Stephen King talks about his writing process during an interview with the Bangor Daily News.

[@Outrider74]

He's absolutely right: your story often gets a life of its own.

[@sociallyineptspider-man2366]

Especially when you make it up as it goes along👈😆, oh god I'm a terrible writer

[@TimMcGames]

I’ve had people ask me how I can’t know where the story is going if I’m writing the story? I always laugh a bit when I hear this because I know they haven’t written much fiction.

[@yessir.7937]

Varies vastly from writer to writer. Plenty of writers who outline their stories before they start.

[@dontaylor7315]

@@TimMcGames The characters tell you where they're going and you can't be sure until they're ready to tell you. Songwriting works that way for me. Stephen King said writing a novel is a form of excavation: When he starts the book he's at the beginning of the dig and doesn't know what's going to come out of the ground before he's through.

[@dontaylor7315]

@@yessir.7937 He's just talking about how it works for him. He acknowledged in the video that good work has been done by writers who work from an outline, only saying that it doesn't work for him. And he should know. When I start writing a song I have to start with a single line or at most a verse and then gradually find out if I'm starting at the beginning or if something had to have happened before that point in the song, and I never know what the end will be till I'm there or nearly there.

[@YouGuessIGuess]

My biggest problem as a writer is that I focus too much on the end product and don't let myself enjoy the discovery of the story as I'm writing it. I really love the way he talks about his process here.

[@westerling8436]

While agathie Christie planned her books meticulously

[@ShawnGreyling]

I should be writing; instead I'm watching this...

[@owenwalker1774]

Great interviews can be considered research. It's not like you are playing Candy Crush. ;)

[@black76561]

Shawn Greyling me right now lol

[@doyouseriouslywanttowatcht8768]

Shawn Greyling same

[@TonyPizzaPie]

Same here =/

[@joshuataylor6087]

Me too. Better than another parrot watching binge I guess.

[@dominicm255]

I really like Stephen King, as a person. Not overly serious. And its nice to hear writers say they enjoy the process, rather than how excruciating it can be, which I'm sure it is.

[@FrkBerwald]

+Dominic M It is the best damn thing in the world!

[@thompsonlives5649]

Dominic M Writing a novel is like a bout with some terrible illness

[@awarenessvillage]

Dominic M It’s all the good and all the bad all rolled into one.

[@TsukiNaito1]

For me it's an assured escape.

[@TheChriswood1]

@@thompsonlives5649 George Orwell

[@jadebethj4807]

I've watched so many of these interviews with Stephen King, and some of them several times over, because I just love to hear him talking about the writing process and where it takes him and how it moves him,etc. It just inspires me with my own writing.

[@manniewray6263]

I should be writing too; instead of watching this...

[@iva_pesheva]

During puberty, I survived thanks to your books, Mr. King. I read "It" three times. And each time it was different and deeper. There is a dark side. In your books, I have seen that, although gloomy and nightmarish, these places can be very useful. As I said, I survived with your books. Thanks!

[@karishort7561]

I'm more surprised than anyone when I go back and read what I've written 😆 it's like an out of body experience ❤

[@smellychocha4062]

I have the same feeling, I’m always surprised at what I’ve written. Thanks for posting your comment and the reinforcement.

[@floogelhornzzz4770]

Because it's surprisingly good as though a professional wrote it, or because it's horrid and "Why did I ever think I could write?"

[@bethelshiloh]

I just read my book after setting it down a year. It was captivating. I cried all through it. I used those exact words to describe. Out of body experience.

[@The-Portland-Daily-Blink]

He's such a great guy. I learned so much when I read his great book, On Writing. Great guy, great writer...

[@jaysonp9426]

I'm really glad he found what works for him but it's not a good idea to emulate his style. He's a very unique and special writer.

[@jpsalvasmusic]

I could listen to him talk for hours

[@hollycortez4943]

Same.

[@this_mfr]

I absolutely love the idea of writing like this. I'm just getting into writing short stories myself and I always thought that good novel writers sat down and wrote out an entire plot outline, start to finish, like an essay. I thought they developed characters first, the whole storyline, with the end already in mind, and then just filled in the details. That idea never, ever appealed to me, because it puts you in a box to stick with the outline. But once I discovered that many novelists and short-story writers just start with an idea - a subject - and then just let it flow out and see where it leads, I was immediately drawn to it. It's like the story is already inside of you, a part of you, and as Mr. King just put it, you are just the secretary taking down the information. Once it's finished, it's dead skin. It's a part of you that has shed itself out of your being, out of your mind. That's an awesome way of looking at writing stories!

