Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Writing Stephen King


So at the behest of my Therapist- let's call him Rob Iamrightnow- I began reading Stephen King again. I am about halfway through his book-
 On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
I have to say that the book has reinforced much of what I already knew about writing and reading and not stinking at either. 
This week I have been writing, most of it in my mind but not all. More than one story- of course. I am like a painter that only switched brushes as I walk from one studio into another to dab some paint on one piece before throwing more on another then back through the door before the paint dries.

I am jealous of Stephen King, mostly because he recognized his need early and stuck with it instead of trying to find a way to let the voices out through more than just a page and a pencil and a will.
His advice is solid, his tools clear, his point of view tested, and thus annoying especially since I continue to find proof of how right it is.
I hope that he might expound a little on why his books are so good and why so many of the movies of his books are so bad (there I said it) and even as I say it I know why some of them are better than the others. It is because Stephen isn't telling the story, I don't think he would start trying to fence in the movies like so many of them have ended up fenced in. 
Also, it should be noted that Stephen has pointed out the fatal flaw that most of these directors have missed along with so many of his fans may or may not have noted.
Stephen King lets his readers fill in their own details and descriptions to his stories which may just be one of his strongest features of his success as a storyteller. Stephen gives each and every one of his readers the option of taking ownership of his writing and personalize it to the readers perception rather than forcing a particular idea or detail or description on them. Most movies find this an unavoidable flaw in taking a vision and transforming it. 
Point of reference, It. I found It positively terrifying in the book. The clown was definitely creepy and the bug was dumb in the movie. The director's vision of It was not a success because he felt the need to force his idea of It on the viewers so by the time you get to the bug, most people went to bed or threw up their collective hands with "Oh Man!" and wrote the movie off as yet another failure to great book.
It doesn't always go that bad, some of the movies made from Stephens books are successes. of those that I have seen, some have actually managed to match the book from which they sprang. A few were as good or even (dare I say it?) better.
My favorite SK movie is the Shawshank Redemption. It wasn't a critical or box office success but it was undeniably good from beginning to end capturing everything I liked about the novella and really fleshing out a great idea.

I am not going to list my choices- well I might if you really bug me.
mostly I want to talk about writing from SK's direction in his book.


 will say this though I love these photos of the man. My respect for his as a writer has grown immensely as I have read his book and I will probably try (and I mean give it the college try) to read and perhaps reread his fiction.
yes I said reread (its like eBay's relist) it should be a word dammit because it means so much more that just reading or reading again. 
Mike's definition of reread: it's when you read something again because you know if you can give it one more chance you might buy it even if you it take all night. (one day I will give you my definition of relist- in the meantime shut the claptrap up! Kidding well almost kidding)

Carrie, Which I have seen the movie (okay) and the remake(awful- but way cooler music) well to be honest the remake was so bad that I didn't stay for the end where the telekinetic is supposed to shoot cds around like flying sawblades. The Book like most book to movies was much better, at least in my memory it was but it was a long time since I have read or tried to read it.


To be honest, I was never much of a horror movie fan, so Christine (which was the quintessential Stephen King movie while I was in high school) turned me off of Stephen King like "Tom Sawyer" turned me off of Rush for years



Reading this book of SK, has vastly rearmed my ability as a writer, has given me the direction I have been needing to finish my own stories, my books and maybe just maybe find a new peace or piece of myself.
I DO plan to read not only Stephen King, but also every book in his recommended list of books.
because as SK says:


Also for those of you who have passed out yet. I have a short story that I have written as per Mr. King's directions and as soon as I no longer get sidetracked and actually finish transcribing it and proof read it at least once. I am going to send it to the MAN. Yes I am. Maybe he will tell me I have potential and not ignore me as another fan (especially since I am not really one) and at least give me feedback on it. Then I will share my brilliance with you my adoring public of that guy I met at the convenience store last night and the girls (or girls/women) who feel sorry for me and just read this blog so that I will leave them alone. And then there is you (YOU) the person who has come here in search of enlightenment or at very least in a desperate search for something with good grammar and not to boring. To you (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) I give you thanks for reading this my latest rant (okay technically it's not a rant....)

It's-
life according to Mike!