Comments on: Why Stephen King Is Full of Sh*t

By: Asfandyar Ahmad

Asfandyar Ahmad — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:31:24 +0000

Hey thanks larry your blog is very awesome and useful.What eden commented that he dislike to Plot his stories and he feels himself comfortable by doing that is right really I do same when I am writing non fiction Or fiction. I write through the help of Mind mapping I few months ago finished my memoir first draft in I an half month and It was very lengthy and now I am making it to the point just that to not bored my readers–I think it’s about knowing how really to tell the story well and in which technique so then thereafter you don’t need to rewrite 4 or five times so If you’ve clear thought of idea in mind.Then it’s all fine Dear larry what’s ur say?lastly larry help me one author told me don’t write phrases mundane phrases in Novel it’s a dead wood in the novel publishers and agents hate it.Is it really?

By: Dude Andersone

Dude Andersone — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:10:53 +0000

I read what you have written and have enjoyed it a lot. I now write over 300 novels a year.

By: Larry

Larry — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:52:41 +0000

@Clarke – the post is well over two years old. I’ve since positioned my views and elaborated on them, without pushback from King fans, frequently on this site. I do stand by one thing: the advice to newer writers, or any writer who doesn’t approach his intuitive, proven command of principle and structure, is naive and irresponsible. As is your statement that writing from a structured vision is “suicide.” There are far more A-list writers who do it that way than there are writers who do it King’s way. I don’t know who you’re quoting in your closing sentence, either, but I have a hunch it’s you. Your whole comment is a window into cluelessness. I wish you well with this approach.

By: clarke

clarke — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:22:23 +0000

I believe you may have severely misinterpreted Mr. King. As a writer, as a Human being one has no right be so finite and overly structured with their process. Knowing the characters and what makes them is one thing, but having a detailed schematic of the story from beginning to end is basically suicide by pen. One needs to let the story take shape from the soul not force it, that is the essence of storytelling of creation. Its garnered from years of reading and writing. Let the little men in the basement do all the work, let instinct take course.

By: 21 Must-Read Blogs for Luck-Makers — Happenchance

21 Must-Read Blogs for Luck-Makers — Happenchance — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 15:23:42 +0000

[...] Why Stephen King is Full of Sh*t because he never outlines. Larry argues (quite convincingly) the opposite. [...]

By: Eden

Eden — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 07:06:23 +0000

Thanks for the response, Larry!

Sorry I’m getting back to this blog so late. I took most of December off as far as blogging and commenting on other people’s blogs.

I still haven’t attempted my next novel so I don’t know which way I’m going to go… I was sick and then the holidays with family from out of state and country, blahblahblah. And now the year is starting with activity on my finished novel, so I’m a little preoccupied, but in a good way.

I actually found this comment again because I was looking for a traffic site I’d bookmarked … the snow is crazy around here and I needed to see if any major roads are closed.

I’m glad I came back, though, because what you said at the end makes a lot of sense and I’d never thought of it that way. I suppose I am searching for my story in the same way an author/writer who outlines does. So that makes me feel *my way* might be all right and to try it another time … see what happens this time around

Thanks again,
Eden*

By: Steph

Steph — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 04:03:21 +0000

Is this why so many of his endings suck?! All that build up, great characters, settings and the ending craps out.

By: Larry

Larry — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 18:23:26 +0000

@Eden — the question isn’t whether King is right or wrong, the question is “what works for me?” King implies that his way in the only, and unless you are a naturally intuitive — and in his case, highly experienced, storyteller — that can spill a story right out of their head and a) it generally follows the form of dramatic narrative, and b) if it doesn’t, that same natural intuitive sensibility allows you to fix your draft until it does.

I take it from your comments that you may be one of the few naturally intuitive, structurally-oriented writers. And that’s good, a real blessing. But many, if not most, writers are not.

Whether you pants or plan, it’s all just a search for your story. If you pants drafts in that search, you almost always have to rewrite them. If you plan your stories, you do that revision cycle at the outline (not really an outline, more a “beat sheet”) stage, which means your draft is less likely to need major revision.

Here’s what’s true: whether you do it King’s way, your way or my way, the manuscript won’t be publishable until it has all the elements in place, and in the right place. Anything other than that is “experimental” fiction, and that doesn’t sell. How one gets there is an individual choice. But rest assured, as you say you “can’t outline,” you are indeed doing the very same thing that an outliner does in your early drafts — you are searching for your story.

I’m glad your mind is churning on all this stuff. Keep going, it’s all a productive and beneficial analysis for the serious writer.

By: eden

eden — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 23:18:17 +0000

Since my last comment about trying out my next book with an outline and plot points and such, I’ve grown more intimidated by the idea and the process.
The more I read here, the more I just want to sit down and write and NOT worry about all these things.
Like I said (I think it was the post about the first plot point … maybe) in that comment, everything in my first book lines up exactly with what everyone says. Timing, structure, all of it… I have all the key elements. But — is that just a fluke?
I wrote things that foreshadowed later stuff. I remembered I had written it and then the idea came (or the characters just did things) that related back to whatever it was I had written. People commented that they knew something was going to happen when I didn’t even know — until I wrote it and it … happened.
So now I’m afraid to do something I’m SO not used to. I’ve never written anything with an outline unless it’s nonfiction, and usually, even then, I don’t use one.
I’m wondering if Stephen King is maybe right. I did have to revise, yes, so I won’t have a salable first draft ever, I’m sure…
But I didn’t have to revise the structure — only things like character and voice. I let go of the reigns and my characters polished the story the way they knew it to be because they’d lived it. (I realize I sound rather insane right now… But it’s true. It’s how I write.)
Now I’m afraid because I KNOW I’m no Stephen King, but I also know I’m not an outliner. My characters would Never let me be…
I want to sit down and just write, but now I’m doubting myself. Not sure what to do :/
I’ll think I’ll go edit one of my author’s mss and not worry about my own work for the time being. I’m too confused

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 02:50:11 +0000

One issue with this. Jeffery Deaver actually writes some of the most detailed outlines in the biz. Every interview with him discusses his 150-200 page outlines that he spends 8 months working on. But, yes, he then does 20-some revisions before he’s happy.