Stephen King on Writing: Don't Use A Notebook

A tip from one of the most prolific writers in our industry. While romanticised and immortalised in the writer's experience, the notebook might be your worst ally when coming up with ideas.
One counter thought to this: when writing a big novel, creating an outline or mapping your characters isn't a bad idea. It also heavily depends on whether you're a "gardener" or an "architect" - a subject we've covered at length.
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[@mrswaggersticksgamingextra5246]

David Lynch has the exact opposite take on this subject. Lynch believes that not writing an idea down when it's fresh is akin to murder. That said, whatever process works for you is what matters.

[@Amazology]

Maybe it's a question of personal currency (what is of value in the artists internal world) as much as process ? Lynch seems more episodic than narrative driven to me. I like both of them.

[@lqejnrenefqrni]

Yea what he does is very detailed oriented and relies a lot on how it looks. Stephen king is known for letting the reader fill the rest of the image on their own

[@TheWizardYeof]

I think what Lynch said was more along the lines of “If you have an idea, and you don’t write it down and forget about it, that makes you want to put a gun to your head and commit suicide”

[@JGalegria]

Yeah I think Lynch is a stream of consciousness guy, so he'd have to catch it on it's way through or miss it forever

[@wilcogains]

Don’t let him ever forget an idea

[@CloudDancer-001]

His storys are highly plot driven, most of the time, so I see his point. You truly tend to forget about bad ideas almost instantly, while the good ones stick in your head, even if you don't write them down. But for other writers, who are more character driven, even blogging-style kind of authors, a notebook is absolutely the best way to go, it's basically what ends up in the final book. Paul Auster would be a great example of such a writer. My advice is, to look for authors that SOUND like you want to sound, and then read interviews on their writing process. Picking the right writer's advice, imo, is more important than the advice itself.

[@Joeseph_Mamamoa]

He's actually a character driven writer. He doesn't plot out his stories

[@chrisdaly7802]

King is absolutely character driven. Have you ever read any of his books?

[@mariaamaro6458]

Also, WRITE, THEN WRITE SOME MORE...THEN WRITE MORE....

[@moron19]

I just picked up writing to give it a try as a side hustle and man, this is top 3 the best advice I've heard so far. Simple, obvious and yet so brilliant. Thanks for having shared that.

[@bizarreisthenewblack]

wouldn't say he's plot driven, character driven if anything

[@Liopleurodon25]

And then theres me who forgets all the good ideas within an hour and only remembers the really really bad and cringy stuff. Id be completely lost without my notebook

[@EstradaDuran-sg6co]

same for king i reckon. he is probably just lying to mess with everyone and wreck there writing

[@wafflesandlifeproblems]

🤝🤝🤝

[@notever8401]

@@EstradaDuran-sg6cono, he seems to be a very unorthodox writer. I read that he also will go into a story with little to no planning as to the outcome, just the characters, setting, background, and how he believes they will interact until a story naturally forms from there. Never heard of anyone else doing such a thing, although I have thought of doing it myself before.

[@EstradaDuran-sg6co]

@@notever8401 even if what you say is true. that doesn't mean king is correct to recommend this awful approach to youngins.

[@notever8401]

@@EstradaDuran-sg6co yeah it’s sort of like Daniel Day Lewis trying to teach his style of acting, not at all suitable for beginners or even intermediates

[@TheRogueJedii]

solid advice. a notebook could then be good, only to write ideas that you are 100% sure are worth writing down.

[@fromawritersperspective]

Or even your notes app. I think this is one way to approach it, however. I usually write things down if I realise I’ve forgotten them, but are remembering them again. And in terms of worldbuilding, it can help to build a lore library like Tolkien once did.

[@rustneversleeps85]

Why would you write something down that you don't feel is worth recalling or revisiting down the line?

[@VRavTech]

I dont really agree, i prefer to brainstorm the shit out of something, and then think about it

[@Frederic_104]

Well, yes, but actually no!

