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Summary: On Writing will please even the non-writer
Review: Stephen King has written a great book here. I student taught a creative writing class last semester and used parts of this book to help the aspiring writers in my class.
This book is not totally about writing technique. Stephen King gives some background information on himself, which I found quite interesting--especially when he tells about his struggles to become a successful writer and then getting his first book, Carrie, published. He tells from then on how he was able to maintain a successful writing career. He even touches on his horrible accident with the van driver.
This is a good, informational book. King also helps writers by showing them how to edit their work, and he also shows them various other ways to help improve their writing.
Even though I wasn't impressed with the last two novels I read of his, Black House and Bag of Bones, On Writing is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: I would almost give it a try!
Review: I am not a great fan of Stephen King in general. I'm not very much into his main genre: horror. But I like some of his stories very much and have always considered him a great writer. And as I am a fanatical reader, I always enjoy reading about how the poor writers struggle to keep me supplied with reading material. And Stephen King makes a great story out of it of course. I got the idea he really enjoyed speaking to the reader directly about his craft. I always like it when people give very specific advice; do's and don'ts and he is generous with these, though not without respect for any writer out there who is trying. I almost got a mind of giving writing a try myself, not because he makes it seem easy, but because he makes it seem fun.
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Summary: As good as one of his novels!
Review: This is a fascinating piece of work, on many levels and for many reasons. King serves up vignettes of his own past, his difficult upbringing, with inspirations for some of his most famous characters and story lines. He mentions much of his work in the context of his own circumstances of the time - the alcoholic writer in "The Shining" as a metaphor for himself, "Cujo" written in an alcoholic and drug-induced haze, "The Stand" stalled and collapsing under its own weight, recovered by blowing up half the cast. Then the interdiction by his wife and friends that turned his life around. Little did he know that perhaps the most traumatic episode of his life was about to descend upon him halfway through work on this book. The story of his near-fatal accident and ensuing recovery forms the last portion of the book and is as harrowing a tale as any of his fiction. This book IS a tutorial on writing, and much valuable information is parlayed, not only at the nuts-and-bolts craft level, but also in establishing realistic assessment of one's future as a writer. By tracking the development of writers he's watched develop (in addition of course to his own experience), he gives a clear-eyed perspective of life in the literary trenches. Highly entertaining and enlightening, this book is a must for prospective writing professionals and provides a remarkable insight into the mind of a uniquely gifted raconteur. It's a treat for all King fans regardless of any aspirations for picking up the pen.
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Summary: Entertaining and useful advice
Review: King's book is really three works for the price of one: a condensed autobiography, writing advice, and a reflection on being hit and almost killed by an inattentive driver. I devoured the book, and read many passages to students in my college English class. King pays homage to the classic work on writing, The Elements of Style, the book that anyone who writes anything should have memorized, and the book that his deserves a spot beside. I found King's work entertaining (read "funny") and engaging. Yes, most serious readers and writers have heard most of his advice before, but King's approach is deeply personal and honest. He shares why he almost abandoned The Stand, and how he solved the problem. He shares his discomfort with plotting a book, with adverbs, and with excessive symbolic or thematic effort -- his preferences, certainly. He also shares sound fundamental advice with unbridled enthusiasm and energy. If you care about writing, read this book.
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Summary: Best writing book I've read
Review: This is the best writing book I have read since I "Writing Down the Bones". Whether your a King fan or just a writer, you will gain valuable knowlege from this book. It not only looks at the craft of writing, but the experiences behind the craft. It shows your how everyday experience can become extraordinary novels. Definitely a must have.
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Summary: King deserves his trillions
Review: I respect Stephen King a lot after reading this book. It is clear he wrote it not to settle any scores, make money (as if he needed any more) or to get his take of himself and his work in the historical record. He seems to have been genuinely motivated by the desrie to give some friendly advice to aspiring writers and to chat about his favorite topic; writing. Some of the lessons I gleaned from this book: If you want to be a novelist do three things religiously: read, read, read. Just finish the damn story. It is not rocket science. Your genre will choose you and not vice versa so do not force yourself into a genre because you think you want to strike it rich. You won't. The whole literary/schlock dicotomy is a ruse. Write from the heart. Some people have Carrie in their heart, others have The Corrections. Keep chugging. King sent stories for years and endured hardship after hardship before selling Carrie. The size of your desk doesn't matter. You won't find your novel in the bottom of a beer can or whiskey bottle, either. Secure a good reader that you trust. It is not as hard to make it as you think -- provided you know what you're doing. Seek many opinions but be prepared for each one to be different. Every man deserves a wife like Tabitha King. The first half of the book is a long autobiographical essay which I enjoyed quite a bit. King talks about himself with both humility and insight and disarming frankness. Following his journey is as useful as any advice.
Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable romp
Review: It's clear that King had fun writing this. It took me back to the days of my College English and Journalism classes, and the amusing asides were a nice diversion. King can get a bit windy at times, and the stream-of-consciousness romps through his memories can wear on you a bit, but overall, it's a good read and a great deal of fun for the reader.
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Summary: This book is pure Genius
Review: Let me tell you something, I have read a BUNCH of books on how to write a novel. This book told me more than any of those other books and much of what the other books left out, this book gave me. It also goes into detail on King's life. Excellent. I cried while reading it, and that is rare for me. Even if you dont want to learn how to write, read the beginning of the book for the story, its great. I dont give out 5 star reviews every day, but this one deserves it.
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Summary: Mr. King Stirs the Soul
Review: If you love to create, "On Writing" is essential. King captures your soul as he opens up his mind and heart for all to see. The audio version is recommended because he reads with such enthusiasm...and you'd swear he's talking directly to you. Where else can you spend 8 hours with one of this generations most facinating minds? You'll laugh, you'll want to cry, and you'll have a hard time putting it down. This has changed my approach to writing in many ways, but has affirmed my approach in many ways as well. There is no question that I have improved and benefited greatly from this masterpiece. Steve, thanks...really.
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Summary: Good Pointers, Interesting Biographical info
Review: Stephen King's first bestsellers, Carrie and Salem's Lot came out when I was a teenager, and he quickly became one of my favorite writers. I'm now considerably less enthusiastic about him, but he's still a master of the horror genre and a pretty good writer overall. A good argument can be made than anyone who has sold as many books as King is qualified to give some useful tips to aspiring writers, and On Writing supports this. Fans of King will enjoy the autobiographical portion of the book. He discusses his accident of several years ago, which occured in the middle of writing this book. As for the writing advice, most of it is quite sound. Although a lot of what he says can be found in other books, we can be assured that King has actually utilized and profited from what he advocates. In my opinion, his best advice is to read a lot. Not original perhaps, but this is something that can hardly be overstated, and King really makes a good case for it. Some of his opinions on writing are, well, opinions that will not work for everyone, such as his disapproval of plotting a story. To his credit, he concedes that some of the writing flaws he points out can be found in his own books (e.g. using too many adverbs). This book should be informative and useful to King fans and writers alike.
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