惜墨如金

(of a painter, calligrapher, or writer) use ink as if it were gold-work with scrupulous care

♦ 那些了不得的作家, 谨严入骨, ~, 要把一生的作品, 只删存一个或者三四个字。 Some important writers are so strict with themselves, so sparing of ink, that they like to pare down the work of a lifetime to three or four words.