tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post5057528776277192229..comments2023-10-01T03:10:10.767-07:00Comments on Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: On Writing: Why I Don't Listen to Stephen KingErica Verrillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10203906377475992984noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-36836692054875586202017-09-09T17:05:01.741-07:002017-09-09T17:05:01.741-07:00I love that you used "The Stranger" as a...I love that you used "The Stranger" as an example. Albert Camus was an excellent writer, and he probably would've influenced modern literature so much more if he hadn't died so early.jbmpatrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01397053266908260231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-63026515367029741802017-08-25T18:25:49.922-07:002017-08-25T18:25:49.922-07:00Close... You almost got to the one and only rule f...Close... You almost got to the one and only rule for creating something others are willing to experience (and often pay for), but a "Rule" shouldn't include a disclaimer as part of that rule ;-)<br /><br />Here is the "One Rule" to create anything that another person will want to experience:<br /><br /><br />Be Interesting!<br /><br /><br />This "One Rule" works for books (both fiction and non), movies, comics, games, YouTube videos, music, teaching, lectures, Super Bowl commercials, Facebook comments, Twitter posts, anything.<br /><br />We share things we find interesting with others and ignore the rest.<br /><br />All the best - Steve DWSteve DeWinterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18344013838096786652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-81034483453292977822017-08-23T16:06:19.631-07:002017-08-23T16:06:19.631-07:00"These are the people who get big bucks to te..."These are the people who get big bucks to tell other people how to write." <br /><br />These are the people who get big bucks to write. Period. I don't think the craft of writing can be taught. People who write well rarely write to be published. They write because they love writing; they have to write because for them it is akin to breathing. Faedrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01089576327060946846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-69480799099932265262017-08-23T09:02:02.246-07:002017-08-23T09:02:02.246-07:00Good post, thank you. People want messiahs for eve...Good post, thank you. People want messiahs for everything. Writers want their own Virgil to guide them through the hellish fires of composing narratives. But King is right when he says the only such gurus are the books written by capable writers. Read those, over and over, and it's possible by osmosis to learn a lot.Barry Knisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03191575373788669991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-37227344265356979132017-08-23T07:00:56.682-07:002017-08-23T07:00:56.682-07:00Ted Williams was a damn fine hitter, probably the ...Ted Williams was a damn fine hitter, probably the best ever, but he couldn't coach another person to save his life. The ability to do something really doesn't mean they can teach you to do something. So take any advice with a grain of salt because you might not be getting the advice you need. That being said, I do recommend Brenda Ueland's If You Want To Write. It's really positive, and is much more concerned with you finding your voice as a writer instead of becoming a carbon copy of Stephen King. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11859532109647735850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-89740685637404265332017-08-23T06:41:43.789-07:002017-08-23T06:41:43.789-07:00First, I think King is a literary golden god and I...First, I think King is a literary golden god and I sleep with his book On Writing--however I think you are right. As a new writer, I tried to break the rules and failed horribly--because I didn't know the rules well enough to break them with style. Know the rules so well that you can break them imperceptibly. Niadan1962https://www.blogger.com/profile/13807000103961351746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-51418411254852924162017-04-27T03:24:48.784-07:002017-04-27T03:24:48.784-07:00I still believe the rules are worth following. Fol...I still believe the rules are worth following. Follow them until you know in your heart what will happen when you don't. But follow them as a form, like the rules of making a sonnet. Then when you know the form, you will know whether to fit your work inside it.<br /><br />Afterward, you can explore beyond it, secure that we will recognize not the rakish jaunt of a child but masterful, knowing debauchery.James Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01296618548389238696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-42447739880422092402016-09-10T06:58:47.429-07:002016-09-10T06:58:47.429-07:00If you followed every rule in his book, you would ...If you followed every rule in his book, you would still never come to sound like Stephen King. The distinguishing factors come down to voice and an individual's perception of honesty. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09625278906100465859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-63240406229489629122016-09-09T12:41:34.171-07:002016-09-09T12:41:34.171-07:00Same with JK Rowling. She recently tried to write ...Same with JK Rowling. She recently tried to write under a different named and failed miserably. We all have opinions about writing and what works for some doesn't work for others. I strive for the Van Gogh effect. Write something that will last, not for fame or doing whatever the current society trend will make you think you are "successful." Write something that will last. My first book did just that. It sold not a lot...but now 7 years later, Angels in Sadr City was the basis for the final battle scene in American Sniper and sales remain just as steady this month as they have for the past 7 years. So maybe just trying to focus on mastering the craft should be where we put our concentration instead of focusing on how successful we can or think we should be. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638359558133099142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-91770501958308606152016-09-09T11:44:45.395-07:002016-09-09T11:44:45.395-07:00Do you honestly believe an unknown S.J. Perelman c...Do you honestly believe an unknown S.J. Perelman could sell enough books to make a living today? Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17594710722478053355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-41568122510420568562016-09-09T07:35:37.016-07:002016-09-09T07:35:37.016-07:00I think what Chris means is that Stephen King says...I think what Chris means is that Stephen King says you can break these 'rules', using the alternative in moderation. In my opinion, I agree with King. If you use long words throughout, it gets tiresome for the reader. If you use constant adverbs, it loses its punch. King simply means to use these techniques in moderation, not just throw them out of the window and avoid using them completely. Kezzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00042149094548992196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-85410108828793842692014-05-19T12:51:13.297-07:002014-05-19T12:51:13.297-07:00Side-stepping did not occur by me. I believe all o...Side-stepping did not occur by me. I believe all of King's rules can be broken IN EXCESS. S.J. Perelman did this to great effect. The point is, can you pull it off?Erica Verrillohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10203906377475992984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-37336338044319353792014-05-19T09:13:40.660-07:002014-05-19T09:13:40.660-07:00You seemed to have side-stepped what King says abo...You seemed to have side-stepped what King says about being able to use the above IN MODERATION.Chris Chambershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10339227468703507351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-25963967348007596882014-02-14T11:51:46.446-08:002014-02-14T11:51:46.446-08:00Plus, another way of looking at this kind of stuff...Plus, another way of looking at this kind of stuff would be:<br />You have to KNOW the rules in order to BREAK ´em.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-72320999765030125092014-02-14T11:48:26.257-08:002014-02-14T11:48:26.257-08:00Hey,
smart move. But these rules are not from King...Hey,<br />smart move. But these rules are not from King himself. They are rather his repition of the least common denominator, if you will, for a set of rules about writing. Originally they originate from "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-40971473865567764042013-12-22T21:21:04.783-08:002013-12-22T21:21:04.783-08:00You rock! I am an author, editor, and God knows wh...You rock! I am an author, editor, and God knows what else. Sometimes, as you say, you must use an adverb. <br /><br />I will share this post for sure!<br /><br />Blaze McRobBlaze McRobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15593633013555705302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-54362937162686511802013-07-17T08:16:06.103-07:002013-07-17T08:16:06.103-07:00I think you are absolutely right about so called r...I think you are absolutely right about so called rules.Attwood Collected Workshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12939221864173785283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-89767429580763693352013-07-16T18:55:24.871-07:002013-07-16T18:55:24.871-07:00"You can do anything, provided that you can p..."You can do anything, provided that you can pull it off."<br /><br />Frickin' genius.Sue Londonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12820606642097170654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-62288617027801278052013-07-16T04:22:46.805-07:002013-07-16T04:22:46.805-07:00Editors have to adhere to the punctuation conventi...Editors have to adhere to the punctuation conventions of their publishing house. So, there is not much leeway on that level. But, as to word choice, phrasing, and the larger picture, editors can use their intuition. A good editor - and these are very rare - seeks to draw out what is best in an author. A mediocre one - and these are very common - follows the rules.Erica Verrillohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10203906377475992984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-47529707364560184662013-07-15T16:38:52.388-07:002013-07-15T16:38:52.388-07:00Love your blog. I was especially interested in thi...Love your blog. I was especially interested in this:<br /><br />That’s because they are writing intuitively. They have a gift, and the substance of that gift cannot be transferred. They can only say, “This is how I write.”<br /><br />And wondering if the same principle could be applied to editors as well? I was thinking that while the mechanics of grammar, vocabulary and punctuation are important to an editor's work, a really good editor is also using intuition and instinct to guide his or her response to an author's work. <br /><br />Thoughts?Sheila M. Trask, MS/LIShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12509904742158070374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6375581058221227290.post-17254098446043648322013-07-15T14:25:45.865-07:002013-07-15T14:25:45.865-07:00I enjoyed this blog very much. I think we all shou...I enjoyed this blog very much. I think we all should write in the style that makes us comfortable. I love writing for children because my goal is to entertain and amuse them, while they're learning important values.Deanie Humphrys-Dunnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01158137427355179676noreply@blogger.com