[@awarenessvillage]

It's Me Some writers plan, some don't. Some are smack in the middle. Writers are individuals in every way. Go for it and have a great time!

[@TsukiNaito1]

In classes I've taken they've taught outlining. I'd have half the story written in the outline by the time I was done. Outlines help keep me on track, but getting too concerned about it has kind of killed me. I used to, and am trying to again, think of myself as a vessel for the characters. They are living things, I am the medium their story comes through. ... It's why I get really mad at bad fanfic writers who pair characters with characters they wouldn't be with, or make them do things they wouldn't do just because it gets their motor running. As a writer, you serve the CHARACTERS, the characters do not serve you.

[@mikeitkulof]

* fanfic-maker you are welcome

[@deborahstruve2901]

Pet Semetary is one of the scariest damned things I've ever read, getting ready to read it again for probably the 30th time.

[@scottboatright3880]

Get ready for nightmares galore!

[@TheGamingCathedral]

I always found that book to be more depressing than outright scary. "It" however... Holy crap.

[@mikeitkulof]

Especially if as follow-up after 1,5 movie adaptation. First the old one, next the new one - and then you shovel into pit of IT with original book, when everything starts to make sense. May worth a try.

[@UncannyValleyVideos]

Pet Sematary was almost my favorite King book until I read It for the second time back in 2014. Pet Sematary's ending is spectacular and chilling in its simplicity.

[@michelleottley3299]

I like the dark tower Misery The Bachman books Rage Steve kings awesome

[@taylorahern2714]

My hero!! One of the Greatest and most Compelling American writers of the past four decades. His writing skills are amazing, sharp and riveting, and few writers who've established themselves and blossomed since the early 19th century could ever lay claim to possessing such a vast, intricate, brilliant and spellbinding imagination as Mr. King does, seemingly inexhaustible, prodigious and awesome as it is. Legendary! Stephen King is supernatural (in the best way possible)!

[@jamiearnold4783]

You should check out some of Clive Barker's work; the books of blood series is amazing.

[@carlostoloza5666]

Four Decades? ALL TIME dude

[@harrisonsmith7937]

He really is the best!☺

[@gutenbird]

Genius is as genius does.

[@septictankpumpinggreasetra6403]

Stephen King is one weird but very creative dude. He loves Maine as many people and writers do. I guess it's the privacy they seek which helps their creativity come to the surface...interesting interview...

[@cherylkelloggherman1303]

I know this will sound weird to some people and to some they will sadly know where I'm coming from. Stephen King saved my sanity as a teenager. When i read his books i could leave my horrible home life for a few chapters at a time. If I'm honest more than a few chapters at a time. But i digress. When people talk about his drug/alcohol abuse. He's human. Shit happens. Mr. King is the one who told us He had a problem. He's overcome His addictions and is a better man for it. Also from what i see and hear His kids are well adjusted human beings. Be like Stephen King!

[@wadeclark793]

Stephen King has got to be one of the coolest cats on the planet❗One of the greatest writers ever❗❗❗

[@RahulPa479]

There's a lot of mysticism in this thoughts.

[@bernhardkrickl3567]

I loved Stephen King's books for a while but nowadays, among others, I much prefer John Irving. I very much like his approach of finding the last sentence first which he explained thusly: He wants to take the reader on an emotional journey and he needs to make sure it's worth it. So he needs to know first where the journey will end. Then he develops the whole story to culminate in this sentence. I find that amazing. That way the sentence is really loaded with emotion once you get to it because Irving always describes the whole life of the protagonist up to that point and all the important twists and turns and the relationships, what was gained and what was lost along the way. It is just awesome.

[@hpfan771]

Thank you Stephen King for your contribution to the horror genre!

[@legobrickology9167]

To novel writing* Not just horror, he has done some of the best non-horror works.

[@melissainfj6573]

So accurate the way he talks about the journey of creating the story being far more fun than the ending or having the finished product. I totally understand! I'm the same. Its like a ball game-- the experience of the build ups, the down moments, the uncertainty-- that's the best part!

