Stephen King is a prolific writer who has authored close to seventy novels and short story collections. A man operating such a high-octane version of literary genius ought to have a lot to say about churning out hundreds of thousands of words round the clock. I think we can trust him to drop the payload right into our bosom.
King’s thoughts on the issue follows closely on the heels of Ray Bradbury’s tips and that incidentally makes this post the Part Two of the Writing Every Day series.
“Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life,” said Stephen King. But, I’m not gonna use this as the first tip. Just telling you to keep in mind how the ideas to spur you on are supposed take shape and evolve. That was dessert. And now, the main course for the evening:
1. Write in a Serene Environment –
“If possible, there should be no telephone in your writing room, certainly no TV or video games for you to fool around with. If there’s a window, draw the curtains or pull down the shades unless it looks out at a blank wall.” – Stephen King
The life of the writer (the writer who takes his job to heart) is a solitary life–a life haunted by aloneness. It ain’t enslaved by loneliness but rather strengthened and sharpened to spear points by it. The writer learns to strip to his birth suit in front of the world (that’s what you do when you shed your soul on the pages of your journal) and yet, be totally unashamed about it.
2. Write to a Schedule –
“Your schedule–in at about the same time every day, out when your thousand words are on paper or disk…”
“Your job is to make sure the muse knows where you’re going to be every day from nine ‘til noon or seven ‘til three. If he does know, I assure you that sooner or later he’ll start showing up.”
“Basically, mornings are my prime writing time.”
“You need a concrete goal, as well. The longer you keep to these basics, the easier the act of writing will become.”
“I like to get ten pages a day, which amounts to 2,000 words. That’s 180,000 words over a three month span…”
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As with physical exercise, it would be best to set this goal low at first, to avoid discouragement. I suggest a thousand words… I’ll suggest that you can take one day a week off, at least to begin with… Resolve to yourself the door stays closed until that goal is met. – Stephen King
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4. Get a Writing Space –
“(It) can be humble (probably should be) and it really needs only one thing: a door which you are willing to shut. The closed door is your way of telling the world and yourself that you mean business; you have made a serious commitment to write and intend to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.”
“You need the room, you need the door, and you need the determination to shut the door.”
5. Are You Having Fun, Yet? –
You should. This is best when it feels like a ball. Don’t get too serious with stuff such as these or it feels like work. And when it starts feeling like work, that’s the red light–you’re throwing in the towel soon.
“Writing is at it’s best–always, always, always–when it is a kind of inspired play for the writer.”
“When I’m writing, it’s all the playground.”
“My writing and the pleasure I take in it has contributed to the stability of my health and my home life.”
“When you find something at which you are talented, you do it (whatever it is) until your fingers bleed or your eyes are ready to fall out of your head.”
License to Explode into a Million Seeds from the King!
“If you feel you need permission to do all the reading and writing your little heart desires, however, (four to six hours a day, every day) consider it hereby granted by yours truly.” – Stephen King
There you go you got your ticket handed to you on a silver platter, if there ever was one. Now dig into the toolbox of the imagination, explore all the details of the genius within and remake your world every day, one word at a time!
Keep your pen bleeding!
Akpan
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