If You Don’t Write, then even King Can’t Help You.
Or even any other writing ‘Tips.’
If anyone wants to become a writer, then they are recommended at least two books, one is ‘The Element of Style’ by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White. The other is ‘On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft’ by Stephen King.
In his book, King has outlined all the advice he can gather and most of them are known worldwide. But many forget the one passage that he has written. The one advice to write all the other advices off.
Most books about writing are filled with bullshit. Fiction writers, present company included, don’t understand very much about what they do — not why it works when it’s good, not why it doesn’t when it’s bad . I figured the shorter the book, the less the bullshit.
— Stephen King
Sit down and Write.
No amount of advice is going to help you down their in the basement when you only think of writing the first draft while half-sleeping with your eyes open.
It isn’t supposed to work that way. It never has. It never will. You got to sit down and write.
You (can) have a Voice.
Whatever you want to do with your writing, make it real. Make it honest. Say what you really want to say. No one ever thrived in any art form when he or she was under the cloche of fear.
In the end, you want to have a story that is enjoyable for your readers and fulfilling for yourself — not saying they are the same thing.
For a voice, you have to be honest. You have to open up the dungeon of your nightmarish past and let it rip. You really can have a voice.
What he, King, is saying is clear enough. You dont need to read a dozens of articles on writing better. Only few would suffice, anyway. You just need to write. Just write. Put those words out of your mind and onto the paper.
No boxer like Muhammed Ali went on a winning streak by listening and reading about techniques on punching better or faster. He practiced his craft to the limit and came out the other end a winner.
Anyone can write. Not every writer is going to turn into a good one but any writer can at least try the high road and reach for the almighty mcnuggets of being above average. I made the mistake of reading too many advices and that’s where I stayed for a long time. Don’t make the same mistake I made.
Write away!
