Premium Essay

On Writing Stephen King Summary

Submitted By
Words 772
Pages 4
Idea-Mashing: 3 Foolproof Ways to Find Your Awesome Story Idea
I hear new fiction writers say that they’d love to write, but they just don’t have any ideas for stories. In Stephen King’s On Writing he writes this about getting story ideas -
“… good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun.” — Stephen King, On Writing
Taking two ideas and joining them into something new, like King described, is called idea-mashing. Yes, I just made that up. King writes that ideas come from nowhere, but the opposite is true — ideas come from everywhere. The trick is to expose yourself to great ideas and let them naturally …show more content…
I personally gravitate towards books about psychology, neurology, anthropology, and general theory, but you should read about whatever excites you. Perhaps you’re passionate about space and astronomy, or maybe books about serial killers and the occult tantalize you [Add ridiculous topic]. Any subject that engages you with new information and fires your synapses will do. The books won’t have an overarching narrative to draw from but they will contain anecdotes, themes and/or concepts that will bounce around in your brain, ready to be …show more content…
Talk About What You’ve Read
If what you’re reading excites you, you’ll naturally want to tell people about it and discuss the themes and ideas of the books. Even if the other person isn’t familiar with the material, talking with them about it will help you process the information you’ve learned in new ways. The person you’re talking with may have something to add — their own ideas, something they’ve read that relates, or a personal experience. The more you talk about what excites you, the more engaged you become in the material and the faster the ideas will naturally mash together. [Add something about talking to your cat or plant]
3. Imagine the Lives of Others
People watching is a common practice for writers when crafting their characters, but you can gain more from it than ideas for the appearance and mannerisms of your characters or bits of dialogue. Next time you people watch, pick someone and try to imagine their story. Look at their features, their clothes, who they’re with, and where the two of you are in that moment. What sequence of events led them here? Where do they live? Where do they work? Who are their friends? When you try to imagine this person’s life something may stand out and connect to an idea or theme you’ve been engaged in. Boom,

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Christine Agatha

...Christie Agatha Reflective Essay The introductory paragraph of this piece recognizes the proper writing structure when constructing an essay. It began with a question to get the attention of the reader and to allow the reader to connect immediately. Next, it began to explain the genres she writes and compared her works to two exemplary authors such as Stephen King and Dan Brown to reinforce the idea that the essay is pro- Agatha. She then separated her comparison with the two great authors and her statement through a sentence explaining how readers relate to the authors of her caliber. This sentence provided a smooth transition from her comparison to her statement that Christie Agatha is the queen of crime fiction. Finally, it finished by introducing her final topic of discussion, her strong characters, interesting settings and her strong morality. The body paragraphs where very well constructed, they were in order of the introduction and they followed the rules of essay writing. Each body paragraph consisted of a transition, topic sentence, specific evidence and analysis, and a brief wrap-up sentence. The only downfall is the body paragraphs lacked a bit of evidence. The explanation of the arguments was quite vague. A conclusion is a brief summary of your body paragraph and a restating of the general ideas being portrayed. The essay properly restates the topic and its importance. The conclusion also contained a food for thought witch is ideal in the construction of...

Words: 309 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Depresion in Children

...persuasion as ethos, logos, and pathos. The ethos (credibility, believability) of the speaker was important; the logos (logic) behind any conclusions drawn by the speaker during the course of the speech needed to be valid and clear; and the pathos (emotional appeals) were important in making human connections between the speaker and the listener. In the Bible there are many examples of this process. “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth and taught them saying, Blessed are the poor is spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” (Thompson King James Version Bible, Psalm 139:1-10)This familiar passages is taken from Matthew 5:1-5. It is also known at the Beatitudes. The speaker in this scripture is Jesus. This is one of the first speeches Jesus made. Speeches have been around for a very long time. A speech is used for many reasons. In this speech Jesus is letting the people know that it is a blessing available to those who believe. This speech is a way to get people to...

