10 Bits Of Writing Advice From Stephen King

Discover 10 bits of writing advice from Stephen King, from writing first drafts to creating strong openings and finding your story.

Stephen King is one of the world’s most prolific writers. Born on 21 September 1947, he has published over 50 books and is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to the American Letters, and the 2014 National Medal of Arts.

With millions of books sold to his loyal ‘Constant Readers’, he is also one of the most successful authors of our time. It, The Dark Half, Pet Sematary, The Green Mile, The Shining, Mr. Mercedes, The Stand, and Never Flinch are just some of the books through which King has created entire worlds across several genres.

It’s every writer’s dream to be half as productive as Stephen King. The good news is that the ability to write – and write well – is within every writer’s grasp. The better news is that King loves to share writing advice that can help writers get there.

Here are some of his best, practical writing tips.

10 Bits Of Writing Advice From Stephen King

If you are a fan of Stephen King and his writing, good places to start are his non-fiction books On Writing and Danse Macabre. They contain practical advice on writing, language, and the writing life.

1. Write Without Drugs Or Alcohol

‘The Tommyknockers is an awful book. That was the last one I wrote before I cleaned up my act. And I’ve thought about it a lot lately and said to myself, “There’s really a good book in here, underneath all the sort of spurious energy that cocaine provides, and I ought to go back.” The book is about 700 pages long, and I’m thinking, “There’s probably a good 350-page novel in there.”’
~Rolling Stone, 2014

King has been open about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. He has also written about how sobriety changed his life and his work. His experience is a reminder that writing requires a clear mind. You need to be present for the work if you want to do it well.

2. Eliminate Distractions

‘If possible, there should be no telephone in your writing room, certainly no TV or videogames for you to fool around with. If there’s a window, draw the curtains or pull down the shades unless it looks out at a blank wall. For any writer, but for the beginning writer in particular, it’s wise to eliminate every possible distraction.’
~On Writing

King recommends removing anything that gets between you and the work. In On Writing, he describes creating a writing space with as few distractions as possible. You don’t need a perfect office to write. You do need enough quiet and focus to give your story your full attention.

3. Listen To Critics

‘The worst advice? “Don’t listen to the critics.” I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they’re telling you something is broken that you can fix.’
~Writer’s Digest

Writers need readers, and readers will have opinions. Not every criticism will be useful, but dismissing all criticism means losing the chance to learn from it. Pay attention to recurring comments and look for ways to strengthen your work without losing your own voice.

4. Finish Your First Draft In Three Months

‘The first draft of a book—even a long one—should take no more than three months, the length of a season.’
~On Writing

King believes writers should set a deadline for the first draft. He suggests that a story should not be stretched out indefinitely. Writing quickly does not mean writing carelessly. It means giving yourself enough momentum to stay inside the world of the story.

5. Use Adverbs Sparingly

‘The adverb is not your friend. Consider the sentence “He closed the door firmly.” It’s by no means a terrible sentence, but ask yourself if “firmly” really has to be there.’
~On Writing

Stephen King is famous for his dislike of adverbs, particularly adverbs ending in -ly. But his advice is better understood as a warning against unnecessary adverbs rather than a rule that writers should never use them. Before adding an adverb, ask yourself whether the verb already does the job. If it does, you may not need the extra word.

6. Remember Why You Write

‘Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well.’
~On Writing

For King, writing is more than producing books. It is a way of making sense of experience and connecting with other people. Remembering why you write can help you keep going when the work becomes difficult. Your reason for writing is yours alone, but it can give your work direction.

7. Write Great Opening Lines

‘An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.’
~The Atlantic, 2013

King understands the importance of getting readers into a story quickly. A strong opening creates curiosity and gives readers a reason to continue.

King also points out that an opening line matters to the writer: ‘It’s not just the reader’s way in, it’s the writer’s way in also, and you’ve got to find a doorway that fits us both.’
~The Atlantic, 2013

Your opening doesn’t need to explain everything. It needs to make the reader want to discover what happens next.

8. See Stories As Unfound Relics

‘Stories aren’t souvenir tee-shirts or Game Boys. Stories are relics, part of an undiscovered pre-existing world. The writer’s job is to use the tools in his or her toolbox to get as much of each one out of the ground intact as possible.’
~On Writing

King compares writing to uncovering something that already exists. The writer’s job is not necessarily to force a story into existence, but to discover it and bring it carefully to the surface. This approach can take some pressure off. Instead of trying to control every detail, pay attention to what your characters and story are showing you.

9. Don’t Let Genre Define Your Writing

‘People can call me a horror writer if they want to, and that’s fine—as long as the checks don’t bounce, I’m happy with that. But I think that I do a lot more, and I’m interested in the mystery of what we are and what we’re capable of doing.’
~NPR, 2020

King has written horror, fantasy, crime, science fiction, and stories that cross several categories. He doesn’t believe writers should limit themselves simply because a story doesn’t fit neatly into one genre. Know the conventions of your chosen genre, but don’t let them prevent you from following an interesting story.

10. Write One Word At A Time

‘Whether it’s a vignette of a single page or an epic trilogy like The Lord of the Rings, the work is always accomplished one word at a time.’
~On Writing

Writing a book can feel overwhelming when you think about the finished product. King brings the process back to something much simpler: write the next word. You don’t have to write the whole book today. Keep working, one sentence and one page at a time, and the story will gradually take shape.

The Last Word

Stephen King has spent decades writing across genres, and his advice remains grounded in the realities of the writing life. His experience reminds us that good writing takes focus, persistence, curiosity, and plenty of words on the page. Whether you’re writing your first story or your twentieth book, there is something useful to consider in his approach.

If you want to read more about Stephen King, read:

1. Stephen King on Writing Short Stories
2. 13 Blogging Lessons From Stephen King’s On Writing (Infographic)
3. A Basement Kind of a Guy
4. Horror Masters: 3 Spooky Tips To Write Like Lovecraft, Poe, & King

Source for image: stephenking.com

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