Portrait of Stephen King

Stephen King

Horror fiction

Contemporary influential 115 sayings

Sayings by Stephen King

It's okay to be scared. Being scared means you're about to do something really, really brave.

Various — Attributed, general theme
General Unverifiable

The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool.

1991 — Needful Things
General Confirmed

Stephen King's Rules for Writers: 1. Read a lot. 2. Write a lot.

2000 — On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
General Unverifiable

The world is a scary place, but it's also a beautiful one.

Various — Attributed, general theme
General Unverifiable

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.

Approx. 1990s-2000s — Attributed, advice on writing
General Unverifiable

He knew that there were some things that no amount of money could buy, and some secrets that no amount of power could uncover.

1996 — The Green Mile
General Unverifiable

The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you made it... and that you stood.

1978 — The Stand
General Unverifiable

It was the most important thing I'd ever done, and I had no idea what I was doing.

2014 — Revival
General Unverifiable

Some things are just bad. Some things are just evil. Sometimes there's no explanation.

2018 — The Outsider
General Unverifiable

The best fiction is often the most honest.

Various — Attributed, general writing advice
General Unverifiable

Fear is the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.

Various — Attributed, often linked to Lovecraft but a common sentiment he expresses
General Unverifiable

Humor is almost always a subversive element. It's a way to make people think about things they don't want to think about.

Approx. 1990s-2000s — Attributed, often in interviews about his use of humor
General Unverifiable

The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.

Various — Attributed, paraphrasing Milton, often used in his work's themes
Religious Unverifiable

It's hard to be a man when you're afraid.

1982 — The Shawshank Redemption (from Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption)
General Unverifiable

There's no harm in hoping for the best as long as you're prepared for the worst.

1987 — The Tommyknockers
General Unverifiable

The boogeyman is real, and he's hiding under your bed.

1973 — The Boogeyman (short story)
General Unverifiable

The first duty of a novelist is to entertain. If you don't entertain, then all the deeper stuff is lost.

Approx. 1990s-2000s — Attributed, often in interviews
General Unverifiable

I think that the best stories are the ones that are closest to the truth.

Various — Attributed, general writing philosophy
General Unverifiable

Writing is a lonely profession. And that's okay. Because sometimes, the best company is yourself.

Various — Attributed, general observation on writing
General Unverifiable

The imagination is a powerful tool. It can create worlds, or it can destroy them.

Various — Attributed, general theme in his work
War & Violence Unverifiable
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