What Does Write Drunk, Edit Sober Really Mean?

‘Write drunk, edit sober.’

It’s one of Ernest Hemmingway’s most famous sayings. This is one quote that many writers have seen at least once. And from what I’ve seen, its meaning is debated now and again.

A while back, I read a piece on Vocal about how you should not write drunk. It was a quality story, so I’m not trying to say they are wrong. And I do agree you shouldn’t go near your journal or computer when you’re intoxicated with alcohol.

But I think this person was taking Hemmingway’s quote too literally. And since you don’t know me outside of the stories I write on this platform, I tend to take things literally, so that’s saying something.

I have been writing for over five years now, so I’ve had the time to play with writing techniques and read advice on how to write.

One of the most common things I see is that you shouldn’t think about how your writing could be better as you’re doing it. And unless it’s a significant technical error that will distract me from my flow or if I have an idea I want to add before I forget it, I think it’s true.

And I think that was the intent behind the first part of Hemmingway’s quote. Just write down your ideas and worry about refining them after you’ve finished.