On Writing

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating insight into a popular author!
Review: ON WRITING reveals what every Stephen King fan wants to know--where he grew up, when he began writing, why his writing is so effective, and how he survived a nearly fatal vanaccident to resume his writing career. The brief autobiography is wonderful, but theinstruction on the craft of writing is outstanding. That section can stand alone as beingextremely helpful for an aspiring writer. Blending his unique style of humor and language,he explains how techniques such as honesty, action rather than adverbs, and believabledialogue contribute to good fiction. The English teacher in the author shines through! Sometimes surprising, but thoroughly readable, memorable, and instructive, ON WRITING is a small book but a large delight.

Rating:
Summary: An absolute must read for any amateur writer
Review: The master is a master of more than just sensational horror. Anyone who has read the majority of King's work, knows he is far more than "the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and fries" (as he's called himself). This book is the money for anyone who hasn't taken a writing course, but is interested in the art of writing fiction that people will want to read. The first half of the book is dedicated to the craft, while the last section is a reminscing of King's horrible accident. I cried the first time I read about the accident. The pain that man went through bleeds through the page. This one is definitely a must read.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!!!
Review: I have to admit that this is my first Stephen King book, and it most certainly isnt my last. It also helped me make the decision to become a writer.
The book is written in several parts, the first part, his memior, is good enough to stand as a story on its own, then he goes into detail about what he believes makes a good writer. I have seen people on amazon write that his teaching in this book isnt much help but i will say that everyone is different and will have different writing styles, this is Kings point of view.
The book is warm, funny and wonderfully written, its almost like Mr. King himself is sitting in your lounge room and having a chat with you and he feels like an old friend once the book is finished. He is the sort of person you wish would teach your english class.
I recommend this book to any aspiring writer and even if it doesnt help you in any way it will no doubt entertain you.

Rating:
Summary: Pick It Up!
Review: I read "Carrie" when I was seventeen years old and then did not read anything by Stephen King for the next twenty-five years. Somewhere along the line, I decided that since King was popular, his books must be poorly written. Also, the genre put me off. I don't know why I decided to read "On Writing", but I did, and I am certainly happy I made that decision.
As other reviewers noted, the book is actually two books, an autobiography and a manual on writing. This marriage is not as uneasy as it would seem. The experiences of Stephen King define why he writes what he does -- and that is a question many of us have asked over the years -- and the manual describes how he does it.
How does he do it? Read, read, read, write, write, write. Focus on characters, not plot, and ask yourself continually, if I were in this situation, what would I do? Make your characters, their motivations and their actions, consistent.
I don't know if it would work for all aspiring writers, but it is certainly practical, workmanlike advice. I liked King's humorous tone, too. I think I may pick some of those King books I've missed during the past twenty-five years.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST FOR ANY BOOKSHELF
Review: This book is not for writers only. It's an autobiography, and it's moving. Stephen King is very forward in his opinion on just about everything that has to do with writing. It's a rollercoaster of a book, especially when you're reading it and are aware that this is from the world's best selling author. There are some valuable lessons to be learned for would-be-novelists, some better than others, but overall, this is a must read, whether you're into writing or writers. A great insight into the man who will undoubtedly become a literary legend. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: a real treat
Review: I took a lot of English classes in my high school days. Some of them actually involved writing. All of them, even if combined with the multitude of college classes I've had on the subject, have not taught me or encouraged me as much as Stephen King's "On Writing." This three part book is a real treat.

In the first part King tells of (with great dark humor) the events in his early life that formed him as a writer. From being locked in a closet by a baby sitter, to hearing dreadful tales of a building cleanup from coworkers at a laundry mat, one can see why King writes what he does.

The second part of the book is a rather straightforward "how to be a writer" manual. King has some great insights, a raging hatred of adverbs, and entertaining illustrations of the craft to share. I find this part invaluable. Anyone who has read my reviews here on Amazon must have guessed by now how little help all my writing classes gave me. While I will no doubt not be the next Herman Melville or John Irving, I think King has given me some great stuff to work with.

