Rating: 
Summary: One for King fans and would-be writers
Review: As an avid King reader, I had to read this book, whether or not I was interested in how to write well (and I am - though you can't tell from this sentence!). The book is part memoir, part random 'on writing' gems. Actually, 'random' probably best describes the format and content of On Writing. Admittedly, King was attempting to avoid a detailed 'do this, do that, this is the way it must be done' summary - I'm glad he did. His points on writing were easy to remember (mostly because they were repeated several times) and easy for anybody to put into practice. Read alot and write alot, says King - sound advice. My gripe with this book, although small, was that his editor allowed too many repetitions of the same information, mostly in the writing tips and also his near fatal accident. It made the book seem less polished.
Rating: 
Summary: The beauty of it
Review: What most impressed me about this book was the ease at which it cuts to the point. I think we've all had times in our life where someone else felt that something we did was out of their reach, but we knew that there was nothing mystical about it. I'd almost re-title this book "Demystifying Writing". He does an amazing job of cutting through the fluf and getting to the heart of it; hard work. Put in your time and follow the rules. And along the way he adds a lot of humor and a bit of insparation. That, along with the short biography makes this a great insight into the person who is Stephen King. I'd highly recomend this to just about anyone..
Rating: 
Summary: On reading about writing
Review: I've spent too much of my life reading about writing rather than becoming famous enough to write about writing. Thankfully, King has done that for me (for us). He's written The Book I hope will be used in my kids' creative writing classes. Everyone who reads his book will understand much of what he writes about--the insatiable desire to read, the inborn urge to write, the importance of knowing the rules (and knowing when to break them). In only 228 pages, King gives us a biography and a textbook. His writing is frank, crisp, and surprisingly chatty. Reading it satisfied a day and a half of that insatiable desire, provided me insight into one of the most popular modern authors, and taught me more than four years of writing classes. If you've always dreamed of selling your words, buy this book. Then put it down and write.
Rating:
Summary: Climbing out of a pidgeon-hole.
Review: First of all, I should probably mention that I had never read a Stephen King book in my entire life. I've never had much interest in horror or mystery or suspense. Naturally, I wasn't sure what to expect, and I was a little wary. Another motivation for picking up this book was the fact that I've been writing for the vast majority of my life, and I was curious to see if I was on the right track. I received 'On Writing' for Christmas and read it through a week in January. I was absolutely stunned. Sure, I respected Mr. King as a successful novelist, and knew a little of his personal life; after this book, I felt like I'd known him personally for years. As many others have mentioned, this book is really divided into three parts: a short memoir, a manual of writing technique, and the now well-publicized accident. The first part, "C.V.", was really glimpses into Mr. King's life, interesting little episodes that he considered life lessons or things that sparked his sense of humor. It also provides a very important part of a good writer: He grew up loving to read, and reading frequently. He also started writing and submitting his work at an early age. "C.V." paints the picture of a real-life struggling novelist: how he had to work at several different crummy (though interesting) jobs while supporting a family, a drug habit, and a hefty manuscript. The second part was "On Writing". In this, Mr. King takes almost no credit for what he's saying. He constantly refers back to 'The Elements of Style' by Strunk & White. He also gives you, flat-out but not in a patronizing tone, what you need to succeed as a decent writer. The best way to summarize how I felt about the section as a whole is this: when he revealed that he taught high school English for several years before the success of 'Carrie', I was desperately jealous of those students. He'd teach an *awesome* class. I was most impressed by the last section of the book, where he explores his painful memories of the accident and his slow road to recovery. It literally wrenched my heart when he talked of his wife setting up a table in the stuffy hall that he sat at to write for the first time. It was obvious that writing is more than just a business occupation--it's obvious Mr. King has a true passion for the craft. I applaud him for it--such people come few and far between. Read this book. You won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: Great Stuff
Review: If you love Stephen King this book is amazing. If like me, you really like Stephen King with some reservations,this is a thoroughly fascinating and enlightening read. My only issue is that King does a wonderful job of revealing HIS method-- and this method will produce...well I believe books like Mr. King writes. There's nothing wrong with this, and obviously anyone reading this review is interested in the mind behind his immense output of quality work. I just think this is a wonderful ingredient to add to a full course of study; he covers the fundamentals with thoroughly invigorating and humorous bravura.
Rating:
Summary: Speechless.....
Review: On Writing is now my favorite King book! To say this is incredible isn't doing this book justice. On Writing in set up in three parts. An autoboigraphical section, a section that King tells the secrets and craft to would be writers, and then King talks about his accident. This book works on so many levels, if you like King's works, you'll love this. If you like a biography, this is for you, and if you're a would be writer, King offers his words of wisdom on the craft of writing. On Writing, has something for everyone. Trust me. The autobiographical section is wonderful. There was a few parts when I was laughing out loud and other parts I was moved to tears. King openly talks about his addiction to drugs and alcohol. After reading that part of the book, it's obvious that Tabby saved his life. I was also touched on how much Stephen and Tabby love each other...she's a major influence in his work. It's also interesting how the reader will get the background and the behind the secnes aspect to his books. A lot of Kings life an be seen in his books throught the symbolism that is in his characters. Its' incredible.... If your a writer, this book is a must for you!! Stephen King is giving us what it takes to be a good writer. People spend good money to take classes on how to be a good writer...and alls you need is to purchase this book! Even in paperback, what a deal. Stephen King is giving you advise! As a would be writer I plan to follow what King is telling you. The things that King tell the would be writer, is priceless! If anybody wants to be a writer, don't enroll in any writing class....buy this book. The last part of the book, King talks about his accident. This part of the book was the hardest for me to read...it's chilling. My heart sank when King gave the details of his accident. The pain and suffering that King went through is so sad. It's amazing that he's still alive. I can't say enough about this book. I encourage everyone to go out and buy this book. I promise you, you won't be sorry. On Writing, works on so many levels. Do yourself a favor, and buy this book. On Writing is a wonderful book. Trust me.