Words: 1965 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

The Antichrist of Daniel 11

...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY The Antichrist of Daniel Eleven Submitted to Dr. Alvin Thompson, Ph. D in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of OBST 520 Old Testament Orientation II by Milton Rogers April 29, 2015 Table of Contents Intoduction………………………………………………………………….. page 1 Controversy of Author and Date…………………………………………….page 2 Piety and Faith of Daniel…………………………………………………….page 5 Prophecies Fulfilled………………………………………………………….page 6 Antiochus IV………………………………………………………………...Page 7 Antichrist…………………………………………………………………… page 8 Summary………………………………………………………………………page 9 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….page 11 Bibliography …………………………………………………………………..page 12 You have no page numbers showing. See the sample paper and Turabian for correct formatting. introduction Daniel, a contemporary of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, went into captivity to Babylon in 605B.C. when he was around fifteen years old. Jeremiah warned that the Lord would was sending the Babylonians to punish Judah. In 605 B.C. , Nebuchadnezzar led the Babylonian army to victory over the Eygptians at Carchemish, establishing control over Syria and northern Israel. Then he marched south and took some exiles including Daniel.1 “The Book of Daniel is not only one of the most intriguing works in...

Words: 4331 - Pages: 18

Free Essay

Final Essay

...as practiced by American writers. We’ve read and discussed several works from horror authors over the course of the nation’s history, and considered in-depth longer fiction from the 20th Century horror icon Shirley Jackson. We’ve also delved into popular culture, examining comic books and, time permitting, television shows and movies. For this essay, you’ll be asked to pick another horror story (see The Topic section for some ideas) to add to this course’s discussion. In the interest of time, I suggest a short story, but you could read a novel for this project as well. More specifically, your essay should do the following things: (1) Provide your readers unfamiliar with your chosen text some context about the work, including a brief summary of the story. Likely, this would occur in your first support paragraph after your introduction. (2) Review the story. This is your opportunity to argue whether or not the text makes for a “good read.” You may turn to the elements of fiction that we’ve worked on this semester as a way of detailing why you feel the way you do about the book. You might also turn to any reviews or analysis of the tale or its subgenre that you’ve uncovered in your research – and incorporate ideas from these into your own argument. This portion of your essay should be...

Words: 1648 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man

...College, a prestigious boarding school, and then to Belvedere College, where Joyce excelled as an actor and writer. Later, he attended University College in Dublin, where he became increasingly committed to language and literature as a champion of Modernism. In 1902, Joyce left the university and moved to Paris, but briefly returned to Ireland in 1903 upon the death of his mother. Shortly after his mother's death, Joyce began work on the story that would later become A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Published in serial form in 1914–1915, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Mandraws on many details from Joyce's early life. The novel's protagonist, Stephen Dedalus, is in many ways Joyce's fictional double—Joyce had even published stories under the pseudonym "Stephen Daedalus" before writing the novel. Like Joyce himself, Stephen is the son of an impoverished father and a highly devout Catholic mother. Also like Joyce, he attends Clongowes Wood, Belvedere, and University Colleges, struggling with questions of faith and nationality before leaving Ireland to make his own way as an artist. Many of the scenes in the novel are fictional, but some of its most powerful moments are autobiographical: both the Christmas dinner scene and Stephen's first sexual experience with the Dublin prostitute closely resemble actual events in Joyce's life. In addition to drawing heavily on Joyce's personal life, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man also makes a number of...

Words: 18420 - Pages: 74

Free Essay

Thomas Aquinas

...a Dominican, his family tried to stop him. His brothers captured him and locked him up in a castle. His mother, sister and brothers kept him there for two years. Thomas was a very big man with a kind and humble manner. Because he didn't talk very much, people thought he was stupid and therefore called him 'the ox.' When they heard him preach, however, everyone realized how wise Thomas really was. After he became a priest, Thomas studied in Paris and taught at universities in many cities of Europe. He wrote more than 40 books and several beautiful hymns. All of his work praises God and helped many people understand faith better. At the end of his life, Saint Thomas stopped writing and he had a vision of Heaven. Because of this experience, Thomas decided that compared to the great glory of God, his writing was 'like straw.' Three months later, on his way to see the Pope, he died. Thomas Aquinas’ Early Life and Eduacation He was born in Italy in 1225, the son of a count. When he was five years old, his parents send him to study with the Benedictines of Monte Casino. There, and later at the university of Naples, he was taught the 'liberal arts' - the Trivium; grammar, logic and rhetoric, and the Quadrium; music, mathematics, geometry and astronomy. This was a complete education in those times. His teachers were surprised by his intelligence. He especially excelled in learning as well as practicing the virtues. When he was 19 years old, and old enough to decide how to spend...

