More stuff from the Freakonomics guys...

For someone who hasn't actually read the book yet, I'm becoming a big Stephen J. Dubner fan (he's the writer guy, not the economist guy). This book is next on my reading list after the transvestite book Lianne raves about.

I found this article from his pre-Freakonomics days about Stephen King on his very cool website.

By STEPHEN J. DUBNER August 13, 2000

Stephen King is addicted to writing. It isn't a matter of liking to write or even loving it. He needs it, chemically, the way years ago he needed his cocaine and his beer, sometimes a case a day. "Writing is just this great big conduit, this outflow pipe that keeps the pressure nice and even," he says. "It just pours all this [expletive] out. All the insecurities come out, all the fears -- and also, it's a great way to pass the time."

And if he hadn't been able to make a career of it?

"Oh, I'd be dead. I would have drunk myself to death or drugged myself to death or committed suicide or some goddamn thing."

A little extreme, but I get what he's saying. Like Stephen King, I too am a writing addict, I'm just not as good at it. Or as morbid.