Stephen King On Writing (A Memoir Of The Craft)

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MDrRedhead

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Jun 27, 2016
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I just bought this book. It was published in 2000. I'm a writer interested in producing my first novel. Starting on page 170 and ending on page 173, Stephen gives us an exercise to complete and then comment on. This exercise is about situation replacing plot. We are shown the location of a fossil and our job is to write five or six pages of unplotted narration concerning this fossil.
I will do this exercise today and write my five or six pages than post them on this thread. A writer has to start somewhere before they actually become an Author. So I'm taking up this challenge. Now how about other writers out there taking up this challenge also. Who knows, we all might gain by doing the exercise.

So if you haven't already done so purchase this "one-of-a-kind classic."
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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Ted Moss

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Oct 20, 2016
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Welcome and good luck. I got my copy of Mr. King's book when it first came out many years ago, then another when I gave that copy to my son. I'd suggest audio too so you can listen in car, or elsewhere. Its narrated by Mr. King so you get his tone and inflection on key points, and I usually pick up something new each time I listen. You mentioned "A writer has to start somewhere before they actually become an Author." I'd caveat that with published author. I started with a few newspaper pieces, then magazines, then finally a published novel many years later. All I can say is keep at it. Books that could have helped me I only found out about later on, so that first novel is pretty poor, but somehow got published anyway. Working on second one now. Some books I recommend include Dwight Swain's The Selling Writer and pretty much anything by Jack Bickham. Later on after your first draft, James Scott Bell has a great book on self-editing. Also Donald Maass's Writing 21st Century Fiction. Also Sol Stein has two good books on novel writing from a while back. Just Google him. And keep an eye out for the Writer's Digest Magazine issues that focus on novel writing in specific. Another tool in that tool box Mr. King mentions in his book. All of these have helped me. I have many more books, but these come top of mind.
 
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