But in re-reading Nightmares and Dreamscapes recently, I was struck by something King himself said about the issue. He addressed the criticisms that he's too wordy with the question: Would it be better if he'd succumbed to the "literary anorexia" of today?
He makes a good point. Read any literary masterpiece and you'll find it very wordy. Sentences aren't brief. The author doesn't jump into the action. Most of us, if truly pressed, would admit when we were forced to read these books in school, we found them way too slow to be enjoyable. So when we read "for fun," we read books like Superfudge (192 pages).
From a young age, we were taught the "rules" of writing. ALWAYS write in complete sentences. Never begin a sentence with a conjunction. Never end a sentence with a preposition. All the while we're reading commercial fiction, wondering why these authors don't follow the rules. I certainly noticed it. I also noticed commercial fiction was much more enjoyable to read than books that "followed the rules."
Our books have changed to match today's readership, but is that right? Further, if someone like Stephen King comes along and follows the path our literary legends trailblazed, is it fair for critics to trash him for it? Or, as he put it, should he give in to what other contemporary authors are doing?
27 comments:
I've been writing fiction for a while now and don't think I even remember the "rules" anymore. Ouch!
I haven't read a Stephen King book since I was a teen. I didn't remember he wrote like that. Maybe this is why I never really got into his books. Maybe back then I appreciate literary anorexia more. ;)
I've never read King but I've read Koontz. His older works are pretty long-winded with sentence structure but his new books have gotten skinny. I don't know if he gave in, and I only think there's a right and wrong individually for writing. I mean, King should write like King, etc. Love that term though. Some of the books today are just so bare.
Clearly, Stephen King is doing something right! I read so many books these days that are so poorly written I can't believe they got published.
I'm not talking about breaking the "rules." I break them all the time in my writing. But you can tell the people who know the rules and break them anyway from the writers who clearly never learned the rules.
I don't read King anymore because every time I've read one of his novels, I've had the pleasure of weeks of nightmares. But I think that speaks well of his abilities!
Some of the best books I've read were mammoths. Les Miserables (unabridged) was incredible. I wanted to read it again immediately after finishing (but it was so sad and heavy, I couldn't take another read). The Mists of Avalon is one of my favorites, too.
A good, fun, quick read is nice every once in a while, but they usually leave me feeling as though I lost a few brain cells in the process.
I'm finding that there is a difference between a writer and a storyteller. When someone comes along who is great at both, it's to be treasured. I'd say King is both.
I kinda went off Stephen King around 1993. Genuine question, has he done anything since then worth reading? If so I'll pick some of his newer books up. Recommendations anyone?
Personally I think too many rules can make a book hard work. Wouldn't we rather a writer concentrate on the story, rather than hold themselves back with stupid limitations?
I think the same thing applies to many things in life. I write for fun and I'm also into photography in a big way, and there are loads of rules there too. I ignore them all and concentrate on taking good photos, or else you can get bogged down in it all.
I much prefer a good book which is long to a bad book of any kind!
Plus Size Shopaholic -- I will say this in re-reading "Nightmares and Dreamscapes." You can DEFINITELY tell a difference in the short stories he wrote in the 70s from the ones that were written later. They have more heart and imagination, I think. He seemed to have more fire. (Although was that when he was writing everything under the influence of drugs? I know Cujo was written that way...) Obviously he writes because he loves to write and we keep reading, but I think these days he's more literary and deep than he was in the beginning, and it shows. It seems to me back then he was briefer and more to the point. Now he's more into developing characters and storylines in-depth, and I just don't enjoy that as much. I want action!!! I'm a Twilight Zone-twist kind of person and when we go on for four hours about some guy's bandana, you've lost me.
Love that term! I think the rules are "there for a reason", but I don't think we need to always follow them. You tell a story the way it needs to be told (though I can't imagine reading a 1000 page book either).
Great post.
I truly don't care how long a book is. If it grabs me and I can't put it down then it's a good read and it doesn't matter the length.
As for Stephen King I was on his kick a long time ago and loved him as an author until I read Pet Cemetery. It freaked me out so bad I couldn't pick up another book.
I guess that goes to show what a good writer he is!
