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Summary: From a Writer and a Fan!
Review: Stephen King's new non-fiction book, On Writing, is the most concise, helpful, specific and entertaining book I have ever read towards actually becoming a published writer. He even gives you an opportunity to submit your writing to his website in the book! A must read for anyone who loves to write. Diane Klein, Author of IN THE NAME OF HELP
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Summary: Totally inspiring
Review: This is seriously good stuff. I agree with what other reviewers are saying about how it's sort of divided into two parts, an autobiography and a guide to writing. I just want to add, though, that you also get a really detailed account of how he conceived the ideas for "Carrie" and "The Stand", among other things. If you're like me, and you like to have specifics rather than vagaries, those parts have a lot of REALLY valuable tips. You walk away from this book really energized, I know it's certainly helped ME anyway. I just want to mention one other, less well known book that has some good tips, and that book is "I. Asimov" by Isaac Asimov. It has a lot of the same good qualities that this book has -- plain speaking; hard headed advice about writing; and also it carries the imprint of the writers personality, which shows what a personal investment the author made in it. Absolutely worth looking at.
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Summary: Fan Fare
Review: I, myself, am interested in writing. I have ready many books about "the craft" such as "Bird by Bird" and the like. I picked up King's book due to the fact that it seemed both entertaining and informative. The beginning of the book filled my expectations while the actual content dealing with writing completely let me down. The first few chapters narrate King's life as a child and an aspiring writer. He uses the same devices that he employs in his novels to make the story of his life both interesting and entertaining. The second half, dealing with storywriting as a craft, was a complete bore. It didn't teach me anything more than intuition couldn't and it felt as if he repeatedly expressed scepticism at the potential of his readers in writing. In conclusion this is a great book if you wish to read a Stephen King autobiography but otherwise let this one go.
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Summary: Aspiring Writers and King Fans Will Agree ... Long Live King
Review: Stephen King's "On Writing" is a must read for any aspiring writer or King fan. It is one of those books you will want to read more than once and is easy to read in one sitting. For those who have followed King's career, this book reveals many events in his life that inspired the writings of his most memorable novels. It captures not only his childhood memories, but the personal struggles he experienced as an adult that helped shape him into the successful writer he is today. For the wanna-be writers in us all, this book encourages us to take the craft seriously, but to enjoy it, as well. It's been a while since I've enjoyed a book as much as I have this one. I promise, you won't be disappointed! By the way, for the tabloid lovers, this book sets the record straight on the events that took place the day King was struck by Bryan Smith. Enjoy!
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Summary: Kicked my ****!
Review: I recently purchased this book since I'm finally getting back into writing. I was really searching for some inspiration on writing and this one kicked my ****! I couldn't put it down. Stephen King is in his truest form, blunt, funny and slightly warped (aren't we all?). I am definitely inspired and even sold some articles to a local magazine recently, now just to get to work on my novel. King truly hits it on the head when it comes to writing. Forget the workshops and endless group therapy discussions. There's no secret mecca of writer's ideas, but King certainly gives you all the tools you'll need. To be a writer you HAVE TO BE A READER and YOU HAVE TO WRITE. So, get back into reading with "On Writing" and get inspired.
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Summary: As usual, honesty rules for Mr. King
Review: ON WRITING is Stephen King's latest foray into the world of writing, and I imagine this book, though it is non-fiction, will be as wildly successful as BAG OF BONES, which many believe to be King's best work. Mr. King seems driven over the past few years by an impulse to impact his viewers and leave a legacy, a common impulse but one which he has the unique opportunity to fulfill through his writing. ON WRITING will contribute to that legacy in a very substantial way. The brief autobiography is a sometimes blunt, sometimes tender look at King's childhood, surrounded by monsters both real and imagined. King's manual on how to write, however, is a brutal look at the realities of writing and the cost involved. Anyone who has literary aspirations should not read this section without being prepared to be humbled and stripped of all pretensions to greatness. Mr. King even offers a correction of his own draft to illustrate the painful process of good writing, and one is suprised to find that the ink used to scratch corrections on the page isn't blood-red. This is yet another of King's great works, along the lines of THE STAND, CARRIE, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, and BAG OF BONES. Constant Readers will enjoy it immensely, but new readers should as well.
