For this 900th post on WORDS ON THE LINE, I thought it would be helpful to highlight Stephen King's advice to aspiring writers. The article, "22 Lessons from Stephen King on How to Be a Great Writer," summarizes excerpts of King's best-selling book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, originally published in 2000. While each of the 22 lessons is valuable, I'll stick to the three here that have helped me the most.
The first point King makes in the article is the most important: Read. This means cutting back on watching television in favor of reading widely and frequently. The focus on widely will expand your knowledge, and the attention to frequently—every day—will make reading as second nature and essential as breathing.
The second tip, expect endless criticism and failure, is an undeniable and inevitable truth. I have heard criticism of the greatest writers in history, and I am sure they heard it too. But the negativity did not stop them. That's the attitude you have to take.
The eighteenth guidance in the article, write every day, goes hand in hand with the first. Stop making excuses. Just do it. Before you know it, you'll have enough material for several novels, screenplays, essay or poetry collections, or whatever it is that moves you.
The article by Maggie Zhang originally appeared in Business Insider in August 2014 and was updated on August 11, 2015. It is timeless journalism.
The first point King makes in the article is the most important: Read. This means cutting back on watching television in favor of reading widely and frequently. The focus on widely will expand your knowledge, and the attention to frequently—every day—will make reading as second nature and essential as breathing.
The second tip, expect endless criticism and failure, is an undeniable and inevitable truth. I have heard criticism of the greatest writers in history, and I am sure they heard it too. But the negativity did not stop them. That's the attitude you have to take.
The eighteenth guidance in the article, write every day, goes hand in hand with the first. Stop making excuses. Just do it. Before you know it, you'll have enough material for several novels, screenplays, essay or poetry collections, or whatever it is that moves you.
The article by Maggie Zhang originally appeared in Business Insider in August 2014 and was updated on August 11, 2015. It is timeless journalism.
