Stephen King: Top 20 Rules For Writers

[Carol Rose]

Sage advice from the great Stephen King!!

http://www.openculture.com/2014/03/stephen-kings-top-20-rules-for-writers.html

 

[Paul Whybrow]

And some astute advice from Elmore Leonard, who is definitely of the less is more school of writing.

https://www.writingclasses.com/toolbox/tips-masters/elmore-leonard-10-rules-for-good-writing

 

[Carol Rose]

Yes, this is a good one as well.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Gotta agree with Stephen

 

[Meerkat]

I also once read him say that when you're writing, if you can't remember something, then just stick some placeholder in there and look it up later. I do this, usually with an all-caps BLAH BLAH so that I can search for the placeholders later.

 

[Carol Rose]

I also once read him say that when you're writing, if you can't remember something, then just stick some placeholder in there and look it up later. I do this, usually with an all-caps BLAH BLAH so that I can search for the placeholders later.

One of the romance authors I know does this with all her sex scenes. She writes "Insert kinky stuff here" and goes back to add them all in later. LOL!!

 

[Nicole Wilson]

I also once read him say that when you're writing, if you can't remember something, then just stick some placeholder in there and look it up later. I do this, usually with an all-caps BLAH BLAH so that I can search for the placeholders later.

I dont do this often, but I use << or ** before all of my notes to myself. Makes for an easy Find in MS Word. My husband uses this frequently, though. [Feelings here] lol! I once read that in the Star Wars script (I'm pretty sure it was SW), there was a whole section that Goerge Lucas denoted as [THEY FIGHT].

 

[Jason Byrne]

Star Trek did this as they developed the script, before the tech experts added in their "technobabble."
LAFORGE: "It looks like you have a [technobabble] problem."

I would do this for insignificant details — things I would have to go find but which would not have any bearing on the progression of the plot, so that I could keep my energy devoted to the flame of the scene, so I didn't lose it.
"The funeral pyre would have to be attended for [time], by the peasants the reeve had gathered."
"The night was cool and blustery, the [phase] moon low in the sky behind fleeting clouds."

 

[Emurelda]

Sage advice from the great Stephen King!!

http://www.openculture.com/2014/03/stephen-kings-top-20-rules-for-writers.html

Reading his book on writing now.

 

[1408]

"Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid or making friends."
Aight guys, I'm out. Looks like I was heading down the wrong career path!

(Thanks for posting these. I always find them interesting to read!)

 

[Emurelda]

Star Trek did this as they developed the script, before the tech experts added in their "technobabble."
LAFORGE: "It looks like you have a [technobabble] problem."

I would do this for insignificant details — things I would have to go find but which would not have any bearing on the progression of the plot, so that I could keep my energy devoted to the flame of the scene, so I didn't lose it.
"The funeral pyre would have to be attended for [time], by the peasants the reeve had gathered."
"The night was cool and blustery, the [phase] moon low in the sky behind fleeting clouds."

Lol!
I find this hilarious and yes i do this too. [Insert story here] Thats book 1 sorted.

 

[Jason Byrne]

"Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid or making friends."
Aight guys, I'm out. Looks like I was heading down the wrong career path!

(Thanks for posting these. I always find them interesting to read!)

Yes 1408, you were confused. You want rockstar. The career path you were looking for is rockstar. I actually stumbled into this myself, confusing writer with evil overlord.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Yes 1408, you were confused. You want rockstar. The career path you were looking for is rockstar. I actually stumbled into this myself, confusing writer with evil overlord.

Wait wait wait. You mean, this isn't rockstar or evil overlord?! Um, I think I'm in the wrong place.

 

[Carol Rose]

LOL!!!!

 

[Jason Byrne]

Wait wait wait. You mean, this isn't rockstar or evil overlord?! Um, I think I'm in the wrong place.

We might as well stick around, Nicole; they have cake. The world will manage without our rule for a bit.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

We might as well stick around, Nicole; they have cake. The world will manage without our rule for a bit.

View attachment 206

Hmmm.... free food or Sith Lord. On the one hand, it's free food. But then there's the Sith Lord thing. Gaah! How can I be expected to make this choice?

 

[1408]

You can have both, just be sure to get a tray!

 

[Jason Byrne]

You can have both, just be sure to get a tray!

Haha, "f*ck it I'll get a tray. This one's wet."

 

[Nicole Wilson]

You can have both, just be sure to get a tray!

Lol "No, I'm not Jeff Vader." I'd be interested to see that deleted scene

 

[Alistair Roberts]

So you mean, all I ever had to do to write a novel was "[insert novel here]" ?? Silly me, and I wasted time writing 97,000 words! Thanks Emurelda.

 

[Carol Rose]

So you mean, all I ever had to do to write a novel was "[insert novel here]" ?? Silly me, and I wasted time writing 97,000 words! Thanks Emurelda.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Emurelda]

So you mean, all I ever had to do to write a novel was "[insert novel here]" ?? Silly me, and I wasted time writing 97,000 words! Thanks Emurelda.

That's it! Hehe!!

 

[Meerkat]

I remember doing a lot of [insert blah blah here] for one story, until I finally had to admit I hadn't thought enough about the story prior to writing it.