"Most of my work consisted of crossing out. Crossing out was the secret of all good writing"

This quote by Mark Haddon speaks with the value of editing and revising one's work. He recommends that the secret to excellent writing is in the procedure of crossing out. This implies that the act of erasing is a necessary part of the composing process, which it is necessary to producing a great piece of writing. It suggests that the act of deleting is a way of refining and improving one's work, which it is an important part of the writing procedure. It also implies that the act of deleting is a method of removing unnecessary words and concepts, and of making the composing more succinct and effective. In this way, crossing out is a way of making the writing more powerful and meaningful. By erasing, one can create a piece of writing that is more focused and reliable.