Reading, Writing, and Stephen King

 "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut."~Stephen King

Anyone that knows me knows that I read constantly.  I always have a book going.  (sometimes more than one)  I read myself to sleep as I have since I was a little girl.  If I wake up in the middle of the night, I read myself back to sleep.  Many times I will shut the TV off because I'm so involved in the book I'm reading.

Books have always had the power to transport me somewhere else.  I remember as a kid reading animal stories, Nancy Drew, and many other types of books.  Then one day I sat down with a book called "The Shining" by Stephen King.  not only was I transported somewhere else- I  had the dickens scared out of me!  Even now, I'm a big fan of that book- (not the movie, don't get me started on that one.....)  I know now that I can't do the horror stuff because I walk around scared out of my wits for days!  My imagination only needs a tiny bit of encouragement to get out of control... 

Throughout my teen years I would read King and my dad would make comments about reading "that crap."  My dad always had a book going too.  He would read James Michner, spy books, detective stories and historical fiction.  The man could read while watching the news.  Anyway- he hated Stephen King.  I begged him to read one and he finally caved in and read "The Stand".  It's not so much horror as it is a tale of the end of the world.  My dad actually liked the story and commented that King could probably write anything if he wanted to.  And then he told me that if Stephen King could write a book, I sure as &%^$ could! 

I guess my dad knew what King knows.  You have to read and write to be a writer!  There are days that I do NOT feel like sitting at this computer and writing.  I am tired- I am not inspired- I have nothing.....but where is my butt?  It's in this chair!  Even on days I don't feel like it, (especially on those days) I keep going.  Even if it's a POV or my glossary or an idea on my notes page- I type!  King says:

"Running a close second [as a writing lesson] was the realization that stopping a piece of work just because it's hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don't feel like it, and sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel **** from a sitting position."

I think every writer can relate to the above statement.  Some days I have to challenge myself to write 1,000 words or finish a part of a story or anything I can think of to keep going.  Because some days I just don't feel like it.  There are times when I can put down 3,000 words in one day and there are times when I struggle to put down a few sentences.  My bottom line is that I don't quit!  Oh, I may say I'm going to....but I think I'm just speaking my frustrations out loud.  Writing calls my name in the middle of the night.  It commands me to wake up early and go to bed late sometimes.  I just keep going. 

Another time I will talk about what kinds of books I read and what has influenced me- but today I want to end with a quote from the same writer I began today's blog with, from my favorite short story of his, "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption"

"I find I'm so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it is the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope."

I hope....