Words: 2468 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

The Queen (2006)

...Stephen Frears, utilises the director's imagined memories of the events succeeding Diana's death to portray the Queen, and her actions, in a warmer light. A compelling and challenging view of Diana is also presented in the film, furthering Frears' purpose of convincing the audience of the difficulty of the Queen's position and hence softening the public image of her. Diana is initially presented through a montage of grainy archival footage, where Diana almost seems to be courting and teasing the media with her image. While this archival media footage adds authenticity to Frears' account, it also demonstrates how insulting this behaviour would have been to the rigid policies of the monarchy. Thus as Diana is depicted as causing trouble for the monarchy, sympathy for the Queen's position upon her death is created. This compelling portrayal of Diana, through historical footage, allows Frears to validate his personal memories and in this way the symbiotic nature of history and memory is revealed. insights into Queen Elizabeth II's emotions during the aftermath of Diana's death can be gained through observing the interplay between the collective and personal memories of the event. Frears' imagined interpretation of the Queen's vulnerability challenges the public's collective memory of Diana's death. Frears' perspective is immediately depicted in the opening intertextual quote from Shakespeare's Henry IV: "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown". Sympathy is created as Frears suggests...

Words: 2449 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

The Shroud of Turin

...Richard Henry November 27, 2012 The Shroud of Turin is Jesus of Nazareth’s Authentic Burial Cloth The Source of the Image Revealed Under the cover of darkness, Jesus of Nazareth was arrested and brought to trial before the Jewish authorities. His captors repeatedly punched him in the face and spit on him, but that was only the beginning of his suffering. Early in the morning they brought him to Pontius Pilate, the Roman installed governor of the Judean Province. Pilate ordered that Jesus be flogged and crucified. Jesus was then beaten with a “Roman instrument called the flagrum” (Oxley 125). The flagrum is a whip that was capable of causing dreadful injuries. In fact, “The injuries caused by the scourging would have resulted in traumatic shock” (Oxley 162). In the interim, the soldiers were allowed to have some cruel fun with him. They created a crown out of a thorn bush and forced it onto his head, piercing his scalp and forehead. As the final stage of his punishment, Jesus was nailed to the cross through his wrists and feet. After he died, a Roman soldier pierced Jesus’ side with a spear in an upward thrust toward his heart. After taking him down from the cross, he was wrapped in a linen sheet and his body placed in a tomb. The linen cloth that enveloped him has graphically recorded the gruesome details of his chastisement. The linen cloth that Jesus was wrapped in is now known as the Shroud of Turin. Even though those who believe it is a medieval fake have challenged its...

Words: 2382 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

King Lear Plot

...Guide Sue Tweg King Lear William Shakespeare contents Character map Overview About the author Synopsis Character summaries iv 1 1 2 4 Background & context Genre, structure & language Scene-by-scene analysis Characters & relationships Themes, ideas & values Different interpretations Questions & answers Sample answer References & reading 6 10 14 24 39 55 59 64 66 iv I ns i g h t T e x t G u i d e ChARACTeR mAp Edgar Legitimate son of Gloucester, disguises himself as ‘Poor Tom’. Leads Gloucester to Dover, fights and kills Edmond, becomes king. Wise fools Companions in storm Kent Truth-teller. Disguises himself as ‘Caius’. Loyal, noble servant to Lear. Offends via discourtesy to Lear Match wits Defends, speaks boldly Defends and helps Teaches patience and saves father’s life Fool Truth-teller; endures the storm. Is possibly hanged. Teaches Lear compassion Cordelia Truth-teller. Youngest daughter, loves Lear and heals him. Loses battle and is hanged in prison. Loves Loves Offers kingdom to Edgar – accepted Gloucester Believes Edmond’s lies about Edgar. Saved from suicide by Edgar after Edmond has cause his blinding by betraying him to Cornwall. Needs Foolish old fathers meet in storm Blinds King Lear Divides his kingdom, rejects Cordelia, rejected by Gonerill and Regan. Goes mad, healed after storm by Cordelia. Dies after Cordelia is hanged. Fails to show Lear how to value Cordelia King of France Sees Cordelia’s...

