“[Writing] starts with this: put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn’t in the middle of the room. Your job is to say what you see, and then to get on with your story. 12. Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. Winners may be required to participate in publicity events. Originally published in 2000 by Charles Scribner's Sons, On Writing is King's first book after he was involved in a car accident a year earlier. If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. “Write with the door closed. When a simile or metaphor doesn't work, the results are sometimes funny and sometimes embarrassing. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.”, “Every book you pick up has its own lesson or lessons, and quite often the bad books have more to teach than the good ones.”, “Once I start work on a project, I don’t stop and I don’t slow down unless I absolutely have to. Even in the informal essay, however, it’s possible to see how strong the basic paragraph form can be. Sun 1 Oct 2000 11.50 BST You can read anywhere, almost, but when it comes to writing, library carrels, park benches, and rented flats should be courts of last resort—Truman Capote said he did his best work in motel rooms, but he is an exception; most of us do our best in a place of our own. As with physical exercise, it would be best to set this goal low at first, to avoid discouragement. An entertaining mix of autobiography & guide to writing. 5. Getting happy. I sometimes think that these writers appeal to a large segment of the reading population who feel that fiction is somehow immoral, a low taste which can only be justified by saying, 'Well, ahem, yes, I do read [fill in author's name here], but only on airplanes and in hotel rooms that don't have CNN; also, I learned a great deal about [fill in appropriate subject here]. 15. What if a young mother and her son became trapped in their stalled car by a rabid dog? You may be entranced with what you're learning about flesh-eating bacteria, the sewer system of New York, or the IQ potential of Collie pups, but your readers are probably going to care a lot more about your characters and your story. The job boils down to two things: paying attention to how the real people around you behave and then telling the truth about what you see.”, “Good fiction always begins with story and progresses to theme; it almost never begins with theme and progresses to story.”, “The most important things to remember about back story are that (a) everyone has a history and (b) most of it isn’t very interesting. ', A unique international opportunity to win the chance to have your own short story published and to meet the king of storytellers. Stories over this length will be disqualified. Like so many unexamined beliefs in the publishing business, this idea is largely bullshit... which is why, when books like Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose suddenly break out of the pack and climb the bestseller lists, publishers and editors are astonished. Let me say it again: you must not come lightly to the blank page. It starts with this: put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn’t in the middle of the room. Stephen King's 'On Writing' shares a wealth of knowledge for aspiring writers, as well as an inside look at his own life. I’m not particularly keen on writing which exhaustively describes the physical characteristics of the people in the story and what they’re wearing. I won't try to convince you that I've never plotted any more than I'd try to convince you that I've never told a lie, but I do both as infrequently as possible. Without one of each, no group of words can be a sentence, since a sentence is, by definition, a group of words containing a subject (noun) and a predicate (verb); these strings of words begin with a capital letter, end with a period, and combine to make a complete thought which starts in the writer’s head and then leaps to the reader’s.”, “Take any noun, put it with any verb, and you have a sentence. The main chapter, entitled “On Writing”, describes the job of a writer: write what you see. The competition is open to residents of all countries excluding the USA, Canada and the Philippines. In our final extract from his new book, On Writing, Stephen King reveals six key rules for writing a bestseller. Most people have at least some talent as writers and storytellers, and that those talents can be strengthened and sharpened with practice. You should avoid the passive tense.”, “Adverbs, you will remember from your own version of Business English, are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.”, “I insist that you use the adverb in dialogue attribution only in the rarest and most special of occasions … and not even then, if you can avoid it.”, “The best form of dialogue attribution is said, as in he said, she said, Bill said, Monica said.”, “You always add ’s, even when the word you’re modifying ends in s – always write Thomas’s bike and never Thomas’ bike.”, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. Nevertheless, you need to beware - if you slow the pace down too much, even the most patient reader is apt to grow restive. On Writing. Any longer and—for me, at least—the story begins to take on an odd foreign feel. No purchase necessary. This is like dressing up a household pet in evening clothes.”, “The pet is embarrassed and the person who committed this act of premeditated cuteness should be even more embarrassed.”, “If you hesitate and cogitate, you will come up with another word – of course you will, there’s always another word – but it probably won’t be as good as your first one, or as close to what you really mean.”, “Nouns and verbs are the two indispensable parts of writing. Most people have at least some talent as writers and storytellers, and that those talents can be strengthened and sharpened with practice. Your stuff starts out being just for you, in other words, but then it goes out. Well-crafted dialogue will indicate if a character is smart or dumb, honest or dishonest, amusing or an old sobersides. All entries must have the name and address of the entrant on them. Word count must be indicated on all entries. Getting happy, okay? Closing date for receipt of entries is 31 December 2000. In consideration of the prize, the winning entrant grants exclusively to Hodder & Stoughton all rights to their story in perpetuity. No cash alternative can be substituted for the prize. Stephan believes most people have at least some talent as writers and storytellers, and that those talents can be strengthened and sharpened with practice. The decision of the judges is final. The winner will also enjoy a unique opportunity to meet Stephen King. The writer’s original perception of a character or characters may be as erroneous as the reader’s. They don’t have to make speeches. