On Writing by Stephen King

Reading Time: 5 minutes

 

 

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Deepak Shukla’s Notes On On Writing by Stephen King – Notes:

Hey guys,

I finished reading this book on the 10th January 2021.

Here’s a synopsis of the book I grabbed from Amazon:

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And here are my actual notes I took whilst I was listening to this on Audible:

• Non specific critiques are useless 100% of the time
• Research is part of the backstory. Belongs in back
• Long life stories are best received in bars and only if you are buying
• Formula is 2nd draft = 1st draft – 10%
• Kill your darlings (ie parts in story that get in way of pace of story)
• The pace is speed at which story develops
• Think of this person as being in the room with you when you write
• IR is your old English teacher
• That person is your ideal reader
• Who is the one person you write for that you want to wow?
• If several people separately say the same thing you’ve got a problem and got to do something about it
• Once draft is finished show it to 4 people you trust that will really critique the book
• All novels are really letters aimed at one person
• Ultimately looking for what I meant?
• What I want is resonance
• Asking myself is this story coherent? What will turn coherence into a song?
• In 6 weeks time you’ll be able to see glaring character and plot holes as well
• Need to be so engrossed in something new that you forget what old book was about
• Once finished. Take 2 days off then start something different for 6 weeks (write 100k words)
• Don’t show anyone your first draft AT ALL
• But if you write consistently (every day) enthusiasm can outrun your self-doubt if you just focus on putting words to paper
• Writing fiction and especially long works of fiction can be a lonely job
• The book should be minimum of 100k words
• 2.5 drafts is how much a book should need to get it right
• Once you basic story on paper it’s your job to ask what it means and then to adjust
• Good fiction almost always begins with the story then progresses to a theme
• Novelists have many interests but only a few thematic concerns powerful enough to power a novel
• What is it I’m writing about? Why am I bothering? What got my nose down to the grindstone anyway
• Thematic thinking is powerful for the toolbox
• Violence as a solution woven through human history
• Overlogic or thinking about the curve is when you have a flash or insight that brings a story together
• In the 2nd draft, you should figure out what the book is about
• The story is like a fossil you’re trying to unearth it was always there anyway. When you dig it up see what shape it takes
• The only story is about story
• Symbolism can also be simple and if you notice it in your story you should bring it out and make it shine
• 2nd draft is where you can bring out certain patterns or themes you see more clearly
• Remember. There are no rules you can do what you want!
• Hemingway said you must kill your darlings and he was right

• Sometimes villains feel self-doubt. Sometimes heroes feel pity. Sometimes good guys act badly. Sometimes bad guys act well
• If you create fiction every character you write ends up being partly you
• If I have to tell you something I lose. If I can show you something. I win
• There should be no hero or heroine or bad guy etc. We are all the stars in our own lives. So each character has colour life and vibrancy
• But the book should never be a character study
• King starts off stories situationally but always believe they should end up about people rather than an event
• One of the cardinal rules in fiction never tells us a thing if you can show us instead
• Practice your art your job is to say what you see and then get on with your story
• Don’t ever use any clichés ever
• Open your memory eye
• The description that’s effective is a case of using a few carefully chosen details and leaving the rest to the imagination of the reader
• The physical description should be kept broad so the reader can fill in the gaps
• The description is what makes the reader a sensory participant in the story
• A strong enough situation renders a plot irrelevant
• Stories consist of 3 parts.

1. The narration which moves the story from point A to point B to point z
2. The description which creates a sensory reality for the reader
3. And dialogue which brings characters to life through their speech

• And write about the things you like to read
• What are you going to write about?
• Listen to white noise when you write
• The door closed is to keep people out and to keep you in
• Write 7 days a week 2,000 words a day
• Closed-door of your writing space is all you need to write your great novels and books
• A healthy body and stable relationship and quiet workspace are keys to success for writing regularly
• Stephen King does 2k words per day for 90 days straight
• Some writers produce books within 2 days
• Should work on this same book daily and not on any other book
• Book 1st draft should never take more than 3 months
• Stephen King believes to be a great writer you must read + write 4-6 hours a day
• You must read a wide range of genres of books as well as types
• If you want to be a writer you must….
• Literary Toolbox: Consider vocabulary – write as you literally speak
• A farseeing place exists for all writers
• What writing is: Telepathy
• Put your desk In the corner and every time you sit yourself down to write remind yourself why it isn’t in the middle of the room
• Sometimes you’re doing good when all it feels like is you’re shovelling shit from a sitting position
• Sometimes you have to go on when you don’t feel like it
• Stopping a piece of work because it’s hard either emotionally or imaginatively is a bad idea
• Learned from writing Carrie that writers perception of the main characters may be as erroneous as the readers
• Writing is a lonely job. It’s important to have someone around who believes in you
• Write first for yourself then write for others
• First write with the door closed then write with the door open
• At one stage or another, you will meet people who say your work is shit
• Recurring motifs in books often come from your childhood memories (it IT it’s called the barrens. We called it the jungle)
• To write is human to edit is divine
• No writer will take 100% of editors comments
• The editor is always right
• Omit needless words