Chris Dietzel's Blog - Posts Tagged "stephen-king"
Similar Approaches, Different Views of the Apocalypse
I recently had a chance to read George Stewart’s classic, Earth Abides for the first time. For anyone who hasn’t read it, it focuses on one survivor of a plague that has wiped out almost the entire human race. As the story unfolds, the man attempts to find other survivors and start rebuilding some semblance of civilization. Recently, the book might be most well known for having inspired Stephen King to write The Stand.
What I first noticed about Earth Abides and what I enjoyed so much about it was that it doesn’t focus on the same “us versus them” or zombie apocalypse types of scenarios you tend to find so often, where the few survivors waste their time battling each other rather than rebuilding humanity. It was that same sense of frustration with most apocalyptic fiction that drove me to create the world of the Great De-evolution and write books like The Man Who Watched The World End and A Different Alchemy. Like Earth Abides these are books that focus on the long term effects of a decline in mankind—the wildlife that once again flourishes, the isolation felt by the few survivors and its impacts, the many parts of civilization that fade away and the few aspects that linger.
If you look at the two worlds at face level they seem very much alike. Both focus on the rare survivors, have little action, are very introspective, analyze the zoological and sociological aspects of the apocalypse, etc. What I quickly noticed, however, was that even with all of these similarities, The Man Who Watched The World End and A Different Alchemy are very much polar opposites of Earth Abides in many respects. The plague in Stewart’s book has already wiped out most of humanity and has run its course. The plague in my books lingers to the very end of mankind. Stewart focuses on the rebuilding efforts after the plague while I focus on the inevitable extinction of the human race. By themselves, these differences result in two starkly opposing views of the apocalypse. Stewart’s is filled with hope because of the slow re-establishment of law, order, and civilization. Mine is bleak because of the gradual fading away and extinction. Two similar approaches still result in contrasting endpoints.
Even after all of the similarities between my apocalyptic books and Earth Abides, there are still just as many differences between them as there are between Stewart’s book and The Stand and between The Stand and some other “us versus them” story, etc. Whether it’s a difference in tone, theme, the story’s resolution, or any other aspect of storytelling, there are always new stories waiting to be told and whose slight differences will lead to something new and unrecognizable from the classics. We will never run out of great stories that need to be told. And if you’re a writer like I am, there will always be another story that needs to be created.
What I first noticed about Earth Abides and what I enjoyed so much about it was that it doesn’t focus on the same “us versus them” or zombie apocalypse types of scenarios you tend to find so often, where the few survivors waste their time battling each other rather than rebuilding humanity. It was that same sense of frustration with most apocalyptic fiction that drove me to create the world of the Great De-evolution and write books like The Man Who Watched The World End and A Different Alchemy. Like Earth Abides these are books that focus on the long term effects of a decline in mankind—the wildlife that once again flourishes, the isolation felt by the few survivors and its impacts, the many parts of civilization that fade away and the few aspects that linger.
If you look at the two worlds at face level they seem very much alike. Both focus on the rare survivors, have little action, are very introspective, analyze the zoological and sociological aspects of the apocalypse, etc. What I quickly noticed, however, was that even with all of these similarities, The Man Who Watched The World End and A Different Alchemy are very much polar opposites of Earth Abides in many respects. The plague in Stewart’s book has already wiped out most of humanity and has run its course. The plague in my books lingers to the very end of mankind. Stewart focuses on the rebuilding efforts after the plague while I focus on the inevitable extinction of the human race. By themselves, these differences result in two starkly opposing views of the apocalypse. Stewart’s is filled with hope because of the slow re-establishment of law, order, and civilization. Mine is bleak because of the gradual fading away and extinction. Two similar approaches still result in contrasting endpoints.
