# I tried Stephen King most productive writing routine & here’s what you need to know! ![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fCNaKe1CEXw/maxresdefault.jpg) ## King's Writing Process as a Pantser - [[Stephen King]] is one of the most productive modern-day writers, having written over 60 novels and 200 [[Short story | short stories]], with the ability to write a novel in just three months [(00:00:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=3s). - King's writing routine starts with knowing which type of writer you are, either a plotter who plans everything or a pantser who writes on instinct, with King being the latter [(00:00:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=37s). - As a pantser, King starts with a situation and lets the story develop, without advanced planning, allowing him to write quickly and produce a novel in around 3 months [(00:01:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=64s). - King dislikes plots because he believes they are incompatible with the spontaneity of real creation and that our own lives are largely plotless [(00:01:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=108s). - Despite being a pantser, King does write the last line of the book first, which may seem counterintuitive, but helps him to focus on the story's direction [(00:02:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=125s). - King's writing style is not the only factor in his productivity, but also his ability to get into a flow state quickly, which he achieves by reading the last two pages of his previous work before starting to write [(00:02:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=153s). - King believes that writing is like self-hypnosis, and having a routine helps him to fall into a trance-like state, allowing him to focus and create effortlessly [(00:02:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=164s). - To get into this state, King reads the last page of his work before starting to write, which helps him to get a sense of momentum and focus [(00:03:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=215s). ## King's Daily Writing Routine and Habits - Stephen King's writing routine involves sitting down to write from 8:00 to 8:30, taking a [[Vitamin]] pill, listening to music, and sitting in the same seat with papers arranged in the same places, following a strict routine and habit [(00:03:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=225s). - He writes every day, aiming for around six pages (2,000 words) per day, which amounts to 180,000 words over three months, a good length for a book that allows readers to get happily lost in the story [(00:04:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=240s). - King emphasizes the importance of writing daily, as not doing so causes characters to become stale, and the story's plot and excitement to fade [(00:04:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=258s). - He believes in immersing oneself in writing, letting words flow, and shutting out distractions, and revises his pages to get a clean version, editing and printing out what he likes [(00:04:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=279s). - Having a steady routine makes it easier to get back into the headspace of writing, and King stops writing around noon to reward himself with reading or watching a movie [(00:04:58)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=298s). ## King's Editing Process: Murder Your Darlings - The second step of King's routine is "[[Arthur Quiller-Couch | Murder Your Darlings]]," which involves editing out parts that don't add much to the story, even if they are favorites, to help see what is unnecessary [(00:05:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=314s). - King advises removing oneself from the story for at least six weeks to gain objectivity and avoid over- or under-estimating one's work [(00:05:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=338s). - In his second draft, King ensures sentences are in active voice, which creates a sense of urgency and draws readers closer to the character's experience [(00:06:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=365s). - He also removes adverbs, replacing them with strong and vivid verbs, and cuts descriptions, believing they should begin in the writer's imagination but finish in the reader's mind [(00:06:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=392s). - During edits, King makes sure his character's motivation, development, and actions make sense, and looks for coherence and reoccurring elements that intertwine to make a theme [(00:06:51)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=411s). - King goes through his edits about a dozen times until a story ends, ensuring that his story makes sense in the end [(00:07:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=433s). ## King's Ideal Writing Environment - Stephen King's writing routine includes creating a productive writing environment to minimize distractions and maximize productivity [(00:07:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=437s). - To achieve this, King's workspace has no phones, TVs, or internet, and only non-writing related items on the desk are a glass of water and a cup of tea to keep him hydrated [(00:07:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=449s). - The writing room should be private, similar to a bedroom, where one can go to dream and focus on writing [(00:07:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=459s). - The last page of the manuscript should be on the desk to help maintain focus and momentum [(00:07:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=465s). - Music is allowed in the workspace, specifically metal, which has scientific benefits of boosting concentration, focus, and productivity [(00:07:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=469s). - King recommends creating a "wall of sound" by playing music on a loop to prevent distractions from changing the music [(00:08:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=481s). - Alternatively, fast and energetic music can be used, but it should be played on a loop to minimize distractions [(00:08:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=494s). ## The Analogy of Writing and Building a Campfire - Thomas Williams's description of writing a novel is likened to building a little campfire on an empty dark plane, where characters come out of the dark and add to the fire, creating a big bonfire [(00:08:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=506s). - Implementing these tips can help increase productivity, and it is recommended to try them out and see the results [(00:08:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNaKe1CEXw&t=533s).