--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: writers just kept on staring at nothing…" description: "\"writers just kept on staring at nothing until they wrote something. Might be two minutes or two weeks.\" — Martha Grimes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/martha-grimes-22399_might_writers-just-kept-on-staring-at-nothing_3233717.jpg" --- # writers just kept on staring at nothing until they wrote… ![“writers just kept on staring at nothing until they wrote something. Might be two minutes or two weeks.” quote by Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/martha-grimes-22399_might_writers-just-kept-on-staring-at-nothing_3233717.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/martha-grimes-22399_might_writers-just-kept-on-staring-at-nothing_3233717.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/martha-grimes-22399_might_writers-just-kept-on-staring-at-nothing_3233717.jpg) > “writers just kept on staring at nothing until they wrote something. Might be two minutes or two weeks.” [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work often begins with idle observation, and the time it takes to produce something varies widely from minutes to weeks. **In simple terms:** Writing starts with staring; time varies. Key Takeaway Allow patience and observation to fuel creation. Themes creativity process patience observation Mood inspirational thoughtful Type creative processual When to use this quote - writer’s block - creative anxiety - deadline pressure Key Concepts Flow state inspiration discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you turn idle staring into productive writing? - What rituals help you start a piece? A Different Perspective Waiting for inspiration can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Staring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staring/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I kept staring into the blackness of the woods, drawn into the darkness as I always had been. I suddenly realized how alone I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-kept-staring-into-the-blackness-of-the-woods-drawn-into-the/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [This girl just kept staring at me, and I was like, 'What in the world is wrong with her?' That's when I knew, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glozell/this-girl-just-kept-staring-at-me-and-i-was-like-what-in-the-world-is/) GloZell > [“Her safe was in the spare bedroom. She went in and knelt down in front of it. Sweatshirt and Joe followed. She noticed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-gilles-seidel/her-safe-was-in-the-spare-bedroom-she-went-in-and-knelt-down-in-front/) [Kathleen Gilles Seidel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-gilles-seidel/) > [“Chaol kept staring as though he didn’t know her, his body so very still. She wouldn’t have him thinking her vulnerable, or foolish, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/chaol-kept-staring-as-though-he-didn-t-know-her-his-body-so-very/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“That Tuesday afternoon, he kept staring into his children’s eyes. At one point he looked at Patty and his children for a long time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/that-tuesday-afternoon-he-kept-staring-into-his-children-s-eyes-at/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“I'd better go,” he said, without leaving. That one eye, the blue one, just kept staring up at him. Bloodshot, with a cut across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/i-d-better-go-he-said-without-leaving-that-one-eye-the-blue-one-just/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [“He kept staring at you all night. For a moment there, I thought his eyes were attached to you by an invisible string.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-kept-staring-at-you-all-night-for-a-moment-there-i-thought-his/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Ronan kept staring at Whelk. He was good at staring. There was something about his stare that took something from the other person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/ronan-kept-staring-at-whelk-he-was-good-at-staring-there-was/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I kept staring at the door as if it held the secret to the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-shepherd/i-kept-staring-at-the-door-as-if-it-held-the-secret-to-the-universe/) [A.B. Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-shepherd/) > [“Don’t talk to your horse, dear. People are watching,” Pauline said quietly. Halt turned a perplexed look toward her. “How do you know when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/don-t-talk-to-your-horse-dear-people-are-watching-pauline-said/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [The wonderful thing about books is you never run out of them, you can just keep going. So I'm always finding new writers, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ringwald/the-wonderful-thing-about-books-is-you-never-run-out-of-them-you-can/) [Molly Ringwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ringwald/) > [Well, you know, writers just suck up new experiences - we're just like the vacuum cleaners of newness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/well-you-know-writers-just-suck-up-new-experiences-we-re-just-like/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [If people want to be better writers, they can't just read the blogs! You've got to look at something that's outside this rushing world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/if-people-want-to-be-better-writers-they-can-t-just-read-the-blogs/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Of course, I don't mean to imply that all writers are working in the deep waters that border on the divine. Most writers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-keck/of-course-i-don-t-mean-to-imply-that-all-writers-are-working-in-the/) [Kevin Keck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-keck/) > [There are so many different types of writers. It's just sheer coincidence that they're all called writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renata-adler/there-are-so-many-different-types-of-writers-it-s-just-sheer/) [Renata Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renata-adler/) ## More by Martha Grimes > [“If a cone had dropped on velvet needles, if a star had lain a silver track across the sky, if the dead had turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/if-a-cone-had-dropped-on-velvet-needles-if-a-star-had-lain-a-silver/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [You can't be blocked if you just keep on writing words. Any words. People who get 'blocked' make the mistake of thinking they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/you-can-t-be-blocked-if-you-just-keep-on-writing-words-any-words/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [Talking's just a nervous habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/talking-s-just-a-nervous-habit/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [“any particular idiot in mind?” “I do, indeed. If Tom was actually here on Monday, and he needed an alibi, well, man, he didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/any-particular-idiot-in-mind-i-do-indeed-if-tom-was-actually-here-on/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [“As he followed Wood, Jury thought: one disappearance, two auto accident victims, one in a mental institution, one drowned. One murdered. Rackmoor, for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/as-he-followed-wood-jury-thought-one-disappearance-two-auto-accident/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [I cleared my throat - it isn't frogs you get in your throat; it's memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/i-cleared-my-throat-it-isn-t-frogs-you-get-in-your-throat-it-s/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [Before you hate something you should try to understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/before-you-hate-something-you-should-try-to-understand-it/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [“And how did he ever think he’d get away with murdering me?” Her tone implied she must surely belong to that rare breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/and-how-did-he-ever-think-he-d-get-away-with-murdering-me-her-tone/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [“Fear wearing black.' Definition of cool. Maybe it's also the definition of courage. Would she be courageous?”.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/fear-wearing-black-definition-of-cool-maybe-it-s-also-the-definition/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [You can never do enough for the dead. You search around for comfort but there is no comfort; there never was and never will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/you-can-never-do-enough-for-the-dead-you-search-around-for-comfort/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [“Losing one's mind is surely like losing one's virginity. Lose a little, lose a lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/losing-one-s-mind-is-surely-like-losing-one-s-virginity-lose-a-little/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [Arnold was a dog's dog. Whenever he shuffled along walks and through alleyways, he always gave the impression of being on to something big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/arnold-was-a-dog-s-dog-whenever-he-shuffled-along-walks-and-through/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [The English inn stands permanently planted at the confluence of the roads of history, memory, and romance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/the-english-inn-stands-permanently-planted-at-the-confluence-of-the/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [“And so it continued all day, wynde after wynde, from a room beyond came the whistle of a teakettle. "Now, you really must join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/and-so-it-continued-all-day-wynde-after-wynde-from-a-room-beyond-came/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [Intricately plotted, beautifully paced, The Music of the Spheres is an elegant historical novel rich in detail, at times Dickensian in its description of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/intricately-plotted-beautifully-paced-the-music-of-the-spheres-is-an/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) [Explore all 27 Martha Grimes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) ## More Might quotes > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. 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Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. 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It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) Browse all 17,596 Might quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "writers just kept on staring at nothing until they wrote something. 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