Why does SK interlink his stories?

[strange]

I've alway wondered why does SK always interlink his stories e.g. reoccuring charcters in other books, mentions of different places or events etc. I've never met a writing who's done this and me and my friends have different theories why but could anyone shed any light on it or have there own ideas why?

[mstay]

I think it's because that is who those characters are. He can't help it if they keep showing up in unexpected places.:biggrin2:

[smjohn]

I've alway wondered why does SK always interlink his stories e.g. reoccuring charcters in other books, mentions of different places or events etc. I've never met a writing who's done this and me and my friends have different theories why but could anyone shed any light on it or have there own ideas why?

I, for one, love a serial. Not so much as soap operas, but when I started reading SK and realizing his characters inter-mingle in his books, I became even more excited about reading the next books. Even went back to already read books to make sure I wasn't losing my mind:) It helps you get to know a character.

[jimi-donohue]

The answer to your question is because, it is far more romantic. It can give you an inner thrill to hear mention of another story you have read. It hieghtens the importance of any story. It gives you the hope that Stephen King the writer is striving for somthing more than the norm. It is why I think he is brilliant

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

Because he can?

Long days and pleasant nights

[Wendybird]

Hi,

Because he can?



ROFLMAO! Babes you crack me up! Your mind and mine? Freaky! :oops:

[Spideyman]

Maybe because they are characters within the Wordslinger's world. And like the real world, people intertwine with each other. Reoccur in different times of each others lives/worlds.

[Black Suit]

I think it is because Mr. King has a universe in his head and in that universe there are worlds and in those worlds are great charatcers.. and sometimes, as in real life, characters cross paths and lives are affected by these connections..

[crazycrashink]

Hi,

Because he can?

Long days and pleasant nights

I was going to go with BECAUSE HE'S AWESOME HA HA, but John put it well too!

[LadyHitchhiker]

Because SK is awesome. That's why he does it ;)

[Frizz]

My own thoery is that it gives the reader a connection that is not found anywhere else. A certain familiarity that is found when you find an unexpected character you love in a story you didn't expect. Or a refrence that gives you a sense of a deeper, richer world, that cannot be achieved in one book alone. I love the interconnected world within Stephen King's work, it makes me look deeper into a story, deeper than I might have looked otherwise.

[JackTheRipper]

I've alway wondered why does SK always interlink his stories e.g. reoccuring charcters in other books, mentions of different places or events etc. I've never met a writing who's done this and me and my friends have different theories why but could anyone shed any light on it or have there own ideas why?

You apparently have not read Anne Rice. Her witch and vampire series link together so well

[Haunted]

Old friends and familiar places are the best?:biggrin2:

[Roseasharn]

Well, because people bump into eachother, that's all. I mean, if you're writing stories that are set primarily in certain places, there's going to be overlap. No getting around it. The SK universe has many worlds, but it is also small. Like the real world.
I've heard people say that all the coincidences make the stories seem less likely (which I think is utter bs, SK writes in such a way that even vampires and undead children seem probable) I wonder where they are living, cause my life sometimes seems like an unbroken chain of odd coincidences.

[nosila]

I think it adds another level to the stories. Like another dimension, making them seem more realistic. I personally love it. I never really noticed it until like my fifth SK book but now I keep an eye out for all the connections.

[Bryan James]

I think all of you are correct...in a way. I'm sure I would have answered differently if I hadn't read all the previous posts.

He's probably always read 5 or 6 books at the same time, and he probably thinks about 5 or 6 originals (novels, shorts, what have you) at the same time.

When I sleep, I have a lot of crossover or "interlink" weird dreams about writing projects (strictly writing, no goofball cheap comments unless you can work in a great 'Caddyshack' reference).

Honestly...I think some characters or ideas he just can't fully put to sleep unless he writes them a few times. You break the Writer's Rules...you kill a kid everyone digs. You hate that you did it but the story demanded it.

You look for an open door to bring him back.

BJS

[Mr Nobody]

Others have mentioned it, but for me repeat characters go to believable setting. I mean, if stories were based in the same towns, and these towns were said to be relatively small, and yet all the people changed on a story-to-story basis...well, something in the brain would notice, and we'd be saying 'This place was basically Main Street and a couple of side roads. How can these people not meet?' - even if only to ourselves.
For me it makes a place come alive, and there's always hope that old favourites might come trundling into a later story.

And like Jack said, SK is not the only one linking narratives this way, though (and I might be wrong; probably am) I think he's the only one doing it on such a scale.

[marew1]

:love: Why not? To me, this brings more familiarity with SK's stories.

