How to Write Fiction When Characters Talk to You: The Stephen King Secretary Method

When I told my accountability group that I'd written 20,000 words while they were still editing their first paragraphs, they looked at me like I'd discovered some secret formula. The truth is, I had discovered something powerful about how to write fiction - but it wasn't a technique I created. It was something that happened to me, and I learned to get out of my own way.

The secret lies in what I call the "secretary method" - a writing approach where you're not the author controlling every detail, but rather a secretary taking dictation from characters who are very much alive in your imagination. This shift in perspective transforms the entire writing process and can help you overcome the perfectionism that keeps many writers stuck.

The Secretary Method: When Characters Take Control

I discovered this approach almost by accident. When editors suggested changes to my books that would fundamentally alter the story, I found myself saying, "I can't change what these people are doing. I'm just the stupid secretary writing this stuff down."

That statement revealed something profound about my writing process. The characters had become so real to me that changing their actions felt like asking me to rewrite someone else's biography. They had their own personalities, motivations, and ways of speaking. My job wasn't to force them into predetermined roles - it was to listen and record what they were naturally doing.

This secretary mindset solves one of the biggest challenges in learning how to write fiction: the paralysis that comes from feeling like you have to control every aspect of the story. When you're just taking dictation, the pressure disappears. You're not responsible for creating the perfect plot or the most clever dialogue - you're simply documenting what's unfolding before you.

Finding Flow Over Perfection

The key difference between productive writing sessions and endless editing cycles comes down to recognizing when you're in flow versus when you're in analysis mode. When characters are talking to you and scenes are unfolding naturally, that's the time to write, not edit.

I've learned this lesson through both success and struggle. My biggest Achilles heel is obsessing over individual sentences to the point where I'll spend an entire day working on a single paragraph. My wife laughs at me for it, but sometimes you really can't say exactly what you want to say, so you redo it and redo it.

However, there's a crucial distinction between productive refinement and flow-killing perfectionism. When ideas are flowing and characters are active, the best thing to do is get everything down on paper. You can mess with it and muck about with editing later.

The Rewriting Discovery Process

One technique I've found particularly helpful is writing multiple versions of the same scene or chapter. I'll create different approaches and then compare them: "Here's this version, here's that version. Which version is better?"

This process often reveals the prose style a particular scene requires. Sometimes a scene needs to be more action-packed, other times more introspective. The characters themselves will often show you which approach serves the story better.

I practice this refinement process even in casual writing. On Facebook posts, I'll fine-tune the language, going over it multiple times. This constant practice of crafting and recrafting helps develop the ear for what works and what doesn't.

The Voice Problem in Editing

One of the most important discoveries in my writing journey was understanding why finding the right editor is crucial - and why many writers might be better off doing their own editing. When I first started hiring editors, I thought it was all about commas and periods. I learned the hard way that voice is everything.

A well-meaning friend who was a professional editor offered to help. When she returned the edited page, it was written in a woman's voice - her voice, not mine. Reading it, I immediately thought, "This isn't anything I've written." That's when I understood why experienced authors always say you have to find somebody who can edit in your voice.

Now I edit my books myself, working with a good friend named Robin who understands my voice. This approach means I make plenty of mistakes - probably a million of them - but I hopefully catch 98% of them while maintaining the authentic voice that readers connect with.

Making Hard Choices: Eating Your Children

Learning how to write fiction inevitably involves making painful cuts. I once met with a literary agent who perfectly captured this challenge. When discussing how I'd split one very long book into two volumes and cut numerous scenes and characters, he said, "It's like eating your children."

That phrase perfectly captures the emotional difficulty of removing elements you've grown attached to. You might love a particular character or scene, but if it's taking up space without serving the story, it has to go. This is perhaps one of the hardest skills to develop in fiction writing - the ability to step back and see what the story actually needs versus what you're personally attached to.

Writing as Cathartic Expression

While I don't consider myself qualified to give advice to other writers, I can share that writing has been profoundly cathartic for me, particularly when dealing with personal tragedy. Writing became a way to honor my son Jeff and process the experience of having a terminally ill child.

I recently finished a murder mystery set in a hospital during COVID times, incorporating the visiting restrictions and challenges we actually experienced when Jeff was hospitalized. Using real emotional experiences in fiction creates authenticity that readers can feel, even if they don't know the personal story behind it.

For writers facing their own challenges, fiction can provide a way to transform pain into something meaningful - not just for yourself, but for readers who might be struggling with similar experiences.

The Ripple Effect of Authentic Stories

One thing I learned from Jeff was how humor and authentic human connection can touch people in ways you never expect. Even while partially paralyzed in the hospital, he became known for his "joke of the day." Nurses would come by after their shifts just because he lifted their spirits. One nurse even changed her career path to work in cancer care because of her interactions with him.

This taught me that when we create authentic characters who bring humor, hope, or insight to readers, we never know how far that influence might reach. Fiction has the power to lift people's spirits, help them process their own struggles, and sometimes even change the direction of their lives.

Key Takeaways

• Adopt the secretary method: let characters drive the story rather than forcing predetermined plots
• Separate the writing phase from the editing phase - capture flow when it happens
• Use rewriting as a discovery process to find the right voice for each scene
• Protect your authentic voice by being selective about who you allow to edit your work
• Be prepared to cut beloved elements that don't serve the overall story
• Draw from real emotional experiences to create authentic, cathartic fiction

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you develop characters that feel real enough to "talk" to you?

Character development happens through spending time with them in various situations. Write scenes that won't appear in your final book - show them doing mundane activities, reacting to stress, or interacting with different types of people. The more you understand their personalities, motivations, and speech patterns, the more they'll start driving their own actions in your story.

What's the best writing process for overcoming writer's block?

The secretary method is excellent for overcoming writer's block because it removes the pressure of "creating" everything from scratch. Instead of staring at a blank page wondering what should happen next, imagine your characters in their current situation and simply observe what they do. Write down their conversations and actions without worrying about whether it's "good" - you can always revise later.

How do you know when to stop editing and consider a piece finished?

A piece is ready when the characters' voices ring true and the story serves its emotional purpose. If you find yourself making changes that don't significantly improve clarity or impact, you're probably done. Remember, perfection isn't the goal - authentic communication with readers is.

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