tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10048554.post403238447484854271..comments2023-06-25T08:12:06.640-07:00Comments on tested by research: Stephen King: Carrie (1974)allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673233312198832937noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10048554.post-90097514559532205442012-03-14T17:56:37.077-07:002012-03-14T17:56:37.077-07:00I bought Tom Gordon when it came out and started i...I bought Tom Gordon when it came out and started it, but I don't think I finished it. And I must have got rid of it when we moved. ... So I will buy it again! Gotta start haunting second-hand book store and thrift shops.<br /><br />I was intrigued by the concept of serially publishing The Green Mile and read those every month. I have not read much of his later stuff - TGM was in '96, I think - , but am intrigued that many of them have to do with a character's relationship with art and creativity. <br /><br />Also 2/3 of the way through 'salem's Lot right now and am blown away from the huge leap from Carrie in terms of scope, characters, storytelling ability, everything.allanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04673233312198832937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10048554.post-11428898297139496152012-03-14T11:55:25.108-07:002012-03-14T11:55:25.108-07:00Is that heavy, turgid subtext really there?
Absol...<i>Is that heavy, turgid subtext really there?</i><br /><br />Absolutely! I knew all that from the movie. There's no doubt that King knew about it too, and was tapping into all those archetypes. <br /><br />Awesome female power, women becoming scary/dangerous/psychotic on menstruation? These stories are as old as stories themselves.laura khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524593142290489958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10048554.post-86207202395085018242012-03-14T11:53:01.067-07:002012-03-14T11:53:01.067-07:00John, I'm pretty sure Allan has read Tom Gordo...John, I'm pretty sure Allan has read Tom Gordon and many other later works. Thanks for the tour invite, that would be fun. :)laura khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524593142290489958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10048554.post-80666337676867692542012-03-14T11:51:05.717-07:002012-03-14T11:51:05.717-07:00Finally read this post. I had no idea about the st...Finally read this post. I had no idea about the story behind Carrie. It's really unbelievable, to think that this became the blockbuster hit movie, put him on the map forever, changed not only King's life but the publishing scene and the movie industry. <br /><br />As you and I were talking about the other day, King's story has everything: rags to riches, addiction and recovery, near-death and debilitation... even baseball. I'd say it has the makings of the Great American Novel, but it's stranger than any fiction.laura khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524593142290489958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10048554.post-2148617701853538692012-03-08T20:22:29.727-08:002012-03-08T20:22:29.727-08:00My experience writing fiction is that if there is ...My experience writing fiction is that if there is a map, there won't be a legend--that is, if I know where I'm going when I start, when I get there it won't have been worth the trouble.johngoldfinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09322562737172405323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10048554.post-44947591489802572672012-03-08T20:18:59.651-08:002012-03-08T20:18:59.651-08:00Whenever you and Laura are ready to come to Bangor...Whenever you and Laura are ready to come to Bangor for the Stephen King tour, let me be your guide: Hampden Academy where 'Carrie' was hatched, the 'New Franklin Laundry' where SK had to toil for extra dough, the notorious King mansion on West Broadway, etc.<br /><br />Are you really going to hold off reading 'The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon' until you've worked your way down the list of books chronologically?johngoldfinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09322562737172405323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10048554.post-73915966720623268232012-03-07T13:01:58.067-08:002012-03-07T13:01:58.067-08:00"Get out of the way and let the story do the ..."Get out of the way and let the story do the driving."<br /><br />Excellent advice, but easier said than done. When I wrote fiction, I found it difficult to trust my story to flesh out the themes. I always had to go back and delete too-obvious theme explication. I <i>hate</i> that as a reader - yet found it incredibly hard to avoid as a writer.laura khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524593142290489958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10048554.post-19173501340976435432012-03-05T20:52:10.510-08:002012-03-05T20:52:10.510-08:00Interesting that you point out all the places wher...Interesting that you point out all the places where that kind of sledgehammer foreshadowing (forehammering?) takes place. That is very much the sign of an inexperienced writer. I see it all the time nowadays and I've often wondered where it comes from. <br /><br />Writers really need to know that this is an extremely ineffective way to propel the story forward. Get out of the way and let the story do the driving. If it isn't, and the story isn't pushing as hard as it needs to, then improve the story.<br /><br />Sorry to get off on a rant like that. The many examples you cited all in a row was just a little too much...M@https://www.blogger.com/profile/13408488215496128814noreply@blogger.com