Stephen King has written almost a hundred novels over his long and decorated career. From classics like It, Carrie, and The Shining, to more genre-bending stories such as The Gunslinger, The Green Mile, and The Institution. Likewise, his films carry the same Stephen-King-trademark that makes them distinct and recognizable.
That being said, elements of Stephen King's work do tend to repeat themselves. The author has even itted that he is the "literary equivalent of a Big Mac and fries." While his tropes might slip into cliche territory at times, there's no doubt there's something enjoyable about pointing them out.
It Takes Place In Maine
Castle Rock, Shawshank Prison, Jerusalem's Lot, and Derry, what do all these names have in common? They all reside in the home state of their creator, Maine. This factor is certainly more forgivable than others mentioned, it's a common trope for authors to use their homes as a setting, real-life has great inspiration material after all. But it's become such a frequent feature in his work that fans have put it at the top of the Stephen King checklist.
The Leads are Either Middle-Aged Adults or Young Kids
Take a look at books and movies like It, Gerald's Game, and Needful Things. The lead characters tend to fall into two categories, with some notable exceptions of course.
They are either kids, usually high school age or younger, who must overcome something to grow up, or they are middle-aged adults dealing with some sort of life-changing struggle. Supernatural entities aside, it makes the stories somewhat relatable.
Someone is a Writer
Authors self-inserting themselves into their works is nothing new, but King does it to such an extent that it's practically comical. Think about characters like Jack Torrence, Bill Denbrough, and Paul Sheldon. They're all writers either struggling to finish a certain work or trying to find new inspiration. Both are common problems faced by many authors, but an encounter with King's supernatural forces is definitely a cure for writer's block.
Someone Has a Drug or Alcohol Problem
In many of his best-selling works, there is at least one main character that either tends to throw his soul to the bottom of a bottle or ride the highs and lows of a cocaine habit.
Taking inspiration from his own struggles in the past, King uses the idea of substance abuse to create complex and interesting internal conflict to drive his characters to redemption.
Someone Has a Special Ability or Intuition
Call it The Shining, ESP, telekinesis, or some other form of special ability, if the novel/movie involves some sort of supernatural or paranormal phenomenon, this will definitely be a prominent feature. It doesn't matter what flavor the strange force might be, whether it's a hotel full of ghosts, brain-melting aliens, or a demonic clown played by Tim Curry, someone will have some special power to combat it.
Someone is a Religious Fanatic
This can either manifest as one character or an entire group, but several of King's most prolific works feature a healthy dash of religious fanaticism.
Notable examples include the maniacal Margaret White, Issac and Malachi's cult of creepy corn-loving kids, and the unholy zealots featured in the first Dark Tower novel. Whether for commentary or comedic effect, some form of holy battle will break out at some point.
A Cozy Small Town Has a Deadly Secret
This happens so much in horror it should be considered its own sub-genre, but it stands to reason that King popularized the idea from Gatlin to Derry. Whether it plays host to a murderous cult, a child-eating clown, bloodthirsty vampires, or was the sight of some plethora of gruesome activities, it will almost always take the starring role in a Stephen King production.
Bullies are Evil and Often Irredeemable
For a guy who enjoys writing about horrific murdering monsters, Stephen King is great about creating bully characters that are just as sadistic as they are realistic. Bullying is a serious issue that plagues almost all kids growing up, and it's still an epidemic for many.
King recognizes that many high school tormentors can insecure, but also evil at the same time. Chris Hargensen and Henry Bowers are two examples that definitely need some serious warning labels.
There is a Supernatural Force of Unexplainable Evil
If the movie or novel takes a supernatural turn, the villain is often more than just a standard-issue monster. King goes into Lovecraftian territory with his larger threats like Pennywise, the Red King, or the Outsider. They are almost always some form of manifestation of incomprehensible evil. Props to the guy for thinking big, right?
The Main Character(s) Walk Away From Something at the End
This is more of a filmmaking choice than anything else but a number of times in film adaptations of King's work, namely features like Stand By Me, the ending always features someone walking away or into the distance. This is likely to symbolize the resolution of the conflict, the characters are moving on. But it's definitely a cliche parodied by everyone and their mother these days.
