On Writing

[Nameless_Rose]

King is one of my favorite authors, and I absolutely loved his book. The anecdotes were probably my favorite part, but I also really enjoyed the parts about writing. I credit King's condemnation of the adverb with improving my writing a good deal. It's amazing how much more vivid your descriptions can be when you don't allow yourself just to use one word. I think he used the example of describing a character closing a door. He/she could close a door "angrily," or the author could describe the situation and the reader can infer that the door is being closed in an angry way. I also loved that bit where he was describing the author whose favorite word seemed to be zestfully, which I've honestly never seen used outside of a cookbook.

 

[sr71plt]

This "kill all the adverbs" thing can easily go to far--and usually does with beginning writers who slavishly follow the instructions of the "how-to" books. We have adverbs in the language for a reason, and when you've stripped them all out, you usually are left with a something pretty pale and wan.

 

[Nameless_Rose]

true, and I do still use adverbs, but I do it sparingly. Nothing is set in stone, but I do find it a good general rule of thumb.

 

[MagicaPractica]

It's been a while but I recall enjoying the King book very much. I found David Morrell's book more useful for my own writing, though I can't recall the title at the moment.

ETA: His book is Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks at His Craft (2002)

I also really enjoyed Jim Butcher's blog on writing. A good primer in how to write his style of action adventure. Really helped me iron out some issues I was having with a novel I started.

 

[manyeyedhydra]

This "kill all the adverbs" thing can easily go to far--and usually does with beginning writers who slavishly follow the instructions of the "how-to" books. We have adverbs in the language for a reason, and when you've stripped them all out, you usually are left with a something pretty pale and wan.

I agree.

The best argument for killing adverbs I've read is because it looks lazy if the writer uses verb adverb when they would have been better off using a single, better, verb. (run swiftly vs. sprint & berate harshly vs castigate were the examples I saw)

There isn't always a better alternative and on those occasions I don't mind throwing in the odd adverb for emphasis if required.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Use adverbs where they are necessary. That is, when the best verb cant get you to your destination. Ditto for adjectives and nouns.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

There's a reason that writing is considered an art and not a craft like carpentry or pipefitting. There are right and wrong way to do things in crafts. There aren't such hard and fast rules in arts, and so you're never going to find a "how-to" book on any art that's going to of much help as an instruction guide. At best, they give hints and make generalizations about what's worked for other authors, but their "rules" are more like observations than rules, and so all of them are eminently breakable.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

DOC

My analog for writing is cooking.

 

[Caitano]

DOC

My analog for writing is cooking.

I believe "analogy" is the word you're groping for.

 

[Guest]

I believe "analogy" is the word you're groping for.

Coffee spew.

 

[neonlyte]

I believe "analogy" is the word you're groping for.

I thought it was arrowroot, thick but clear

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Check your dictionary, shithead. Stay in the shallow end of the pool.

ANALOG: noun; Something that is analogous.

ANALOGOUS: adjective; Similar or alike in such a way as to permit the drawing of an analogy.

Analog is the thing, analogy is what I do with it....the action.

Anyone else wanna show the world how stupid you are?

 

[sr71plt]

Anyone else wanna show the world how stupid you are?

Oooo. Me, me. Can I, can I????? Ummmm, I forgot what I was going to say.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Youre the only one surprised that you have nothing to say.

 

[sr71plt]

Youre the only one surprised that you have nothing to say.

"Youre"? *giggle*

I'm delighted you think so. Has ole' Hazel made it back to your Laz-Y-Boy with that Bud and beef jerky yet?

 

[SpicyPepper]

Check your dictionary, shithead. Stay in the shallow end of the pool.

ANALOG: noun; Something that is analogous.

ANALOGOUS: adjective; Similar or alike in such a way as to permit the drawing of an analogy.

Analog is the thing, analogy is what I do with it....the action.

Anyone else wanna show the world how stupid you are?

Maybe you should go masturbate to relieve some tension... there's no need for profanity (especially directed at someone else!) on a thread about Stephen King's On Writing...

We all know you thrive on being an asshole, but do you have to make sure you take advantage of every situation to illustrate this point?

 

[rgraham666]

Unfortunately, yes, he does.

It's the only thing that gives meaning to his sad life. Poor bastard.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

SPICYPEPPER

CAITANO tried to impress everyone and stepped on his pee pee. If you step in the arena with me, and dont have the right stuff, I'm gonna slap you and make you look bad. He was wrong and he's stupid for not checking before he posted. Obviously he needs a girl to take up for him.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

ROB

We all know how meaningful your life is. If God suddenly eliminated cock sucking and writing poems, you'd be lost.

 

[chris 44]

Back to the thread...

I rate 'On writing' as possibly the greatest influence on my writing, if only for the advice he gives to 'Read a lot, write a lot."

I'd always thought you had to plan a story in detail before sitting down to write. As a result I never got beyond the planning stage. King says 'just write whatever comes into your head, and run with it. It might not work for everyone, no two writers are ever the same, but it worked for me.

Chris

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

CHRIS

Well, you can be a naturalist or a romantic. Outline or none.

Naturalists have no control over the story or the characters, and move about like tumbleweeds. Romantics get bored easily, knowing how it ends.

 

[NoJo]

I think I must be the only person in the world who's never read anything by King. I don't think I've even seen any movies based on his stories -- at least not all the way through.

 

[sr71plt]

I think I must be the only person in the world who's never read anything by King. I don't think I've even seen any movies based on his stories -- at least not all the way through.

Nope, you're not the only one. The only thing I've even read into by King was On Writing--and I haven't finished that. It's sitting across the room from me next to my wing chair and has been there for, maybe, three years now.

And I've seen none of the movies. But then I haven't seen Titanic either, and I didn't see The Deerhunter for over a decade--and I'm even in that movie.

 

[sr71plt]

Give it up, JBJ; you're not a writer or have anything to do with writing other than sour Internet chatboard postings.

No one's fooled by your postering as having anything to do with writing. You have nothing to point to as a writer. You refer to your writings--but these are just pathetic lies. You're only here because the other "let's just complain that the world hasn't been good to us" Web sites have all banned you and this one is largely unmonitored.

Running on empty.

 

[jomar]

...and I didn't see The Deerhunter for over a decade--and I'm even in that movie.

Meryl? Is that you? How you been?