[@EstradaDuran-sg6co]

@@fromawritersperspective king probably uses notebooks ALL THE TIME tbh

[@FredHenry1850]

His intuitive writing style both intrigues me and inspires me. The fact that he can write a 500 page novel with a simple "What if" question is astonishing to me.

[@oneoflokis]

💯

[@user-qi4uo9rc1n]

I just found out today that they are banning Stephen King's books. There are five or six states where they are already banned I happen to live in one of them that have banned them. The Christians don't like the books my answer is then don't read them. And they also didn't like the idea that in the book Carrie there was a theme of bullying in the school. I completely understand what they're saying because bullying doesn't happen in schools today noooo! I just thought you might want to know as a fan of Stephen King that they're banning his books and I just when is it going to get to the point where I see a bonfire and all of these Christians show up and start throwing their Stephen King books on the pile. Just another notch in the Constitution.

[@bintube5269]

i wonder how many ideas have been lost thanks to this advice

[@alonzomosley7]

Me

[@johninsalisbury2010]

here is an idea, write the initial idea down, then change it when you go to write.

[@IbrahimDarCo]

Worth noting that Stephen king is always writing so his ideas get captured quickly. If you write once a year, you better store your ideas somewhere coz you will forget em at some point

[@jmdesantis]

As much as I respect this man and his writing, for me, I find this advice to be so unhelpful. The good ideas do stay, for sure, but sometimes I need to declutter my mind or get a bit on paper before using it weeks, months, or years later. It really boils down to what type of writer you are.

[@staciawaraska7175]

And yet he has a new book twice a year....

[@raucousgeorge]

@@staciawaraska7175that’s true, but that makes him a freak, which means his advice should be treated with even more skepticism than a normal writer.

[@androgynousandy4538]

this is good advice for some people, 100%. the thing is with me, is that i'll have a great idea then I will forget the whole thing. sometimes I'll look back at my writing and remember some of these great ideas that were lost to my horrible memory

[@EstradaDuran-sg6co]

king uses notebooks all the time i reckon. he is probably just lying

[@JesusRodriguez-kd8es]

Then you start writing it. There's no need to question a good idea. Go to rehab, you can get some great ideas in drug treatment!

[@ryanand154]

@@androgynousandy4538 I’ve got an aid B n B for ya.

[@mightypensword]

@@EstradaDuran-sg6co You're one of those

[@EstradaDuran-sg6co]

@@mightypensword wym dude?

[@shadesofgray5476]

If you have an excellent memory, aren't easily distracted, and you're a genius, well, I could see how this might work for you. Also, SK has an awesome wife who keeps the rest of his life together. If I don't write something down right away, it's gone forever, whether a good idea or a bad one. Luckily, I carry around a handy little notepad everywhere as a smartphone app.

[@tattoodude8946]

Interesting point of view, but I do not feel it applies to everyone and certainly not all writers (or creatives as a whole really). Some people don't have time to let things percolate and life can be very distracting, encouraging the loss of what may have been a great concept. Many people have jobs, family, bills and other stresses/commitments that tap the mind and ideas can fall through the cracks. The only universal, incontestable "rule" that applies to writing that I have ever found is to read and be open to learning more - about your writing, yourself and the world in general. Those things will improve your writing. But any rules like always throw away your first draft and rewrite it from scratch, make detailed outlines before writing, or don't bother with a notebook, are very subjective and individual to that writer and their personal take on what works for them.

[@mohamedmubeen4583]

If this method works for him, it doesn't necessarily mean that it'll work for me as well... We all are not genuinses like him and we are geniuses in our own ways....

[@damariuswingfield2144]

Even geniuses used notebooks...

[@EstradaDuran-sg6co]

or king is just a liar.

[@tattoodude8946]

I just wrote something similar in response to this. Most writers have full time jobs, children, bills to pay and more stresses that contribute to losing ideas that strike us. I very much agree with many tips I have heard from him in the past and in his book On Writing, but this is an individual concept that works for him. It may work for others as well, but it is certainly not a universal writing tip that one should take to heart.

