--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I sat down and tried to write a story…" description: "\"I sat down and tried to write a story. \"Ian MacArthur is a wonderful sweet fellow who wears glasses and peers out of them with delight.\" That was the f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/stephen-chbosky-387_cleaning_i-sat-down-and-tried-to-write-a-story-ia_3072988.png" --- # I sat down and tried to write a story. "Ian MacArthur is a… ![“I sat down and tried to write a story. "Ian MacArthur is a wonderful sweet fellow who wears glasses and peers out of them with delight." That was the first sentence. The problem was that I just couldn't think of the next one. After cleaning my room three times, I decided to leave Ian alone for a…” quote by Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/stephen-chbosky-387_cleaning_i-sat-down-and-tried-to-write-a-story-ia_3072988.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/stephen-chbosky-387_cleaning_i-sat-down-and-tried-to-write-a-story-ia_3072988.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/stephen-chbosky-387_cleaning_i-sat-down-and-tried-to-write-a-story-ia_3072988.png) > “I sat down and tried to write a story. "Ian MacArthur is a wonderful sweet fellow who wears glasses and peers out of them with delight." That was the first sentence. The problem was that I just couldn't think of the next one. After cleaning my room three times, I decided to leave Ian alone for a while because I was starting to get mad at him.” [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer struggles with creative block, using mundane tasks and distraction to cope, highlighting the difficulty of starting a story. **In simple terms:** Writer stuck, uses chores to avoid writing. Key Takeaway Embrace imperfection and write anyway. Themes creativity writer's block discipline self‑care Mood frustrated hopeful Type creative motivational When to use this quote - writing - daily routine - focus - overcoming procrastination Key Concepts process writing mental health Questions to Reflect On - What small step can you take to move forward? - How might you change your environment to spark ideas? A Different Perspective Distractions only delay progress, not solve it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cleaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleaning/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Glasses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glasses/) [Leave Ian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave-ian-5207037/) [Macarthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macarthur/) [Mad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Peers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peers/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Sat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sat/) [Sentence Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentence-problem-5207038/) [Sentences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentences/) [Starting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story Ian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-ian-3995315/) [Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet/) [The next one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-next-one/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Three times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-times/) [Tried Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tried-write/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [Write Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-story/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“I read on the back cover that the author was born in Russia and came to America when she was young. She barely spoke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-read-on-the-back-cover-that-the-author-was-born-in-russia-and-came/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“Arthur MacArthur was the most flamboyantly egotistic man I had ever seen, until I met his son.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/major-general-enoch-crowder/arthur-macarthur-was-the-most-flamboyantly-egotistic-man-i-had-ever/) [Major General Enoch Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/major-general-enoch-crowder/) > [“MacArthur's Digital Media and Learning Initiative, Craig Wacker and Ben Stokes. Michael Carter has been key also in seeing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-n-davidson/macarthur-s-digital-media-and-learning-initiative-craig-wacker-and/) [Cathy N. Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-n-davidson/) > [Give me ten thousand Filipino soldiers and I will conquer the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/give-me-ten-thousand-filipino-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [“MacArthur Foundation, as part of its initiative on Digital Media and Learning, we thank Constance M. Yowell, Director”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-n-davidson/macarthur-foundation-as-part-of-its-initiative-on-digital-media-and/) [Cathy N. Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-n-davidson/) > [I'm a big fan of General Douglas MacArthur and General George Patton.We have a few generals that have been so incredible to me. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-a-big-fan-of-general-douglas-macarthur-and-general-george-patton/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [With the MacArthur grant, I realized that people have high expectations of me, that they were placing me in this group of achievers. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/with-the-macarthur-grant-i-realized-that-people-have-high/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [“MacArthur strode before his men, armed only with a riding crop, a cigarette holder clamped jauntily between his teeth, without the slightest suggestion in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-e-persico/macarthur-strode-before-his-men-armed-only-with-a-riding-crop-a/) [Joseph E. Persico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-e-persico/) > [“It was stupid not to let MacArthur finish off those rice eaters. Push 'em back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-bissinger/it-was-stupid-not-to-let-macarthur-finish-off-those-rice-eaters-push/) [H.G. Bissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-bissinger/) > [If I wasn't touring, I wasn't making money. When I got the MacArthur, I could get off that hamster wheel. It meant I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/if-i-wasn-t-touring-i-wasn-t-making-money-when-i-got-the-macarthur-i/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [Think of Iraq as "East Korea," because it was a shoot the cuffs war for the edification of Kim Jong Il to let him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/think-of-iraq-as-east-korea-because-it-was-a-shoot-the-cuffs-war-for/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [Actors who have tried to play Churchill and MacArthur have failed abysmally because each of those men was a great actor playing himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-manchester/actors-who-have-tried-to-play-churchill-and-macarthur-have-failed/) [William Manchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-manchester/) > [I decided that now is the time to start doing the things that really interest me and I find important. 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Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“It's great that you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn't need a shoulder. What if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-great-that-you-can-listen-and-be-a-shoulder-to-someone-but-what/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Most of the people I know who were raised to be accommodating or were raised to just be nice and put everybody's needs ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/most-of-the-people-i-know-who-were-raised-to-be-accommodating-or-were/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I don’t want to start thinking again. Not like I have this last week. I can’t think again. Not ever again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-don-t-want-to-start-thinking-again-not-like-i-have-this-last-week-i/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“And then Patrick started running after the sunset. And Sam immediately followed him. And I saw them in silhouette. Running after the sun. Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-then-patrick-started-running-after-the-sunset-and-sam-immediately/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [That was always my hope that that is exactly what I would do. It was always part of the dream of this story -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/that-was-always-my-hope-that-that-is-exactly-what-i-would-do-it-was/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [And she says she wants to expose me to all these great things. And to tell you the truth, I don't really want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-she-says-she-wants-to-expose-me-to-all-these-great-things-and-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“I'm sorry I bothered you, Susan. I'm just having a tough time. That's all. Have a good one," I said and walked away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-m-sorry-i-bothered-you-susan-i-m-just-having-a-tough-time-that-s/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [When we were all getting ready to leave, I walked up to my grandfather and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/when-we-were-all-getting-ready-to-leave-i-walked-up-to-my-grandfather/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [It's like he would take a photograph of Sam, and the photograph would be beautiful. And he would think that the reason the photograph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-like-he-would-take-a-photograph-of-sam-and-the-photograph-would/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Five minutes of a lifetime were truly spent, and we felt young in a good way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/five-minutes-of-a-lifetime-were-truly-spent-and-we-felt-young-in-a/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I feel like a big faker because I've been putting my life back together, and nobody knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-feel-like-a-big-faker-because-i-ve-been-putting-my-life-back/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“So, this is my life. And I want you to know I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/so-this-is-my-life-and-i-want-you-to-know-i-am-both-happy-and-sad-and/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [If you care about somebody, you should want them to be happy. Even if you wind up being left out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/if-you-care-about-somebody-you-should-want-them-to-be-happy-even-if/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I wasn't raised very religiously because my parents went to Catholic school, but I do believe in God very much. I just never gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-wasn-t-raised-very-religiously-because-my-parents-went-to-catholic/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) [Explore all 558 Stephen Chbosky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) ## More Cleaning quotes > [We should get a Roomba for our Roomba. I feel bad for it because it works tirelessly, and at night I can hear it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-gosling/we-should-get-a-roomba-for-our-roomba-i-feel-bad-for-it-because-it/) [Ryan Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-gosling/) > [The government should set a goal for a clean environment but not mandate how that goal should be implemented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dixie-lee-ray/the-government-should-set-a-goal-for-a-clean-environment-but-not/) [Dixie Lee Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dixie-lee-ray/) > [The thought processes that go through my head when I'm playing a game compared to the thought processes in real life are very, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-romero/the-thought-processes-that-go-through-my-head-when-i-m-playing-a-game/) [John Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-romero/) > [My mother worked as a maid, cleaning the fraternity dorm of the local college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/my-mother-worked-as-a-maid-cleaning-the-fraternity-dorm-of-the-local/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Western doctors are like poor plumbers. They treat a splashing tub by cleaning up the water. These plumbers are extremely apt at drying up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-parsons-burkitt/western-doctors-are-like-poor-plumbers-they-treat-a-splashing-tub-by/) [Denis Parsons Burkitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-parsons-burkitt/) > [A lot of people approach their barn or horse like they are going to war, because it's been going badly. So you pick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-meehl/a-lot-of-people-approach-their-barn-or-horse-like-they-are-going-to/) [Cindy Meehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-meehl/) > [“The house was clean, scrubbed and immaculate, curtains washed, windows polished, but all as a man does it - the ironed curtains did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-house-was-clean-scrubbed-and-immaculate-curtains-washed-windows/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [He's getting dumped. And he doesn't even know it yet. He's probably eating a cheeseburger or flossing or picking up his dry cleaning, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/he-s-getting-dumped-and-he-doesn-t-even-know-it-yet-he-s-probably/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [ I don't know that Brandy \[Burre\] would ever categorize herself as being trapped, but I felt like I saw her being trapped. When she's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/i-don-t-know-that-brandy-burre-would-ever-categorize-herself-as-being/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“For those who set out to clean the dirt of the world, the best broom is their own clean morals, because you can't clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/for-those-who-set-out-to-clean-the-dirt-of-the-world-the-best-broom/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [ Any small business owner wears many hats. We \[New View Window Cleaning\] are the salesman, bookkeeper, scheduler, cleaner, customer complaint department, etc. If you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/any-small-business-owner-wears-many-hats-we-new-view-window-cleaning/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [There's times when I'm cleaning the kitchen, and while I'm doing that, I'm singing and air guitaring with a broom to 'You Should Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/there-s-times-when-i-m-cleaning-the-kitchen-and-while-i-m-doing-that/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > ['Washio' provides laundry and dry cleaning on demand. They pick it up, clean it, and return it within 24 hours - and often with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yael-cohen/washio-provides-laundry-and-dry-cleaning-on-demand-they-pick-it-up/) [Yael Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yael-cohen/) > [Anybody and everybody's going to get it. I'm not racing through my division. I'm cleaning it out. So if you want two L's, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-holloway/anybody-and-everybody-s-going-to-get-it-i-m-not-racing-through-my/) [Max Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-holloway/) > [The 6th of August in the morning we saw an opening in the land and we ran into it, and anchored in 7 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dampier/the-6th-of-august-in-the-morning-we-saw-an-opening-in-the-land-and-we/) [William Dampier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dampier/) [Browse all 651 Cleaning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleaning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I sat down and tried to write a story. \"Ian MacArthur is a wonderful sweet fellow who wears glasses and peers out of them with delight.\" That was the first sentence. The problem was that I just couldn't think of the next one. 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