Rating:
Summary: King is the best there is.
Review: This is my third King book to read and I think he is the best of all the writers I have read. Unfortunately, I don't particularly enjoy his genre, but King is the best at writing believable characters and making you feel part of the story. The first part of this book, the autobiography, read just like one of his novels. I kept waiting for something sinister or crazy to happen, then I had to remind myself that this was a true story, not fiction. Many people who buy this book are going to do so because they havve some sort of aspirations to be a writer. The point I took from this book is that there are no magic secrets to writing, you just have to sit down and do it. More time you spend trying to figure out how to write, the less time you will spend writing. King gives a few valuable pointers on editing and structure. His advice on not plotting, just starting with a situation and going from there might not be for everybody, but it makes sense. King's inspirational advice says to just write for yourself, not for anyone else, and see what happens from there. I definitely reccommend this book to any wanna-be writer or King fan.
Rating:
Summary: Intimate, Inspiring
Review: This is the first Stephen King book I've read, but it won't be the last. If you're a writer or a King fan, "On Writing" will delight you. The first third of the book is mainly autobiography, which is great for fans, and part one really pays off in part two when King begins to write about writing. And what does he say about writing? The best thing about the book is the personal, no-nonsense way King explains his craft. He doesn't bore you with a long list of do's and don'ts. He opens a window into his life and tells you how he does it--what works for him, what doesn't, and why. You'll learn exactly how he "uncovers" his novels from the initial idea to the final draft. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of practical tips here about word choice, point of view, verb tenses, etc. But King doesn't spend forever over-explaining them. The feeling I came away with was, "Wow, I can do this." "On Writing" makes writing fiction seem more accesible and certainly more enjoyable than just about every other resource I've explored. And did I mention it makes for great reading? I wouldn't call "On Writing" the all-in-one epitome on writing fiction (King would be the first to tell you that wasn't his intent, anyway). But if you ever wanted to invite Stephen King over for beer and pizza and shoot the breeze about life, love, and writing, this book is for you. It makes a fantastic additon to any writer's library.
Rating:
Summary: Many facets of the private King come to light
Review: This book is actually two, both of which are worth reading. The first is a brief autobiography, where King is very forthright about his life. Most significant is his honesty regarding his alcohol and drug addictions. He admits that he was so consistently bombed during the writing of his novel "Cujo" that he doesn't remember the explicit act of doing it. Fortunately, he completely avoids any excuse or justification for his addictions. As a writer of horror, it would have been so easy to rationalize and say it was a source of inspiration. King is a very interesting personality and one can only hope that this brief rendition is some day turned into a much larger book.
The second part is his perspective on how to write well. Sound advice that can be summed up in the words, "Write what you really feel." No lies or inwardly directed reality distortion, just the truth. Profanity, sex and other crudeness have long lost their literary shock value, so they have no value in that regard. However, as King emphasizes, if something wrong does happen, people in general do not say "Oh sugar" or "fecal matter." In real life, we use the equivalent four-letter word, so why not say it in stories purporting to be life?
The King elements of style also reflect his background as a former English teacher. It is unfortunate that the words he uses will probably offend the guardians of library decency and prevent it from being used in high schools. This is regrettable, as his advice would be very valuable to those budding writers currently slogging their way through their first creative writing class. I am a technical writer in mathematics and computers with four and counting books to my credit. His advice has proven very helpful, as I now examine my sentences with some of his perspectives in mind. Technical writing is also telling a story, just with more restraints and a less forgiving audience.
As a storyteller, King may be the best of his generation. His prose is capable of grabbing you with an intensity that will make your scrotum shrink and rarely lets go until the last word. While his descriptions of writing lack that power, they do have enough to help anyone be a better writer. Read this book if you are interested in King, horror or improving your writing.
Rating:
Summary: Rules Of The Road From A Guy Who Knows
Review: Stephen King has mapped it all out for us in his work, On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft. I have read several "how to" books on writing but none of them touched the nuts-and-bolts of the issue like King does, using his warm, familiar tone to set the aspiring writer at ease, eager to listen...and learn. I expected this of King and, as usual, the man does not disappoint. His unblinking humanness and willingness to show the world his own scars lends a level of credence and empathy to his work that so many other "walk this way" books lack. Even the most insecure writer (and we are all insecure) will feel encouraged and inspired by King's journey. Also, the illustration on the jacket is not only beautiful, but mystical in its genius. King's cigar-smoking muse lives in the basement and the cellar door on the cover of the book shows us the way. Kudos to Shasti O'Leary for this bit of sensitivity and art. I have cleaned off my bookcase of other "this is how ya do it" books and only two remain: Mr. King's On Writing and, beside it, Strunk And White's The Elements Of Style. The way I figure it, I'm pretty much covered.
| 