[@candacegaskinwebb8679]

@@EstradaDuran-sg6co He has no reason to lie. LOL He is a genius who apparently has a very good memory for keeping ideas together for future use

[@EstradaDuran-sg6co]

@@candacegaskinwebb8679 seems more likely he's worried about competition kid

[@kilianalexander2736]

My ADHD could never, I just write everything down in a big doc, and the amount of times I come across a great idea I'd forgotten about is... every time I go through the document lmao

[@kevinburtnick7818]

Same!! It works for us.

[@damadoms4676]

This is what works for him. We all must find our method of writing. I dislike sitting in front of my laptop until a story is ready to be typed out. Until then I will write an idea on paper or keep brainstorming until a storyline flows.

[@icchasaki]

This is how I used to write. And it worked, to a degree. I think it’s a good way to start. But once I have that solidified idea, the real core of it, I can usually tell when I’ve struck gold with an idea or connection and sometimes there are too many to keep track of. Especially as someone with AuDHD. But writing down ideas doesn’t mean they’re set in stone, it just takes the pressure off me to keep it all on my head, and most of the time I don’t have to go back and read those notes. When I do, it’s because I’m in the brainstorming process for something specific and they serve as a sort of cork board. Often the ideas will naturally change and evolve and by the time I write them they’re completely different from the notes. And that’s fine. The notes I remember I don’t read the notes for. And the ones I need are usually small and specific details where I go “oh yeah! That’s because of x, and will fully round out so-and-so’s character arc!” or something along those lines.

[@kilianalexander2736]

This. This exactly.

[@jyjaeskz]

I like to write a little scene based on the idea so even if I don't use that specific idea I can get some inspiration out of it for later

[@mathewbarnes4468]

He even talks like he is in a book. Legend

[@MoonInTheNight]

Doesn't work for someone who has horrible memory 😔

[@ytpremium9462]

Steven King’s advice taught me how to write concisely. The fewer words the better.

[@ryanand154]

Stephan King writes 20 000 words a day.

[@ytpremium9462]

@@ryanand154 most people would write the same thing in 40 000 words.

[@zedorian6547]

Best I’ve gotten is a little over 1000 a day and then I burned myself out for a while. Right now im probably back to about 300 or a page.

[@ryanand154]

@@zedorian6547 I wrote this and that was the most I said to Gertrude Stein before they moved the goalpost and it was today again.

[@ryanand154]

That’s when you were bitten by something under the stairs; whether it was a spider you told yourself it was a sliver.

[@stringtheorytvofficial]

I see his point, but I think it depends on the author. I’ll have an idea in the middle of the night, and if I don’t write it down immediately, I’ll forget it by morning. I have several notebooks, dedicated to my various works, and seeing my ideas on paper has helped me to flesh out characters, plot lines, story arcs, etc.

[@ArkayneShad0w]

At his output I see his point, but on projects that need more time in the oven or are more complex a notebook can be necessary. You can still get the experience he’s talking about… you’ll know it when you come up with the same note twice and don’t realize it till you go back and look.

[@KN510]

You can easily write it down, tuck it in a folder. It'll either be something you can work with or a writing prompt you can slap a plot twist on. Either way, the idea shouldn't be ignored.

[@theangryMD]

this little pearl is wisdom is great, but i also see the value of immortalizing my ideas because of how addled my mind stays.

[@GelatinSkeleton]

i definitely understand where he’s coming from, but i definitely have to use a notebook to write things down bc i have chronic forgetting disease from like 3 different mental issues. but the main body of the idea - that you want to write the story ideas you come back to over and over again instead of something you jot down once and then forget about - is absolutely solid.

[@Bronte866]

Even the ideas that stick around require a notebook, for me.

[@amandawebster7244]

I adore him. I agree w him on this and on writing everyday for a little bit. Very helpful. But here’s the thing: other people do great things other ways. It’s really ok. Find your process that works for you.

[@braxtonvice322]

I ABSOLUTELY believe what he is saying. I'm sure this could be a personal effect, but I'm not sure if that's been studied, but yea the things that you can come up with if you remember everything is crazy. It's almost your own created reality that you've created that you always have in your brain instead of a book. You can always draw from your brain.

