Stephen King is one of the world's most well-known and successful authors he's published over
50 novels and won numerous awards including The National Book Foundation Medal here are
our picks for the top 10 Stephen King books that inspire writers number 10 ON WRITING
ON WRITING is part memoir and part guidebook for those interested in the writing craft
in the book King discusses writing his first novel CARRIE and his subsequent fame an an
established writer ON WRITING is a must-have tool for writers and an insightful look into
the backstory of one of horror's most prolific authors we're all sorry about this incident
Cassie it's Carrie number 9 CARRIE King's first novel tells the tale of Carrie White
a high school outcast who discovers she has telekinetic powers using those powers she
exacts a gruesome revenge on her tormentors after a prank-gone-wrong during prom the story
is both relatable as well as terrifying CARRIE was later adapted into an Academy Award nominated
film in 1976 and later remade in 2013 oh Paul what a poet you are number 8 MISERY and DOLORES
CLAIBORNE when author Paul Sheldon is severely injured in a car crash he's rescued by eccentric
fan Annie Wilkes who cares for him in her home while he recuperates after reading that
her favorite protagonist is killed in his latest novel Wilkes snaps holding him prisoner
and forcing him to write Misery back into existence it was adapted into a movie in 1990
starring Kathy Bates who also starred in the film adaptation of DOLORES CLAIBORNE which
ties for our number 8 spot DOLORES CLAIBORNE is a unique King novel in that it features
no supernatural elements and is written in a continuous narrative style that reads like
spoken monologue hiya Georgie aren't you gonna say hello number 7 IT IT is a mysterious shape-shifting
being that exploits the fears and phobias of its victims primarily taking the form of
Pennywise the clown themes of memories childhood trauma and small-town settings have become
signature staples in the King genre IT was adapted into a 1990 mini-series starring Tim
Curry as the role of Pennywise what is this place this was their burial ground I brought
you here to bury Ellen's cat number 6 PET SEMATARY when Louis Creed moves to Maine he
befriends neighbor Jud Crandall Jud shows him the "pet sematary" where the town's children
bury dead animals after Louis's cat dies Jud shows him the "real cemetery" an ancient Indian
burial ground that resurrects anything buried in it when his youngest child is killed Louis
decides to bury him in the same cemetery despite warnings from Jud who tells him "sometimes
dead is better" PET SEMATARY is a chilling look at death resurrection and tragedy it
was later adapted into a 1989 movie starring Dale Midkiff get busy livin' or get busy dyin'
that's god damn right number 5 DIFFERENT SEASONS DIFFERENT SEASONS is a collection of 4 novellas
that focus on serious dramatic elements rather than horror 3 of the 4 novellas have been
adapted into films notably RITA HAYWORTH AND THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION which went on to
win an Academy Award THE BODY renamed STAND BY ME and APT PUPIL a novella narrated entirely
in the 3rd person I thought I could outrun it *laughs* you can't outrun the dark man
number 4 THE STAND set in a post-apocalyptic world where a virus has ravaged most of the
world's population this novel is told from the perspective of many different characters
as they outline the destruction of mankind the book also delves into the subject of good
vs. evil as antagonist Randall Flagg attempts to sow discord among the remaining survivors
THE STAND was adapted into an 8-hour TV miniseries directed by Mick Garris and a series of graphic
novels by Marvel Comics I'm tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world every day
there's too much of it it's like pieces of glass in my head all the time number 3 THE
GREEN MILE THE GREEN MILE is a first-person narrative told by death row supervisor Paul
Edgecombe Paul recounts meeting John Coffey an inmate with unusual healing powers over
the course of Coffey's stay Edgecombe begins to believe that Coffey is innocent of the
crimes he's been convicted of THE GREEN MILE is both magical as well as heart-wrenching
it was adapted into a 1999 film starring Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan and was nominated
for 4 Academy Awards here's Johnny number 2 THE SHINING and DOCTOR SLEEP the success
of THE SHINING firmly established King as a horror author Jack, his wife, and son Danny
move into the empty Overlook hotel for the winter Danny gifted with psychic powers encounters
grisly visions and ghostly apparitions Jack possessed by the hotel's ghosts slowly descends
into madness THE SHINING was adapted into a 1980 film directed by Stanley Kubrick and
starring Jack Nicholson in DOCTOR SLEEP the 2013 sequel to THE SHINING we meet Danny as
an adult defending another psychic child against a group of vampiric quasi-immortals feeding
off the "steam" that people who possess the shining give off while dying in pain before
we reveal our number 1 pick here are a few honorable mentions my children of the desert
the can toi what music they make amy amy is my daughter's name your daughter's screaming
the house is burning your daughter's in the house it's not too late number 1 THE DARK
TOWER SERIES THE DARK TOWER SERIES spans 8 books and incorporates themes from multiple
different genres including Western fantasy science fiction and horror King incorporates
many characters and details from his other novels and even appears as a character himself
in book #6 SONG OF SUSANNAH the story follows Roland Deschain the last living member of
a knightly order known as gunslingers as he journeys through a world that has "moved on"
to find the dark tower a building said to be the nexus of all universes the series been
adapted into an ongoing comic series by Marvel Comics want to know more about how Writer's
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