Words: 3100 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

The Legitimacy of the Offer of the Davidic Kingdom

...THE MASTER’S SEMINARY THE LEGITIMACY OF THE OFFER OF THE DAVIDIC KINGDOM A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DOCTOR LARRY PETTEGREW IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COURSE TH706 THEOLOGY III BY ROGER DALEY SUN VALLEY, CA APRIL 1997 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION WHAT IS THE KINGDOM 3 THE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM 5 THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST 6 REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND 9 PROPHECY DECLARES THE SUFFERING MESSAIH 12 SUMMARY 15 The Legitimacy of the Offer of the Davidic Kingdom In the gospel of John the Lord Jesus Christ is talking to Nicodemus. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”(3:14-15, NKJ). This conversation occurred before Jesus had even begun His public ministry. Jesus was telling Nicodemus that the Messiah was to be crucified. Also Nicodemus must believe in Him, if he would have eternal life. Jesus also refers to being born again in order to see the kingdom of God. He also equates believing in Christ and eternal life and all four of these terms (kingdom of God, eternal life, born again, believing) are used in a very short passage referring to the same question, “how can a man be born again?” Essentially, Christ is equating eternal life with entering the kingdom of God...

Words: 5227 - Pages: 21

Premium Essay

Advanced Writing Skills

...STUDIESTODAY.COM Downloaded from WWW.STUDIESTODAY.COM BLUE PRINT Q. No. Section Reading 1.1 Type of Question (i) SA (ii) VSA (iii) SA (iv) SA (v) SA (a) VSA (b) VSA (c) VSA Note Making Summary Writing Short skill Or Short skill Marks TOTAL MARKS – 100 Total marks 20 9 Testing objectives Comprehension Comprehension Comprehension Comprehension Comprehension Vocabulary testing Vocabulary testing Vocabulary testing Study Skills (Comprehension and Note Making) Summary skills Q. 1 1.2 Q. 2 2.1 2.2 Writing 1st option or 2nd option 2M 1M 2M 2M 2M 1M 1M 1M 5M 3M 3 5 3 35 5 Q.3. writing 5M Or writing 5M Writing 10M Q.4. 1st option Or 2nd option Q.5. 1st option Or 2nd option ww w Long Task (Newspaper Report) Or Long Writing Task (Magazine Report) Letter Writing (Long Writing Task) Or Letter Writing (Long Writing Task) tu .s ies d 10 da to Providing factual details, organization, fluency and coherence or Details, organization, fluency and coherence Presenting factual details. formal, fluency and coherence Or Presenting factual details, informal, fluency and coherence om .c y 10M 10M 10 Formatting , coherence, fluency, Resume Or Formatting , coherence, fluency, Organization, Or 10M Organization, Q6. 1st Option Or nd 2 Option Article (Long 10M Writing Task) Or Or Article (Long 10M Writing Task) 10 Organization, coherence, fluency Or Organization, coherence, fluency 119 Downloaded from WWW.STUDIESTODAY.COM Downloaded from WWW.STUDIESTODAY.COM Downloaded from WWW...

Words: 5427 - Pages: 22

Premium Essay

Research Manual

...WORKING OUTLINE/PLAN…………………………………………………….5 DOCUMENTING AND CITING SOURCES USING MLA STYLE……………..……………..7 WRITING THE PAPER…………………………………..…………………...........................18 MLA STYLE OF PARENTHETICAL/IN-TEXT CITATIONS………………………………….19 PLACING CITATIONS IN THE PAPER…………………………………………………………..21 FORMATTING AND TYPING THE REPORT USING THE MLA STYLE…………………26 TYPING THE WORKS CITED PAGE AND SAMPLE TITLE PAGE..........................29 PREPARATION Research is the process of gathering information from different sources on a particular topic. In daily life students may research buying a song on the Internet, buying a new MP3 player, an iPod, or any other product of interest. At school, students may have to research a historical topic, an author or literary work, or a contemporary issue and present their findings in a paper, PowerPoint presentation, or in a movie format. All of this is part of the process of asking questions, looking at the available information, and coming to a conclusion based on the information found and then documenting the information used. While the process of researching varies, the following steps are useful in preparing the research paper: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Selecting and limiting the topic Preparing a working bibliography Reading and taking notes Formulating a thesis Developing a working plan Writing the first draft Writing the revised...