[@Hexspa]

I agree that, of my ideas, the ones that persisted in my mind sometimes turned out best. That said, I practice recording mostly everything.

[@user-ql6pp7rr2y]

When I started writing my second novel and the first one I really felt I could believe in enough to try and get published I read Stephen King's On Writing and learned so much from him that I still write use for writing. This is one of them. I only write when I can't get an idea out of my head.

[@sillywitchwrites]

Art is not something that has set of rules that is equal to all. Methodology differs person to person. I have an extremely chaotic mind and I like to jot down interesting ideas down. Later when I review, I keep or discard them, or store it for later use. It’s very useful for me and sometimes when I am stuck, I go through the box of notes to see if something clicks. 😊

[@sofa_wrld]

I think this observation is very useful to be made aware of, but I think writing things down still helps with processing thoughts.. you just don't want to over do it

[@v0lve3321]

I love how you get the feeling that Brandon has read every novel in existence.

[@Spider-le6bp]

Steven King my number one favorite writer. The latest book I read was Holly that was really good Billy Summers ,excellent. The stand one of my top favorites and the scariest two Salem's lot and pet cemetery

[@Ratstail91]

I lile this approach - I take notes, but I reassess the ideas later.

[@darwinlaluna3677]

Know when u need to stop, specially when you cross ur boundaries, learn to be quiet and accept the need to know basis

[@ihatemickiegee]

funny cuz over the years i’ve turned from “i have to write this down immediately before i forget” to “if i remember this in a week, i’ll write down a nickname for it- if i remember what that code word means in a month, i’ll start writing it.” and it worked- i have a few projects i’ve not gotten off my mind just due to the one little word that i attached to them w/o notes. problem is, i have epilepsy, with nocturnal seizures, so if i remember or think of an idea i do really appeeciate before bed, i literally HAVE TO write it down lmao or it might be completely gone

[@andrewz2854]

The problem with this line of thinking is you basically train your brain to disregard imaginative thinking through the habit of discarding your ideas. Ideas do not need to be wondrous to be worth writing down. They only need to excite you for a moment. They need to feel new. It’s all worth keeping, even if most of them will die in that notebook. Better that they flow through your neurons and onto paper than be gradually banished from your mind.

[@raucousgeorge]

Everyone’s process is unique and personal. It’s good to try out tips from other writers and see if they work for you, but just cos Stephen King doesn’t use a notebook (and has a cute little argument for why) doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.

[@stevee.7419]

A good story evolves from blowing lines whilst at a typewriter. -SK

[@Drugstorecowboy8]

I'm honestly glad to hear this because I use my journal for notes/ideas

[@carneliancaryatid]

Proof positive that even good writers get it wrong on occasion. Do what works for you. If that means scribbling ideas in a notebook, do it. Don't ever think there's only one way to find success.

[@MegaDudon]

The thing is, Stephen King writes like 6 pages a day or so. And not all of his books are great or even good (but there are a lot of good ones, obviously). His books ARE basically his writer's notebook, because he writes so much

[@peachy_lili]

omfg. the man is right, almost nothing I've written down in a several days fit of 'inspiration' ever ended up being anything so I just would cringe finding any of it later

[@Al4___]

I remember that one time he and GRRM had a conversation, they are two very good writers in their own right, but each of them has a different style, I think King writes like 10 pages a day, GRRM can't do that because he likes to take notes and is a very character based writer

[@gosb88]

Fun fact, the room Danny goes into isn't Room 237 in the book. In the book it's room 217

[@Hippiespeedball]

I made a pact about a year ago: whatever I think of, whatever happens, whatever I do, whenever I get an idea I write it down. It’s still absolute garbage, don’t get me wrong, but it sure looks interesting having all these filled up notebooks lying around

[@laurajotzat9582]

People have different ways to work effectively. Stephen's way might be good for some and not others.

[@mightypensword]

My take: write your ideas down. If in a year or two you go back to look at the idea and still like it, it might be good.

