Stephen King – On writing

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Struggles; sometimes life hands you more than you ever thought possible 


 Writing is a way of living and it is impressive what one can do

Stephen King tells his simple and straightforward truth about his life as a writer. He does not shy away from sharing his tough years of addiction. Or is it as simple as that? Roll down the curtains, close the door; sit like you’re in a bunker with nothing to disturb you, then you can immerse yourself in your book.

These sentences put into one paragraph, do they make sense? Not really. I would say that they represent the writing process. Any writer needs to invest a big part of its life to write. Stephen shares his ups and downs in life and how it has affected his writing. His personal battles come alive. While reading I reflect on how little we actually know about the authors“ lives. When we get to know a bit more, their stories get a different meaning and purpose. Like his biography


The characters in your book are your friends and you need to see them every day to keep your friendships alive. This is exactly how he describes his writing. Share your life with them and they open up to you, reveal their darkest secrets from their pasts, hopes and dreams, what has happened in their lives to become who they are. So do your trust them with your heart? 

the bow of a sailing boat

What can you expect from a biography written by an author?


I did not know what I could, should and would expect. It turned out to be a great mix of everything. He did not let me down. Mr King became my friend for many hours. 

Now I must admit that I have only read one of his books and it was scary. Knowing that he has written even more horrific psychological thrillers sends shivers down my spine. That letters form words, words form sentences and those sentences can create a feeling in the body that can stick. We’ve all felt it, I’m sure of it.

Amateurishly, I’m writing a young adult book where my children are my greatest inspiration. They want to know what happens next. Is it possible to have curious ears? If the answer is yes, then my kids do. Their interest is clear when they  listen to what I’ve written. My imagination, my words, my thoughts, my action.



Sitting trapped in a bunker is something I will never do. Maybe I should do what others do, rent a cabin and stay by myself for a week to see what I’m capable of? Is that the missing link to success? Then I will book that cabin soon to see how I accomplish what I didn’t know about myself. I am eager to do that now. And, to top it all, bring my oldest daughter with me. She loves books and she loves writing. 


Perhaps I should have followed the advice shared by Stephen King. But do you want to write like everyone else and just copy their success story? I am me and I want to write the way I want to. Seeing page after page filled with text puts a big smile on my face. I stretch a little extra.





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