Words: 8231 - Pages: 33

Premium Essay

Research Manual

...WORKING OUTLINE/PLAN…………………………………………………….5 DOCUMENTING AND CITING SOURCES USING MLA STYLE……………..……………..7 WRITING THE PAPER…………………………………..…………………...........................18 MLA STYLE OF PARENTHETICAL/IN-TEXT CITATIONS………………………………….19 PLACING CITATIONS IN THE PAPER…………………………………………………………..21 FORMATTING AND TYPING THE REPORT USING THE MLA STYLE…………………26 TYPING THE WORKS CITED PAGE AND SAMPLE TITLE PAGE..........................29 PREPARATION Research is the process of gathering information from different sources on a particular topic. In daily life students may research buying a song on the Internet, buying a new MP3 player, an iPod, or any other product of interest. At school, students may have to research a historical topic, an author or literary work, or a contemporary issue and present their findings in a paper, PowerPoint presentation, or in a movie format. All of this is part of the process of asking questions, looking at the available information, and coming to a conclusion based on the information found and then documenting the information used. While the process of researching varies, the following steps are useful in preparing the research paper: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Selecting and limiting the topic Preparing a working bibliography Reading and taking notes Formulating a thesis Developing a working plan Writing the first draft Writing the revised...

Words: 8231 - Pages: 33

Free Essay

Sommerset Historical Essays

...A, THE BRITISH ACADEMY SOMERSET HISTORICAL ESSAYS SOMERSET HISTORICAL ESSAYS By J. Armitage Robinson, D.D, Fellow of the British Academy Dean of Wells 1921 London: Published for the British Academy By Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press Amen Corner, E.C. PRINTED IN ENGLAND AT THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS BY FREDERICK HALI, 76$ J 9 2/ PREFACE The writer of these pages makes no claim to be a historian, but he is concerned with the materials which go to the construction of true history. Occasionally he is led to revise the verdicts of historians on the ground of a renewed investigation of some isolated problem, or in the light of fuller information which has but lately become available. He hopes that he has done this with sufficient modesty. As a rule he has avoided direct controversy and has preferred a positive presentation of the revised position. He is well aware that when offered thus silently the corrections he desires to make are less likely to attract immediate attention than if he directly challenged fallacies which shelter under honoured names. But he writes from mere love of the subjects to which he has been drawn by the circumstances of his position and by local patriotism ; and he has experienced more than once the temporary blindness pro- duced by the dust of conflict. On the other hand he asks for criticism, ...

Words: 80615 - Pages: 323

Premium Essay

Hello

...On Literature - William Egginton and Bernadette Wegenstein THE IMPACT OF MEDIA ON LITERATURE William Egginton and Bernadette Wegenstein The Johns Hopkins University Keywords: media, media studies, media theory, history of media, new media, comparative literature Contents U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S 1. Introduction 2. Current Media Theory and Media Studies 2.1. Origins of Discipline 2.2. New Media Theory 3. Historical Examples 3.1. Oral Transmission 3.2. Pictography 3.3. The Andean Khipu 3.4. Manuscript 3.5. Print 3.6. Theater 3.7. Photography 3.8. Moving Image 3.9. Radio and Television 3.10. The Digital 4. Conclusion Acknowledgements Glossary Bibliography Biographical Sketches Summary The growing consensus among literary scholars is that the meaning of literature cannot be properly studied or understood outside of the specific medium of its transmission and archival. This realization can be considered a revolution in literary studies, and its fundamental ramification is the confluence of literary studies and theory with media studies and theory. The fields of media studies and media theory are dedicated to the analysis and understanding of the myriad media through which information is communicated. Under the influence of these fields, the media through which literature is communicated is no longer considered secondary to the literary content or form, but deserving attention in its own right. Moreover, literary...

Words: 3252 - Pages: 14