[@MioneBeast]

With ADD if I don’t take the note when I have the idea it’s lost forever wether it was good or bad.

[@dpeady78]

I get sentences and fragments I just pop them in my phone and more often than you would think, I go back to them

[@j.m251]

No need to take any writer’s advice as law. It works for them. Not you. That’s good.

[@danrazART]

I think he just wants to cut down the competition for himself by this advice. Remember that he is a ruthless businessman.

[@33shin33]

It's incredible how I just can't seem to agree with anything this guy says.

[@UnfoundFilms]

I disagree just cause a bad idea will be a bad idea whether you write it down or not but theres no harm in writing it down and considering further. Also sometimes your immediate raw thoughts are good to get down there could always be something you lose when you try to recall the idea.

[@wafflesandlifeproblems]

Yes but consider this, Even if you end up not using an idea in your notebook or cutting it because you think it's bad, it still A, serves as proof of all your hard work (which sometimes is the only thing that keeps me writing), and B, can serve as potential insperation in a different story you're writing that may fit the idea better. Additionally, maybe its a really miniscule idea thats important but something that would slip your mind, or its something thats so complicated to explain without the plot build up that you're only able to write it out coherently once (me fr) at that time until you flesh it out better. I would probably *not be writing a book* without my silly little notebook.

[@Wally-pu2hh]

Well not everyone can write a complete novel per year or more than 1 . Usually it takes longer. This guy cranks out not just books but best sellers non stop

[@theradgegadgie6352]

I couldn't function without a notebook. My mind simply isn't good enough to function the way he describes, and I can usually tell a bad idea once I've done a draft of it.

[@michaelbietsch2864]

I keep a private discord server that i write all my ideas - good or bad - in. I find that I have the big idea's that i dont need to write down in my head, but filling in the gaps between them is easier when i have little miscellaneous ideas written down. For example, one time I was really struggling to find a way to connect a characters backstory with their current behavior and idealogy, and I was going through my notes and found something totally unrelated from when the story was at its beginning state that i realized fit perfectly with what I needed. And when i wrote that, I hadnt even conceptualized the character i ended up using it for

[@SimonHuggins]

This may work for him, but it doesn’t mean it is right for everybody. The Muse, when it strikes, does not always do so at the most opportune times or in a way that makes recall easy because sometimes it can be something hard to put into words. Which is half the point of story - expressing something that is hard to define. Coming back to a notebook and re-reading a few weeks later is the way to test if the idea was terrible. Otherwise a terrible idea can hang around in your head as easily as a good idea. So (for me) this is terrible advice. It is advice. It doesn’t make it right for you because it works for him.

[@AdrianIsaacs]

I'm sure all authors have their processes. I've heard some say they will make an outline of how a novel they are writing will pan out, and others will just sit down and write. There isn't one right way to write (sorry for the possible pun).

[@fromawritersperspective]

I don’t think that works when you’re writing a big series. You can’t trust your creativity to just deliver endlessly. Putting in the preparation at some point becomes a necessary evil.

[@AdrianIsaacs]

@@fromawritersperspective I see what you're saying. I write myself, but I doubt I'll ever be as big as King. Sometimes I'll just sit down and write, and others times I'll write down some notes about possible scenarios and just do general brainstorming. But if it's a series (as in multiple books with the same characters), it probably is best to keep some notes just to keep from contradicting yourself.

[@nayelizombie]

I love him

[@susanhill149]

That applies to life in general and it means don’t be impulsive and jump at your first decision. Be patient and see if it’s real or just a fleeting thought.

[@wesleydraves1281]

I’m trying to get into writing and the only time I keep a notebook is so I remember characters names and basic plot points that may be harder to remember

[@alonzomosley7]

It must be convenient notebook /diaries are fantastic ,a whiteboard is a pain in the arse too awkward to write ideas down .

[@loudrimshot]

But there are so many great authors that do not follow his logic on this. It works for him.