[smooth operator]

I can see him typing away, with this big grin on his face, thinking "This will really drive them crazy." And laughing his head off.

[GravemakersAndGunslingers]

H.P Lovecraft, I believe, was the first to link his stories together (God's, entities, fictional places etc) and as Stephen is a known admirer of his work I believe it inspired him to carry on the trait in his own work.

[PatInTheHat]

I believe he was just raised right, and was taught to help his buddies out, you know, give 'em something to do if ya can, when they really need a gig, or some of that self-esteem boostin'...giving them stuff to do is good for that ya know:wink2:!
(yeah, even them rather weird and not quite level bubbled, and just a tad off plumb characters you might of grown up or hung out with, and they turned out to be, well let's say creepy jerks:oh:...but they're your creepy jerks, so ya do what you can...plus, you'll always know where they are:oo:)

Good friends like that are rare indeed:smile2:!

[gclark]

ok.. aside from because he can and because he's awesome (although those are the only explainations needed right?! lol)

I think because it can work two fold, for the reader and the writer. In the readers aspect, it can open up a character, or help mold the character. (like CALLAHAN in 'saloms lot and then in wolves of the calla) So while he was a big character in saloms lot, more light is shed on him and his situation following the lot story, making him more tangible. For the writer, it alows him/her to allow for less description of the person in one book, or to stop the persons story, unfinished in one story as Callahan's last part in the 'lot story was on a greyhound bound for new york city. he completes his journey in wolves of the calla.

[Goodlovin]

I always thought he did it as sort of a thank you in a way for his fans who are knowledgeable enough to pick up on the various characters.

[Wynter_21]

I think it's great he's done this. It's certainly not improbable his characters will run into each other. He's written SO MANY stories, and they're mostly set in Maine.
I'm excited to read the other books now!!

[MadamMack]

Maybe because they are characters within the Wordslinger's world. And like the real world, people intertwine with each other. Reoccur in different times of each others lives/worlds.

Exactly!

[AndyDufresne]

Well, because people bump into eachother, that's all. I mean, if you're writing stories that are set primarily in certain places, there's going to be overlap. No getting around it. The SK universe has many worlds, but it is also small. Like the real world.
I've heard people say that all the coincidences make the stories seem less likely (which I think is utter bs, SK writes in such a way that even vampires and undead children seem probable) I wonder where they are living, cause my life sometimes seems like an unbroken chain of odd coincidences.

That always struck me as odd. Like you said, vampires and undead children are okay, but recurring characters from other novels make it seem unrealistic? That doesn't make sense to me.
Personally, I think it's great. It gives it something extra to the King fan, that regular readers might (and probably) overlook.

[seanryan]

Possibly he doesn't know they are going to show up until they do.

A writers characters have a life of their own.

+ it sure makes for interesting reading for those you have invested reading in his other work.

[bopropadop]

Borrowing (and paraphrasing) from something JohnD has said 'around these parts' before, the SK universe is like one big story with many installmants. I like that concept. And thankee John for that thought.

I always feel like each new novel or short story will open a new door of perception on a previous story or event. Makes reading him that much more enjoyable and makes re-reading his material an absolute must in some instances.

Thanks for your post!

[bopropadop]

I, for one, love a serial. Not so much as soap operas, but when I started reading SK and realizing his characters inter-mingle in his books, I became even more excited about reading the next books. Even went back to already read books to make sure I wasn't losing my mind:) It helps you get to know a character.

I think you're exactly right. And having just posted something which mirrors your thought, and then reading (and absorbing) what you wrote smjohn, I cry your pardon for appearing to plagiarize...

[aptpupil]

Definitely a good idea in my opinion. SK creates a world for the reader, and if many of the stories about that world are situated in the same town or same locality, then it adds authenticity to have people from past stories bumping into people from newer ones.

It's exactly what happens in the real world. :smile2:

[pandora]

Thank goodness he does !! And the story goes on...................

[~Ally~]

I think it shows exceptional talent the way Uncle Steve can mention characters already known to us in other stories. It gives the stories a sense of realism, after all if the characters live in the same area it is inevitable they will either have met or have some connection, the same as people in real life.

Considering the magnitude of stories written the re-occurrence of characters is genius, almost as if in Uncle Steve's mind these characters are real and known to him personally. I love it when these connections appear.:smile2:

[smjohn]

I think you're exactly right. And having just posted something which mirrors your thought, and then reading (and absorbing) what you wrote smjohn, I cry your pardon for appearing to plagiarize...

No crying necessary:) I don't think you plagged me at all:) Great minds just think alike, is all!