Write Like Stephen King
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
by Stephen King
Memoir/Writing Guide
TL;DR
This book is basically King telling you to stop whining and just write. He's like, 'Yo, your writing toolbox needs to be stacked with grammar, vocabulary, and style – no excuses.' He hammers home that reading a ton is non-negotiable, like breathing for writers. And writing every damn day? That's your main gig, even if it's trash. He's all about first drafts being for you, second drafts for everyone else, and cutting out all the BS. It's a raw, no-filter guide to grinding out stories and making them actually good, not just pretty.
Action Items
Pick one word you overuse (like 'literally' or 'amazing') and find 3 savage synonyms for it. Then, try to drop one into a text or a comment today.
Spend 15 minutes scrolling through a random subreddit or a news site you never visit. Then, immediately open a note and jot down 3 wild ideas for a story or a TikTok skit inspired by what you saw, no matter how dumb.
Set a 10-minute timer. Open a blank doc and just type whatever garbage comes to mind – your grocery list, a dream, a rant about your ex – without hitting backspace or correcting anything. Just let it flow like a broken faucet.
Go through your last 3 Instagram captions or texts. Find any word ending in '-ly' (like 'really,' 'superbly') or a sentence where something 'was done by' someone. Rewrite it to be shorter and punchier, like you're delivering a mic drop.
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Key Chapter
Chapter - The Writer's Toolbox: Your Literary Swiss Army Knife
Alright, so King drops this bomb about your 'toolbox,' and it's not about wrenches, fam. He's talking about the essential gear you need to even start building a story. Think of it like your brain's inventory for words: grammar, vocabulary, and style. He's basically saying, if your grammar's whack, your story's gonna sound like a toddler wrote it. You gotta stock up on words like you're hoarding snacks for a zombie apocalypse, and learn how to flex your style so your writing doesn't sound like a robot. It's about having the right tools ready so you can actually build something cool, instead of just staring at a blank page like a deer in headlights.
Key Methods and Approaches
Your Brain's Word Hoard
(AKA: The Writer's Toolbox)
Description:
Get your basic grammar, vocab, and style down pat. It's your fundamental gear.
Explanation:
Imagine your brain is a messy garage, and your writing tools are scattered everywhere. King's like, 'Dude, organize that shit!' He means you gotta have your basic grammar rules locked down, a fat vocabulary so you're not using 'nice' for everything, and a distinct style that's you. It's like having a fully charged phone with all the best apps – you can actually do stuff instead of just staring at a dead screen.
Examples:
Instead of saying 'He walked quickly,' you've got 'He scurried,' 'He bolted,' 'He sauntered.' Knowing the difference is like having a cheat code.
Knowing when to use 'their' vs 'there' so you don't look like a total noob on your Insta captions.
Today's Action:
Pick one word you overuse (like 'literally' or 'amazing') and find 3 savage synonyms for it. Then, try to drop one into a text or a comment today.
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