[@myrapaulus727]

I don't know what about a brain storm method? There you write down all ideas without evaluating them first. Plus you can know that this idea isn't perfect but by writing it down you get a sense of progress that you're working on finding a good idea + when you write it down you know what ideas you already explored so you won't roam in circles. Anyway you can always cross out ideas that you now find not as interesting, or edit them if you prefer digital means.

[@nickr9620]

Last person I would take advice from. His novella's and short stories are good. However, he cannot finish a novel to save his life. He is vehemently anti plotting, yet admires Ira Levin who is a master plotter.

[@fromawritersperspective]

I think underestimating Stephen King is the last you’d want to do. That doesn’t mean his endings are great or even characterization isn’t predictabke - but he is great at atmosphere and believability

[@carrieb1414]

Opinions vary

[@stevepayne5965]

I hate to disagree with the guy, but rather than a writer's notebook being the best way to immortalise bad ideas (and there are too many famous counterexamples), it's one of the best ways of sifting the really bad ideas from the really good ideas and the ones that you're not yet sure about but may work if you play around with them, or may not. Sorry Steve!

[@webvudu6998]

This is why the end of his books always fall apart, cuz he doesn't remember how he was going to end them, so he just makes some crap up at the end

[@zombie1439]

the advice seems deep down from a universal feeling, for what does he need to note down little things when the bigger picture, the good things, like he says, is always there in his head ?

[@princexl33840]

I believe we should be using voice recorders in today's harried world, some ideas appear to vaporize as soon as they materialize.

[@davedaddy101]

I like it

[@_dnk]

find your process and make it yours

[@oneoflokis]

But Roald Dahl always did, and he was an excellent plotter...

[@andydee1304]

And this is why so many of his stories have disappointing endings. I think a good writer has to come up with the satisfying ending, because it's like a joke. Sometimes you think of the punchline and work backwards from that. Or don't, write whichever way you find works for, I'm not a cop.

[@bleachedout805]

Yeah his endings aren't great but he proves endings don't have to be good for people to read books. For me his short story endings are generally very good.

[@andydee1304]

@@bleachedout805 I suppose it's like a meal. Some people enjoy the entire experience, some people look forward to the dessert the most.

[@kevinburtnick7818]

Every one has a different approach

[@BartimaeusAurelius]

I recently started my first book. While the best I can do right now is to dream of the success of writers such as Stephen King I do not see how nit writing anything down is helpful at all. Of course I'll think of bad ideas but isn't that part of the process? Isn't the point of revising a hundred times and having an editor cutting out bad ideas and refining the good ones?

[@loveleelibra5599]

God your Amazing!! If it wasn’t for you Mr. King! I would’ve NEVER read my first big paper back😆 and I never would’ve even thought about writing. I’ve been wanting to write a book since high school. A journey of years of patience it has been to me, feeling like I gave up on it, but one day going back to it🤷🏻‍♀️🤔⏳ I wanted to publish an astrology book in high school. but I don’t really know how. So I finally got it published in 2021. On Wattpad, Suns signs and beyond!! TY! TY! And Merry Christmas!!

[@GreekMarble133]

I am also planning to publish mine in wattpad. It will take years though.

[@peka__]

I disagree with him, but it's a nice metaphor for many things. Anybody knows which interview this is from?

[@Spider-le6bp]

P.S. My favorite short story has to be the jaunt

[@colemacgrath2005]

that´s actually exactly what i do lol

[@fromawritersperspective]

Well, Cole, if it works for you that's great. Stephen King, while a prolific writer, isn't one to exclusively deliver incredible stories. But the sentiment that better ideas stick around for a bit longer seems solid, wouldn't you agree?

[@colemacgrath2005]

@@fromawritersperspective nah what i mean is that i do exactly what he says

[@jodiemcjodie1974]

@@fromawritersperspective See, I completely disagree. I have a million thoughts running through my head a day and sometimes I'll think of a beautiful story, or plot, and long to write it down in a journal that I don't have. Later that day I'll try to think of what it was but I'll find myself loosing time trying to think of a thought that is lost away in the millions. Nothing wrong with journaling and writing your thoughts down as they come. Obviously it didn't really work for Stephen king, and now he is pushing that out as if it's a bad idea. Find what works for you, just because it doesn't for one of the "greats" doesn't mean it isn't efficient.

