{"id":17124,"date":"2020-11-02T16:39:28","date_gmt":"2020-11-02T20:39:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=17124"},"modified":"2020-11-08T14:29:18","modified_gmt":"2020-11-08T18:29:18","slug":"stephen-king-on-writing-a-memoir-of-the-craft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/stephen-king-on-writing-a-memoir-of-the-craft\/","title":{"rendered":"Stephen King On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What is Stephen King&#8217;s <em>On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft<\/em> about? What advice does King offer about writing? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Stephen King, <em>On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft<\/em> is not only a chance to talk about his writing career, but he uses the memoir to talk about writing and how to become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-be-a-better-writer\/\">better writer<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read more about Stephen King&#8217;s <em>On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft<\/em> and King&#8217;s advice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advice From <strong>Stephen King and On Writing<\/strong>: A Memoir of the Craft<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>On Writing<\/em> is Stephen King\u2019s musings on his craft\u2014about how he discovered writing, what he learned about it, and his advice to you as a writer. Part memoir and part practical advice, it\u2019s a personal look at one of the bestselling authors of all time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Writing Fundamentals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Improving as a writer requires hard work. There are no shortcuts. You need to read a lot and write a lot. A good sign of whether you\u2019ll make it as a writer is whether you enjoy reading and writing for their own sake. According to Stephen King, <em>On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft<\/em> can help you learn these fundamentals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Talent and Hard Work<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>One sign of talent is enjoying the hard work.<\/strong> What seems like labor to other people is pleasure for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stephen King reads 80 books a year, despite professing to be a slow reader. He doesn\u2019t read to learn, he reads because he likes reading. And when he writes (2,000 words a day), it typically feels like playtime to him\u2014it\u2019s the rest of life, with the errands and the bills and the \u201crelaxing\u201d that feels like work to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t enjoy reading and writing, then you won\u2019t become a good writer. But <strong>\u201cif you can do it for joy, you can do it forever.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Read a Lot<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To be a good writer, you need to recognize what good and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-makes-writing-bad\/\">bad writing<\/a> is. <strong>Reading exposes you to good and bad writing.<\/strong> The more you read, the more you learn. Stephen King always carries a book with him so he can read whether he\u2019s waiting at the grocery or sitting front-row at a Red Sox game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Write a Lot<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>King is famously prolific: He writes ten pages a day, or 2,000 words. Every three months he produces about 900 pages, a good-sized novel. He dedicates his morning to writing time, and he doesn\u2019t move on with the rest of his day until he finishes his writing goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a new writer, here\u2019s how to get started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Set a habit: define your writing location and carve out a daily time when you\u2019ll be writing.&nbsp;<\/li><li>During that time, shut your door and remove all distractions. You should get lost in your own world.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Set your daily goal low and achievable. He suggests 1,000 words a day. Until you meet this goal each day, your door stays shut.<\/li><li>Take no more than one day off a week. Keep up the momentum when writing to prevent the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/overcoming-self-doubt\/\">self-doubt<\/a> from creeping in.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What to Write About<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You can write about anything. <strong>The only requirement is that you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/jordan-peterson-tell-the-truth-rule-8\/\">tell the truth<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Good writing pulls readers in by telling the truth. The characters seem real and behave in recognizable ways; the reader sees herself and her beliefs embedded in the story. In contrast, you likely stop reading a book when you can\u2019t identify with any of the characters and find them implausible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Writing Mechanics<\/strong> from Stephen King&#8217;s On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A writer is an artisan who has a number of tools in her toolbox available for use\u2014diction, grammar, phrasing. You likely already have these tools, so don\u2019t worry that you don\u2019t understand them well enough to be a writer. For dependable guidelines, look to <em>The Elements of Style<\/em> by Strunk and White.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>King does single out two of his pet peeves\u2014passive tense and adverbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Avoid Passive Tense<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Passive tense arranges words so that things are done to subjects. \u201cThe car was started by the driver.\u201d \u201cThe discovery was announced with great fanfare.\u201d \u201cThe meeting is scheduled for seven.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of these sentences sound weak. In active tense, the subject does the action. \u201cThe driver started the car.\u201d \u201cThe grandmaster announced the discovery with great fanfare.\u201d \u201cThe meeting\u2019s at seven.\u201d Don\u2019t these sentences feel better?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is common enough advice, but why do writers still use passive voice? Because it\u2019s safe. Passive voice avoids the need to assert a subject doing a deliberate action. Passive voice is the refuge of timid, uncertain writers. To Stephen King in <em>On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft,<\/em> avoiding passive tense helps improve your writing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Avoid Adverbs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They usually end in -ly, as in \u201cTom started the car dejectedly.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like passive voice, adverbs are a sign of weak, timid writing. Writers often use adverbs to make sure the reader knows exactly what is happening, but this blunts the power of the verb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instead of using adverbs, make the context clear so that the adverb becomes unnecessary.