Of course, you can use notepads and pens too. An alternative is Evernote, although I’ve experienced some synching problems in the past. ◆ Idea processing: I use my regular notes app on my iPhone for my short story ideas. These are language related tools, but what else is hidden in the drawers of your toolbox? And remember, we’re focusing here on the tools you need for short story writing.Įvery writer has his or her own process and tools they use to get the words on the page. I do find it very dry and dull, but it does the trick so to say. If you do want to learn more about updating your style and grammar, I suggest you pick up the book ‘ The Elements of Style’. “When it comes to a writing tool such as vocabulary, pack what you have without the slightest bit of guilt and feeling of inferiority.” - Stephen King You don’t have to sound like Ayn Rand or John Steinbeck. Most importantly, find what works for you and stick to it. Listen to every writer you encounter and pick the tools they use that speak to you.
What I’m trying to say is, don’t worry about it, use what you know and get those words out! You’ll polish your vocabulary through both get more experience as a writer and by reading many books. I just don’t know all the technicalities of grammar (sorry folks).
But I use these tenses in my stories though, most often correctly as well. If you ask me to explain the difference between the ‘past perfect’ and the ‘past simple’, I have no clue what to answer. Sure, I always strive to perfect my English, but not at the cost of my writing. Use your own voice and say things as you would say it.Īs I’ve said before, English is not my native language, therefore I must work with what I’ve got. Don’t be pretentious, don’t use words you don’t know yourself. My advice here is: work with what you got. In the introduction, I already mentioned tools like vocabulary, style, and grammar. “Use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and colorful.” - Stephen King In this article, we’ll focus on how you can collect new tools for your toolbox, while carefully selecting the ones you already have. But I’m the only one able to select the right tools when the blank page stares back at me. Reading about writing routines of other writers, studying their style, following writing courses or studying grammar, it all contributes to my toolbox. It’s time to collect as many tools as I can and polish the ones I already possess.
STEVEN KING TOOL BOX WRITING UPGRADE
Now is not the time to organize my toolbox and upgrade to a decent trunk. Whenever I learn something new about writing I throw it in. Mine as of this moment is a somewhat organized mess collected in a large backpack. Charles Dickens might have had a large and sophisticated trunk with hidden cabinets and secret storage compartments. I imagine Oscar Wilde’s toolbox to be made of gold and decorated with rubies. You have your vocabulary in one drawer, style in another, grammar in the next, etc.Īs you might guess, every toolbox is unique to every writer.
Every drawer contains different writing tools. The toolbox consists of multiple layers, drawers if you will. He envisions us writers to have a box of tools that we have at our disposal to perform the craft of writing. I first heard of this term when I read ‘ On Writing’ by Stephen King. In the second post in this ‘How to Write a Short Story’ series, I’d like to explore the writer’s toolbox. “Good writing is often about letting go of fear and affectation, Affectation itself, beginning with the need to define some sort of writing as ‘good’ and other sorts as ‘bad’, is fearful behavior. Good writing is also about making good choices when it comes to picking the tools you plan to work with.” - Stephen King
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