Stephen King: Read, read, read.

Something I learnt today. This was to be right at the bottom in the Corporation of One Meeting I have with myself. But it got so long that I decided to put it up as a post; I have realized my posts are long, too long – will try and cut down.

Anyway, one of my favourite authors is Stephen King; I found out some interesting things about him – that he had an addictive personality – here’s the article: Stephen King: The Craft of Writing Horror Stories.

I shouldn’t feel good but I do; you see, it’s good to know that even the greatest people are flawed and have their own demons. I can get addicted to things, everyone has a ‘thing’. For me the phase usually doesn’t last to be detrimental but when I’m in that phase, I could be accused of being a little OCD.

I grew up reading Stephen and John Saul to name a few and tried writing horror once; it freaked me out so much I couldn’t sleep and couldn’t wash my face with my eyes closed. That was the end of that.

If you’re a fan of Stephen King, read the article, it made me laugh – Stephen King is a funny man and I didn’t know that until now – what a wonderful discovery – especially when he talked about his conversation with God about his injury.

READ, READ, READ – that’s his advice and reading crap books can teach you too he says in the article. He used The Grapes of Wrath as an example of a brilliant book. I love that book. Bad books he included Flowers in the Attic and The Bridges of Madison County – I didn’t think they were that bad but I was quite young when I read them. If reading bad books is good for you, what does that say about people who read the slushpile every day? They should be experts of how to write? Can I volunteer to read slushpiles, I wonder.

There’s an excerpt from his book ‘On Writing’ where Stephen King gives you ideas on where to read. I’m with you SK, on the ‘john’ with my book. Not with you literally of course. Seriously, I want to know if you’re that one writer who has never read on the toilet, ‘john’ sounds better, no actually it doesn’t – if nothing else, that must be pre-requisite to becoming a writer, right?

Here he talks about reading at meals. I don’t do that except when I was at a writer’s retreat to purposely write. I’ve added the quote below because it’s not just reading at meals, I think it’s true when it comes to writing as well. No one ever had to excuse themselves for going to the office to work; why should we? Part of our job is to read.

Reading at meals is considered rude in polite society, but if you expect to succeed as a writer, rudeness should be the second-to-least of your concerns. The least of all should be polite society and what it expects. If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered, anyway.

We are journeying into another place where to pursue this dream called writing, we have to decide what is the truth for us, in our work, in our lives and in what we write. To live and let live. I want truth in my writing and I hope you want it too and sometimes the truth is not pretty. Another favourite writer of mine is John Fowles and sometimes reading his books, I’m surprised by the truth he writes but I like it. Do you read enough and are you as committed?

Going back to SK’s addictions – I think every writer has a quirk, an OCD on something even if it’s as harmless as a love for stationery – a deep love for stationery – I have that but it’s in control. It’s just being human. What’s yours? Am I the only one who seem perverse to want to know?

[pic taken from here]

“A good plan is like a road map; it shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there.” H. Stanley Judd – Author

CURRENT STATUS: Reminder, Motivator and Daily Review Meeting (Read on if you want to join me in my Corporation of One meeting)

What l learnt today:

• Blogging can be addictive. Playing around with the website can be addictive. I’ve given myself 2 days including the weekend – without writing on the novel – to design my website because I just going to get consumed I know it.
• What makes a good agent, a bad agent and what the job of an editor involves. Jofie Ferrari-Alder tells us in Necessary Agent (via PubRants) I didn’t realize. I’d like a good agent please. Thanks.
• The story made me laugh. A Story the Editor Will Never Know by Agent Kristin about a good agent and the crappy second book. It’s like a disease and it seems everyone gets it.

What I have done today:

• Changed my blog theme to go with my soon-to-be website and tweaking it.
• Added a new header. Brothers helped to choose out of 2 options.
• Working on the website.
• Tweaking the blog.
• Just registered with Poets & Writers; another profile to complete.
• Found out what a published author’s Facebook page looks like eg Shilpi Somaya Gowda‘s.

WORD COUNT: Night Walker 121,500 in total; Wednesday 30 June 500 words. Taking time out to design the website and tweak the blog.