i have to admit that, for me, this is the most challenging, but most important mantra of all. it takes a lot of discipline to keep writing through the garbage, but it's the only way to discover the goods.

per your advice, i have taped it to my monitor as a constant reminder.

This is a great mantra, as, almost to a man (or woman), every great writer pretty much says he or she cringes through the composition of his/her first draft. Seems like the only way to go into the story is to have one to go into.

Great advice! I learned this after several false starts.

Stopping too soon has been my downfall, not only in writing.

Here are some of my favourite quotes on the subject:

"My lousy way of getting it done is better than your great way of not doing it." -- Terry Rossio

A writer is "someone who writes every day." A professional is "an amateur who doesn't quit." -- Billy Mernit

The day job pays you for showing up. Writers get paid for FINISHING. -- Alexandra Sokoloff

“Real artists ship.” -- Steve Jobs

@Martin_B: Great collection of quotes! Hope you don't mind if I use those for the On Writing series with an attribution for each to you.

First I've seen this. Good stuff, although, I subscribe to the theory that writing is writing, and rewriting is also writing....

Also, Hemmingway's quote is diametrically opposed to Mickey Spillane who's stated on at least one occasion, "If I didn't get it right the first time, how am I possibly going to get it right with the rewrite?"

Two different philosophies that may need to be expounded on....

@Batman: It's like I say, "There's no right way to write a script." Every writer is different. Every story is different.

Ok then....I will...