"I keep going over a sentence. I nag it, gnaw it, pat and flatter it"

This quote by Janet Flanner talks to the significance of putting in the time to craft a sentence. Flanner is suggesting that one should not be pleased with the first draft of a sentence, however rather make the effort to improve it. She recommends that a person need to "prod it, gnaw it, pat and flatter it" in order to make it the best it can be. This quote speaks with the concept that writing is a process which it requires time and effort to create something that is truly meaningful. Flanner is motivating writers to take the time to perfect their sentences, and to not be pleased with the first draft. This quote is a reminder that writing is an art type, which it needs persistence and devotion to produce something that is truly unique.