The Long Walk has the unique distinction of being written by Stephen King but released by “Richard Bachman.” Stephen King has become one of the most prolific writers in the 20th and 21st centuries, delivering some of the most iconic horror stories of the last fifty years. The Long Walk is one of his most enduring stories, a moving and bleak tale about a group of young men who embark on an incredibly fatal marathon that has only become more prescient and emotionally effective as the years pᴀss.

That’s partly what makes it so notable that the novel was not originally published as a Stephen King novel. Rather, it was the second book to be released by “Richard Bachman,” a pen name King developed after his initial success with the likes of Carrie and Salem’s Lot. Richard Bachman has several strong novels to his name, and the origins of that pen name speak to King’s commitment and work ethic as an author. Here is why Stephen King created Richard Bachman, why he was credited with The Long Walk, and how King’s pen name was exposed to the public.

The Long Walk Was One Of Stephen King’s Earliest Unpublished Novels

The Long Walk was one of the stories that Stephen King released under the pen name of Richard Bachman, highlighting how early in his career the author was when he wrote the novel. The Long Walk has the distinction of being Stephen King’s very first novel. King’s initial draft for the story was written during his freshman year at the University of Maine.

This means Stephen King began writing the book when he was technically a teenager. This makes the harsher fates of the young men in The Long Walk all the more powerful, as the book was written while King would have been a peer of those characters.

Still discovering his talents and voice as a writer, King put the story away for a time and focused on other short stories during his time in college, and once he graduated. One of these ideas would eventually become Carrie, which became King’s first published book. After Carrie‘s mᴀssive success, he began work on other novels, but eventually returned to The Long Walk.

The Long Walk Was Originally Written By “Richard Bachman”

As Stephen King explained in a FAQ on his personal website, StephenKing.com, the idea to use a pen name came out of a desire to publish more books at an increased rate. According to King, the common knowledge in publishing at the time was that an author should release more than one book a year. Otherwise, they may risk oversaturating their brand.

King was still interested in releasing more books at an increased rate, and came up with Richard Bachman as a pseudonym for some of his тιтles. King also mentioned in the introduction to The Bachman Books that Richard Bachman was also something of a personal challenge for the author. After his initial success, King began to doubt his abilities as a writer

King wanted to make sure his stories sold because of their quality and not just his now bankable name. To that end, Richard Bachman served as a test for some of King’s books. Crafting a fake persona, King was able to publish a number of books as Bachman while still releasing novels under his name.

Among the novels released under the Richard Bachman name were The Long Walk, which King revisited and finished after Carrie. All told, there are eight books credited to Richard Bachman. Seven are original novels. The other one, 1985’s The Bachman Books, is a collection of the first five Bachman novels.

Why Did Stephen King Stop Using Richard Bachman

Stephen King used Richard Bachman for 7 years, releasing 5 books under the pseudonym at the same time he was releasing legendary novels like The Stand, The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Zone, and Pet Sematary. As reported by The Washington Post, it was a Washington D.C. bookstore clerk named Steve Brown who noticed the similarities in King and Bachman’s writing styles.

Curious, Brown researched the public publisher’s records at the Library of Congress and discovered that Stephen King was the credited author of some of Bachman’s works. After Brown reached out to the publisher of Bachman’s novels, King reached out personally and told him the truth. King also gave an interview to Brown, explaining the situation and effectively “killing” Bachman.

Since then, Richard Bachman’s legacy has remained a unique part of Stephen King’s history. Following Bachman’s “death,” two more books credited to the pseudonym — 1996’s The Regulators and 2007’s Blaze — have been released. The interplay between King and Bachman inspired King’s 1989 book The Dark Half, about a writer whose literary alter ego comes to life.

Bachman’s legacy remains vital, however. Books like The Long Walk and The Running Man (both of which have inspired films in 2025) were released under that pen name, ensuring they became part of the pop culture lexicon far earlier than they might have otherwise. The Long Walk might have been Stephen King’s first true manuscript, but it was Richard Bachman who got it across the finish line.

Source: StephenKing.com, The Washington Post