How good is Stephen King as a writer?

[Randy M.]

You'll recognize it when you get there ...

Randy M.

 

[AE35Unit]

You'll recognize it when you get there ...

Randy M.

I'm just at the part where they're all meeting up as Grownups, each one having an episode where they meet something terrifying to them. Bill just bought Silver again...

 

[LeonDaydreamer]

If you read his book On Writing, one of the key points he makes is 'write what you know' - he's a writer, he knows being a writer, so a tremendous amount of his characters are writers. I think that definitely gets played out in his books, a lot of his characters are really him in different situations, even if they are more disturbed or more prone to taking risks.

I personally like his less creepy, more real-life writing more - like The Body (the short story Stand By Me is based on), Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, and Hearts in Atlantis were all great in my opinion.

 

[AE35Unit]

I personally like his less creepy, more real-life writing more - like The Body (the short story Stand By Me is based on), Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, and Hearts in Atlantis were all great in my opinion.

It's that aspect that I enjoyed most about IT. Bunch of kids hanging out, trying to make sense of the world around them and playing, enjoying life. We lose so much of that when we grow up.

 

[Danny Creasy]

If you read his book On Writing, one of the key points he makes is 'write what you know' - he's a writer, he knows being a writer, so a tremendous amount of his characters are writers. I think that definitely gets played out in his books, a lot of his characters are really him in different situations, even if they are more disturbed or more prone to taking risks.

I personally like his less creepy, more real-life writing more - like The Body (the short story Stand By Me is based on), Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, and Hearts in Atlantis were all great in my opinion.

Well said. Of the horror books, I do like The Stand.

King believes in his stories, perhaps literally. Once I read an interviewer's article in which King described an exchange between he and the director of the first film version of The Shining. If I recall correctly, Kubrick called King in the middle of the night and asked him if he believes in God. It left him concerned about Kubrick's vision of the film. In my view Kubrick's motion picture tells of a man losing his sanity. The later mini-series flat-out portrayed a demonic presence at the massive hotel. Begs the question, which is scarier?

 

[Shorewalker]

When on form, King is one of the greatest living authors. Consistancy is his problem in latter years, but when he's got his mojo, I can only marvel at his ability to weave a tale.

 

[BigBadBob141]

Yes, I agree 100%, he's not always on form.
But when he is, by golly he can't half tell a tale.
I am reading his latest "Sleeping Beauties".
This is a collaboration between him & his son Owen.
All I can say he's back!!!

 

[thatollie]

Yes, I agree 100%, he's not always on form.
But when he is, by golly he can't half tell a tale.
I am reading his latest "Sleeping Beauties".
This is a collaboration between him & his son Owen.
All I can say he's back!!!

I liked it, but it does go on for a bit too long. It kinda reminds me of Under The Dome.

 

[Matteo]

About five years late, but I've just got around to reading Doctor Sleep. A return to form. A nice example of his ability to tell a story and keep you hooked. Not perfect (there were a couple of inconsistencies in the story I thought) but less "filler" and a tighter story than many recent efforts - maybe his editor was a bit more ruthless?

The link to The Shining was unnecessary in my opinion - it would still have worked without this.

Disappointing that he felt the need to have a pop at Kubrick's film in the afterword (saying that some people consider it to be the scariest film they've seen - but he has no idea why). Come on Stephen; it's been 38 years...time to let it go!

Hoping that Finders Keepers and End of Watch are as good as Mr Mercedes and his collaboration with his son (Sleeping Beauty) equally so, but have a number of other stuff on my to-be-read pile first.

 

[Cathbad]

*Must get a copy of Sleeping Beauty*

 

[Judderman]

Disappointing that he felt the need to have a pop at Kubrick's film in the afterword (saying that some people consider it to be the scariest film they've seen - but he has no idea why). Come on Stephen; it's been 38 years...time to let it go!

It sounds a bit like his notes written before the final chapter of The Dark Tower. Saying people shouldn't need to have the story closed and just take the previous chapter as his preferred end. His ego means he has to publish his opinions to try to sway the masses to agree.

 

[BigBadBob141]

REF: Matteo.
I agree 200%, "The Monkey" is a truly outstanding piece of work, it deserves to be made into a film if handled right.
But then this could be said for a fair few of his shorter works!
There is a story of his ( title escapes me ), in which the narrating character is hounded and mocked by a small ugly boy over the years, who never grows old, now this would make an excellent film, along with "The Word-Processor Of The Gods" or "Chattery Teeth" to name but a few!

 

[Matteo]

Sounds like Bad Little Kid.

 

[BigBadBob141]

Sounds about right, thanks!!!

 

[Grendel]

Stephen King is an awesome storyteller. It can be strongly argued that his books could use serious trimming for full effect...and many of his endings don't have that punch I'd like to see as a fan and fellow author. But is a serious talent without a doubt, like all writers, we have our weaknesses. His strengths propel him ahead of most despite his Achilles Heels.

 

[BAYLOR]

He has written alot of extremely good books and stories , some of which been adapted for film , television and graphic novels . There is no doubt that he is now one of the most popular writers on the planet. But, popularity alone isn't any kind of measure of anything other then the fact that alot of people, myself included, like to read him . Popularity alone is not a measure of greatness in any endeavor . It's also fleeting , A writer , any writer , who is popular one day can become forgotten the next , because public tastes do change over time and many writers even popular ones , become forgotten not only in their own time, but afterwards as well. But then again, one never knows for sure . it's possible that long after we're all gone and forgotten, Stephen King might just end up in the pantheon of literary greats .

 

[Judderman]

Popularity at least shows he has the talent to write stories that people want to read. There are many more facets to writing. But that is still a big one in what makes a writer great.

 

[Arkenstone]

Popularity at least shows he has the talent to write stories that people want to read. There are many more facets to writing. But that is still a big one in what makes a writer great.

I have to read more Stephen King to really analayze and dissect the "Imperfections". Personally, I agree with your point. There was a time where I was an aspiring screenwriter, and you learn how appealing his work is, because of how many film adaptations there are.

The ability to write books that attract people from all different walks of life, and gain commercial success, is an amazing writing ability on it's own.

Still, it is interesting to see how people who have read most of his work feel about loose-ends, weak characters or incomplete stories. That's for us writers and avid readers to have fun discussing, but every once in a while, the reality of making writing a career is where the important qualities come in.

 

[Finch]

King gets the thumbs up from the book buying public. He is unbelievably prolific . His personal appearances can be entertaining . Personally I find his books tedious and to date, have never managed to finish one.

 

[Karn's Return]

I have to say to this that while Stephen King has a pretty good imagination and he's one of the top selling authors of all time, I really have to question his technical skill from time to time. Certain interjections he's put into some of his stories, like some entries in Skeleton Crew, just jar me as a reader a bit and kind of snaps me out of the suspension of disbelief. For one, I'm of the firm mind that parentheses have very little to no place in fiction writing, and the more speculative the fiction goes, like what King is famous for, the less room there is for them. Also, certain interjections I felt just made no real sense, despite seeing what he was trying to show through them as a sort of slow descent into madness. (Oz the Gweat and Tewwible.)