the third drawer - what is in it ? ? ?

[Timmy]

The On Writing "Toolbox" contains grammar (first drawer) and style (second drawer). The third drawer, King says, should be "filled with the right instrument."

Does anybody have ANY idea what goes in the 3rd Drawer (according to King)?? Or, what "instruments" to choose from? I have read On Writing a couple times cover to cover and reviewed notes - as well as full sections of text - several times, yet still draw a blank.

If you have ANY insight please let me know (along with the page # where you found the answer in On Writing).

Thanks!

p.s. I realize vocabulary is in the first drawer, but King says "make no conscious attempt to improve it." Therefore, it was not included in my post.:laugh:

p.s.s. I emailed Stephen, because I figured if anybody would know, he would. I couldn't find any contact info on this site, so I emailed one of his charities, which I think must have hacked him off, because he has yet to respond (shocking, I know, but true). :oops: Like, what the hell, right?

[GNTLGNT]

It's a rusty ice cream scoop and a matchbook with one match in it...

[king family fan]

Hardcover page 129.Lift out the top layer of your toolbox---your vocabulary and all the grammar stuff. On the layer beneath go those elements of sytle on which I have already touched.This is what King wrote. Hope this helps.Have a good day!

[jenniegeo]

I hope its not a crazy homemade word processor...that never works out well; )

[PookieReindeer]

Yo.

This here is Pookie Reindeer. What up, Playaz.

Check this out. Ain't none a ya'll gonna get this right cause that homie King sold ya'll a Toolbox that don't have no third drawer... You feelin' me?

Now, I was a little ticked, I ain't gonna lie. But, when you figure he go and give all them FREE BONUS shiznits, like that there mental telepathy, and the dandy lion killin' formula, and so much more, I cain't exactly be mad at the playa... Know what I'm sayin'?

Peace out,
Pookie

p.s. Jenniegeo, you is foxy... Just sayin'

[Homer403]

I dont think Steve is going to reply to us "p-ons"!!! :)

[Sarah Writes]

Hi. I’m Sarah. I’ve been reading Stephen King for ages, following the message board for awhile now, but this is my first post – so be nice!

Timmy might have a point here. I went back and read through the Toolbox section again (starting on p.111 of the soft cover edition), since it has been awhile since I studied On Writing. This is what I found:

p. 114, 3rd paragraph: “Fazza’s toolbox had three levels. I think that yours should have at least four.”

p.114, 4th paragraph: “Common tools go on top. The commonest of all, the bread of writing, is vocabulary. In this case, you can happily pack what you have without the slightest bit of guilt and inferiority.”

p.117, 3rd paragraph: “Put your vocabulary on the top shelf of your toolbox, and don’t make any conscious effort to improve it.”

p.118, 3rd paragraph: “You’ll also want grammar on the top shelf of your toolbox…”

p.121, last paragraph: “If you want to refurbish your grammar, go to your local used – book store and find a copy to Warriner’s English Grammar and Composition…”

p.129, first paragraph: “Lift out the top layer of your toolbox – your vocabulary and al the grammar stuff. On the layer beneath go those elements of style upon which I’ve already touched.” (as Timmy said, Style is the 2nd Drawer – King discussed it at great length between pages 121 and 129, then continues to talk about the paragraph, which is part of Style)

p.136, first paragraph: “What in the hell’s name do I do next? You go on to the third level, of course, and begin to write real fiction.”

p.137, only paragraph: “We are talking about tools and carpentry, about words and style... but as we move along, you’d do well to remember that we are also talking about magic.”

And that is the end of the Toolbox section (and analogy) and the beginning of On Writing. I looked over these pages several times and did not see the line Timmy mentioned about filling the third drawer with “the right instrument.” That doesn’t mean it wasn’t there, I just didn’t see it.

But, it seems like everybody is right, in a way. GNTLGNT, you had an interesting post about an ice cream scoop and match book. At first, I thought you were being sarcastic, and maybe you were. But, the way King ends the Tools section, he implies that the 3rd drawer is Fiction (and magic). While not answering the question (what is in the third drawer?) direct, you answered with an indirect example of fiction...

Pookie could also be right. He doesn't specifically say what is in the third drawer (he just implied it). And also, these are supposed to be TOOLS to write. You can't say the tools you need to fix a screen door are a screw driver, hammer, and a fixed screen door... yet, S.K. seems to say the tools to write fiction are: grammar, style, and writing fiction...

All in all, very interesting post. Hope my two cents help!

Sarah

[omm poppa mow mow]

Duct tape & throat lozenges?

Or an admonition: Don't allow a herding Laplander anywhere near your balls.

No fear.

[GNTLGNT]

Duct tape & throat lozenges?

Or an admonition: Don't allow a herding Laplander anywhere near your balls.

No fear.

But to follow up on that...if Heidi yodels in the forest and then falls-will anyone hear her?

[CCAL]

I'm at the IDEAL READER part right now-where Tabby snaps at Sai King to watch where he's driving and to stop being so g**da** NEEDY!
But for crying out loud -what writer isnt needy??? :love: We are what we are-and thats all there are to it! lol

[Timmy]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the responses. I thought I may have missed something the first time around... and the second!

Take it easy,

Timmy

[Timmy]

Sarah,
I appreciate your analysis. Reading the quotes made the toolbox analogy clearer. You could not find the directive to "fill the third drawer with the right instrument." See page 142. Half way down the page, King writes:

"...good writing consists of mastering the fundamentals (vocabulary, grammar and the elements of style) and then filling the third level of your toolbox with the right instruments."

Unlike the first, second and fourth drawer, where King specifically tells you what goes in each (and suggests a book to refresh those skills), he does not delve any deeper as to what the "instrument" might be, a list of "instruments" to choose from, or further reading to help you do so.

I don't think King means to imply that the 3rd Drawer is writing, either. I think he has a specific skill in mind (or combination of skills) that aid in the writing process. My question - and the purpose of this post/thread - is to explore, and ultimately define, what those skills are AND HOW TO CHOOSE "THE RIGHT INSTRUMENT."

Any thoughts?

Timmy

[omm poppa mow mow]

A good quality magnifying glass, maybe one like the Bausch & Lomb that you can find in the small drawer atop the big blue books. If the lens doesn't provide enough illumination you can always smack it against the wall, creating a jagged edge with which to draw blood. A kind of thematic thinking (207)

No fear.

[jellydonut25]

It's been a bit since I've read On Writing and I don't have it in front of me, but from my recollection, the third level is essentially the entire "On Writing" section of the novel.

He goes over vocab, grammar and style VERY briefly because in his opinion, everyone's vocab and style are their own to do with as they please and they bring these items to their toolbox on their own.
The third layer, however, are the things like: Words per day, goals, time spent writing, time spent reading, thinking about "situations", etc

[Timmy]

I think you're right, Jellydonut. I had to go back over that section again, but it does seem to suggest the tools you mentioned are the third level. Seems like Narration, Dialogue and description are also in the third drawer...