An open letter...

[DC_Whyte]

As I know no way of contacting Mr. King directly, I'm posting this inquiry under his forum. Perhaps one of the moderators or admins could be so kind as to pass this along...

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Dear Mr. King,

I've spent most of my life wordsmithing in various genres of fiction and have been as of late working on a horror short story compilation. Horror has always been my favourite genre of both literature and cinema and I can say I've read most of your books and seen most of the movies based on your books... but not all. Lately, though, I've been letting a few of my friends and coworkers read some samples from my work, and because of this it has led me to write to you.

For every "Oooh! I loved it! What happens next?" response that I get, I usually receive twice as many "What the hell is wrong with you? With stuff like that in your head, you really need to see a shrink. You're not right in the head, you know." reactions. This is starting to wear on me to the point where I'm considering abandoning this project altogether. Have you yourself received such responses from people over the course of your career? I can only assume that you have, but I'm curious as to how you dealt with it. It's very disheartening for me to toil for so many hours, enjoying the stream of consciousness as it flows from my mind to page or file, and then have people question my sanity.

You've probably received tonnes of letters like this over your career, so I'm not expecting you to answer directly, but I do hold a small sliver of hope that you will.

sincerely,

D.C. Whyte

p.s. Don't ever stop what you do. I beg of you...

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[Moderator]

Sorry, Steve doesn't respond personally, but yes, he gets that kind of question all the time. They usually ask what kind of childhood he had as they think it must have been horrible for him to have such ideas. If you haven't already, you might want to check out his book On Writing.

[hossenpepper]

Can you imagine that myself and many others quivered ever so slightly at the sight of the term "Open Letter" in a thread title?

Ms Mod, you must have been positively glowing at the prospect!!

DC - The moderator's advice to read "On Writing" is the best you could receive in regards to your post. It is a study of the craft, but also contains autobiographical sections that are absolutely wonderful reading. I highly recommend this, especially if you are a writer.

Welcome to the board!

[fushingfeef]

For every "Oooh! I loved it! What happens next?" response that I get, I usually receive twice as many "What the hell is wrong with you? With stuff like that in your head, you really need to see a shrink. You're not right in the head, you know." reactions. This is starting to wear on me to the point where I'm considering abandoning this project altogether.... ......It's very disheartening for me to toil for so many hours, enjoying the stream of consciousness as it flows from my mind to page or file, and then have people question my sanity.

I've written my share of the spooky/sick stuff but I must say I never considered abandoning writing horror based on readers reactions. I think you just need to find readers who appreciate what you're doing, genre-wise, and stick with them. SOme people "get" horror, other people never will.

Generally I will ask potential readers first: "Have you ever read any horror?" If they say "No, that's stuff is for sickos," then I know not to waste time giving them anything to read. If they just say "no", I ask them why not. Some people just never really considered reading it, but once they've tried it they find they might like it. I think that is one of the reasons why Stephen King became so popular, there was a whole group of people who never realized they might actually enjoy horror before he came along.

Now, if people don't like your actual writing itself, that is another problem.

[smashingblouse]

Or you could just google the subject. I know I've read many an interview with him referring to this topic.

[Charms7]

I have read that Mr. King does what he does because:

Under The StephenKing.com Message Board FAQ:
Why did Stephen become a writer?
The answer to that is fairly simple-there was nothing else I was made to do. I was made to write stories and I love to write stories. That's why I do it. I really can't imagine doing anything else and I can't imagine not doing what I do.

Stephen King


He writes because that's what is most natural to him. If you feel the same way, then that is what you need to continue to do. Ignore the critics. Remember the people who believe in you. Keep writing!

Cheri/Charms7

[Spideyman]

Hi and welcome. Indeed, do read On Writing, and do not abandon your project. Be true to yourself. Perhaps a horror writers group might be better "readers" than friends who do not appreciate the style. Keep writing.

[smashingblouse]

And be sure to tell your friends that Stephen King probably got the same reactions from some of his friends and family when he started out, too, and what a shame it would be if he actually listened to them!

[hossenpepper]

Also, join us over at the Writers Group... Lots of folks over there that share your passion and genre!

I love to write horror and suspense. It's a great way of working out your own fears and worries. Keep it up, there is always an audience for you!