Quotes About Refinement

There is no such thing as the perfect meal; one can always do better.

I edit as I write. I revise endlessly. I don't go forward until I know that what I've written is as good as I can make it.

I love the Ritz.

You get better as the rounds go on.

We are never satisfied. We always try to improve.

I revise obsessively. It's important to me to have a clean page.

With a film, you have to pare down and take stuff out and squish it all down into a 110 page script.

I never leave a sentence or a paragraph until I'm satisfied with it.

There are writers whose first drafts are so lean, so skimpy, that they must go back and add words, sentences, paragraphs to make their fiction intelligible or interesting. I don't know any of these writers.

A satisfactory translation is not always possible, but a good translator is never satisfied with it. It can usually be improved. (Newmark)

Emperor Joseph II: My dear young man, don't take it too hard. Your work is ingenious. It's quality work. And there are simply too many notes, that's all. Just cut a few and it will be perfect. Mozart: Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?

Modern developments in both logic and physics (quantum physics) have cast doubt on the universality of at least two of these so-called laws, giving support to the Port Royals' contention that logic is merely the refinement of clear thinking in aid of argumentation, or rhetoric.

Carl would rush into her arms and they would kiss clumsily, not from lack of expertise, but because you couldn't kiss like they needed to and do it with any refinement.

A good book isn't written, it's rewritten.

When a plan or strategy fails, people are tempted to assume it was the wrong vision. Plans and strategies can always be changed and improved. But vision doesn't change. Visions are simply refined with time.

Loro Piana is all about seeking quality materials.

Sometimes expanding your game isn't better. Sometimes shrinking your game is a little bit better and really get to the things you do well.

Of course we believe we can always improve because the moment that you think you cannot improve anymore you go backwards.

Rewriting is a large part of the whole job. And get rid of stuff that's not working. Just pare it down until it's a beautiful thing you can hand in, probably late, to your editor.

Writing is like painting; editing is like sculpture.  Same sensibilities, different skill set.

Good taste is the flower of good sense.

Aunque sus gustos eran sencillos, se trataba de esa sencillez que solamente se satisface a base de cosas buenas.

Pearls, including cheap ones, are always in good taste.

Perfect score... it should never happen! There is always room for improvement.