Stephen King vs. Peter Straub?

[dwalters]

I'm reading The Talisman for the second time right now, and I'm just curious how the two authors divided up the work. Did they take turns writing a short section and setting the other one up? Did they both write their own version of a particular chapter and then pick and chose what they wanted to keep and what to let go? Was it a purely collaborative effort that they actually wrote together at the same time? There are some sections that have a very definite SK feel to them, but they blend in so flawlessly with the story as a whole that it's hard for me to tell where one ends and the other begins.

[Moderator]

Before beginning with The Talisman and Black House, Steve and Peter discussed plot ideas in general terms. When it came time to write the books, each of them would take turns, one writing a section and then handing it off to the other when it felt like that was the place for their part to stop, continuing in this fashion until the books were done.

[dwalters]

Interesting. Thanks for the insight!

[B4victorycomestemptation]

u know its been ahile since I read this but I remember at times I thought I felt the story shift away from Stephen King. I would love to know more about which parts belong to whom.

[Jaedpact]

I suppose it's a bit like wanting to know which songs were written by Paul and which by John, I have always believed that the combined efforts made created greatness.

[mohctep]

Interesting facts that I didn't know.Great thread!

[Bryan James]

Anyone that would write a story with another person must be insane!

Good lord, imagine the insaniots that would collaborate with multiple writers....

[Spideyman]

Anyone that would write a story with another person must be insane!

Good lord, imagine the insaniots that would collaborate with multiple writers....

:grinning: :wink2:

[bobledrew]

If I recall correctly, Straub and King have even played with each other's styles, trying to pull the wool over the readers' eyes. So if you read something that sounds totally King, it might be Straub, and vice versa.

[PatInTheHat]

Now when I first read The Talisman, I couldn't really have expressed an opinion on who wrote what, as I hadn't yet at that point really read enough of either of 'em to have had a feel for that opinion.
But as a little more time went on, and I put more of their individual works behind me, it did occur to me, the Straub contributions had to be the ones that made me feel a wee bit nappy :biggrin2:...it was when I did my first re-read.
Yes Sraub is a top notch quality writer, and yes I have enjoyed a lot of his work, but he makes me tad sleepy...SK on the other hand, has caused me so many days of humpin' through a day, simply from lack of sleep:sleepy:.
Straub has never kept me awake gitty with anticipation for the next page..and then the next page, and the next, right up til dawn if ya know what I'm sayin', and I'm pretty sure you probably do:cool2:.
Now to be completely fair to Straub, there's not really that many that do, or at least not nearly as often as Mr. King has managed to do, bless his twisted sleep deprivation lovin' little heart:biggrin2:.

[since75]

I see that it has been a long time since this thread has been posted in, so maybe in the years since it has been determined what the answer to my question is. My question being, did SteveK write the Wolf character? He had to have.. Wolf was just so 'King-y' But I remember when the book first came out, that SteveK said that we (constant readers) would be surprised because what we thought was his section could, and probably was, PeterS's. But I just can't wrap my mind around Wolf not being SteveK's creation. God pounds His own nails, right here and now.. Wolfs protect the Herd, Jackie, Wolfs always protect the Herd! Only SteveK could bring such a wonderful character to life, and make me love his so much and feel such sadness in my heart of hearts when his part of the story ended. Wolfs ferocity, and his pureness of heart, his complete dedication to protecting his Herd Jackie (locking him up at full moon) that just HAD to be King?

[Moderator]

:zip:

[Spideyman]

Award for Keeper of Secrets given to MsMod January 7, 2011

[lovely1]

I like Wolf:laugh:. I could tell Peter Straub,s contribution by the slow pacing. SK's faster pacing however was greatly appreciated.:smile2:

[since75]

ahh, now I see with these old eyes.. it is a zipper on that little smiley fellow.. not chattery teeth (shudder, chattery teeth) now I understand. Good. Some things are better left unknown. To me, Wolf is Tom Cullen in wolfs clothing and m-o-o-nTom is Wolf in boys clothing.

[SarasWhimsy]

I must agree with so much of what is said here. In this current reading of The Talisman, when I got to the part about Wolf I immediately "knew" I was reading SK. But, I do wonder if it wasn't too much SK - almost like someone trying to be like SK. At the same time though (not to sound wishy washy) SK is the only writer to ever keep me up at night, whether it be up reading or scared by what I read.