“Oh, dear, it's quite true what Dr. Reilly said. How does one stop writing? If I could find a really good telling phrase… Like the one M. Poirot used. In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate… Something like that.”

— Agatha Christie , book Murder in Mesopotamia

Amy Leatheran
Murder in Mesopotamia (1936)

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Do you have more details about the quote "Oh, dear, it's quite true what Dr. Reilly said. How does one stop writing? If I could find a really good telling phrase…" by Agatha Christie?

Agatha Christie 320

English mystery and detective writer 1890–1976

Suhayl ibn Amr soldier

in negotiating Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (628)

“I don't pretend to be an author or to know anything about writing. I'm doing this simply because Dr Reilly asked me to, and somehow when Dr Reilly asks you to do a thing you don't like to refuse.”

Agatha Christie book Murder in Mesopotamia

Amy Leatheran
Murder in Mesopotamia (1936)

“Allah wants us to be merciful, compassionate and forgiving.”

Harun Yahya (1956) Turkish author

20 April 2013.
A9 TV addresses, 2013
Context: Allah wants us to be merciful, compassionate and forgiving. And He wants us to look at everyone with compassion — so much so that in the Qur’an, Allah wants us to assure the life security of even idolaters.

“No! Please! I'll tell you whatever you want to know!" the man yelled.
"Really?" said Vimes. "What's the orbital velocity of the moon?"
"What?"
"Oh, you'd like something simpler?”

Terry Pratchett book Night Watch

Source: Night Watch

“Writing is what I did when I was alone with no one watching me or telling me what to do. I could do whatever I wanted. So writing was really associated with body pleasure — it was the same thing. It was like the only thing I had.”

Kathy Acker (1947–1997) American novelist, playwright, essayist, and poet

Kathy Acker: Where does she get off?
Context: I think writing is basically about time and rhythm. Like with jazz. You have your basic melody and then you just riff off of it. And the riffs are about timing. And about sex.
Writing for me is about my freedom. When I was a kid, my parents were like monsters to me, and the world extended from them. They were horrible. And I was this good little girl — I didn't have the guts to oppose them. They told me what to do and how to be. So the only time I could have any freedom or joy was when I was alone in my room. Writing is what I did when I was alone with no one watching me or telling me what to do. I could do whatever I wanted. So writing was really associated with body pleasure — it was the same thing. It was like the only thing I had.