1Ernest Hemingway believed that good writing is mostly the result of patient and ruthless rewriting.
2He reportedly rewrote the ending of one famous novel more than thirty times before he was satisfied.
3His style looks simple on the surface, but every short sentence was chosen with enormous care.
4He cut adverbs, removed decoration, and trusted the reader to feel what was left unsaid.
5This approach, sometimes called the iceberg theory, suggests that most of a story should remain underwater.
6The visible words are only a small part, while the deeper meaning lies hidden below.
7Young writers often admire his style but forget the years of discipline that produced it.
8Hemingway wrote standing up, early in the morning, and stopped when he knew what would happen next.
9He said that all you have to do is write one true sentence, and then another.
10Editors today still repeat his advice to anyone who hopes to write clear and honest prose.
11For Hemingway, revision was not a punishment but the true heart of the writer's daily craft.