On Writing
by Stephen King
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Book Reviews of On Writing
Book Review: Read THIS REVIEW!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this book never reading a stephen king book in my life. But I am a writer, and I figured that if he is the number one novel seller of all time, there must be a reason.
In the beggining of the book he talks mostly about his early life. About how he started writing and how his mother thought he should have a "backup proffession", about his drinking and drugs (yes! can you believe it?) and then it leads into the on writing part, which explains in great perfection what it takes to be a writer. I thought this book was PERFECT. In the end he even tells you a list of books to read that he liked, and he talks about his accident and writing and afjkl;as;fjkl it's just wonderful. If your reading this review your either one of two people.
TO THE FANS: If your a fan of his work, I definitely think you should read this book. Knowing about how he grew up and his background, about his drinking and wife, about how he didn't give up, is an awesome story, and you'll feel like you really met the real stephen king behind the books.
TO THE WRITERS: DEFINITE definite definite must buy. I have two or three pages with quotes from the book on the walls of my room, and every day I read these and remember to keep writing. Before I read this I was an idealist, I always wanted to be a writer and would write here and there, I had a book I had been working on for three years going nowhere, and I remember reading a part where he says he tries to get 2000 words a day, and that he suggests to new readers to write at least 1000 words a day. At the time I thought this was impossible, but over reading it and following his directions, and reading it over and over, I am now on a new fantastic novel and I write about 2-3000 words a day and feel incomplete if I don't do so. My writing has never been better. This book is like the writing bible, I refer to it frequently and when I feel down about my writing or start to stray, I read two or three highlighted passages and I'm already back, reading and writing again.
I've now read three of his fiction books, and plan to read all of his works. I think there is no other book that can help a writer, and no other book to help you (if your a fan) to know the REAL stephen king. :) 10 out of five. I know you don't know me or where I live, or what I look like, that all I represent to you is a review on the internet on amazon, but I'm telling you this, BUY IT. You won't regret it. Especially if your a writer...
Book Review: Stands out from all the 'how to' writing books
Summary: 5 Stars
I've only read one Stephen King novel-and it isn't in his usual genre, It was a competently written variation on the detective story: Dolores Claiborne. HOWEVER, this book on writing is excellent in every respect. What makes the book different from many 'how to' books on writing is that he places his development as a writer and his writing career within the context of his autobiography. You learn that King, like all writers, are human beings first, then writers. You learn that writing is not some paranormal or preternatural pursuit. Best of all, you learn about writing from all angles--how it grows out of a life--and it could be any life. You don't need an M.F.A.; you don't need writer colonies, you don't need workshops, you don't need a stack of creative writing books. My favorite line in the book is "Write any goddamn thing you want." That may not result in polished prose, but you can learn from it because it came from you. In essence, you become your own writing teacher by critiquing your own writing and studying other writers. King weaves his writing life with his own autobiography--growing up working class in a single-parent household. What impressed me about the tone and perspective of the book is that King seems to have a similar philosophy to Hemingway's (although not the same style), which is that a writer should have a built in shi_ detector. It could also be that he was writing at a place (Maine) and a time when there weren't media blitzes on writers and writing and you could just have your own writing voice and not feel the need to be au courant. And even though he's made a lot of money, King never thought he'd make a lot of money. He relates how when his first full-length manuscript was sold(Carrie), he didn't have a phone. Finally, and this is a plug for the hard scrapple working class life, maybe Stephen King had a vision of what he wanted to write and was undaunted because like many who see the world through the lens of the working class, he wasn't taken in by ephemeral ideas of the romantic or the celebrity life as being roads to redemption. If you think studying Finnegan's Wake for ten years makes you erudite or raving about the Bloomsbury group puts you a cut above the hoi poloi or you are proud of the fact that your tastes and abilities in art reflect the post-modern condition, this just might be a book to remind you that writing is hard work, just as life itself is hard work--famous or not.Book Review: great memoir, less than great writing advice
Summary: 4 Stars
Stephen King's On Writing is part memoir and part advice and observations on the craft and business of writing. I confess to not having read any of King's fiction, although my mother was a great fan, so I know what most of his novels were about, second hand. There's no question that Stephen King is one of the most successful popular writers of the 20th century, so an opportunity to read his thoughts on writing is not to be missed.
This book is not a textbook or workbook on the craft of writing, but instead a very personal reflection from the perspective of its author. This is both its strength and weakness.
If you learn by example, the memoir section has a lot to say about how to keep your readers engaged. King shares brief scenes from his life, vignettes of key moments in his development as a writer and a person. These are utterly engaging, and wonderful examples of how much can be said by a few carefully chosen words and images.
