- Write Fast and Don’t Stop: King suggests completing the first draft of a book within three months, emphasizing the importance of momentum and not overthinking the writing process.
- Keep it Simple: Avoid agonizing over word choice and flowery language; instead, use the first word that comes to mind and focus on getting the draft done efficiently.
- Read a Lot (Including Bad Books!): Reading extensively, even lesser-quality novels, is essential for improving writing skills and gaining inspiration. Learning what not to do from bad prose can be as valuable as studying masterpieces.
- Guidelines, but Not Rules: While King provides various writing advice, he also emphasizes the importance of honesty in storytelling and suggests that rules can be broken as long as the narrative remains truthful.
- Find the Drafting Style that Works for You: Experiment with different approaches to outlining and drafting until finding a method that suits your individual process. The key is to start writing and discover what works best along the way.
Amy Sawyama
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On Writing: takeaways from Stephen King
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Discussion (1)
I think an underrated one is working fast. Sometimes just writing the bones of something is the best way to get going. You can always refine (and you will). But most people get hung up on making it good the first time, which causes so much unnecessary friction.