The most moving part of the book for me is "On Living." It is the tale of King's run in with a big blue van and his journey back to the land of the living. I am amazed (and glad) that he survived his injuries. The love between Stephen and Tabitha seems to be something special.

I give "On Writing" a big ol' recommendation from my heart. Thanks Steve...and keep on writing.

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Guide, a Great Read
Review: As one of my favorite authors, Stephen King has never ceased to amaze me with his masterful craft of fiction (The Shining, Bag of Bones) and nonfiction (Danse Macabre). He follows with On Writing, the latest trump card from the artist of mass-audience literature, a memoir both of writing and his own strange life.
In the book, King offers sound and sage advice for people looking to break into the world of writing, following closely the exploits of a fictional author-to-be in several real-world situations, including the writing process itself, finding a market for your work, and the dreaded cover/query letter. Through it all, he remains entertaining and engaging enough so as never to bore, and the chapters on grammar are accessible to everyone, even those (like me!) who have a hard time remembering what the rules are. He also manages to slip in the hardest advice for any writer: kill your darlings, and by all means, LISTEN TO ADVICE. If only more writers could learn this (I am no exception), there would be a lot less bad poetry at coffee houses - or a lot less coffee houses, period.
The second part of the book is devoted to King's two personal struggles - his cocaine and alcohol addiction, and his injury and recovery after being struck by a van in 1999. Here, he changes into a wistful but analytic mode, presenting the facts but not attempting to make himself look like a saint or a victim. A refreshing change from celebrities who blame everyone but themselves for their problems - and don't bother to help themselves, either. This part moves along at a steady clip, and will certainly rival autobiographies of other authors - Nabokov's Speak, Memory comes to mind.
For an aspiring writer, On Writing is a sound investment. For a King fan, it is indispensable. For fun, it's worth every penny. Pick it up, give it a read - you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Great Autobiography, Poor Book on the Craft
Review: I was very excited to get this book and learn the techniques and wisdoms of the craft from such an experienced master. I laughed and cried at his personal life stories. Few books have made be do that. But a master-class on writing this book is not, as it is ill defined in the description on the back cover. His advise to the writer was limited to write every day, don't create an outline, and read, read, read. There were some editing examples included, but not enough to understand the editing techniques a writer of fiction must have to be successful. Described as part autobiography and part master-class on writing, the fact is, 90% is autobiography, 2% useful master-class, and 8% other.
As in autobiography, I'd give it 10 stars!!! As a book on writing, sadly, only one star. There are much better and more detail manuscripts out there that serve this purpose much, much better. The marketing strategy is misleading and does little service to such a profound, prolific, and important writer of modern fiction. I still love King, and I loved reading about his life story -- the price of the book is well worth that! But if you are an aspiring writer, read it to understand the man, not to learn about writing.

Rating:
Summary: Read and Write, sound Advice
Review: I had given up on Stephen King after Tommyknockers, but must admit that I enjoyed reading "On Writing." The book is actually two short books in one, the first part being an autobiography, and the second being a brief look at the writing life and King's highly credible take on it. The final chapter of the book gives an interesting inside scoop on what it's like to be ran over by a van, told in King's unique style. My daughter likes quick answers, so rather than read the book she asked: "What does King suggest an aspiring writer do?" My answer in four words: "Read and write non-stop."

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Summary: Aspiring Writers Beware: Prepared to be Inspired!
Review: One of the first things I look for when I pick up a book on how to write is the author's writing credits. Too many times I've seen books on writing by authors who really don't have much experience in actually doing it. There's no question that Stephen King knows what he's talking about. His massive volume of work speaks for itself. "On Writing" is a combination of King's personal commentary on his life and his simple tips for aspiring writers. The book is a candid glimpse into the mind of a literary genius and is one of the best sources of writing instruction I have ever read. The simple fact that King gets right to the point on his tips, rather than dragging them out into 20-page chapters is well worth a good review in itself. That he shows us who he is and where he has come from, adds depth to the man. I highly recommend this book for any aspiring author.