Widely hailed as the King of Horror, Stephen King has become the leading authority on spooky modern literature — and for good reason. With a staggering number of written works and adaptations to his name (not to mention 400 million sales and counting), he’s earned the title.

As a result, King is a great source of advice for what makes good storytelling. However, this isn’t just limited to creative writing — as any marketer will tell you, storytelling is a crucial aspect of building a strong brand. And for those wanting to build their influence with thought leadership content, these lessons are just as important.

For this reason, our writing team at Presscart employs many of King’s methods and strategies when creating high-impact writing that builds trust with readers — and you’d do well to follow suit!

With that in mind, here are a handful of lessons you can take away from the King of Horror.

Hook Your Audience Early with the Power of a Good Opening

“An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.”

The first few words of any book, presentation, advertisement, etc., have the power to captivate or lose an audience. A strong opening will set the tone and introduce conflict and intrigue that hooks the reader immediately. That’s why King’s own books usually start with a powerful passage that pulls the reader in, creating an immediate connection and compelling them to read on.

“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” 

This passage, from King’s The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger, is a masterclass in opening lines in and of itself. In just 12 words, the reader is thrust into the narrative, with a clear picture of the relentless pursuit that will span until the end of the book. It’s shockingly simple yet devastatingly powerful, a sucker punch that catches the reader off guard and forces them to keep reading.

If you’ve spent any time in business, you know how the typical corporate presentation goes. Chances are, unless someone splurges for a trained, professional speaker, the presentation starts with something along the lines of “Hey, how we all doin’ today?” followed by an apathetic, half-hearted response. If the audience is particularly unlucky, the speaker follows this up by saying something like “Oh, you can do better than that. I said, how we all doin’ today?!” followed by a slightly less miserable response (while many in the crowd begin seething).

Thanks to the power of first impressions, any marketing copy, presentation, blog, or email has the potential to fall flat and lose the attention and respect of the recipient in the first few seconds. A good opening, however, can capture and demand attention, buying the speaker or writer another precious few minutes to prove that they’re worth listening to.

At Presscart, our writers strive to start their work with interesting, engaging copywriting that grabs the reader’s attention. Rather than start by blandly defining a term or leading with aimless fluff, we kick off every piece with intrigue, compelling the reader to continue on.

So whether you share an interesting anecdote, mention a surprising fact that challenges a reader’s preconceived notions, introduce a problem that your product solves, or deliver value right off the bat by giving valuable advice, make sure you start strong.

Fuel Reader Engagement by Mastering Suspense and Tension

“Good books don’t give up all their secrets at once.”

Horror is a fascinating genre that blends mystery and suspense. Therefore, it only stands to reason that the leading expert on modern horror knows how to keep his readers on the edge of their seats.

Consider The Shining’s use of the recurring word “REᗡЯUM” or the warning to not enter Room 217. These elements appear repeatedly, each time adding more intrigue and mystery to the narrative. When these plot devices pay off, they pay off in a big way, with the “REᗡЯUM” reveal being particularly devious as a simple meaning that managed to catch most readers by surprise.

(Source: WIRED)

In business writing, especially in marketing, applying principles of suspense and tension can help hook the potential customer and improve their interest in a given product. Think Steve Jobs announcing the iPhone on stage in 2007. Rather than listing every groundbreaking feature of Apple’s new technology one after another, he slowly, methodically, revealed what was then the pinnacle of technological innovation with the showmanship of a modern P.T. Barnum — telling the audience only what they needed to know at the time in order to deliver maximum impact. Of course, both of these individuals come with their own baggage, but their accomplishments are worth studying nonetheless.

Seriously, if you haven’t watched the full speech, you should. If nothing else, it’s fascinating to see how far we’ve come in the last 17 years.

At Presscart, for example, we strategically craft our copywriting so that we don’t give away all the best bits right up front. We’ll drop in some attention-grabbing factoids and tease relevant information slowly, building interest and keeping the reader engaged without giving away all the meaty substance before they reach the end.

This one secret alone can help you reduce dreaded bounce rates or avoid losing a potential buyer’s attention. If you manage to master suspense and time your reveals for maximum impact, you’ll find that significantly more leads actually make it to your CTA.

Write Every Day — or Hire Writers That Do

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work.” (originally said by Chuck Close)

There’s something to be said for the aspiring novelist who just wants to write the book that’s been lingering in the back of their mind for the last 30 years. But those who hope to sustain their business with consistent, high-impact copywriting that builds trust in potential buyers? They must learn to sit down and write every single day — even if they don’t feel like the words are coming. If they do, their efforts will be rewarded, and they will inevitably find it easier to write. They’ll also hone their skills and slowly learn what it takes to craft amazing copy.

This is the secret of highly productive writers like Stephen King (how else do you think he pumps out so many books?). They treat their writing like the profession it is and actively make time for it. Many of them create a writing ritual and schedule it for the same time every day, which is even more powerful because you’re training your brain to sit up straight and deliver each time you sit in your favorite nook, get a steaming cup of coffee, and listen to your favorite movie soundtrack in the background.

But you’re a business owner! You didn’t get where you are by turning on some smooth jazz and typing away at a keyboard. And even if you were to start a daily writing habit now, you probably don’t have the time. You have a business to run, leads to chase down, and sales to make.

So instead, the lesson here should not be for you to suddenly pivot and devote yourself to the art of copywriting. After all, it takes years upon years of daily writing to develop the intuition and skill of an expert copywriter.

Instead, the best way for you to build your influence with thought leadership content, make the sale with punchy and impactful copywriting, or craft the perfect email campaign that smoothly guides your lead down the funnel is to work with a content marketing agency. These agencies are staffed with premium copywriters who have made a living with their words, developing their skills by writing every day for decades. You could spend hundreds of dollars on a copywriting course or buy all the books in the world on effective writing, but the book knowledge gained from these resources is no match for the real-world experience of a writer who does it all day, every day.

That’s why we at Presscart work with the top 1% of writers in their field. We hire trained writers who spend their days doing nothing but creating high-impact content for industry leaders like you. So when it’s time to scale your business and expand your influence with writing that resonates with prospective buyers, put the pen down and hand over your content to a team of writers who can make you look your best.

Ending on a Cliffhanger: Stay Tuned for Part 2

Okay, so Stephen King hasn’t really said much about cliffhangers. After all, most of his writing is self-contained fiction that doesn’t carry over into sequels (aside from an impressive number of Easter eggs that reference his other books).

It’s just our way of saying that there’s too much good advice to take away from the King of Horror to fit it all in one post! So make sure to check back soon for Part 2 and plenty of other tips that can help you become a better writer.

In the meantime, contact our team to learn more about our content marketing packages, and check out our other post about How to Create Thought Leadership Content and Improving Content Marketing with Voice: What Business Leaders Can Learn from Rick Rubin.