--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing is a bit like walking into a big…" description: "\"Writing is a bit like walking into a big bookstore. It's the bookstore of your brain, and you know you're never going to read all those books. It makes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/mary-jo-salter-38984_anxiety_writing-is-a-bit-like-walking-into-a-big_1011296.jpg" --- # Writing is a bit like walking into a big bookstore. It's… ![“Writing is a bit like walking into a big bookstore. It's the bookstore of your brain, and you know you're never going to read all those books. It makes you happy you're in the bookstore, and you're nervous because you know you're never going to read all those books. So the nervousness is also…” quote by Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/mary-jo-salter-38984_anxiety_writing-is-a-bit-like-walking-into-a-big_1011296.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/mary-jo-salter-38984_anxiety_writing-is-a-bit-like-walking-into-a-big_1011296.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/mary-jo-salter-38984_anxiety_writing-is-a-bit-like-walking-into-a-big_1011296.jpg) > “Writing is a bit like walking into a big bookstore. It's the bookstore of your brain, and you know you're never going to read all those books. It makes you happy you're in the bookstore, and you're nervous because you know you're never going to read all those books. So the nervousness is also happy. Once I get going writing poetry is one of the happiest things I do, but it is also fraught with all of these anxieties.” [Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing feels like exploring an endless library inside your mind, mixing excitement about discovery with anxiety over the impossible breadth. **In simple terms:** Writing is an endless mental library, both joyful and daunting. Key Takeaway Embrace the mix of joy and anxiety when writing. Themes creativity anxiety exploration joy self‑discovery Mood reflective hopeful ambivalent Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - starting a new poem - overcoming writer’s block - sharing work - teaching creative writing Key Concepts metaphor psychology artistic process Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing the vastness of ideas affect your writing process? - What strategies turn nervousness into creative fuel? A Different Perspective The metaphor may overstate control; not all writers feel the same blend of emotions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [Nervousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervousness/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-poetry/) ## Related quotes > [“I'm going to write a novel and get it published. I'm going to do it because writing a novel is worthwhile and because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-ingermanson/i-m-going-to-write-a-novel-and-get-it-published-i-m-going-to-do-it/) [Randy Ingermanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-ingermanson/) > [I envy those writers who outline their novels, who know where they're going. But I find writing is a process of discovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/i-envy-those-writers-who-outline-their-novels-who-know-where-they-re/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [As long as you have ideas, you can keep going. That's why writing fiction is so much fun: because you're moving people about, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/as-long-as-you-have-ideas-you-can-keep-going-that-s-why-writing/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [Writing is like wrestling; you are wrestling with ideas and with the story. There is a lot of energy required. At the same time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/writing-is-like-wrestling-you-are-wrestling-with-ideas-and-with-the/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [We rarely know where we are going; writing is a discovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/we-rarely-know-where-we-are-going-writing-is-a-discovery/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [I got written out of 'G.I. 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It isn't at all surprising to write a chapter in a day, which for me is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/when-it-s-going-well-writing-goes-terribly-fast-it-isn-t-at-all/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [I think that you just understand, as any creative person, that there's a beast that you have to beat, and it never goes away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grammer/i-think-that-you-just-understand-as-any-creative-person-that-there-s/) [Andy Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grammer/) > [I'm going to be writing and directing my own videos, and performing in them too, and I'm super-excited about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-day/i-m-going-to-be-writing-and-directing-my-own-videos-and-performing-in/) [Mikey Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-day/) > [My publishers find me really challenging, as a lot of the time, I don't even know what I'm going to be writing about until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jewell/my-publishers-find-me-really-challenging-as-a-lot-of-the-time-i-don-t/) [Lisa Jewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jewell/) > [Just write. If you have to make a choice, if you say, 'Oh well, I'm going to put the writing away until my children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/just-write-if-you-have-to-make-a-choice-if-you-say-oh-well-i-m-going/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [What you must accept is that your life is not going to be the same while you are writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/what-you-must-accept-is-that-your-life-is-not-going-to-be-the-same/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I can't imagine what it would be like to write in a relaxed state. I'm going to be writing some stories for my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/i-can-t-imagine-what-it-would-be-like-to-write-in-a-relaxed-state-i-m/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) ## More by Mary Jo Salter > [Like a page dipped in ink, your cuff's in my coffee. / You have something to tell with unbuttoned sleeves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-salter/like-a-page-dipped-in-ink-your-cuff-s-in-my-coffee-you-have-something/) [Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) > [Part of what the imagination does later in life is it's linking you not just to who you are now but to all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-salter/part-of-what-the-imagination-does-later-in-life-is-it-s-linking-you/) [Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) > [The one concession I've made as I've gotten older is that my children are now adults and they're in their twenties and thirties and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-salter/the-one-concession-i-ve-made-as-i-ve-gotten-older-is-that-my-children/) [Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) > [And I said to myself, here's the problem with the world: The Italians are too Italian, and nobody else is Italian enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-salter/and-i-said-to-myself-here-s-the-problem-with-the-world-the-italians/) [Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) > [A number of people have written poems about Trump already, and I salute them. 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Whatever individual responses we get, whether at a reading, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-salter/as-poets-we-re-writing-into-the-void-and-we-re-not-writing-to-be/) [Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) > [Money is that dear thing which, if you're not careful, you can squander your whole life thinking of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-salter/money-is-that-dear-thing-which-if-you-re-not-careful-you-can-squander/) [Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) > [Political poetry is the hardest thing to write because you cannot preach to the converted, and if you're only seeking to convert, then write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-salter/political-poetry-is-the-hardest-thing-to-write-because-you-cannot/) [Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) > [All writers know in advance that they are not going be able to reproduce in its wonderful fullness the thing that's in their heads;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-salter/all-writers-know-in-advance-that-they-are-not-going-be-able-to/) [Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) > [I am a relatively rational being and I like to create order in poems. I like meter, I like rhyme, but ultimately I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-salter/i-am-a-relatively-rational-being-and-i-like-to-create-order-in-poems/) [Mary Jo Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) [Explore all 11 Mary Jo Salter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-salter/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing is a bit like walking into a big bookstore. 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