There is no doubting the fact that Stephen King is a master when it comes to writing. However, he has given the world more than extraordinary stories and memorable characters. He has also shared his insight into the art of writing, complete with tips on how aspiring writers can reach their own potential. In 2000, King released On Writing, a book about the art and the process that he has perfected through the years, reflective of the teacher that still remains deep in his heart. This book contains valuable information for everyone who wants to be a writer or understand the process a little better, whether they be a student, teacher, or just curious about the recesses of his mind.
There exist several different schools of thought on what makes a successful writer. Some may argue that great writers are born with a natural talent. Others say that anyone with some understanding of the writing constructs can be taught to be good writers. Some even argue that a person can be shown how to use a certain formula to create stories that are quite good. This is a topic of great debate with one’s belief dependent upon their role in the process. However, King writes, “It is …my attempt to show how one writer was formed. Not how one writer was made; I don’t believe that writers can be made, either by circumstances or by self-will.” (18)
The key behind any writer creating a successful piece of work depends on their ability to capture the reader’s interest by providing them with a story and characters with which they can relate. The main way of accomplishing this feat is through the art of storytelling. This storytelling ability is one of King’s greatest talents, which is reflective by the success that he has accomplished around the world. In On Writing, King states that he does not believe that this is necessarily a unique talent by writing:
“I believe that large numbers of people have at least some talent as writers and storytellers, and that those talents can be strengthened and sharpened. If I didn’t believe that, writing a book like this would be a waste of time.” (18)
Anyone who has attempted to write fiction knows that it can be a difficult and taxing labor of love. However, many people become frustrated and just surrender when they think that their story is failing. In On Writing, King discourages that willingness to give up on a piece of work by sharing the following insight that he learned in the course of his own writing:
“I had written three other novels before Carrie – Rage, The Long Walk, and The Running Man were later published. Rage is the most troubling of them. The Long Walk may be the best of them. But none of them taught me the things I learned from Carrie White. The most important is that the writer’s original perception of a character or characters may be as erroneous as the reader’s. Running a close second was the realization that stopping a piece of work just because it’s hard, either emotionally or imaginative, is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don’t feel like it, and sometimes you’re doing good work when it feels like all you’re managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position.” (77-78)
King has much more to teach about the craft of writing in this “memoir” for the reader. I will end this article with one last tip, though it can best be classified as a warning to all writers, from the master.
“You can approach the art of writing with nervousness, excitement, hopefulness, or even despair – the sense that you can never completely put on the page what’s in your mind and heart. Come to it any way but lightly. Let me say it again: you must not come lightly to the blank page.” (106)
I heed this advice with my own writing, whether it is works of fiction or the articles for this blog. It is good advice for all who venture to fill those intimidating blank pages with the words that are raging to be released for the entire world to see. TJB
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