Kill Your Darlings
What is kill your darlings?
Key facts
| Definition | Remove or refrain from using something you cherish in a creative work[3] |
|---|---|
| Typical targets | Words, sentences, scenes, characters, side plots[5] |
| Use | Writing and editing advice[2] |
| Attributed to | William Faulkner[3] |
| Earlier attribution | Arthur Quiller-Couch, 1916 publication 'On the Art of Writing'[4] |
Kill your darlings is a writing principle that advises removing or revising parts of a work you are especially fond of when they do not serve the overall piece, in order to improve the final result.
Context
The phrase 'kill your darlings' is a common piece of writing advice, especially in creative writing and screenwriting [2]. It means to remove or revise parts of a work you especially like when they do not serve the overall piece, in order to improve the final result [3]. Typical targets include words, sentences, scenes, characters, and side plots [5]. The advice is often attributed to William Faulkner, though an earlier attribution is Arthur Quiller-Couch in his 1916 publication 'On the Art of Writing' [4]. The core idea is that beloved material may still need to be cut if it does not serve the story [5]. In screenwriting, this involves cutting scenes, dialogue, or characters that do not contribute to structure or storytelling [4]. The editing goal is to make the work tighter, fresher, or more streamlined [5]. The phrase is also the title of a 2013 film, which references the writing advice [1].
Documented claims
Questions and answers
What does the term 'kill your darlings' mean?
It means to remove or revise parts of a work you especially like when they do not serve the overall piece, in order to improve the final result [3].
Is Kill Your Darlings queer?
The phrase itself is not queer; it is a writing principle. The 2013 film 'Kill Your Darlings' has queer themes, but that is separate from the writing advice [1].
Why is Kill Your Darlings rated R?
The 2013 film 'Kill Your Darlings' is rated R, but the writing advice itself has no rating. The film's rating is due to its content, not the phrase [1].
What does kill my darling mean?
It is a variation of 'kill your darlings,' meaning to remove or revise parts of a creative work that you are fond of but that do not serve the overall piece [3].
Sources
- Kill Your Darlings — idioms.thefreedictionary.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- Screenwriting : "Kill Your Darlings Phrase" by Mario Leone — stage32.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- kill your darlings — dictionary.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- kill your darlings - Deutsch-Übersetzung – Linguee Wörterbuch — linguee.de (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- The Meaning of 'Kill Your Darlings' in Screenwriting — nofilmschool.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)