Writing with the door closed

by Ewan Ashford
6th March 2015

The title is the method Stephen King recommends in his book "On Writing". Now, I really like this but sometimes I really want to ask someone their opinion on an idea or plot point before I've written it. Is this a bad idea? It feels like I'm "writing with the door closed but occasionally peeking out and asking someone what they think". Perhaps having a previous career in Marketing has conditioned me to do this. Any advice is appreciated!

Replies

I too have read King's on writing and one of my favourite quotes was:

“Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy. ...this book...is a permission slip: you can, you should, and if you're brave enough to start, you will. Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink.

Drink and be filled up.”

Till I told my mother and her nstant and withering reply was: Water's NOT free

Profile picture for user sarahdyn_27561
Sarah
Dyne
270 points
Ready to publish
Poetry
Fiction
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Adventure
Autobiography, Biography and Memoir
Middle Grade (Children's)
Picture Books (Children's)
Comic
Food, Drink and Cookery
Business, Management and Education
Speculative Fiction
Popular science, Social science, Medical Science
Practical and Self-Help
Historical
Gothic and Horror
Philosophy and Religion
Romance
Sarah Dyne
10/03/2015

We're all different. I like silence and no interruptions and my own space. Others write to music, or at the table surrounded by children and partners and the washing up.

What's wrong with talking about a problem in your work, if it helps? You aren't Stephen King, you're Ewan Ashford; do it your way!

Profile picture for user lmswobod_35472
Lorraine
Swoboda
1105 points
Practical publishing
Fiction
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Historical
Romance
Autobiography, Biography and Memoir
Food, Drink and Cookery
Lorraine Swoboda
08/03/2015

Just to add to what everyone's saying, whenever I'm working on something I chat to my girlfriend and mates about it to get their points of view on where I want to take the story. They quite often give me more ideas. However when I'm physically writing it I need to be isolated from everyone for hours on end, so brainstorming and asking people's views on things is fine, it just becomes a distraction/infuriating annoyance if you're actually trying to write it and someones trying to give you their suggestions from over your shoulder.

Profile picture for user Woosh
Shaun
Woodgates
270 points
Ready to publish
Fiction
Comic
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Gothic and Horror
Historical
Young Adult (YA)
Adventure
Speculative Fiction
Short stories
Non-fiction
Competitions, opportunities and groups
The publishing process
Self-Publishing
Creative Writing and Publishing
Business, Management and Education
Media and Journalism
History
Philosophy and Religion
Popular science, Social science, Medical Science
Practical and Self-Help
Film, Music, Theatre, TV and Radio
Writing and Editing
Read and Review
Writing non-fiction
How publishers work
Literary agents
Crowdfunding
Beyond the book
Audiobooks
Copy-Editing
Proof reading
E-Book conversion
Print on Demand
Distribution and Sales
Print distribution
E-book distribution
Publicity and Marketing
Promotional materials
Publicity management
Marketing campaigns (incl. social media)
Preparing Your Portfolio
Self-Promotion
Identifying Your Audience
Essays and Literary criticism
Understanding Self-Publishing
Exhibiting and Working on Commission
Shaun Woodgates
07/03/2015