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. (Cujo). I believe the first draft of a book—even a long one—should take no more than three months, the length of a season. 14. Stopping a piece of work just because it’s hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. I am approaching the heart of this book with two theses, both simple. Similes and metaphors - the rights, the wrongs. It’s the other way around. Entries must be written in English and entrants must be unpublished to date in any medium. That’s 180,000 words over a three-month span, a goodish length for a book—something in which the reader can get happily lost, if the tale is done well and stays fresh. “Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open.”, “Writing is a lonely job. Rocks explode. production is working in a serene atmosphere. It’s the other way around.”, “One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you’re maybe a little bit ashamed of your short ones.”, “Remember that the basic rule of vocabulary is use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and colorful.”. : 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon, You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One) by Jeff Goins. Write what you like, then imbue it with life and make it unique by blending in your own personal knowledge of life, friendship, relationships, sex, and work. The subject is just letting it happen. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Employees of Hodder Headline & GNL, their family and agencies are excluded. My all-time favourite similes come from the hard-boiled-detective fiction of the 40s and 50s, and the literary descendants of the dime-dreadful writers. 6. The most important thing you can do for yourself is read the market. There have been very successful writers - Arthur Hailey and James Michener are the first ones that come to my mind - whose novels rely heavily on fact and research. Nor do I think that physical description should be a shortcut to character. Entries must be submitted on A4 plain paper, double-spaced, 12 point, typed or word processed. Running a close second was the realization that stopping a piece of work just because it’s hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. (Salem's Lot). On Writing Summary On Writing, as its title suggests, is Stephen King’s book on how to write. Just believing is usually enough.”. 4. The most interesting situations can usually be expressed as a What-if question: What if vampires invaded a small New England village? Mountains float.”, “The simplicity of noun-verb construction is useful – at the very least it can provide a safety net for your writing.”, “Verbs come in two types, active and passive. The best form of dialogue attribution is said. Now comes the big question: What are you going to write about? Feel free to use words that you might never find in dictionaries; the same applies to long words. Life isn’t a support-system for art. These lessons almost always occur with the study door closed. Once you know what the story is and get it right—as right as you can, anyway—it belongs to anyone who wants to read it. It's also important to remember that no one is 'the bad guy' or 'the best friend' or 'the whore with a heart of gold' in real life; in real life we each of us regard ourselves as the main character, the protagonist, the big cheese; the camera is on us , baby. Anything at all … as long as you tell the truth. If you can bring this attitude into your fiction, you may not find it easier to create brilliant characters, but it will be harder for you to create the sort of one-dimensional dopes that populate so much pop fiction. The second is that while it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make a great writer out of a good one, it is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a merely competent one. Send your entry to: Short Story Competition, PO Box 32021, London NW1 3ZP; or by email to: Onwritingcompetition@hodder.co.uk. Getting happy.”. Subscribe to my newsletter to get one email a week with new book notes, blog posts, and favorite articles. The winning entry will be published in the Hodder & Stoughton paperback edition of On Writing and the winner will receive two return tickets (economy) to the USA, three nights' accommodation and £50 per day spending money. But if you don’t want to work your ass off, you have no business trying to write well—settle back into competency and be grateful you have even that much to fall back on. With an active verb, the subject of the sentence is doing something. The winner's name will be available from the above address from 2 April 2001. No more; you’ll lose the urgency and immediacy of your story if you do. I am approaching the heart of this book with two theses, both simple. Number of entries restricted to one per household. If there is a clarifying connection here, I wasn't able to make it. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference.”, “Put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn’t in the middle of the room. Pace is the speed at which your narrative unfolds. The winning entry will be picked by Stephen King himself and will be published alongside his own work in the paperback edition of On Writing in summer 2001. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. People love to read about work. I think locale and texture are much more important to the reader’s sense of actually being in the story than any physical description of the players. In no case were they plotted, not even to the extent of a single note jotted on a single piece of scrap paper. A strong enough situation renders the whole question of plot moot. Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. Sure, aren't there always? Topic-sentence-followed-by-support-and-description insists that the writer organize his/her thoughts, and it also provides good insurance against wandering away from the topic. Related: Dreyer’s English, On Writing Well, Get access to my collection of 100+ detailed book notes. Hodder & Stoughton reserves the right at any time to amend or terminate any part of the promotion without prior notice. It's dialogue that gives your cast their voices, and is crucial in defining their characters - only what people do tells us more about what they're like, and talk is sneaky: what people say often conveys their character to others in ways of which they - the speakers - are completely unaware. To enter this once-in-a-lifetime competition, please send us an unpublished short story in the spirit of Stephen King. 10. There should be lots of short paragraphs and white space in an easy-to-read book. 3. Exceptions to the rule? It’s the other way