[@gabrielvazquez5491]

This reminds me of one of his lines from It. I don’t have the exact quote with me, but there’s one part where this character is telling a really long story about something that happened to him, and the character that is listening to him says, Sometimes it’s not about the story, but about the voice of the person telling the story. I definitely feel this with King. His endings are sometimes weak and he says it here that it’s not about the finished product but about the journey. I just love King’s writing voice.

[@Babylon2060]

The way a story transforms during the writing process is like an alchemy of sorts. It's absolutely magical when things flow into a life of their own and everything in the story just falls into place.

[@lauralai9694]

The comparison with the fire camp is great! I love it.

[@kandirussell5024]

I like the "little red thread" analogy.

[@rockabillylaker]

I'm an illustrator and I can find inspiration from this. I should be drawing. Anyone involved in the arts can be inspired from this video.

[@danielavelez4943]

rockabillylaker I'm an illustrator too!! I know what you mean, this process can be applied to drawing as well.

[@barbarabrennan1753]

Illustrate books? How started?

[@donwinslow6967]

Great advice from one of the best! Thanks for the upload.

[@jadebethj4807]

I just bought the Thomas WIlliams book! Cant' wait for it to come!

[@GibbsTruth]

I have to write more

[@lagggoat7170]

same

[@Ivosferatus]

Same.

[@rajamohammed8683]

Stephen King is one of the authors whom i always think about fondly for they hold a solid place on a person like me. It is important for a writer at the verge of creating stories to look upon authors who have real enthusiasm for stories, who are lover of stories. It is great listening Stephen King talk about stories and process of creating them. It is as interesting as his books. I learned many things from bestselling authors and Stephen King is one of them

[@gavingraham5647]

I love that man. A constant voice in my life

[@doggiesarus]

That last bit about being a secretary is so right.

[@adamant5550]

It's interesting how King describes his process with the red string in the hole in the floor. It reminds me a lot of how David Lynch describes his process which is that he is in one room and in the other room the painting/film/composition is complete and he continues to get little pieces of the puzzle during the process.

[@mattcarlson8262]

I think he looks great. Interesting chat on book writing.

[@emilybonar1005]

I love your work ethic and how I've heard you write 2,000 words a day and how you are probably okay with all mankind doing this too. I pray for you a great eternity.

[@DahliaLegacy]

To me when I write, it's like I'm being sucked into their world hoping to do it justice. My best analogy is that writing is like taking a blank canvas after seeing another universe, hoping to do that universe justice with the small amount of tools that you have. If done right, the painting after can draw more people into it.

[@55mmartin]

Love that image of the bonfire. That's what is happening as my co-writer and I work on our novel. Someone appears and we are just shocked and startled. It's really the most fun when that happens.

[@TheAngelOfDeath01]

I love the campfire analogy.

[@ozwald8]

I love his awesome jet black Velcro shoes.

[@bigchaloupa3657]

Ozwald Zissou De-e-ecent!

[@ajconstantine3593]

You’d think ol’ Stevie’d be aware by now that he’s dropped that Irving anecdote into almost every interview & speaking engagement since ‘82. 🥱

[@Daphxx]

Stephen king you have inspired me to become a bookrighter when I'm the age you are the best person I've heard of your a special person and remember that

[@donarnold8268]

Thank you!

[@TsukiNaito1]

This is exactly how I always felt about writing, but since college I think I'm stuck thinking too much and I can't get any thing to flow. I honestly hoped King would have a process that gets him going! I'm trying to relearn how to tell MYSELF a story. Anybody still floating around this video do an MFA? Like I said, I'm stuck thinking too much and I'm worried a grad degree in writing would just worsen the problem.

[@TrustATinOwl]

Bangor Daily News' camera crew needs to work on camera angles.

[@MewCat100]

The fact that King doesn't plan his books is, at least to me, very obvious in his endings. Every book of his that I have read is absolutely brilliant until the end, which falls apart and often makes little sense in the context of the rest of the story. His work is great, but he would benefit from some planning. Every ending has left me saying "Is that it?"

[@MorbidGuardian]

I often feel that way, too. I think maybe he'd be able to counteract this a little better if he scaled back his output, a bit. Even as he's gotten older he still publishes a crazy amount of books. Maybe if he took more time to re-write and re-think things, instead of moving onto the next project, he'd be able to keep writing without a plan while also crafting endings that satisfy the story.

