Original artwork, not a still
The Stand • 1978
One word at a time.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The answer sounds like a brush-off, and King knows it. His point is that no trick sits behind a long book, only the next word and then the one after. Because On Writing, his later memoir of the craft, is where most readers meet his advice, the line is commonly credited to it, but the sentence belongs to The Stand's preface, and writers have been quoting it to each other ever since.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The StandShow the scene
King's answer to the question every writer is asked appears, per Wikiquote, in the preface to the uncut edition of his post-apocalyptic novel The Stand, not in On Writing. The expanded version of The Stand came out in 1990, twelve years after the original 1978 book was cut for publication, and King's preface is where he says that when asked how he writes he invariably answers 'one word at a time', and that people always dismiss the reply. It is a plain account of writing as steady daily labour, and King says his long book was built the same way.
Sources (2)
- Wikiquote: Stephen KingThe Stand (Uncut) entriesReference checked
- Wikipedia: The StandPublication historyReference checked
Context reviewed
