Indiana Jones, Stephen King and Unearthing the Story

In Stephen King's book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, he refers to his stories as fossils and compares himself to an archeologist. He says the story is buried in the earth and as a writer he uncovers the story and commits it to the page.

Mr. King says:

"…Stories are relics, part of an undiscovered pre-existing world. The writer's job is to use the tools in his or her toolbox to get as much of each one out of the ground in tact as possible. Sometimes the fossil you uncover is small; a seashell. Sometimes it's enormous, a Tyrannosaurus Rex with all those gigantic ribs and grinning teeth. Either way… the techniques of excavation remain basically the same."

My favorite archeologist is Indiana Jones. Bring the pacing and structure to the Indiana Jones movies to the page as you unearth the story, and readers will read your books, at least this reader will! [I promise Indie and Mr. King, I am NOT your Number One fan (from King's book Misery), although I do enjoy your movies and your books to the extreme.]

In a long, intensive weekend of writing, I plan to unearth the last few chapters of my in-progress story. so if you'll excuse me, I'm heading off to the dig site to dig, er, I mean, desk to write.