What makes it is when you go over the whole piece each day from the start to where you go on from rewriting it really and then going on. Even then the actual writing is probably only about an hour and a half. Of course lots of times you can't write but nearly always you do. Each day you throw away what turned out to be shit in the stuff you did the day before.
In "Hemingway's Boat," Paul Hendrickson reflects on the meticulous and often challenging process of writing. He emphasizes that while the act of writing may only occupy a short time each day, the preparation and revisions consume substantial periods. Every day involves revisiting previous work, discarding what isn't satisfactory, and continuing from there. This cycle of evaluation and improvement highlights the dedication required in the creative process, suggesting that perseverance is key to artistic expression.
Hendrickson's insights reveal that writing is not just about producing content but also about refining and uncovering the essence of the work. The notion that much of what one writes may not meet expectations underscores the necessity of resilience in creativity. It illustrates how authors grapple with self-criticism and the desire for quality, emphasizing that the journey of writing is as significant as the final product.