around.”, “One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you’re maybe a little bit ashamed of your short ones. Rewrite with the door open.” “Your stuff starts out being just for you, in … The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time. These were situations which occurred to me - while showering, while driving, while taking my daily walk - and which I eventually turned into books. The job boils down to two things: paying attention to how the real people around you behave and then telling the truth about what you see. Lighter on writing and grammar rules, but useful because King shows that many of the commonly held beliefs about writing fiction can be ignored. Remember that the basic rule of vocabulary is use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and colorful. There is a kind of unspoken (hence undefended and unexamined) belief in publishing circles that the most commercially successful stories and novels are fast-paced. You may wonder where plot is in all this. 16. Entries will not be returned. No correspondence will be entered into. Maximum length of story is 3,000 words. Oops! Good dialogue, such as that written by George V Higgins, Peter Straub or Graham Greene, is a delight to read; bad dialogue is deadly. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is a memoir by American author Stephen King that describes his experiences as a writer and his advice for aspiring writers. It never fails. You learn best by reading a lot and writing a lot, and the most valuable lessons of all are the ones you teach yourself. Want to get my latest book notes? In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. Proof of posting will not be deemed proof of delivery. The most important Stephen learned from Carrie White is that the writer’s original perception of a character or characters may be as erroneous as the reader’s. Recently, I read this sentence in a forthcoming novel I prefer not to name: 'He sat stolidly beside the corpse, waiting for the medical examiner as patiently as a man waiting for a turkey sandwich.' 11. 2. I suggest a thousand words a day, and because I’m feeling magnanimous, I’ll also suggest that you can take one day a week off, at least to begin with. The biggest aid to regular (Trollopian?) Especially work. All rights reserved. Dates of travel will be set by Hodder & Stoughton. 6. 1. Jane transmits. Show Your Work! Your submission has been received! So drink. Life isn’t a support-system for art. The key to good description begins with clear seeing and ends with clear writing, the kind of writing that employs fresh images and simple vocabulary. If you like On Writing, you may also enjoy the following books: ...and I’ll show you how to live better and work smarter—faster than you ever thought possible. I suspect that most of them ascribe these books' unexpected success to unpredictable and deplorable lapses into good taste on the part of the reading public. Do the research, but don't overdo it for the reader. Getting happy, okay? These favourites include 'It was darker than a carload of assholes' (George V Higgins) and 'I lit a cigarette [that] tasted like a plumber's handkerchief' (Raymond Chandler). 13. The water is free. I distrust plot for two reasons: first, because our lives are largely plotless, even when you add in all our reasonable precautions and careful planning; and second, because I believe plotting and the spontaneity of real creation aren't compatible. The first is that … 2. The rest of it—and perhaps the best of it—is a permission slip: you can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will. Responsibility cannot be accepted for damaged, illegible or incomplete entries, or those arriving after the closing date. Life isn’t a support-system for art. 8. Thank you! “Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open. God knows why, but they do. More focused on fiction than other writing guides, and easier to read. The latter is good. Other popular writers, such as Tom Clancy and Patricia Cornwell, are more story-oriented, but still deliver large dollops of factual information along with the melodrama. Something went wrong while submitting the form. In my view, stories and novels consist of three parts: narration, which moves the story from point A to point B and finally to point Z; description, which creates a sensory reality for the reader; and dialogue, which brings characters to life through their speech. The basics: forget plot, but remember the importance of 'situation'. © 2020 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. First published on Sun 1 Oct 2000 11.50 BST, 1. If I don’t write every day, the characters begin to stale off in my mind – they begin to seem like characters instead of real people.”, “What you need to remember is that there’s a difference between lecturing about what you know and using it to enrich the story. By the time you step into your new writing space and close the door, you should have settled on a daily writing goal. The former is not.”, “In my view, stories and novels consist of three parts: narration, which moves the story from point A to point B and finally to point Z; description, which creates a sensory reality for the reader; and dialogue, which brings characters to life through their speech.”, “Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.”, “One of the cardinal rules of good fiction is never tell us a thing if you can show us.”, “Everything I’ve said about dialogue applies to building characters in fiction. The winner will be announced no later than 31 March 2001 and will be notified by post. 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. Stick to the parts that are, and don’t get carried away with the rest.”, “You don’t need writing classes or seminars any more than you need this or any other book on writing.”, “You learn best by reading a lot and writing a lot, and the most valuable lessons of all are the ones you teach yourself.”, “Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. I like to get ten pages a day, which amounts to 2,000 words. Or criticize it.”, “Writing is a lonely job. 7. And the equally big answer: Anything you damn well want. 9. Do not send original copies. The answer—my answer, anyway—is nowhere. King compares writing to mathematics, except here the formula is 2nd Draft = 1st Draft – 10%. • Promoter: Hodder & Stoughton, 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH, Available for everyone, funded by readers. With a passive verb, something is being done to the subject of the sentence. The first is that good writing consists of mastering the fundamentals (vocabulary, grammar, the elements of style) and then filling the third level of your toolbox with the right instruments.

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