If a book has great characters that suck me into their life and world, I don't care how it's written. Well, okay, as long as it's written *well* ;-)
I don't know all the rules, nor do I care. Which is why I like the blogging medium, because I can start a post with, "So,"
People don't realize that Charles Dickens words weren't just a book - they were the television of the time - He painted a picture with his words - he had to because there was NO T.V. - and then it was released in chapters over a long period of time - so people had time to read one chapter before the next one came out! My boys whine about Dickens and others like him - when really it just shows they rely to much on television for a story. They don't have the patience for the detail!
BTW - Stephen King has a book on writing that composition teachers use every now and then - that's when he earned my respect! LOL
Sorry I wrote a book - but your topic really fires me up!!!!
Okay - king's picture was hysterical.
I've thought about this a LOT. It's like - you'd better have the whole conflict set up on page one!
Wha...?
I write YA (mostly) and I think it's a little more applicable to that genre, but I don't always want a book that just gets to the bare bones of the story to tell it. I want to enjoy the whole story.
Also, I've read a TON of Stephen King, and there's definitely a place for really long novels. I like it.
I always tell the writers in my writers' group we have to know the rules so we'll know what we're breaking. Beyond that, there are no rules for a CREATIVE writer as long as your technique works.
Of course, a beginner writer has to be more cautious with this than someone like Stephen King. Stephen King can do whatever he wants because he's...well, Stephen King. :)
I have every single King book. I've been a fan since I was five and my brother let me watch Carrie. I didn't sleep by myself for a week and have been obsessed ever since.
Excuse for a novel being a 1,000 pages? When every freakin' page is awesome.
No one else can get away with that. Only the King.lol
Interesting ideas. I'm a fan everyone writing their own story and following their own voice. Thanks!! :-)
very interesting! I have read books that I wish were longer, but I also read books that I wished were short and more to the point. But 1000+ pages seems kinda intimidating! I'd be worried I wouldn't like it and then be stuck reading it forever!
XOXO
King's books scare me! I did like Superfudge, though. :)
I don't mind reading a long book if the content is good. As a reader (not a writer) I don't pay attention to rules. I want to dive in and if it's well told and colorful, I'll put my BIC and read the whole thing.
Steph, I think we "need" both. The great works enlarge our mind and make us work a bit. But most of the time, I'm ready for books that I can just get lost in. Hey, does that mean I'm shallow? :P
George R.R. Martin overwrites but I still buy his books and suffer through it to the end.
I've liked almost everything King has ever written. And I also liked almost every Judy Blume book.
And I loved King's book On Writing!
My favorite book is Gone with the Wind, and my copy has 1026 pages. Yes, I know that without looking. :)
That being said, I think if Margaret Mitchell had published a thousand page book every year or so, I'd probably get tired of her.
Is there ever an excuse for a novel to be 1,000 pages? (Ever read "I Know This Much is True?" by Wally Lamb?) Its a gem and 1,000 page turner. It serves up a good story like a 7-layer bean dip.
I loved Stephen King's column in E.W. always referring to himself as "Uncle Stevie".
I'm not a rule follower, but then again, I'm also not a book writer. What is the longest book ever published - do you know?
If I fall in love with the story, a book can never be too long - the reverse is also true :D
He's committed to his writing and he wants his readers to be committed to reading.
It's almost a love affair.
I feel like the length of the novel shouldn't matter as long as the writer is telling the story he or she wants to. Yes, sometimes a novel needs to be 1000 pages.
I agree with Paul Greci that we should all follow our own voice. Someone will want to read our book - short or long.
I, like so many others, have no problem with breaking "the rules". I mean, that's why someone coined the term literary license.
However, I find it distracting and it pulls me out of the story if there is a typo or a non-word like "cause" instead of "because", etc. If it's something a spell/grammar check would catch, it's just bad writing.
I adore Steven King and JK Rowling. GWTW is one of my favs! These are authors who take their time with words. You feel like each sentence is cherished. Granted not everyone who writes long books is a good writer and not every short book is a "bad" book. It's ALL about a well written book, with a story that grips you, a story that makes you want get to the end so you can see how it turns out, but at the same time make you sad that it's over because you loved it so much. As for rules... we need them as a foundation but that foundation allows us to go off and find our way of writing. Great post Step. This one made me thoughtful about the books that I love and will love.
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