I was less pleased with the section on writing, however. The advice King has to give is solid, and articulated very well. And there are a handful of truly memorable observations in this book. But mostly, his advice is rather commonplace, sometimes feeling like an uneven and uninspired recycling of Strunk and White. We learn to avoid adverbs and the passive voice. We don't need Stephen King to tell us that. And when the topic turns to something where we might hope for wisdom from a master, such as plot construction, King doesn't have much to say. (He doesn't think anyone should think about plot. Just put the characters in a situation and write down what happens. That may work if you are born storyteller like King, but most writers do have to think about plot construction, at least once in awhile.)
King acknowledges this deficiency himself, saying at the end of the book that he was disappointed that most of what he had to say was obvious, and that the aspects of writing that weren't obvious were things he could not articulate well.
This is a must-read if you are a Stephen King fan, or just curious about how a hugely successful writer works and views his work. If you are hoping for a book that will teach you how to write as successfully as Stephen King, or even how to write consistently well, this is not the best resource; it is too idiosyncratic and spotty in its treatment of important aspects of the writer's craft and art.
Book Review: A Stephen King Reader Everyone Can Enjoy
Summary: 5 Stars
Living in Maine for 25 years may not qualify me as a real "Mainer", because the standards for this elite title are very strict, but my tenure in Stephen King's home gives me some exposure to the life story told in "On Writing". What a clever way to tell fans and the otherwise curious about how a very poor young man who went to school in tiny Pownal, Maine and who later worked as a janitor for nearby Brunswick High School became a world famous super-writer. Among all the reviews I've read about Stephen King's very candid account of the writing craft, I'm still looking for one that tells the truth about the story itself. I am so very impressed by how King is able to paint his life as a Mainer (he passes the test, being born in the state) and transmit the colorful pictures of people and places in exactly the way they really are. Other than the love King expresses for his wife and family, there's no romanticism in "On Writing". Still, in the absence of any embellishment, King writes a wonderful and inspiring story for everyone who either wants to be a writer or who wonders what stuff the crafters are made of. Kudos to the University of Maine where King's writing talent was validated by the English Department professors. There's a parallel story in "On Writing". Indeed, the book's title is hyphenated, "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft", because this is an autobiographical way of saying what seems right, or not so right, about writing. Thankfully, it's a lovely read and not at all self gratifying or congratulatory in any way. As a matter of fact, the story King tells ends with a chilling rendition about his tragic accident while walking along the road in Western Maine. King doesn't take a minute to indulge in self pity, despite having a very close brush with death as a result of the accident. There's a rhetorical question raised, of course, about how we would have known about those rats in the cellars of the mills in Lisbon Falls or those tampons in the girl's gym in Brunswick High School and how these experiences inspired "Carrie" and other horror tales. If King had not been spared and survived his tragedy, we would not have the joy of knowing what it's like to live inside the mind of a creative writing genius. Thanks so much, Stephen King, for "On Writing". It's a book everyone can read to appreciate your creativity and the deep respect you obviously hold for the craft of being a hard working writer.Book Review: A Spectacular Book On Writing
Summary: 5 Stars
I've just at this exact moment finished reading this spectacular book. I am planning on giving myself a couple of weeks to let all of the invaluable information the King of Horror so graciously offers sink in, and I will undoubtedly then reread the entire book.
I was looking for good books on writing, and this one kept popping up on every list. I was terribly suspicious, as I am technically not a huge King fan, but having said that, I believe I've probably read or seen the adaptation of more than half of his work which is more than I can say for most authors. However, when I pulled the pinkish book from between the metallic, embossed horror paperbacks it was shelved and studied the contrasting images- a frightening cellar surrounding by pansies?, I was sold.
The book is split into two sections. The first section, suitably titled, C.V. is just that, a biography. I was initially a bit perplexed at King's point, but that thought was unimportant because the C.V. is interesting. One of my favorite passages King retells is the day he is notified that the paperback rights to Carrie sold for $400,000. In this beginning section King talks about his early life, his marriage, his addictions, his mother and her illness. And, if you're paying close attention, at each stage of his life, he is writing.
The second part of the book is priceless for writers. It is inspiring, intoxicating, thrilling and above all completely informative. King breaks through the conventions we are taught in high school and even college, rips them apart and reworks them. For example, he uproots the notion of the muse as a beautiful woman, and turns him into a cigar-smoking, basement dwelling bowling champion with a bag of magic that you ain't gettin' your hands on until you put in the long hours.
King also covers dialogue, theme, grammar, description, rewriting and revising, research and so much more. On Writing also includes a postscript detailing King's horrific and near-fatal accident in 1999. Once again, this section is as much about writing and the writing process as it is about the accident and his recovery.
This terrific book has made me a maniac about reading and writing. Because, in the end the theme is an inspirational one: You can be a better writer, just read a bunch, write a WHOLE bunch and most importantly, always tell the truth.