Write hard and clear about what hurts.

The earliest located appearance is in Natalie Goldberg’s 1990 book on writing practice. In a section urging writers to confront difficult material directly, she presents the line as a Hemingway quote, using it to encourage writing that does not evade painful truths.

The advice urges writers to be direct and precise when describing painful experiences or emotions, because avoiding them tends to produce vague, lifeless prose. It frames discomfort as a source of energy and honesty in writing.

Hemingway said, “Write hard and clear about what hurts.” Don’t avoid it. It has all the energy.