Add This

Monday, November 13, 2006

Two views on writing from Stephen King

I've never read any of Stephen King's novels, but I have read his book, "On Writing" — a must read for any serious writer. Here are a couple of pearls from King to start your week. Happy Writing!

King on content:

I don't take notes; I don't outline; I don't do anything like that. I just flail away at the goddamned thing. I'm a salami writer. I try to write good salami, but salami is salami. You can't sell it as caviar.

And King on process:

I work on what's important to me in the morning, for three hours. Usually, in the afternoon, I have what I call my "toy truck," a story that might develop or might not, but meanwhile it's fun to work on…. I begin to pile up some pages, and eventually it'll get shifted over to the morning…. Working on a new idea is kind of like getting married. Then a new idea comes along and you think, "Man, I'd really like to go out with her." But you can't. At least not until the old idea is finished.

No comments: