--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What usually happens is that when I'm…" description: "\"What usually happens is that when I'm nearing the end of one novel a vague idea about what I want to do next begins to present itself to me in terms of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/anna-quindlen-467_car_what-usually-happens-is-that-when-i-m-ne_538551.jpg" --- # What usually happens is that when I'm nearing the end of… ![“What usually happens is that when I'm nearing the end of one novel a vague idea about what I want to do next begins to present itself to me in terms of theme. And I would say over about the next six to eight months, usually as I'm out power walking in the morning, or when I'm cooking at night, or…” quote by Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/anna-quindlen-467_car_what-usually-happens-is-that-when-i-m-ne_538551.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/anna-quindlen-467_car_what-usually-happens-is-that-when-i-m-ne_538551.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/anna-quindlen-467_car_what-usually-happens-is-that-when-i-m-ne_538551.jpg) > “What usually happens is that when I'm nearing the end of one novel a vague idea about what I want to do next begins to present itself to me in terms of theme. And I would say over about the next six to eight months, usually as I'm out power walking in the morning, or when I'm cooking at night, or when I'm driving in the car, the people who might embody those themes take on a sharper and sharper focus. And there comes this sort of critical mass moment when they actually start to do things in my head.” [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas for future projects emerge as themes during routine activities, gaining clarity over months until they become actionable. **In simple terms:** Themes surface in daily life and sharpen into plans. Key Takeaway Notice patterns, nurture emerging ideas. Themes creativity planning focus Mood reflective inspirational Type personal motivational When to use this quote - morning walks - cooking - driving - journaling Key Concepts thematic development incubation idea generation Questions to Reflect On - How can you capture fleeting themes? - When is the right time to act on them? A Different Perspective Ideas may remain vague without concrete steps; risk of over‑analysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cooking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) [Critical mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical-mass/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Nearing The End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nearing-the-end/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vague/) [Vague ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vague-ideas/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I'm nearing the end of the road and still learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-wallace/i-m-nearing-the-end-of-the-road-and-still-learning/) [Mike Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-wallace/) > [I know my life is nearing its end and I accept that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-burns/i-know-my-life-is-nearing-its-end-and-i-accept-that/) [Pat Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-burns/) > [Hopefully, this statement means we're finally nearing the end of this very long process to take guns and criminality out of politics in Northern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/hopefully-this-statement-means-we-re-finally-nearing-the-end-of-this/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Death may call any moment. Every moment, everyone is nearing death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/death-may-call-any-moment-every-moment-everyone-is-nearing-death/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [The more u try to run away from something, in reality, the more you are nearing it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-u-try-to-run-away-from-something-in-reality-the-more-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As the archaeology of our thought easily shows, man is an invention of recent date. 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You could end up in my next novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-c-zick/be-careful-what-you-tell-me-you-could-end-up-in-my-next-novel/) P.C. Zick > [“Careful, or you'll end up in novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/careful-or-you-ll-end-up-in-novel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Writers begin changing the instant they append 'The End' to a novel. Readers begin changing the moment they encounter that same phrase. And even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-di-filippo/writers-begin-changing-the-instant-they-append-the-end-to-a-novel/) [Paul Di Filippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-di-filippo/) > [In real life, things don't all end at the nice same place. 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"It will make your hours pleasant to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/reading-has-always-been-my-home-my-sustenance-my-great-invincible/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) [Explore all 538 Anna Quindlen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) ## More Car quotes > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. 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