Even after all of the similarities between my apocalyptic books and Earth Abides, there are still just as many differences between them as there are between Stewart’s book and The Stand and between The Stand and some other “us versus them” story, etc. Whether it’s a difference in tone, theme, the story’s resolution, or any other aspect of storytelling, there are always new stories waiting to be told and whose slight differences will lead to something new and unrecognizable from the classics. We will never run out of great stories that need to be told. And if you’re a writer like I am, there will always be another story that needs to be created.
5 Movies That Are Better Than the Book
Most people tend to prefer books over the movies that they’re turned into. In a couple instances, though, the movie winds up being better. Here are five examples of movies that surpassed the books they were based on.
5. Stand By Me (Based on The Body by Stephen King)
Just about everything Stephen King writes is great and ‘The Body’ is no exception, but the movie managed to blend a ton of different elements together (humor, childhood innocence, adventure, etc.) and each worked perfectly. Add to that an incredible cast and you see why the movie makes an already good story even better.
4. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (Based on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald)
This was originally a short story, which didn’t allow Fitzgerald to develop the characters and story behind the premise the same way the movie did. One of the nice things about the movie is that it allows scenes to play out slowly so the impact of each scene is more fully appreciated. In a short story of such scope, that just isn’t possible.
3. The English Patient (The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje)
Ondaatje’s book is good but the movie is great. Whereas the book manages to convey the beauty of scenes with its descriptive language, it isn’t able to convey the raw emotion that the movie possesses. Both the book and movie have good paces, good character development, and nice scenes, but the acting and cinematography in the movie push it into a different category of excellence.
2. Atonement (Atonement by Ian McEwan)
Something about McEwan’s writing didn’t connect with me. I liked the book but it felt cold, like someone recounting a series of events after they had long since gotten past them. The movie was the opposite. While watching it I found myself irritated, interested, sad, etc. That’s the sign of a powerful movie.
1. Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick)
This was by far the easiest pick. Whereas the movie is one of my favorites of all time, I didn’t enjoy the book at all. Ridley Scott’s direction and the tone of the movie are perfect. Dick’s version felt like pulp writing meant for young adults rather than a serious attempt at telling a fully developed story.
Have an example of your own? If so, I’d love to hear them.
5. Stand By Me (Based on The Body by Stephen King)
Just about everything Stephen King writes is great and ‘The Body’ is no exception, but the movie managed to blend a ton of different elements together (humor, childhood innocence, adventure, etc.) and each worked perfectly. Add to that an incredible cast and you see why the movie makes an already good story even better.
4. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (Based on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald)
This was originally a short story, which didn’t allow Fitzgerald to develop the characters and story behind the premise the same way the movie did. One of the nice things about the movie is that it allows scenes to play out slowly so the impact of each scene is more fully appreciated. In a short story of such scope, that just isn’t possible.
3. The English Patient (The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje)
Ondaatje’s book is good but the movie is great. Whereas the book manages to convey the beauty of scenes with its descriptive language, it isn’t able to convey the raw emotion that the movie possesses. Both the book and movie have good paces, good character development, and nice scenes, but the acting and cinematography in the movie push it into a different category of excellence.
2. Atonement (Atonement by Ian McEwan)
Something about McEwan’s writing didn’t connect with me. I liked the book but it felt cold, like someone recounting a series of events after they had long since gotten past them. The movie was the opposite. While watching it I found myself irritated, interested, sad, etc. That’s the sign of a powerful movie.
1. Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick)
This was by far the easiest pick. Whereas the movie is one of my favorites of all time, I didn’t enjoy the book at all. Ridley Scott’s direction and the tone of the movie are perfect. Dick’s version felt like pulp writing meant for young adults rather than a serious attempt at telling a fully developed story.
Have an example of your own? If so, I’d love to hear them.
Top 5 Fictional Authors
Classic novels have given us memorable characters of all sorts, from heroes we never forget to villains we can never forgive. In this list, here are the top five most memorable fictional writers of all time.
5. Elizabeth Costello – Costello is J.M. Coetzee’s alter ego. Like Coetzee, she lectures about literature and animal rights. She also happens to be one of Coetzee’s less likeable characters because she is overbearing and obtuse. In addition to appearing in a couple of Coetzee’s works, an entire book is named after her.
