---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...wrote Lawrence Block. \"Someone once…"
description: "\"...wrote Lawrence Block. \"Someone once told me that fear and courage are like lightning and thunder; they both start out at the same time, but the fear..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/ralph-keyes-25968_block_wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-m_2694192.png"
---

#  ...wrote Lawrence Block. "Someone once told me that fear…

![“...wrote Lawrence Block. &quot;Someone once told me that fear and courage are like lightning and thunder; they both start out at the same time, but the fear travels faster and arrives sooner. If we just wait a moment, the requisite courage will be along shortly.&quot; (quoted from Write for Your Live by…” quote by Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/ralph-keyes-25968_block_wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-m_2694192.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/ralph-keyes-25968_block_wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-m_2694192.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/ralph-keyes-25968_block_wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-m_2694192.png)

> “...wrote Lawrence Block. "Someone once told me that fear and courage are like lightning and thunder; they both start out at the same time, but the fear travels faster and arrives sooner. If we just wait a moment, the requisite courage will be along shortly." (quoted from Write for Your Live by Lawrence Block)”

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

## About This Quote

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

Fear and courage arise together; fear acts quickly, but waiting allows courage to catch up.

**In simple terms:** Fear precedes courage.

Key Takeaway

Pause before acting to let courage emerge.

Themes

psychology emotion courage

Mood

encouraging hopeful

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- public speaking
- risk taking
- creative pursuits

Key Concepts

fear response timing of bravery

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you let fear dictate your actions?
- How can you create space for courage?

A Different Perspective

Courage may never arrive if fear dominates.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-like-577518/) [Courage Shortly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-shortly-2682186/) [Faster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faster/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear and courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-and-courage/) [Fear courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-courage/) [Lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightning/) [Lightning And Thunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightning-and-thunder/) [Live by](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-by/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Requisite Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requisite-courage-2682187/) [Thunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunder/) [Told Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-fear-1040120/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [“...fear and courage are like lightning and thunder; they both sart out at the same time, but the fear travels faster and arrives sooner.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/fear-and-courage-are-like-lightning-and-thunder-they-both-sart-out-at/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [“He’d told me once that fear was more than a wasted emotion, it was the ultimate set of blinders; that if I couldn’t face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/he-d-told-me-once-that-fear-was-more-than-a-wasted-emotion-it-was-the/)

[Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/)

> [“Every time I sit down to write, I have a great fear that anything I write will reveal me as the monster I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/every-time-i-sit-down-to-write-i-have-a-great-fear-that-anything-i/)

[Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/)

> [“Even the nurses in the hospital had told me now I had nothing to fear. 'The worst is over for you,' they had said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/even-the-nurses-in-the-hospital-had-told-me-now-i-had-nothing-to-fear/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I Told Him My Fear He said He'll Never Hurt Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raven-grant/i-told-him-my-fear-he-said-he-ll-never-hurt-me/)

[Raven Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raven-grant/)

> [“Different men have different ways, Logen had told him once, and you have to have fear to have courage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/different-men-have-different-ways-logen-had-told-him-once-and-you/)

[Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/)

> [I suddenly remember something I've been told about fear. That amid a hail of machine gun fire you notice the existence of your skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/i-suddenly-remember-something-i-ve-been-told-about-fear-that-amid-a/)

[Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/)

> [“Fear is not an excuse,” Yael told him. “Fear is being human.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-graudin/fear-is-not-an-excuse-yael-told-him-fear-is-being-human/)

[Ryan Graudin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-graudin/)

> [“Of course, there is healthy fear. We pay our taxes because we don’t want to be audited. We put on sunscreen to avoid sunburns.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-scott/of-course-there-is-healthy-fear-we-pay-our-taxes-because-we-don-t/)

[Carey Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-scott/)

> [“Michelle Obama, spoke to supporters in rural Iowa about why she agreed to let her husband run. “Barack and I talked long and hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-glassner/michelle-obama-spoke-to-supporters-in-rural-iowa-about-why-she-agreed/)

[Barry Glassner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-glassner/)

> [I committed crimes of passion and my soul was suspected, But it was thrown out of court because of course the Creator and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cee-lo-green/i-committed-crimes-of-passion-and-my-soul-was-suspected-but-it-was/)

[Cee Lo Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cee-lo-green/)

> [Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/another-secret-of-the-universe-sometimes-pain-was-like-a-storm-that/)

[Benjamin Alire Saenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/)

> [Many demons are in woods, in waters, in wildernesses, and in dark poolly places ready to hurt and prejudice people; some are also in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/many-demons-are-in-woods-in-waters-in-wildernesses-and-in-dark-poolly/)

[Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/)

> [“I look at you And I want to build things Four walls A roof A room with a view I look at you And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/i-look-at-you-and-i-want-to-build-things-four-walls-a-roof-a-room/)

[José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/)

> [“Never look back, that's what she's told herself. Don't think about swans or being alone in the dark. Don't think of storms, or lightning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/never-look-back-that-s-what-she-s-told-herself-don-t-think-about/)

[Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/)

