A lot of writers I talk to often have one writer (maybe two) who has provided their inspiration throughout their writing career. Mine is Paul Auster (which I will talk about in a future article too) but in a new on-going series for the Sunday Tribune, I am going to talk to writers about their inspirations.
First up is Amanda Steel, published poet, podcaster and author of the supernatural thriller Ghost of Me, who talks about Stephen King.
‘I feel like I’ve learnt a lot from Stephen King, particularly through his book, On Writing,’ she begins. ‘Some of it I already knew, but that tells me I’m doing something right. Maybe it would be better to say, the book reminded me of what I already knew. Don’t we all need a reminder every now and again?’
‘I’ve looked at some one-star reviews, because that’s something I do. I like to find out why people like a book I hate — or hate a book I love. Here, I think some readers have missed the point,’ she continues. ‘Many of the negative reviewers suggest this is just an autobiography/memoir and is egotistic, rather than a book about writing. I have no way of knowing whether Mr King wrote this inspired by his ego. Yes, it’s a memoir. The subtitle “A Memoir of the Craft” suggests that.’
She goes on to say, ‘it’s a series of interconnected stories about his life, starting from when he was a child, but there are crucial bits of information contained within the pages. Some of the writing tips in the book are more obvious. For other bits, you need to read between the lines.
‘I found it refreshing to read how a well-known author was once like me in some ways,’ she reflects, bringing up the point that most successful writers start out like the rest of us. ’His childhood was different to mine, because he spent the first part of his life without a television. But for me, I liken that to me spending about sixteen or so years without computers and the internet many of us have today. I think in some ways that fuelled my imagination in a similar way to how a lack of television fuelled his.’
When asked about ideas, she says, ‘another thing I’ve learnt from the book is, ideas can come from anywhere and when writing a novel, that’s usually a combination of ideas from different sources.’ She mentions, ‘his inspiration for Carrie came from two unrelated sources, which formed a scene in the middle of the story. He then had to build the plot and characters around that to get the end result. Also, if it wasn’t for his wife, he may have binned the idea altogether. Reading between the lines again — this suggests how important it is to have someone around us who will support/push/encourage us etc.’
‘Also, to know that Stephen King once struggled financially, working and still writing on his lunch break or in the evenings, shows how determination can often play a big part in success,’ she continues. ‘Personally, I wrote most of the first draft of a zombie novel during lunch breaks and on the bus to/from work, and edited some of it on printed pages, to add to my word document when I got back on a computer. The point is, if you want to do something you need to find ways to do it when pressed for time. Instead of saying this outright (which would feel like empty words) Stephens Kings, On Writing shows through examples from his life. We’re always being told as writers to show rather than tell.’
‘From reading Mr King’s fiction, I’m always in awe of his ideas, particularly his twists on common horror ideas, such as (what I see as) his version of zombies in “The Cell” or just the fact that nobody is safe.’ Explaining further, how she Stephen King inspires her, she says, ‘his books inspire me to keep mixing my weird ideas together and going against what might be expected, as long as it suits the story. I’m sure I’ll never be as successful as him, but I think writers need to keep pushing themselves.’
‘Part of pushing yourself as a writer is to read a lot of books. As many writers will know Stephen King says, if you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time (or the tools) to write,’ she raises the quite valid point that writers to keep improving, you have to learn the art as best you can and a good way to do is to simply read as much as you can. ‘He’s right. I don’t see how anyone who doesn’t read, can improve as a writer if they have nothing to compare good or bad writing to. I read between 40 and 50 books a year, which by some peoples standards is low. I know people who read over 100 a year. The way I see it, even in a productive year, I might write one or two novels and a few short booklets (poetry, comedy etc). So, I’m reading much more than I’m writing.’
Amanda Steel’s website is https://amandasteelwriter.com/
Ghost of me can be bought through all good booksellers including Amazon www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Me-Amanda-Steel/dp/178972693X/
(Originally published on the Sunday Tribune on 22 July 2020)
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