4. Jack Torrance – “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Ever since a crazed Torrance wrote that over and over in Stephen King’s The Shining, readers and moviegoers have loved being terrified by the abusive and alcoholic writer. Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Torrance helped elevate the fictional author to popular culture.
3. Benno von Archimboldi – 2666 is considered Roberto Bolano’s masterpiece and Archimboldi, a fictional German writer, is at the center of many of the plotlines in the story. At the beginning of the novel, he is introduced as an elusive writer who not even his most loyal critics and professors know much about and have never seen a picture of. At the end of the novel, you find out exactly who Archimboldi is and how his life has driven varying storylines to converge. The amount of mystery at one point, combined with the amount of depth throughout, makes Archimboldi impossible to forget.
2. Ellsworth Toohey – Toohey is a journalist and critic in Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead. He represents the embodiment of establishment opinion and the power of creating popular conformity. In the novel, Toohey starts off as a sort of bumbling and lowly critic, but as the story progresses you come to understand that he’s more powerful than the business owners and the men and women of true ability because he shapes the public’s opinion. How many times have we heard of a lackluster movie or book that became a success just because the critics all said it was great, or a movie or book of true genius that bombed because critics convinced people it wasn't worth their time? Toohey is the embodiment of that idea, and Rand’s success in using him to that end makes Toohey a highly underrated villain.
1. Kilgore Trout – Although the character was inspired by one of Kurt Vonnegut’s friends, in many lights, Trout is also Vonnegut’s alter ego. Like Vonnegut, Trout is a science fiction writer. Also like Vonnegut, many readers simply don’t know how to interpret much of Trout’s writing. He is noted as being a prolific writer and even writes his own memoir. Trout is mentioned or appears in almost a dozen of Vonnegut’s stories, most notably in Slaughterhouse-Five.
Honorable mention - Richard Bachman – Bachman was Stephen King’s pseudonym for many of his early novels and isn’t a fictional author in the classic sense. He’s included here because the idea of two different writing personas within one man, which is what Bachman represents, was King’s inspiration for The Dark Half. I include Bachman here because he went from being a pseudonym to a fictional author when King dedicated The Dark Half to "The late Richard Bachman."
5. Elizabeth Costello – Costello is J.M. Coetzee’s alter ego. Like Coetzee, she lectures about literature and animal rights. She also happens to be one of Coetzee’s less likeable characters because she is overbearing and obtuse. In addition to appearing in a couple of Coetzee’s works, an entire book is named after her.
4. Jack Torrance – “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Ever since a crazed Torrance wrote that over and over in Stephen King’s The Shining, readers and moviegoers have loved being terrified by the abusive and alcoholic writer. Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Torrance helped elevate the fictional author to popular culture.
3. Benno von Archimboldi – 2666 is considered Roberto Bolano’s masterpiece and Archimboldi, a fictional German writer, is at the center of many of the plotlines in the story. At the beginning of the novel, he is introduced as an elusive writer who not even his most loyal critics and professors know much about and have never seen a picture of. At the end of the novel, you find out exactly who Archimboldi is and how his life has driven varying storylines to converge. The amount of mystery at one point, combined with the amount of depth throughout, makes Archimboldi impossible to forget.
2. Ellsworth Toohey – Toohey is a journalist and critic in Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead. He represents the embodiment of establishment opinion and the power of creating popular conformity. In the novel, Toohey starts off as a sort of bumbling and lowly critic, but as the story progresses you come to understand that he’s more powerful than the business owners and the men and women of true ability because he shapes the public’s opinion. How many times have we heard of a lackluster movie or book that became a success just because the critics all said it was great, or a movie or book of true genius that bombed because critics convinced people it wasn't worth their time? Toohey is the embodiment of that idea, and Rand’s success in using him to that end makes Toohey a highly underrated villain.