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Summary: The Book All Writers Need to Read
Review: For years, I have avidly read every preface and afterward of Stephen King's books in hopes that he would drop a few hints about his writing process to his Constant Reader. As a writer, I enjoy learning about the creative process of others, especially those artists that inspire me. I picked up King's latest offering, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, knowing this would be the volume I had waited to read all these years. I was not disappointed. King clearly lays out his goals for the book, stating that he wanted to focus on the language of writing and do so as succinctly as possible. He accomplishes both goals equally well. In this short 287-page volume, he lays down a brief biography of himself, discusses the tools of writing as well as the writing process, and concludes by giving readers a glimpse into the accident that recently rocked his world. While his abbreviated trip down memory lane doesn't seem relevant at first, it does set the stage for an understanding of who he is, why he writes, and how he adopted his particular style. The background information is just that, background. He doesn't sugar coat it, and he openly discusses many things, including his alcoholism and drug addiction that affected some of his early work. The meat of On Writing comes in the second and third parts of the book as he discusses the tools and process of writing. Again, King doesn't sugar coat his views to appease the masses. He clearly states that he doesn't think one can ever make a competent writer out of a bad one, or a great writer out of a good one. He aims his advice at a much smaller demographic: trying to make a good writer out of a merely competent one. For those who fall into this category, King has a lot of advice, some of which he admits he ignores from time to time. If fans were worried how his recovery from his injuries would affect his writing, they can relax. Although he penned much of On Writing before being struck by a van while on an afternoon walk, the clarity of his postscript shows King in his usual form. King wrote that the man driving the van had "wanted 'some of those Marzes-bars they have up to the store.'" King adds, "When I hear this little detail some weeks later, it occurs to me that I have nearly been killed by a character right out of one of my own novels. It's almost funny." And it is almost funny, in a gruesome way. But it's also a testament to King's recovery and his ability to take his pain and turn it into something good, something constructive. More importantly, it suggests that he will keep writing. Something for which I am personally grateful.
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Summary: On Writing: A Memoir of the craft
Review: King's latest book on writing was a page turner. Not only does he give an account of his struggle with his recent accident but gives a very encouraging message to people who wish to write. His advice was not always the practical methods I've found in most books on writing, but instead was very refreshing. King uses some different techniques that make very good sense and seem much easier than others. It was very interesting to see where he had come up with ideas for his books. I was very excited to begin writing by the time I finished this book. It is great!!
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Summary: Literature Is News That Stays News
Review: I wish Stephen King would stop apologizing for his fiction. By specifying actual people as resembling characters in his books (Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, Bryan Smith) he de-mythologizes his own fiction and it's universal applicability, reducing it to mere grubby current events.
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Summary: A teacher who's actually done it.
Review: I have never read Stephen King's work, but being an aspiring writer, I bought this one simply because the reviews were too good to ignore. I'll add to this pile now. The biographical first part is written in a smooth and flowing style that keeps you turning the pages late into the hours. It details King's journey to becoming a published author, as well as his battle with substance abuse. All the humour, heartbreak, and hardship shine through to inspire anyone who is unlucky enough to want to write. The second part contains the truth about the craft. The work, sacrifice, and the suggestion that writing is something you just might *not* be able to do. In addition, it contains helpful sections pertaining to building good writing habits, things to avoid, exercises, etc. There are some things I don't agree with, such as avoiding adverbs if possible, but it takes nothing away. The information in this part of the book is something you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere else. To some, it'll be ugly, to those who really do want to write, it'll be comforting to know that everyone doing it is fighting the same battle. The third part is King's view on his close brush with death and how it's affected his life. The two "And Furthermore" sections at the end contain a fully corrected piece of fiction that is an invaluable lesson, and a recommended reading list. If you want to be a writer, buy this book. Whether you read King's work or not.
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