<\/strong> If Tom is starting the car, the prose preceding it should be so clear it makes \u201cdejectedly\u201d redundant: \u201cTom sat for ten minutes, imagining the look on his boss\u2019s face as he pounded out the email at 3AM that morning. He sighed and started the car.\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Elements of a Story<\/strong> in Stephen King&#8217;s On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Stories consist of three things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Narration: telling what happens and moving the story along<\/li><li>Description: adding sensory details to enliven the story<\/li><li>Dialogue: how characters talk<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Narration and Avoiding Plot<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>King hates the idea of pre-planning a story\u2019s plot. This feels artificial. Our lives are plotless\u2014we don\u2019t know in advance what\u2019s going to happen\u2014and that gives life a constantly surprising, entertaining flavor. Writing a story should be the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Description<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Description provides sensory texture to the story, which draws the reader in viscerally. You\u2019ll primarily describe the environment and the characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t want too little or too much description.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Too little description leaves the reader without a mental world to construct.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Too much description feels onerous and buries the story in unnecessary detail. Some writers get carried away, describing the world in florid detail. In reality, your job as a writer is to tell the story.<\/li><li><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Dialogue<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Dialogue is what characters say. It defines who they are and what they\u2019re like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best dialogue sounds truthful\u2014a reader believes that real people would talk that way. Wooden dialogue sounds forced and grates on the ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Other Literary Devices<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond these three basic elements, the writing toolbox contains many other tools, like symbolism, themes, and back story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>King\u2019s advice on these tools is to <strong>make use of any tool that will enhance your story<\/strong>. Like spices in a recipe, they add flavor and character to the writing. But don\u2019t go too far\u2014remember that the point of the story is to tell a story, not to show how many words you can alliterate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Writing Process<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>How do you get from first draft to final draft? Here\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/stephen-kings-writing-process\/\">Stephen King\u2019s writing process<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Write and finish the first draft with no help or advice from anyone else<\/strong>\u2014their well-meaning words can trigger self-doubt (if critical) or make you complacent (if positive). Write as quickly as you comfortably can\u2014this keeps your enthusiasm high and limits self-doubt from creeping in.<\/li><li>After you finish the first draft, take a few days off from writing. Have fun and relax.<\/li><li>When you\u2019re ready, go back to writing, but <strong>write about something totally different from what you just finished drafting<\/strong>. King suggests taking <strong>at least 6 weeks off <\/strong>from your draft. This distance will help you \u201ckill your darlings.\u201d<\/li><li>Finally, go back to your draft. By this point, it should feel oddly familiar yet unrecognizable. <strong>Read the draft in one sitting, if possible.<\/strong>&nbsp;<ul><li>Note fixes for specific issues, like grammar and usage, deleting adverbs, plot holes, and character motivations.<\/li><li>Also ask yourself big-picture questions. What is the story <em>about<\/em>? Is there a theme? Are there recurring elements? Is the story coherent?<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Go back through and revise for your second draft.<\/strong> Fix the small specific issues and polish your big picture ideas.<\/li><li>After you finish, <strong>give the second draft to a small group of readers you trust<\/strong>. Listen to their feedback and incorporate as you like.<\/li><li>Use however many revision cycles you\u2019re comfortable with. King\u2019s standard process takes two drafts and a final polish.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Business of Writing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now you know how to produce writing that tells the truth. How do you survive on this writing? King ends his advice with practicalities of getting an agent, getting published, and writing programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are tips on building a writing career:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Start by building up your writing credentials. Get published wherever you can and work your way up. You need to be your own advocate before anyone else becomes your advocate.<\/li><li>Study the places where you want to publish. Read magazines to understand what they like. Find new publications through books like <em>Writer\u2019s Market<\/em>.<\/li><li>Polish your submission to look professional, such as including a brief but meaningful cover letter, printing double-spaced copy on good paper, and showing word count clearly.<\/li><li>You might have to aim lower at first, such as your college literary journal or small magazines that only pay issues.<\/li><li>As you build up your resume, consider getting an agent, particularly if you\u2019re targeting a bigger work like a novel. Agents will take you more seriously if you write a professional letter and have a publishing record.<\/li><li>Don\u2019t worry about attending writing workshops, classes, and seminars. Novice writers also often see writing programs as the secret sauce to getting their lucky break.<strong> <\/strong>Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts. <strong>The best way to learn to write is to read a lot and write a lot. You often learn the most important lessons all by yourself.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Stephen King&#8217;s On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft about? What advice does King offer about writing? For Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft is not only a chance to talk about his writing career, but he uses the memoir to talk about writing and how to become a better writer. Read more about Stephen King&#8217;s On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft and King&#8217;s advice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":17392,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,29,34],"tags":[145],"class_list":["post-17124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","category-career","category-communication","tag-on-writing-a-memoir-of-the-craft","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Stephen King On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is Stephen King&#039;s On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft about? 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