## More by Ralph Keyes

> [“If you are in difficulties with a book,” suggested H. G. Wells, “try the element of surprise: attack it at an hour when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/if-you-are-in-difficulties-with-a-book-suggested-h-g-wells-try-the/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [“Find tricks to keep yourself going,” William Least Heat Moon once advised a group of aspiring writers. “Anything you can do to trick yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/find-tricks-to-keep-yourself-going-william-least-heat-moon-once/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [“Fear flushes clogged pores of perception.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/fear-flushes-clogged-pores-of-perception/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [“Henrik Ibsen hung a picture of August Strindberg over his desk. “He is my mortal enemy and shall hang there and watch while I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/henrik-ibsen-hung-a-picture-of-august-strindberg-over-his-desk-he-is/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [Anxiety is not only an inevitable part of the writing process but a necessary part. If you’re not scared, you’re not writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/anxiety-is-not-only-an-inevitable-part-of-the-writing-process-but-a/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [Willa Cather said that she write best when she stopped trying to write and began simply to remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/willa-cather-said-that-she-write-best-when-she-stopped-trying-to/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [Serious writers write, inspired or not. Over time they discover that routine is a better friend than inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/serious-writers-write-inspired-or-not-over-time-they-discover-that/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [One thing I like about writing is that it provides such a wonderful opportunity for confidential chats with readers. In the privacy of writing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/one-thing-i-like-about-writing-is-that-it-provides-such-a-wonderful/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [“One thing that separates would-be writers from working writers is that the latter know their work will never match their dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/one-thing-that-separates-would-be-writers-from-working-writers-is/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [Be as creative in your tactics as you are in your writing. Find what gets your engine going, no matter how peculiar it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/be-as-creative-in-your-tactics-as-you-are-in-your-writing-find-what/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [Fear is felt by writers at every level. Anxiety accompanies the first word they put on paper and the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/fear-is-felt-by-writers-at-every-level-anxiety-accompanies-the-first/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [“...fear and courage are like lightning and thunder; they both sart out at the same time, but the fear travels faster and arrives sooner.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/fear-and-courage-are-like-lightning-and-thunder-they-both-sart-out-at/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [“Christopher Isherwood tried to trick a good topic into rising from his unconscious by irritating it, “deliberately writing nonsense until it intervenes, as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/christopher-isherwood-tried-to-trick-a-good-topic-into-rising-from/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [I'm tempted to say that the top three reasons for hopelessness are rejection, rejection, rejection. But let's cast our net wider. 1) Not being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/i-m-tempted-to-say-that-the-top-three-reasons-for-hopelessness-are/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

> [“Success as a writer is within the grasp of whoever can tell a story on paper that people want to hear, and is willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/success-as-a-writer-is-within-the-grasp-of-whoever-can-tell-a-story/)

[Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

[Explore all 22 Ralph Keyes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/)

## More Block quotes

> [I am told many children block out the memory of trauma. In fact, the healing process can only truly begin when we are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-stone/i-am-told-many-children-block-out-the-memory-of-trauma-in-fact-the/)

[Phoebe Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-stone/)

> [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/)

[Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/)

> [If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/)

[Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/)

> [Stevie Wonder always smells so good... I'm like a DEA dog, I can smell people a block away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/stevie-wonder-always-smells-so-good-i-m-like-a-dea-dog-i-can-smell/)

[Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/)

> [When it comes to people I love and care about, I may condense the time, but I'm giving them every ounce of my energy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-shetty/when-it-comes-to-people-i-love-and-care-about-i-may-condense-the-time/)

[Jay Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-shetty/)

> [I mean family is more important than anything in life. Family is important than my crew, D-Block, my rap career anything... It's the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/i-mean-family-is-more-important-than-anything-in-life-family-is/)

[Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/)

> [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/)

[Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/)

> [One of those blocks (that prevent the 'Middle East from entering the mainstream of modernity') is the orthodox tenet that the Koran and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-beichman/one-of-those-blocks-that-prevent-the-middle-east-from-entering-the/)

[Arnold Beichman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-beichman/)

> [The family is the building block for whatever solidarity there is in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ruckelshaus/the-family-is-the-building-block-for-whatever-solidarity-there-is-in/)

[William Ruckelshaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ruckelshaus/)

> [New York is so serious about the creation of work. Everything is happening so fast, it feels like there's another studio, another session on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diplo/new-york-is-so-serious-about-the-creation-of-work-everything-is/)

[Diplo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diplo/)

> [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/)

[Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/)

> [Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/americans-will-put-up-with-anything-provided-it-doesn-t-block-traffic/)

[Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/)

> [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [I think you can train yourself to block out some of that pressure and replace it with confidence. It's about preparation, and the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rodgers/i-think-you-can-train-yourself-to-block-out-some-of-that-pressure-and/)

[Aaron Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rodgers/)

> [Writer's block? I've never heard of a plumber complain about plumber's block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/writer-s-block-i-ve-never-heard-of-a-plumber-complain-about-plumber-s/)

[Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/)

[Browse all 1,755 Block quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "...wrote Lawrence Block. \"Someone once told me that fear and courage are like lightning and thunder; they both start out at the same time, but the fear travels faster and arrives sooner. If we just wait a moment, the requisite courage will be along shortly.\" (quoted from Write for Your Live by Lawrence Block)",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ralph Keyes"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-me-that-fear-and-courage-are/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Block"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-me-that-fear-and-courage-are/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/ralph-keyes-25968_block_wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-m_2694192.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/ralph-keyes-25968_block_wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-m_2694192.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/ralph-keyes-25968_block_wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-m_2694192.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“...wrote Lawrence Block. \"Someone once told me that fear and courage are like lightning and thunder; they…” — Ralph Keyes",
                "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": "Ralph Keyes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "...wrote Lawrence Block. \"Someone once told...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-me-that-fear-and-courage-are/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/wrote-lawrence-block-someone-once-told-me-that-fear-and-courage-are/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
