--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reading Stephen King's book, On Writing…" description: "\"Reading Stephen King's book, On Writing, was like being cornered and forced to have a long, drawn out mental enema.\" — Mary Garden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mary-garden-29788_book_reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-w_3055848.jpg" --- # Reading Stephen King's book, On Writing, was like being… ![“Reading Stephen King's book, On Writing, was like being cornered and forced to have a long, drawn out mental enema.” quote by Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mary-garden-29788_book_reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-w_3055848.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mary-garden-29788_book_reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-w_3055848.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mary-garden-29788_book_reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-w_3055848.jpg) > “Reading Stephen King's book, On Writing, was like being cornered and forced to have a long, drawn out mental enema.” [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading "On Writing" felt intense and mentally demanding, likened to an uncomfortable experience. **In simple terms:** The book felt mentally exhausting. Key Takeaway Approach challenging material with preparation. Themes literature writing mental strain Mood intense critical Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - writing workshops - self‑study - therapy sessions Key Concepts creative process authorial insight psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you manage mental fatigue while reading? - What benefits arise from confronting discomfort? A Different Perspective Intensity may deter some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Can't even take my daughter for a walk. See them by the corner store. I feel like I'm cornered off. Enough is enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z-2/can-t-even-take-my-daughter-for-a-walk-see-them-by-the-corner-store-i/) [Jay Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z-2/) > [“Gonna have to give myself a mental enema when we get back to the TARDIS.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tucker/gonna-have-to-give-myself-a-mental-enema-when-we-get-back-to-the/) [Mike Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tucker/) > [You..." The centaur's eyes flared like a cornered animal's. "You should be dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/you-the-centaur-s-eyes-flared-like-a-cornered-animal-s-you-should-be/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Well. You've got me cornered, don't you? I'm at your mercy." Her lips quirked. She took a drag of her cigarette. "And I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/well-you-ve-got-me-cornered-don-t-you-i-m-at-your-mercy-her-lips/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [This national argument is usually interpreted as a battle between imperialists led by Roosevelt and Lodge and anti-imperialists led by William Jennings Bryan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-appleman-williams/this-national-argument-is-usually-interpreted-as-a-battle-between/) William Appleman Williams > [Well, part of it is the general fascination with the Amish. 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And I found out that I was no hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-belushi/heroes-aren-t-born-they-re-cornered-oh-i-was-cornered-and-i-found-out/) [James Belushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-belushi/) > [The idea that America has cornered the market on anti-immigration is ridiculous. It's a global phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-idea-that-america-has-cornered-the-market-on-anti-immigration-is/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [It's dangerous when music gets cornered by anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/it-s-dangerous-when-music-gets-cornered-by-anything/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [“Courage is so rare nowadays, that one gets cornered for having courage of conviction and living by one’s ideals. However it is great to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeroninio-almeida/courage-is-so-rare-nowadays-that-one-gets-cornered-for-having-courage/) [Jeroninio Almeida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeroninio-almeida/) ## More by Mary Garden > [Krishna children were taught that in the spiritual world there were no parents, only souls and hence this justified their being kept out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/krishna-children-were-taught-that-in-the-spiritual-world-there-were/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [“My block was due to two overlapping factors: laziness and lack of discipline. If you really want to write, then shut yourself in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/my-block-was-due-to-two-overlapping-factors-laziness-and-lack-of/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [My inner critic who had begun piping up about how hopeless I was and how I didn't know to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/my-inner-critic-who-had-begun-piping-up-about-how-hopeless-i-was-and/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [I was a new devotee of Eastern mysticism and even though I did not join that particular group, I could well have done. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/i-was-a-new-devotee-of-eastern-mysticism-and-even-though-i-did-not/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [It was not uncommon for the children to be told they were being treated this way because it was their bad karma and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/it-was-not-uncommon-for-the-children-to-be-told-they-were-being/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [I deleted all the games from my computer. I spent days trawling the Internet. 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When contempt for sex underlies teachings, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/research-on-child-abuse-suggests-that-religious-beliefs-can-foster/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [For a long period in my life - it lasted about 10 years - I had writer's block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/for-a-long-period-in-my-life-it-lasted-about-10-years-i-had-writer-s/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [If you really want to write, then shut yourself in a room, close the door, and WRITE. If you don't want to write, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/if-you-really-want-to-write-then-shut-yourself-in-a-room-close-the/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [In the early 1930s, flying from England to Australia was the longest flight in the world. It was considered extremely dangerous and hazardous, pushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/in-the-early-1930s-flying-from-england-to-australia-was-the-longest/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [In the back of my mind was the constant hankering, almost yearning, to write but something always stopped me in my tracks. Or if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/in-the-back-of-my-mind-was-the-constant-hankering-almost-yearning-to/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [I have never been nervous in all my life and I have no patience with people who are. If you know what you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/i-have-never-been-nervous-in-all-my-life-and-i-have-no-patience-with/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [My block was due to two overlapping factors: laziness and lack of discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/my-block-was-due-to-two-overlapping-factors-laziness-and-lack-of-2/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) [Explore all 18 Mary Garden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Reading Stephen King's book, On Writing, was like being cornered and forced to have a long, drawn out mental enema.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Garden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-was-like-being-cornered-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-was-like-being-cornered-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mary-garden-29788_book_reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-w_3055848.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mary-garden-29788_book_reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-w_3055848.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mary-garden-29788_book_reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-w_3055848.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Reading Stephen King's book, On Writing, was like being cornered and forced to have a long, drawn out mental…” — Mary Garden", "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": "Mary Garden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Reading Stephen King's book, On Writing,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-was-like-being-cornered-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/reading-stephen-king-s-book-on-writing-was-like-being-cornered-and/#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 } } ] } ```