The process of writing successful grant proposals has received not so dubious attention in the last several decades. This article provides contextual significance resulting from a review of literature spanning 1975 to 2013. I identify essential vocabulary stemming from the literature review to familiarize the reader with the terminology associated with grant writing. I also present a synopsis of the professional advice offered at the various stages of grant writing (with particular emphasis on qualitative research proposals). I provide a general review of article titles in the related literature from 1975 to the present and comments upon how the varied metaphors and essentially spirited titles employed by the respective authors have reflected the competitive nature of grant funding. The review of titles suggests that writing a research grant is essentially a thoughtful investigation. Beyond the title descriptions that capture specific and measured steps rests the idea that penning a successful research grant is a contemplative and time-consuming process that includes a specific and timely research exploration.