From there, the quote contrasts two modes of working: frantic versus steady. Frantic work often feels productive because it is loud—multiple tasks, rapid responses, visible busyness. Yet that same speed can become a substitute for progress, especially when it breaks complex tasks into too many shallow fragments.
This is why Atwood’s warning lands: frantic hands may start things, but they rarely finish them. In practice, the frantic mode produces many beginnings—half-written drafts, abandoned plans, and endless revisions—because agitation pulls attention away at the moment perseverance is needed. The energy looks impressive, but it can be brittle. [...]
