Paul GrahamVerified account

One of the hardest things to do when writing (and thus one of the differentiators of really good writing) is to cut stuff that's genuinely good, just not good in the thing you're writing.

I don't mean the proverbial "darlings" you're supposed to kill — the fine sentences you're proud of and thus hang onto even though though they should go. I'm talking about stuff that's genuinely good, just not good where it is.

It's particularly hard to learn this lesson, because you never see the instances of it. You can see clear sentences and good rhythm and perfect word choices in the works of writers you admire, but you can't see the things they cut.