Stephen King...Did You Know
- schlesadv
- Jan 9
- 2 min read
He was nearly never published… and almost quit.
Carrie was rejected dozens of times. King actually threw the manuscript in the trash; his wife Tabitha rescued it and urged him to finish it. That book launched his career.
His first big paycheck saved his family.
The paperback rights to Carrie sold for $400,000 in 1974 (a huge sum at the time), allowing King to quit teaching high school and write full-time.
He writes every single day.
King famously aims for 2,000 words a day, even on holidays. He believes discipline matters more than inspiration.
He used to write under a pen name.
King published several novels as Richard Bachman to see whether his success was talent or luck. The secret was exposed after a bookstore clerk noticed similarities.
Many of his stories are connected.
His novels share a fictional multiverse, often tied together by The Dark Tower. Towns like Derry and Castle Rock appear repeatedly.
He survived a near-fatal accident.
In 1999, King was struck by a van while walking near his home. He later wrote about the experience and even incorporated it into The Dark Tower series.
He’s appeared in film adaptations of his work.
King has made cameo appearances in movies like Creepshow, Pet Sematary, and Maximum Overdrive (which he also directed).
He hates one of the most famous adaptations of his work.
King has been very vocal about disliking Stanley Kubrick’s version of The Shining, feeling it strayed too far from the novel’s emotional core.
He’s extremely generous with new filmmakers.
King allows student and independent filmmakers to adapt select short stories for $1 (the “Dollar Baby” program).
He’s one of the most adapted authors in history.
Over 50 films and TV series are based on his work, spanning horror, fantasy, crime, and even heartfelt drama (The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me).
Barringer Publishing, publishing extraordinary books, since 2008.
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