[@dogmahnn3652]

I agree but also have to suggest that maybe the guy has his own style. He likes to flow right up until his own custom conclusion

[@clydemustang2395]

I thought 11.22.63 was pretty good as far as endings go

[@qwerty8382]

His short stories are blooming terrible for this

[@Fidi987]

Agreed, one exception however is "The dark tower"-series.

[@ClifHaley]

How cool is it to be able to say "I have a friend...his name is John Irving."? I can't imagine hanging out with King and Irving for a dinner. That would blow my mind.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

If you ever meet anyone famous, don't EVER act like a big fan. It's why they come into back doors and leave on overhead catwalks and such. You say, I like your work or nothing if you don't. Then talk about the weather and such.

[@anthonyt219]

They have the hot sex in a tub of cocaine!!!

[@edemont333]

I wonder if this is why alot of the endings to his books seem to be sub par. It might benefit him to pay a little more attention to how the story finishes. I'm not bad mouthing him, just curious if there's a correlation.

[@indiag89]

I’ve read a lot of his books, some of the endings I love, some were “‘meh” and that could possibly why.

[@Sam-81_98]

To me it feels like every word which comes out of his mouth has a tale to tell

[@cyberexile3507]

of course ure the most successful authors ever when u love what u do so much it puts a smile on ur face talking about it however many years later. wish i had a job i liked this much lol

[@rachelwood9438]

I love this man ♥️

[@doyouseriouslywanttowatcht8768]

Sthephen king you are my favorite author and I'm only 9 and teachers say I should not read your books and is it true that you got writers block why writing it I loved the remake of the old one I've seen the old one about 4 times and the 2017 one 2 times love your books

[@NFtheend]

1408 - good movie.

[@CW-dl2dd]

Ethan A Wish there was a sequel

[@attackonlui1367]

Anton Chigurh it's just an evil fucking room though

[@leob4403]

AttackOnLui great ideas are often simple

[@mark13news]

See also: threeworldages.com

[@carolking6355]

Wow! To be so brilliant and so Nice !

[@marka.arcenas5211]

When I wrote my first novel I had the summary planned out even the ending but when I started writing the story ended up diffirent than what I have naturally planned it turned out better. For me as a new beginning novelist I have a hungry to write it inside of me all the stories wanting to come out.

[@DeadlyDan]

I've never wrote a novel but I've always had a knack for writing and creativity, I always feel the desire to put my thoughts on to paper but worried it would be incoherent. How do you maintain consistency whilst working like this?

[@marka.arcenas5211]

@@DeadlyDan I agree with Mister King if a story keeps bothering you and wont leave you alone its aching to be put on paper. My first books weren't perfect. But I learned more by writing and reading alot. My advise is find your voice. You sound like you know alot. That's very good. I once wrote a books called 365 inspirational thoughts where I created my own philosophical and psychological proverbs. What ever you've got to say just write it down being a writer or author is like having super powers once it's out you'll love it. My advise is write what you can I usually write 3 or 4 pages a day. It just depends on where my story takes me. You can do it. You have to believe in yourself. Plus on top of that I'm bipolar and an introvert I have lots of stories and ideas to tell. But any one can become a writer. What I also do is I take notes but I usually remember them.

[@mikedonovan8811]

Everybody else on KZbin seems to be saying that one should have an outline, and stick to that, and not go off on tangents with one's writing. Maybe, one day, if Stephen King follows their advice, he might be able to catch a break.

[@monsterjazzlicks]

It's exactly the same as composing, I find.

[@jamesfadian173]

Am writing my first book and i when t to do this for the r of my life but am not a very good at spelling . But i use the voice thing on my phone.. is there anything w with that.... ?

[@user-tc3dr2mg8r]

I really like Stephen King! It's always great to hear how he approaches his writing. So much for the outline we get drill on making before we write! I'll just keep pulling that threat!

[@mattheww797]

It's bad advice.

[@cindycoseycossey4115]

I'm going to write horror books. I'm 14. BTW Stephen king is awesome!!!!

[@brokenstring21]

Where is he in this interview???

[@davidsharounoff8521]

so cool, such a cool guy. excellent writer.

