Writing techniques for Christine and others

[Nick King]

Hi,
I am a recent explorer of Stephen King's work and I've almost finished Christine. I read On Writing (great book by the way) and considered the way Stephen (or Mr. King, the other Mr. King should I say) writes. I got the impression that he writes as though he was the first reader (I think he states as much). In the writing of a first draft how does/do he/you (if you are reading this, hopefully) account for complex plot devices like using Hitchcock's bomb under the table (or is it chair)scenario. I think there is an example in Christine where Dennis is planning on killing Christine with the poop truck, yet the reader knows that any damage Christine sustains she merely fixes and would therefore render his attempts useless. As the reader we are glued to the story and our screams of the bomb is under the table towards Dennis are fruitless, but we can't help seeing what happens. Is this something a writer learns to develop and set down in early drafts(the plot interweaving), as they mature as a writer. Or is it still the result of writing numerous drafts that allow the writer to layer the story so richly even if they have had the experience of writing many books?

Cheers Nick

[omm poppa mow mow]

If we're allowed to guess....I'd guess a bit of both...umm, experience and more experience, and a lot of reading, maybe the right combination of genes and chromosomes, proper diet (and proper by no means means PC-diet....see food, eat it, that sort of thing)...and probably luck....and...stealth technology.

[GNTLGNT]

It's a learned art in my unskilled opinion...

[king family fan]

I think it just comes natural for some through all their reading and attempts at writing. Alot of editing.

[Mr. Birkegaard]

One once told me: You don't write a novel, you rewrite a novel ... I think thats very true.