---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The writing day can be, in some ways, too…"
description: "\"The writing day can be, in some ways, too short, but it's actually a long series of hours, for months at a time, and there is a stillness there.\" — Ann..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/anne-enright-5402_day_the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too_415150.png"
---

#  The writing day can be, in some ways, too short, but it's…

![“The writing day can be, in some ways, too short, but it's actually a long series of hours, for months at a time, and there is a stillness there.” quote by Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/anne-enright-5402_day_the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too_415150.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/anne-enright-5402_day_the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too_415150.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/anne-enright-5402_day_the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too_415150.png)

> “The writing day can be, in some ways, too short, but it's actually a long series of hours, for months at a time, and there is a stillness there.”

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Writing feels both fleeting and extended, with moments of stillness that stretch over months.

**In simple terms:** Writing can feel short yet last long, with quiet moments.

Key Takeaway

Embrace the quiet to sustain long‑term writing.

Themes

creativity time focus

Mood

contemplative steady

Type

inspirational reflective

When to use this quote

- daily writing
- long‑term projects
- creative blocks
- author retreats

Key Concepts

mindfulness process patience

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you use stillness to deepen your work?
- What routines help you bridge short days and long projects?

A Different Perspective

The perception of time varies; stillness may mask fatigue.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Stillness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stillness/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [ “Moyers: {TS\] Eliot speaks about the still point of the turning world, where motion and stasis are together, the hub where the movement of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/moyers-ts-eliot-speaks-about-the-still-point-of-the-turning-world/)

[Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/)

> [There is something about TM. It is the only time I have that stillness... It gives me this peaceful feeling-I just love it so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/there-is-something-about-tm-it-is-the-only-time-i-have-that-stillness/)

[Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/)

> [You don't need to be recluse and stay away from people. But you have to set aside a lot of time for stillness. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-don-t-need-to-be-recluse-and-stay-away-from-people-but-you-have/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [My writing day follows my family's day. I get a good few hours in the mornings when the kids are out of the house.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/my-writing-day-follows-my-family-s-day-i-get-a-good-few-hours-in-the/)

[Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/)

> [“Writing all day every day is good, but it’s not good enough. You need to have your clone ghostwriting for you too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/writing-all-day-every-day-is-good-but-it-s-not-good-enough-you-need/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“For a week or a fortnight I can write prodigiously in a retired place (as at Broadstairs), and a day in London sets me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/for-a-week-or-a-fortnight-i-can-write-prodigiously-in-a-retired-place/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“Buried in research, eyes blood shot, wrists cramping... today was a good writing day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-n-scott/buried-in-research-eyes-blood-shot-wrists-cramping-today-was-a-good/)

F. N. Scott

> [Writing day and night for months… that’s hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-cherryh-2/writing-day-and-night-for-months-that-s-hard/)

[C. J. Cherryh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-cherryh-2/)

> [I didn't originally intend on writing a book. I started writing during the day to feel like I was accomplishing something creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dratch/i-didn-t-originally-intend-on-writing-a-book-i-started-writing-during/)

[Rachel Dratch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dratch/)

> [I end up writing something every day, since I develop six or seven things at the same time - soccer columns, this and that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandar-hemon/i-end-up-writing-something-every-day-since-i-develop-six-or-seven/)

[Aleksandar Hemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandar-hemon/)

> [Just as a good rain clears the air, a good writing day clears the psyche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/just-as-a-good-rain-clears-the-air-a-good-writing-day-clears-the/)

[Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/)

> [For me a Writing Day was an occasion for self-reproach and panic, a time to lament the passing of the years, stare out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/for-me-a-writing-day-was-an-occasion-for-self-reproach-and-panic-a/)

[Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/)

> [I think that's one of the maybe under-discussed aspects of process - the difference between a good writing day and a bad one is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-think-that-s-one-of-the-maybe-under-discussed-aspects-of-process/)

[George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/)

> [“With the outside world damp and grey, she had the perfect excuse to hide herself away at the cottage again—except this time, instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-grace/with-the-outside-world-damp-and-grey-she-had-the-perfect-excuse-to/)

[Melody Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-grace/)

> [“The best kind of day is a writing day”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-andrews/the-best-kind-of-day-is-a-writing-day/)

[Buffy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buffy-andrews/)