[@murraywestenskow2896]

King is one fascinating person. I'd like to experience just once - to be one of his characters in his novella mind - observing him from inside his brain - tucked quietly in a corner waiting for my turn to be called - when suddenly I'm sprung into action - playing out the fantastic things he have he do. Please let it be a romantic sequence of pages. (we all aspire - but fall short)

[@stews9]

Process, not goal. Precisely. Follow the people and write down what they do, say, and experience.

[@saxonlord2717]

Comes across as nice man which is quite ironic when you look at the nature of his writing.

[@tootaboo3243]

Can we zoom in a little closer on his face?

[@conniesherwood9387]

This is exactly my process. :)

[@gonootropics2.065]

The power is actually in the Velcro shoes and the Kirkland brand socks

[@RelaxxationStation]

i like him so damn much!

[@PorthunaxGaming]

He explains his writing process as I do! Just go with the flow of the story! When I kill off a character, I sit in my chair and freak out to myself, wondering why the hell so and so just died!

[@lagggoat7170]

I wrote like that for sooo long but then I actively wanted to improve myself and started to outline- it kills all the fun. Now I´m struggling to get back to free flowing without my perfectionism paralysing me.

[@mikeitkulof]

struggling... perfection... paralyzing... blah-blah-blah... Do a favor - do not outline yourself. Defining your artistry is a way to fix it in place and cut off all the fun, whatever method you try. And to force your stream - teach yourself not to regret BEFORE you do your first try on some idea. You'll have all the time on Earth to regret after, so be careless. You can trash it anyway, if it deserves. But now you shall write blindly, white-on-white in MS Word, or by hand on a small A5 papers, or do other trick you, as writer, can figure out on your own. Improving yourself is never a target, it's a result of the same work, day after day. So you'd better start it.

[@ogelsmogel]

It's more fun to write this way, at least for me. I love to let characters lead me astray and show me stuff I haven't even thought about when starting the story!

[@MrParkerman6]

I Am writing! I'm writing this!

[@escapevelocity8092]

The most natural artist's always have other drives than profit making...

[@Pearlflower1]

Sometime I write and word just come out like I got no control of it !

[@johnmaki3046]

IF your WANT TO KNOW QUALITY WRITING, THIS IS THE MAN!!!

[@fallenhuman2081]

love it.

[@stevencochran5301]

We edit our own material, this Uncle and I.

[@benhull4309]

My idol

[@cosmicalsounds]

Planning them is better imo. It brings more personality to the story.

[@irishgavin6687]

I really agree with what he said about eating desert before the meal

[@gh5972]

This helps

[@XOXO-mb2vh]

I get it. That's why I don't even start.

[@MontyQueues]

RL stein does outlines because he divides creativity and work horse separately

[@jahpunk7092]

desert before dinner.....as John Lennon sang --whatever gets you through the night. Whose to say that the way things are done in society is the right way

[@at1withev1]

awesome

[@michaelj.dinardo2713]

Thank-You Stephen.....

[@GG-ou2tz]

He just loves to read and write period

[@mysteryofmystery3521]

This is the most important thing I have learned. When I tried to control what happens, I get writers block; and when I don't know what is next it works.

[@zinger7307]

white socks and black shoes, LOL

[@venusluna8905]

Zinger sit and be more humble

[@Babylon2060]

The one challenge I face in my writing is getting through the mundane parts of the story.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Curious: why is his shirt at least a size too big...?

[@The_Year_Of_1389]

That mouth sound tho 2:34 haha

[@aurematic]

That's why the ending on his books are soft or just bad endings. If you don't plot you won't know how to finish the book. Josh Grisham says «don't start a book until you know how it's going to end». The ending is extremely important. It sums up the whole book. A satisfactory ending wraps up a great story.

[@albertodiprima3499]

wow

[@hoeMmaa]

free your mind and feel what is never the less

[@hoeMmaa]

layo bombing

[@curtiselam]

eating dessert, before a good meal.. that’s bloody brilliant. hahaha

[@keysersoze8840]

2:35 SURPRIIIIIISEEEEEEE!!!!

[@Langkowski]

“I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.”

[@davidc.2878]

Which novel is he talking about??? Where’s the damn introduction?

[@Black-lu4lv]

What is the scariest thing in the world Answer: His brain

[@anthonyt219]

"Where's the cocaine?!" - Stephen King, one of the greatest writers of our time