finding inspiration after The Stand

[Randolph Carter]

Like I'm sure a lot of us on here, I've always wanted to be a writer, and have a bunch of half-finished novels. I just finished re-reading the Stand (first read it when I was a teenager, now in my 30s). And I'm just blown away. The story itself is great, but like all of his books, there's this deeper meaning.

Spoiler: SPOILER

The struggle between freedom and order, both of which are necessary but can never be reconciled, comes out clearly in the end. And it really speaks to thing in my life, and in the world right now.

And then I remembered that he wrote this when he was younger than me. So that brings me to my point. It's intimidating to read something by so brilliant a writer, and it makes me wonder whether it's worth it for me to even try.

I know that's not what he would want his readers to take away. His book on writing was great, and very encouraging. And he is so supportive of new writers. But it's still a little tough. Anyone else dealing with this?

 

[doowopgirl]

I am not a writer, but it seems to me that if you feel you have a story inside, then you have to go for it and not compare yourself to other writers.

 

[GNTLGNT]

....she speaks true.....never judge your own efforts against someone else, obviously there's only one you......write because YOU have the fire in your mental furnace to burn up a page, and make it the best conflagration you can....if you continually worry about how great others are, you'll never give yourself a chance....polish your craft before you even attempt to market it....pleasing YOU, has to be the first step.....

 

[Spideyman]

Ditto to the above two posts.

 

[Christine62]

Read like your life depended on it and write like no one is looking.

I've been doing both since I was about nine and I am still blown away by Mr. King. Will I ever write like him? No. but I will write like me and that makes me very happy. When I was in my 30's I started writing in earnest and people were taking notice--wow they said. One professor had me sign a copy of an essay that was published because he knew I would be famous someday. Believe it or not all that praise that I so craved got old fast. I didn't want praise I wanted criticism. I wanted to get better.

If you want to get better there is no short cut as Mr. King says--read a lot and write a lot and good, bad or ugly send those babies out into the world.

 

[kingricefan]

Welcome! I agree with what others have said above. Have you read Mr. King's non-fiction book 'On Writing'? So many people who are or want to be writers have read this book and have come away with high praises for Steve and how he makes the actual act of writing seem easy. The book has been an inspiration to many. I highly recommend that you read it if you haven't done so already.

 

[Dana Jean]

Welcome! I agree with what others have said above. Have you read Mr. King's non-fiction book 'On Writing'? So many people who are or want to be writers have read this book and have come away with high praises for Steve and how he makes the actual act of writing seem easy. The book has been an inspiration to many. I highly recommend that you read it if you haven't done so already.

Yes, he said he has read it.

And to go to a point christine62 says, I'm not so sure bad and ugly are things to send out to the world. Even Joe hill and Stephen have said they are so thankful some of the things they wrote didn't get accepted because they were so bad.

 

[Christine62]

Yes, he said he has read it.

And to go to a point christine62 says, I'm not so sure bad and ugly are things to send out to the world. Even Joe hill and Stephen have said they are so thankful some of the things they wrote didn't get accepted because they were so bad.

A ton of years ago, I read a book about the first stories of famous writers and I believe Mr. King was included and they all were pretty bad. I did find this link of first drafts of famous novels---no writer is satisfied with their stuff.

Crappy First Drafts of Great Books | Psychology Today

 

[not_nadine]

A ton of years ago, I read a book about the first stories of famous writers and I believe Mr. King was included and they all were pretty bad. I did find this link of first drafts of famous novels---no writer is satisfied with their stuff.

Crappy First Drafts of Great Books | Psychology Today

That's awesome!

 

[Doc Creed]

A ton of years ago, I read a book about the first stories of famous writers and I believe Mr. King was included and they all were pretty bad. I did find this link of first drafts of famous novels---no writer is satisfied with their stuff.

Crappy First Drafts of Great Books | Psychology Today

Thank you for sharing this. That Vonnegut quote pierced me, it says it all.

 

[Christine62]

Thank you for sharing this. That Vonnegut quote pierced me, it says it all.

I love that quote. When Mr. King was hit by the van and had multiple surgeries, in On Writing, he said his writing suffered--but he slogged through even when he felt what he was writing was crap.

After my heart surgery in 2012, the creative flow that was always at my finger tips was gone--I had nothing. Not one idea, not one desire to do anything but watch bad TV and eat chips. Then I read Mr. King's short story The Man In The Black Suit! I began writing again and it was a slog. I must have started four or five bad stories--I felt nothing but I kept putting words on paper. It got better. Trust the process.

 

[mal]

I'd give up and maybe look at plumbing or typewriter repair.