## More by Anne Enright

> [Story is about pulling the reader in and a plot is a more externalized mechanism of revelation. A plot is more antic, more performative,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/story-is-about-pulling-the-reader-in-and-a-plot-is-a-more/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [I am interested in levels of brain discourse. How articulate are the voices in your head? You know, there's a different voice for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/i-am-interested-in-levels-of-brain-discourse-how-articulate-are-the/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [I have a small room to write in. One wall is completely covered in books. And I face the window with the curtain closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/i-have-a-small-room-to-write-in-one-wall-is-completely-covered-in/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [I do not think we remember our family in any real sense. We live in them instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/i-do-not-think-we-remember-our-family-in-any-real-sense-we-live-in/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [I do not believe in evil- I believe that we are human and fallible, that we things and spoil them in an ordinary way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/i-do-not-believe-in-evil-i-believe-that-we-are-human-and-fallible/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [“Val is a bachelor farmer in his seventies, so he should, by rights, be half mad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/val-is-a-bachelor-farmer-in-his-seventies-so-he-should-by-rights-be/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [Sometimes I will spend two or three days not speaking to anyone outside of the immediate family when they come home, and then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/sometimes-i-will-spend-two-or-three-days-not-speaking-to-anyone/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [God, I hate my family, these people I never chose to love, but love all the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/god-i-hate-my-family-these-people-i-never-chose-to-love-but-love-all/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [I find being Irish quite a wearing thing. It takes so much work because it is a social construction. People think you are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/i-find-being-irish-quite-a-wearing-thing-it-takes-so-much-work/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [Writing is not my problem, it is my solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/writing-is-not-my-problem-it-is-my-solution/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [People do not change, they are merely revealed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/people-do-not-change-they-are-merely-revealed/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [My kids are supposed to live till they are one hundred. You don't have to have a perfect house or a perfect relationship with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/my-kids-are-supposed-to-live-till-they-are-one-hundred-you-don-t-have/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [Cats, I always think, only jump into your lap to check if you are cold enough, yet, to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/cats-i-always-think-only-jump-into-your-lap-to-check-if-you-are-cold/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [Description is hard. Remember that all description is an opinion about the world. Find a place to stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/description-is-hard-remember-that-all-description-is-an-opinion-about/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [If you grow up in Ireland and read books then you really are obliged to attempt your own some time. It is not exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/if-you-grow-up-in-ireland-and-read-books-then-you-really-are-obliged/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

[Explore all 101 Anne Enright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

## More Day quotes

> [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/)

[Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/)

> [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/)

[Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/)

> [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/)

[Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/)

> [I had developed a relationship with one of the anti-abortion sidewalk counselors who stood in front of my facility. We talked regularly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-had-developed-a-relationship-with-one-of-the-anti-abortion-sidewalk/)

[Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/)

> [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/)

[Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/)

[Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/)

> [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/)

[LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/)

> [Valentine's Day: Rubbing singles' noses in their lack of a mate and the noses of couples in their lack of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mclaughlin/valentine-s-day-rubbing-singles-noses-in-their-lack-of-a-mate-and-the/)

[Emma McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mclaughlin/)

> [One day I woke up and Juventus wanted me, another Manchester United and what I know is that there were approaches made. But an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-jimenez/one-day-i-woke-up-and-juventus-wanted-me-another-manchester-united/)

[Raul Jimenez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-jimenez/)

> [I think naturally I've been kind of a lead-by-doing guy. Just showing up to work every day. You never ask teammates something you wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-naturally-i-ve-been-kind-of-a-lead-by-doing-guy-just-showing/)

[Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/)

> [For 11 straight years, I woke up pretty much every single day with nothing to do unless I created something to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rife/for-11-straight-years-i-woke-up-pretty-much-every-single-day-with/)

[Matt Rife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rife/)

> [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/)

[Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/)

> [Being under-recruited coming out of Highland, I've carried that with me. I keep pushing forward, keep working hard every day, keep my head on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-daniels/being-under-recruited-coming-out-of-highland-i-ve-carried-that-with/)

[Mike Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-daniels/)

> [You can't cheat comedy. You know, it either is going to be there on the day you capture or it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/you-can-t-cheat-comedy-you-know-it-either-is-going-to-be-there-on-the/)

[Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/)

[Browse all 18,587 Day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The writing day can be, in some ways, too short, but it's actually a long series of hours, for months at a time, and there is a stillness there.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Anne Enright"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too-short-but-it-s-actually-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Day"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too-short-but-it-s-actually-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/anne-enright-5402_day_the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too_415150.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/anne-enright-5402_day_the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too_415150.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/anne-enright-5402_day_the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too_415150.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The writing day can be, in some ways, too short, but it's actually a long series of hours, for months at a…” — Anne Enright",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Anne Enright",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The writing day can be, in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too-short-but-it-s-actually-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/the-writing-day-can-be-in-some-ways-too-short-but-it-s-actually-a/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
