Quotes by Stephen King

Im convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing. If one is writing for ones own pleasure, that fear may be mild — timidity is the word Ive used here. If, however, one is working under deadline — a school paper, a newspaper article, the SAT writing sample — that fear may be intense.

Here is one of the great truths of the human condition: when you need Stayfree Maxi Pads to absorb the expectorants produced by your insulted body, you are in serious fucking trouble.

A little arrogance (or even a lot) isnt such a bad thing, although your mother undoubtedly told you different. Mine did. Pride goeth before a fall, Stephen, she said... and then I found out - right around the age that is 19 x 2 - that eventually you fall down, anyway.

Do any men grow up or do they only come of age?

Its as if God gave you something-all those stories- and said, Here you are. Try not to lose it. But children lose everything unless somebody is there to help them, and if your parents are too stupid to do it, maybe i ought to.

I guess a sock is also a geometric shape—technically—but I dont know what youd call it. A socktagon?

The feel of the sticky wetness down there when she moved made her grimace. God, she wanted to get cleaned up. In a hurry.

All right. Heres the deal, bigshot: suck my cock. Do that and Ill let you go. Straight trade.He unzipped his fly and pulled down the elastic front of his shorts. Something that looked like a dead whitesnake fell out. Johnny observed the thin stream of blood driz-zling from it without surprise. The cop was bleeding from every other orifice, wasnt he?Speaking in the literature sense, the cop said, grinning, this particular blowjob is going to be a little more Anne Rice than Armistead Maupin. I suggest you follow Queen Victorias advice - close your eyes and think of strawberry shortcake.

Wanting more is just a recipe for heartache.

We could argue about what constitutes the creepiest line in pop music, but for me its early Beatles- John Lennon, actually- singing Id rather see you dead, little girl, than to be with another man.

Im going out for a bottle of champagne. Were going to get bombed.

Both Rowling and Meyer, they’re speaking directly to young people. … The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good.

When Annies treatin, you best be eatin.

It was never for you, Annie, or all the other people out there who sign their letters “Your number-one fan.” The minute you start to write all those people are at the other end of the galaxy, or something. It was never for my ex-wives, or my mother, or for my father. The reason authors almost always put a dedication on a book, Annie, is because their selfishness even horrifies themselves in the end.

Misery suffered did not justify misery to come.

We see her go through dangerous mood-swings, but I tried never to come right out and say Annie was depressed and possibly suicidal that day or Annie seemed particularly happy that day.If I have to tell you, I lose. If, on the other hand, I can show you a silent, dirty-haired woman who compulsively gobbles cake and candy, then have you draw the conclusion that Annie is in the depressive part of a manic-depressive cycle, I win.

Youre like a man who loves nothing better than a thick steak but wouldnt last an hour in a slaughterhouse.

She gave him a strange maternal grin.For the first time, clearly, the thought surfaced in Paul Sheldon’s mind: I am introuble here. This woman is not right.

The reason authors almost always put a dedication on a book is, because their selfishness even horrifies themselves in the end.

But when fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you.