1. Kilgore Trout – Although the character was inspired by one of Kurt Vonnegut’s friends, in many lights, Trout is also Vonnegut’s alter ego. Like Vonnegut, Trout is a science fiction writer. Also like Vonnegut, many readers simply don’t know how to interpret much of Trout’s writing. He is noted as being a prolific writer and even writes his own memoir. Trout is mentioned or appears in almost a dozen of Vonnegut’s stories, most notably in Slaughterhouse-Five.
Honorable mention - Richard Bachman – Bachman was Stephen King’s pseudonym for many of his early novels and isn’t a fictional author in the classic sense. He’s included here because the idea of two different writing personas within one man, which is what Bachman represents, was King’s inspiration for The Dark Half. I include Bachman here because he went from being a pseudonym to a fictional author when King dedicated The Dark Half to "The late Richard Bachman."
Writing tips by three great authors
I’m always looking to learn from other writers. As I developed my own writing voice and my own style of telling stories, I’ve found various lessons and insights that were helpful. Here is a collection from three authors I’ve enjoyed.
Robert Heinelein’s Rules of Writing:
1. You must write.
2. You must finish what you write.
3. You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order.
4. You must put the work on the market.
5. You must keep the work on the market until it is sold.
6. Start Working on something else.
Heinlein’s rules were the very first set of writing tips I remember reading. Of course, this was a long time ago and the industry has changed a lot since he wrote those rules, especially in regards to Rules #4 and #5.
Kurt Vonnegut’s Basic Tips for Writing:
1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
4. Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action.
5. Start as close to the end as possible.
6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.
I included Vonnegut’s tips because I love everything that has anything to do with him. His voice as a writer made a big impact on me and ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ is one of my all-time favorite books. I also enjoy how frank he is in everything he says, even his writing advice.
Stephen King’s Tips for Becoming a Better Writer:
1. Get to the point.
2. Write a draft, then let it rest.
3. Cut down your text.
4. Be relateable and honest.
5. Don’t care too much what others may think.
6. Read a lot.
7. Write a lot.
Stephen King’s tips are last because I relate to them the most. If I were going to suggest some tips for aspiring authors they would most resemble the list King put together.
For another list of writing tips, check out an article the Guardian posted a couple years ago, with writing tips by the likes of Margaret Atwood, Elmore Leonard, Richard Ford, Neil Gaiman, and others.
If these tips help at least one aspiring writer, then they have served their purpose. If you’ve found other writing tips that are particularly useful, I’d love to hear them.
Robert Heinelein’s Rules of Writing:
1. You must write.
2. You must finish what you write.
3. You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order.
4. You must put the work on the market.
5. You must keep the work on the market until it is sold.
6. Start Working on something else.
Heinlein’s rules were the very first set of writing tips I remember reading. Of course, this was a long time ago and the industry has changed a lot since he wrote those rules, especially in regards to Rules #4 and #5.
Kurt Vonnegut’s Basic Tips for Writing:
1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
4. Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action.
5. Start as close to the end as possible.
6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.
I included Vonnegut’s tips because I love everything that has anything to do with him. His voice as a writer made a big impact on me and ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ is one of my all-time favorite books. I also enjoy how frank he is in everything he says, even his writing advice.
Stephen King’s Tips for Becoming a Better Writer:
1. Get to the point.
2. Write a draft, then let it rest.
3. Cut down your text.
4. Be relateable and honest.
5. Don’t care too much what others may think.
6. Read a lot.
7. Write a lot.
Stephen King’s tips are last because I relate to them the most. If I were going to suggest some tips for aspiring authors they would most resemble the list King put together.
For another list of writing tips, check out an article the Guardian posted a couple years ago, with writing tips by the likes of Margaret Atwood, Elmore Leonard, Richard Ford, Neil Gaiman, and others.
If these tips help at least one aspiring writer, then they have served their purpose. If you’ve found other writing tips that are particularly useful, I’d love to hear them.
