---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think telling stories is like pushing…"
description: "\"“I think telling stories is like pushing something. Pushing against uncreation itself, maybe. And one day while you were doing that, you felt something..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/stephen-king-13_telling_i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing_2453279.jpg"
---

#  I think telling stories is like pushing something. Pushing…

![“I think telling stories is like pushing something. Pushing against uncreation itself, maybe. And one day while you were doing that, you felt something pushing back.” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/stephen-king-13_telling_i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing_2453279.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/stephen-king-13_telling_i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing_2453279.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/stephen-king-13_telling_i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing_2453279.jpg)

> ““I think telling stories is like pushing something. Pushing against uncreation itself, maybe. And one day while you were doing that, you felt something pushing back.””

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Storytelling opposes emptiness; creating narratives pushes against the void and meets resistance.

**In simple terms:** Creating stories fights nothingness and meets pushback.

Key Takeaway

Embrace resistance as creative fuel.

Themes

creativity resistance storytelling

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

philosophical creative

When to use this quote

- Writing workshops
- film scripts
- personal journaling
- overcoming writer’s block

Key Concepts

Narrative creation existential push artistic struggle

Questions to Reflect On

- What does the “push back” feel like for you?
- How can you use that tension to improve your story?

A Different Perspective

Resistance may stem from self‑doubt, not external forces.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Telling stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-stories/)

## Related quotes

> [I think telling stories is like pushing something. Pushing against uncreation itself, maybe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing-something-pushing-against/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [I don't think telling the truth ever gets anyone in trouble in the long run. Maybe the day after, but not in the long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-spurrier/i-don-t-think-telling-the-truth-ever-gets-anyone-in-trouble-in-the/)

[Steve Spurrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-spurrier/)

> [“Like JJ Abrams,  creators just want to tell a story and entertain people. So why only focus in one way of telling it?Give readers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rae-vasquez/like-jj-abrams-creators-just-want-to-tell-a-story-and-entertain/)

[Anne-Rae Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rae-vasquez/)

> [When you lie, did you ever think of telling the truth? When you say the truth, you do ever believe that it is highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/when-you-lie-did-you-ever-think-of-telling-the-truth-when-you-say-the/)

Myself

> [I like to think that I am telling a story rather than writing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-macleod/i-like-to-think-that-i-am-telling-a-story-rather-than-writing-it/)

[Alistair MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-macleod/)

> [“Maybe it’s our duty to be shaped a hundred times by the same stories. We think we’re telling them but really they’re keeping us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/maybe-it-s-our-duty-to-be-shaped-a-hundred-times-by-the-same-stories/)

[Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/)

> [Nobody ever completely means what they say. Even when they think they're telling the truth, there's always something hidden behind their words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/nobody-ever-completely-means-what-they-say-even-when-they-think-they/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [I think you kind of facilitate civil conversation no matter how heated you think it could get by telling everybody and showing them that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-faulkner/i-think-you-kind-of-facilitate-civil-conversation-no-matter-how/)

[Harris Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-faulkner/)

> [“When you give your children knowledge, you are telling them what to think. That is, you are telling them what they are supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/when-you-give-your-children-knowledge-you-are-telling-them-what-to/)

[Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/)

> [When I was 20, I used to go around telling stories, and I knew where I was comfortable - onstage, talking, making 'em laugh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/when-i-was-20-i-used-to-go-around-telling-stories-and-i-knew-where-i/)

[Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/)

> [I just I love telling stories and as long as I can make my living doing that in all the different mediums that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/i-just-i-love-telling-stories-and-as-long-as-i-can-make-my-living/)

[John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/)

> [Manchester Youth theater, then the National Student Theater Company, and later, my degree course, all helped form my love of telling stories and directing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/manchester-youth-theater-then-the-national-student-theater-company/)

[Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/)

> [“I am not trying to make a point by telling stories. Chosen examples are never serious evidence for any worthwhile generalization.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-am-not-trying-to-make-a-point-by-telling-stories-chosen-examples/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [I love telling stories. You know why I love it? Because people love listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-bastianich/i-love-telling-stories-you-know-why-i-love-it-because-people-love/)

[Lidia Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-bastianich/)

> [Everyone has their own way of telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prosenjit-chatterjee/everyone-has-their-own-way-of-telling-stories/)

[Prosenjit Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prosenjit-chatterjee/)