[@aaribqureshi1625]

​@@jodiemcjodie1974 i agree with you. Everyone has their own way to approach writing and a single approach can't work for everyone. Stephen king is a great writer, but he is unaware of this fact that everyone has their own way to handle their thoughts and one way won't work for everyone.

[@hersheywalker6447]

@@fromawritersperspective you realize he hated the Shining movie? What’s interesting is he supported the director changing the end to the Mist😎

[@EllissDee4you4me]

Spoken like someone who doesn’t have ADD.

[@fromawritersperspective]

Ironically, I do have ADHD

[@stuartday1330]

I think that this might work for him but others like John Steinbeck and Mark Twain kept notebooks with ideas and they are better writers than him, in my opinion. So it just depends on who you are.

[@georgeshelton6281]

Put it into practice about what your hood ideas are. So that way you won't forget. It's always what's completely the battle.

[@JGalegria]

I think the assumption here is that you need a good idea in order to write well, but I don't think that's the case... You could have great ideas and terrible writing or poor ideas eloquently expressed and made intriguing enough through the style of delivery... As you might guess I'm process driven. 🤔😊🖌️🎨

[@Wally-pu2hh]

Like remembering dreams Car falling off the highway into a rift Throwing berries at someone you knew because you have to tell them something They were grapes Before I lay down sweep away these mawberries Did anyone else fall through this rift or just me ? It ended up taking me back to the morning before anyways . My alarm went off so I just woke up .

[@whawkins8636]

My notebook is invaluable

[@danrazART]

Respect for his success but... Do not take his advice. Remove his name from his books and then judge the book. ... So you Just keep writing and sharing with your true friends. Once you feel like it's complete, share it with the world. If your writing is in sync with the flow of the world psyche, you will get famous. Then you will find that once you are famous, you will have a brand name. Your writing style will have a flavour. There will be people who want to enjoy the flavour of your writing. King's success is being a poster boy. Marketing, branding and writing and writing. Just write.

[@killing.emojis]

I agree with Stephen King. For years, it was about writing things down in notebooks, but in the end, it became a terrible waste of time because I am a very indecisive person. The written things in a notebook took on a kind of sacred character, and I spent too much time trying to decide whether they were worth it or not. Since then, I have only focused on writing narrative fiction for three hours a day, and that's it. What stays, stays, and what doesn't, doesn't.

[@ACK333]

You can do the tests of chemicals and know what is the date of writing of that pen ink ba. That specific.

[@user-zy5qt9qx5h]

The ultimate man the ultimate person

[@bizarreisthenewblack]

nothing wrong with immortilising bad ideas, you need to get over being scared to make bad things if you ever want to make something good

[@mistahjaybevins7619]

Best author of ever

[@Alacard0malley]

We need to stop thinking Stephen King has all the answers not keeping a notebook might work for him but assuming this is a one size fits all thing is just dogma. There is no dogma in writing. Write what you want to write how you want to write it. Fack the publishers we live in a new age.

[@marcinpiotrowski1869]

Uwielbiam Stephiena 💖👍

[@mnemonics724]

I don't know if everything he wrote down was a good idea as he wrote for pulp fiction, known for having less quality stories, which he mentions in his book on writing but everybody has to start from somewhere and mistakes are the foundations of what you find out is shit then you can get to the good stuff or learn how to avoid shit. I think at the time of his saying this he wrote enough to know what seems like a shit idea or at least he would know how to make gold out of shit and that's respectable.

[@Dragoneer]

He’s absolutely right. Nobody should imagine that good stories are thought on the spot. They are a compound of smaller ideas that sound good which are rolled up into a dough and spread out to yield a story…

[@Imaanyi]

Well, he was asked for his opinion and that's it. Nobody has to take his advice if it doesn't work for them. He's surely not one of the most famous authors of our time without a reason.

[@anthonygaetani9787]

Wow