Three lessons we can learn from Stephen King
the master storyteller
Most of us are familiar with Stephen King as a prolific author specializing in the horror and fantasy writing genres.
What has made him a household name is the afterlife of his written works, adapted to feature films and television movies.
What can we learn from this writer who has captivated the interest of millions of readers?
In his memoir, On Writing, King describes his writing experiences and gives advice to writers. It might be worthwhile to look at three lessons we can learn from Stephen King.
#1. Story-telling with Suspense
Like Edgar Allen Poe in the Tell-Tale Heart, King is a master of suspense.
We feel the tension building up in his novel, Misery, and the ensuing painful experiences of the writer in the story being held captive by his psychotic fan.
In King’s novel, The Shining, we are filled with trepidation and anticipation, due to the insight we get about Jack, along with his son with psychic premonitions, all leading to those bone-chilling scenes with Jack and his wife in that fateful hotel, where the suspense is killing us.
#2. King creates characters that readers can sympathize with or care about. How the underdog can become a super hero or super villain.
Stephen King creates dynamic, complex characters that the reader cares about in some way. Even the prototypical underdog.
Take the story of Carrie, the girl who is tricked and ostracized by classmates for being different.
King alerts you to the fact that what is worrisome is a feeling of being lulled into a sense of security, then surprise, as you might have expected, a sudden twist and all trust is shattered.
Once again, King takes a seemingly powerless protagonist and uses their anger as a weapon with powerful super powers to get justice or revenge.
#3. Stephen King’s use of supernatural powers to elevate his storyline.
We see this technique in a number of King’s novels. In The Green Mile, John Coffey has the ability to heal disease. And to transfer it to another individual. Within the confines of the jail cell, he is able to read thoughts and see the true nature of the people he touches. This writing technique elevates the storyline and the inherent goodness of the protagonist, ironically and unjustly accused of being the bad guy. The true villain of the story is revealed.
Yet, in the Green Mile, Stephen King does not present the reader with a happy ending, but the bitter irony and injustice of the protagonist not being able to save himself. Once again, the reader is made to genuinely feel something about this character and situation.
And, after all, isn’t that the essence of good writing?