## More by Stephen King

> [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Eddie saw great things and near misses. Albert Einstein as a child, not quite struck by a run-away milk-wagon as he crossed a street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eddie-saw-great-things-and-near-misses-albert-einstein-as-a-child-not/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“The sun had burned through and the day had gone from dull to dazzling, yet in the west blask-satin thunderheads continued to stack up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-sun-had-burned-through-and-the-day-had-gone-from-dull-to-dazzling/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Flakes of snow swirled and danced across the porch. The Overlook faced it as it had for nearly three-quarters of a century, its darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/flakes-of-snow-swirled-and-danced-across-the-porch-the-overlook-faced/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/who-gets-to-be-best-liked-in-any-community-who-is-the-most-trusted/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“¿Lo ves, tonto? Volvió a regañarse. Tú lo inventaste todo, gato asustado. No fue más que tu imaginación, gato asustado, gato asustado... No te…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/lo-ves-tonto-volvi-a-rega-arse-t-lo-inventaste-todo-gato-asustado-no/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Death . . . but not for you. That was what Walter, clever as Satan even at the end, had said. A lawyer’s answer . . . so close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/death-but-not-for-you-that-was-what-walter-clever-as-satan-even-at/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [The ghost story movie that scared me the most was The Changeling with George C. Scott. I think that's sometimes overlooked, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-ghost-story-movie-that-scared-me-the-most-was-the-changeling-with/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Climb aboard, Jonesy. I'm going to send you up where the air is rare and the view is much more than fair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/climb-aboard-jonesy-i-m-going-to-send-you-up-where-the-air-is-rare/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

[Explore all 3,589 Stephen King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

## More Telling quotes

> [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/)

[Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [Story is about pulling the reader in and a plot is a more externalized mechanism of revelation. A plot is more antic, more performative,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/story-is-about-pulling-the-reader-in-and-a-plot-is-a-more/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [Telling a story of illness, one pulls a thread through a narrow opening flanked on one side by shame and the other by trivia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/telling-a-story-of-illness-one-pulls-a-thread-through-a-narrow/)

[Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/)

> [Sometimes you have to stop telling folks about themselves and leave it up to them to figure out where they went wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-lobbins/sometimes-you-have-to-stop-telling-folks-about-themselves-and-leave/)

[Danielle Lobbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-lobbins/)

> [I never want to get caught up in praises. Never want to get caught up in people telling me how good I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarvis-landry/i-never-want-to-get-caught-up-in-praises-never-want-to-get-caught-up/)

[Jarvis Landry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarvis-landry/)

> [Each child’s story is worthy of telling. There shouldn’t be a sliding scale of death. The weight of it is crushing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/each-child-s-story-is-worthy-of-telling-there-shouldn-t-be-a-sliding/)

[Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/)

> [“A good threat is often more telling than a blow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-good-threat-is-often-more-telling-than-a-blow/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [Your job as a writer is to find storylines, narrative structures, and characters to show the things that you believe rather than saying them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/your-job-as-a-writer-is-to-find-storylines-narrative-structures-and/)

[Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/)

> [I don't think any crime in the world is greater than telling a child: You're no good at it..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/i-don-t-think-any-crime-in-the-world-is-greater-than-telling-a-child/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [I get a little tired of people telling me what might have been. I think I've done OK. I don't dwell on what might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-get-a-little-tired-of-people-telling-me-what-might-have-been-i/)

[Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/)

> [The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-one-prediction-that-never-comes-true-is-you-ll-thank-me-for/)

[Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/)

> [Everything, for me, is fueled off telling my story through music, because I have a lot to say, and it's some urgent things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-b/everything-for-me-is-fueled-off-telling-my-story-through-music/)

[Lil B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-b/)

> [What's David's role? David looks good, that's what David does. David looks good, and I'm the funny one, that's what I hear constantly. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-beckham/what-s-david-s-role-david-looks-good-that-s-what-david-does-david/)

[Victoria Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-beckham/)

> [In writing, I want to be remembered for telling good stories in beautiful and powerful language, using the poetry of words to reflect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/in-writing-i-want-to-be-remembered-for-telling-good-stories-in/)

[Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/)

Browse all 1,858 Telling quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I think telling stories is like pushing something. Pushing against uncreation itself, maybe. And one day while you were doing that, you felt something pushing back.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stephen King"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing-something-pushing-against-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Telling"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing-something-pushing-against-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/stephen-king-13_telling_i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing_2453279.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/stephen-king-13_telling_i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing_2453279.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/stephen-king-13_telling_i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing_2453279.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think telling stories is like pushing something. Pushing against uncreation itself, maybe. And one day…” — Stephen King",
                "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": "Stephen King",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I think telling stories is like...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing-something-pushing-against-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-think-telling-stories-is-like-pushing-something-pushing-against-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
