On writing

Last week, we announced that A Thousand Monkeys is now an employee ownership trust. That means that our founder and copywriting guru, Richard, is no longer the owner of the company, but an employee like the rest of the monkeys.

We’ve been passing on some of the wisdom he’s imparted since founding the company. This week it’s a very useful book recommendation, from one of fiction’s greatest writers: Stephen King.

'The adverb is not your friend… I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops.' Stephen King

Stephen King's On Writing is on every reading list Richard puts together. Workshops, talks, writing guides – whenever there’s a need to recommend a book about how to write, Stephen King’s On Writing is the first one that comes to mind.

There’s a reason Stephen King is one of the best-selling authors of all time. He can create a powerful image with just a few simple words. There’s no need for long descriptions or complicated sentences – he’s mastered the art of doing more with less.

While it's aimed at aspiring novelists, the advice applies just as much to copywriters, marketers and content creators. Get it if you want your writing to be as powerful as the king of horror or the king of the monkeys.