision and editing when writing. Once a piece of writing is finished to satisfaction, it should then be reworked to communicate the writers intended thought.

This quote goes along with the notion that not all great writings need to be long. It is essential for writers to spend time editing and revising their work, which often leads to shorter pieces. There often is a misconception that writings should be long and wordy, when in reality a short writing could say more than one of greater words.