Twentieth Anniversary Edition with Contributions from Joe Hill and Owen KingONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S TOP 100 NONFICTION BOOKS OF ALL TIME Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work. “Long live the King” hailed …
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.
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I loved hearing about the journey Mr. King took in becoming a writer just as much as I loved his tips. I would highly recommend all writers read this.
If you are a writer, there are a handful of books you must read on the craft. This is at the top of that list.
By far my favorite book on the craft of writing, not only because it does a great job of explaining the craft itself (SK uses amazing visualization to explain the ‘writers’s toolkit’), but because there are excellent examples on the LIFE of the writer. True, SK may be an uber-successful writer at the top of the pile, but he did not start that way. Going along with his struggles and tribulations (very similar to the ones I often face) certainly illuminates the journey and provides inspiration in ways that man others just haven’t.
I HIGHLY recommend, not just for aspiring/working writers, but for many others out there looking for a pep-talk from one of the greats.
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One of the best combination autobiography and writing advice books out there.
Who would have though that the “King” of horror novels could be so funny and informative? I’ve always wanted to write and he made me feel like I truly could!
Amazing Must Read for Every Author
I love biographies, and I love learning more about my craft. This was the two-fer of a lifetime. His remarkable journey to the stratosphere of famous authors is gift wrapped in one lesson after another in writing. I started this adventure on a kindle book, and finished in an audio book. I had to check my facts before writing this review, because at 1.25x speed, I thought one of the more memorable quotes was “…whore’s end of a bashful sailor.” In reality, the line is, “…whore said to the bashful sailor.” What can I say? Things get lost in high-speed dictation.
But I’ll walk away from this work thinking of adverbs as pernicious dandelions, and will forever be haunted by the girl in the wool sweater. (I’m tearing up thinking of it now.) And I’m grateful and inspired that the underlying message is simple: write.
Highly recommended
Even though I’m not a big reader of Stephen King’s books, this remains one of the finest writing books I’ve ever read.
It’s part biography, part craft bible and fully expresses the finicky, yet transcendent craft that writing can be.
As a longtime, devoted King fan—and as a fiction writer myself—how could I not consume every last bit of wisdom and advice and anecdotes from one of the best-selling authors of our lifetime? I strongly believe that a person can’t be taught to write, but he can certainly be pointed in the right direction. And this is a great place to start.
My go to book for writing.
This is the book that convinced me to become a writer. It’s a must read for new authors.
Brilliant.
Stephen King’s semi-autobiographical classic book on how to write fiction. The book is the story of the author’s writing life. In it he tells of the important events that shaped him into one of the great writers of our time and along the way the reader learns his writing methods. The biographical and writing information are intertwined in a delightful story. I personally love his metaphor of writing as being like an archeological dig. The description of his childhood visits to the family doctor are riveting and, funny. As an orthopedic surgeon I was engrossed in the candid telling of his being struck by a motor vehicle and his struggle to return to health. The two anecdotes highlight the advancement of medical treatment in King’s lifetime. Fascinating. However, the point of the book is writing and this the best book I’ve read on how to write fiction. If you are a fiction author and you only read one book about your craft this should be it. As a side note, I also listened to the audiobook. It’s an added bonus to hear the author narrate his story and give you his advice. This book is a treasure.
Extremely good book and I highly recommend it. I love Stephen King and used to purchase EVERYTHING he wrote. I still purchase many of his books. This book is highly inspirational and informative. It’s amazing how he came to be the famous author that he is and his struggle gives all aspiring writers hope that they can one day make it. Highly recommend.
Stephen King talks about what to keep in your writer’s toolbox. It is a read that no writer should pass up. Build your toolbox, but don’t forget to stuff Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ in your backpack!
Let’s face it – if you want to be a successful writer, this is one of your textbooks!
This is a book that belongs in every author’s toolkit…heck, I even recommend it to NON-writers who happen to be King fans. Very eye-opening, entertaining, and informative, I didn’t want it to end.
This is my favorite book about writing. I’ve read it a few times and will undoubtedly read it a few more as the years tick by. Good reminder that this should be fun.
if you are a writer or aspiring, you should definitely get this book. I learned so much and now i think i will be an even better write by having read it.
Note to self: read before every new writing project. Informative beyond words.
My favorite book on writing fiction is Stephen King’s aptly named On Writing. First published in 2000, it’s part memoir and part writer’s toolbox. The memoir is a review of King’s rise to success, with a postscript about his difficult recovery from being almost killed by a hit and run driver in rural Maine when he was out walking during June 1999. Both parts of the book are informal, humble and charming. Knowing my mother’s love of writing and my own desire to eventually write a novel, my elder son gave me a copy for Father’s Day in 2001. I have treasured it ever since. It sat on my desk as I wrote Intentional Consequences, my new political thriller about American politics and the 2020 presidential election.
Many of King’s suggestions are remarkably simple. Among them:
“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.”
“[T]he hours we spend talking about writing is time we don’t spend actually doing it.”
“Good writing…teaches the learning writer about style, graceful narration, plot development, the creation of believable characters, and truth-telling.”
“Once I start a project, I don’t stop and I don’t slow down unless I absolutely have to. If I don’t write everyday, the characters begin to stale off in my mind—they begin to seem like characters instead of real people.” When I experienced this myself, I knew I was on the right track.
In other words, quit looking for crutches, read everything you can and get on with writing.
The book covers a lot of the basic elements of good writing, with some helpful examples thrown in. But it avoids the lengthy catalog of writing rules that can paralyze a budding author. You can read the book without worrying that it will add paranoia to your writer’s block. You also don’t need to fear being intimidated by what King calls “the tireless tyranny of the outline and notebook filled with ‘Character Notes.’” He doesn’t require them.