--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The writing life is one long…" description: "\"The writing life is one long, never-ending search for narrative. Well, it's not even a conscious searching. It happens even while you're busy buying gr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/miriam-toews-3632_busy_the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-endin_143641.png" --- # The writing life is one long, never-ending search for… ![“The writing life is one long, never-ending search for narrative. Well, it's not even a conscious searching. It happens even while you're busy buying groceries and when you're fast asleep. It's a curse.” quote by Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/miriam-toews-3632_busy_the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-endin_143641.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/miriam-toews-3632_busy_the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-endin_143641.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/miriam-toews-3632_busy_the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-endin_143641.png) > “The writing life is one long, never-ending search for narrative. Well, it's not even a conscious searching. It happens even while you're busy buying groceries and when you're fast asleep. It's a curse.” [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The creative process is a constant, subconscious search for stories that persists across all activities. **In simple terms:** Writing is an endless, unconscious search for narrative. Key Takeaway Embrace the ever‑present narrative impulse. Themes creativity writing subconscious narrative Mood thoughtful inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - daily routines - night dreams - commuting Key Concepts storytelling mind wandering habit formation Questions to Reflect On - How do you capture spontaneous ideas? - What rituals support your writing flow? A Different Perspective Narrative search can feel burdensome. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [In life, we spend most of our time searching for what we already have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/in-life-we-spend-most-of-our-time-searching-for-what-we-already-have/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The Fourth Amendment is quite clear on the notion that search and seizure must not be unreasonable. It is difficult to think of something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/the-fourth-amendment-is-quite-clear-on-the-notion-that-search-and/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [If you suddenly go striving for different things from what have stood you in good stead over a period of time then you're searching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-bairstow/if-you-suddenly-go-striving-for-different-things-from-what-have-stood/) [Jonny Bairstow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-bairstow/) > [Sometimes you've got to stop searching in order to realize what's right in front of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-scott/sometimes-you-ve-got-to-stop-searching-in-order-to-realize-what-s/) [Travis Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-scott/) > [I was searching for myself in order to find YOU -Syed Sharukh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syed-sharukh/i-was-searching-for-myself-in-order-to-find-you-syed-sharukh/) [Syed Sharukh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syed-sharukh/) > [“Searching is just like finding, only it comes first and is spelled differently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-searcher/searching-is-just-like-finding-only-it-comes-first-and-is-spelled/) [The Searcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-searcher/) > [“We keep searching for things all our life, yet seldom do we notice them!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/we-keep-searching-for-things-all-our-life-yet-seldom-do-we-notice-them/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [Look for it, even if you dont know its there, because you might find something better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-decamp/look-for-it-even-if-you-dont-know-its-there-because-you-might-find/) [Aaron DeCamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-decamp/) > [“If you want to find wilier race by common sense, then you have just narrowed your searching area.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/if-you-want-to-find-wilier-race-by-common-sense-then-you-have-just/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [I'm always looking to make something that didn't exist before, fumbling about in the dark, not just while making a collection. The search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rei-kawakubo/i-m-always-looking-to-make-something-that-didn-t-exist-before/) [Rei Kawakubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rei-kawakubo/) > [“What you seek you shall find unless you stop searching for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-zernoff/what-you-seek-you-shall-find-unless-you-stop-searching-for-it/) [Raphael Zernoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-zernoff/) > [I have found that searching for insight is more often than not a path to total darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mcmahon/i-have-found-that-searching-for-insight-is-more-often-than-not-a-path/) [Andrew McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mcmahon/) > [“Like radars, restless and searching.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-newman/like-radars-restless-and-searching/) [Liz Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-newman/) > [When you don't know what you're searching for, you have to look absolutely everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-searching-for-you-have-to-look/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) ## More by Miriam Toews > [Her faith in a loving and forgiving God is strong, but she worships laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/her-faith-in-a-loving-and-forgiving-god-is-strong-but-she-worships/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [“I heard Tash say: Nomi, you’re sad man. Get a grip. Walk away. What have I taught you? And I thought: You taught me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/i-heard-tash-say-nomi-you-re-sad-man-get-a-grip-walk-away-what-have-i/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [“Where are they going to get a camera? I asked. I don't know, said Noehmi. They'll probably get sidetracked along the way. Or they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/where-are-they-going-to-get-a-camera-i-asked-i-don-t-know-said-noehmi/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [“The director said he's got a haunted soul and a natural sweetness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/the-director-said-he-s-got-a-haunted-soul-and-a-natural-sweetness/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [“Nomi, he said, you just need to wake up to the fact that other people need to know where you're going. But there's nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/nomi-he-said-you-just-need-to-wake-up-to-the-fact-that-other-people/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [I would never want to deny my Mennonite background and culture; I'll always feel like and be identified as a Mennonite and therefore possess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/i-would-never-want-to-deny-my-mennonite-background-and-culture-i-ll/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [“When I opened up the bottle of wine, Thebes said whoa, you yanked that cork out of there like you were saving it from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/when-i-opened-up-the-bottle-of-wine-thebes-said-whoa-you-yanked-that/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [“I think Ray might have wanted a son. One night when I was seven or eight I announced to my family that I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/i-think-ray-might-have-wanted-a-son-one-night-when-i-was-seven-or/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [The theme of sisters - of missing sisters, of needing sisters, the special love that sisters share or the antagonism sisters share - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/the-theme-of-sisters-of-missing-sisters-of-needing-sisters-the/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [“..I followed her out the door and watched her walk down the road towards home, hers, and the bright yard light, and her own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/i-followed-her-out-the-door-and-watched-her-walk-down-the-road/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [“someday you’ll be gone, you’ll be dust, and then even less than dust. Nothing. There’s no other place to be. This world is good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/someday-you-ll-be-gone-you-ll-be-dust-and-then-even-less-than-dust/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [...and I put on "All My Love" and watched the sun rise yet again and thought thank you Robert Plant for all your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/and-i-put-on-all-my-love-and-watched-the-sun-rise-yet-again-and/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [If, along the way, something is gained, then something will also be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/if-along-the-way-something-is-gained-then-something-will-also-be-lost/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [Things shouldn't hinge on so very little. Sneeze and you're highway carnage. Remove one tiny stone and you're an avalanche statistic. But I guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/things-shouldn-t-hinge-on-so-very-little-sneeze-and-you-re-highway/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [I had a thought, on the way home from the rock field, that the things we don't know about a person are the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/i-had-a-thought-on-the-way-home-from-the-rock-field-that-the-things/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) [Explore all 125 Miriam Toews quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) ## More Busy quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) Victoria Derbyshire > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/) The Shawshank Redemption Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The writing life is one long, never-ending search for narrative. Well, it's not even a conscious searching. It happens even while you're busy buying groceries and when you're fast asleep. It's a curse.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Miriam Toews" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-ending-search-for-narrative-well/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Busy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-ending-search-for-narrative-well/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/miriam-toews-3632_busy_the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-endin_143641.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/miriam-toews-3632_busy_the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-endin_143641.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/miriam-toews-3632_busy_the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-endin_143641.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The writing life is one long, never-ending search for narrative. Well, it's not even a conscious searching…” — Miriam Toews", "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": "Miriam Toews", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The writing life is one long,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-ending-search-for-narrative-well/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/the-writing-life-is-one-long-never-ending-search-for-narrative-well/#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 } } ] } ```