I've been reading Stephen King's On Writing (well, okay, actually I've been listening to a recording of King himself doing an unabridged reading of the book). It's written as a memior, but contains some useful gems of advice and wisdom for writers.
Lessons I've noted so far:
Those last two lessons King learned while writing Carrie. His description of the high school acquaintances, deceased by the time he began writing the novel, the memory of whom greatly informed his understanding of his protagonist, had me in tears. He surely is a powerful writer.
Lessons I've noted so far:
- There will always be someone, somewhere, who will try to make you feel bad about the kind of writing you’re doing, whatever it is.
- A response from an editor that says “This is good, but it’s not for us; do try again,” is a sign that you’re on the verge of breaking in.
- The writer’s first impression of his/her characters is sometimes dead wrong.
- It’s generally a mistake to stop a piece of writing because it has become difficult or unpleasant to finish.
Those last two lessons King learned while writing Carrie. His description of the high school acquaintances, deceased by the time he began writing the novel, the memory of whom greatly informed his understanding of his protagonist, had me in tears. He surely is a powerful writer.
awake
Anyway, some very sage advise, I must say.
The fact that he would steal Jo and run away with her to a desert island if they didn't each have spouses and kids already is something else that endears him to me. His praise of her always makes me smile because of the enthusiasm he clearly has for her work.
I must confess that this is the first King writing I've ever read. (I've seen movies, yeah, but that's not the same thing.) But what he says about writing makes so much sense that I think I'm going to read his fiction. He also seems to be fiercely honest about his own life and how it relates to his work, and I admire that.
As far as stealing Jo is concerned, well, I'm closer to her age than he is... ;)
I know I keep harping on Julia Cameron, but in her book The Artisit's Way, she actually walks you through exercises to help you figure out what success means to you (and where in your past that need came from). Maybe some people are naturally that self-enlightened, but not me. :)
So I agree with this statement and understand what he's saying - hopefully the Marshall plan also has exercise to help the writer find that definition of success.