Stephen B. Henry

Every writer dreams of that moment when their words finally break through; when the long nights, the rejection letters, the self-doubt all feel worth it. For Stephen King, that moment almost never came. In fact, it very nearly ended up in the trash… literally.

This is not just a story about a bestselling author. It is a story about perseverance, discouragement, unexpected support, and what can happen when you hold on—just a little bit longer.

A Humble Beginning

Before the fame, the film deals, and the shelves lined with his books, Stephen King was living in a double-wide trailer with his wife, Tabitha, and their young children. Money was scarce. He worked long, grueling hours at an industrial laundry facility, scrubbing other people’s dirt for a paycheck that barely covered rent and groceries.

Writing was his refuge.

Late at night, after the kids were asleep and the day's exhaustion should have flattened him, King would tap away at a typewriter balanced on his lap, wedged between a washer and dryer in a cramped laundry closet. He submitted short stories to magazines, Playboy, Cavalier, Cosmopolitan, anywhere that might pay a few dollars. Most of those stories came back with rejection slips.

He kept going.

But if you have ever been in that kind of place—where you are doing everything you can, working hard, showing up, and still struggling; it is easy to understand how the flame of hope can begin to flicker.

A Story Not Worth Finishing?

When the idea for Carrie struck, it was not love at first draft.

The story began with a teenage girl, bullied and awkward, discovering she had telekinetic powers. King wrote a few pages and almost immediately lost interest. He did not like the protagonist. He was uncomfortable writing from a female point of view. And he was not even sure where the story was going.

So, like many writers do with projects that just are not clicking, he ripped the pages from the typewriter, crumpled them up, and tossed them in the trash.

The end.

Or it would have been.

The Power of Belief

Tabitha King, his wife, saw the discarded pages and pulled them out. She read them. And something in those few, thrown-away lines spoke to her.

She saw potential. She saw a story worth telling. More importantly, she saw him; his talent, his voice, his possibility.

She handed the pages back and said, "You have something here. Keep going."

That moment—her belief, her vision, her support—was the spark King needed. He returned to the story. He finished it.

It would become his first published novel.

The Breakthrough

Carrie was initially sold to Doubleday for a modest advance of $2,500. But the real magic happened when the paperback rights were sold; King received $400,000, an astonishing amount for a then-unknown writer.

In his own words, King said he was in disbelief when the call came in. That check changed his life. They moved out of the trailer. He left the laundry job behind. He became a full-time writer.

And Carrie? It went on to sell millions of copies and was adapted into a blockbuster movie, launching a career that would shape the landscape of modern fiction.

But none of it would have happened if that crumpled page had stayed in the trash.

The Lesson in the Trash Can

So, what can we learn from this moment?

The truth is, every one of us has been Stephen King at the typewriter. We have all faced moments when the work felt pointless, when the self-doubt was louder than our passion, when we were this close to walking away from what might have been our biggest breakthrough.

And many of us have been lucky enough to have a Tabitha King; someone who sees us when we do not see ourselves. Someone who believes in our potential even when we are ready to give up.

But even if you do not have that person right now, the lesson still holds.

You cannot quit too early.

The magic may be just a few pages away.

Rejection Is Not the End

It is important to remember that Stephen King received dozens, dozens, of rejection letters before anything ever hit print. And even when he had a story with promise, he still doubted it.

Rejection is not the enemy. It is part of the process.

We glorify success stories, but we often forget that those stories are built on failure, on hardship, on nearly giving up. The truth is, people do not resonate with polished, perfect success; they resonate with struggle. With truth. With vulnerability. With the trash-can moments.

And Carrie had all of that.

Your Carrie Moment

Whether you are a writer, a coach, a business owner, a speaker, or someone on the path of personal growth, there is a powerful message in this story:

💡 Your big break might be just one page away.

📌 The blog post you are doubting.

📌 The coaching program you are designing.

📌 The book you are afraid to write.

📌 The workshop you are unsure anyone will attend.

Do not quit before you give it a chance.

Final Thoughts

Stephen King’s story with Carrie is not just about literary success. It is about resilience. It is about trust. It is about not giving up too soon.

And it is a reminder that breakthrough moments often hide inside the work we almost abandon.

Keep writing. Keep building. Keep showing up.

Even if it feels hard. Especially when it feels hard.

Because the page you are about to throw away might be the one that changes everything.

Are you standing at your own trash can moment? Need guidance or support to keep going?

Join me inside Steve’s Pathfinder Program; where we help creators, coaches, and heart-centered professionals move from stuck to unstoppable.

🔗 CLICK HERE to Learn More

You do not have to do it alone. Sometimes, the belief of another is all it takes to keep turning the page.

back to top

Wholistic Life Coaching Certification