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katiegilley's review against another edition
4.0
While I don't harbor any sincere fantasies of becoming a writer, this was still a fantastic read. Much of this book features small snippets of King's life that are written in an engaging style. I have been an off and on King reader since junior high but have never given a lot of thought to the man behind the books that caused me to run to my mom and dad's bedroom from time to time (not kidding here... I really think "It" scarred me); this gave me an opportunity to get to know him, if only slightly. The sections about writing were interesting as well, but like I said, I don't really see myself as a writer so I didn't dwell on them very long. The best parts were the ones about him, which proves one of his theses, "write what you know."
bittersweet_symphony's review against another edition
3.0
Stephen King writes an honest and accessible book about the genuine hard work it takes to be a writer. He shows it stripped of its glamor and poetry. You won't find any grand themes or treatises on human nature in here. That's just not his style. King isn't a beautiful or inspiring writer. That's never been his schtick. He is a hugely successful writer of mass-fiction aiming to give us a few helpful tips--in which he succeeds.
-"There is no Idea Dump, no Story central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky; two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun. Your job isn't to find these ideas but to recognize when they show up."
-"When you write a story, you're telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not story."
-"Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference. They don't have to make speeches. Just believing is usually enough."
-"The idea that endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time...Any claims that the drugs and alcohol are necessary to dull a finer sensibility are just the usual self-serving bullshit...Hemingway and Fitzgerald didn't drink because they were creative, alienated, or morally weak. They drank because that's what alkies are wired up to do."
Besides the several tools he outlines for writers in Part II, I believe his greatest advice, which has been echoed by many other non-bull shitty pedagogues surrounds the "if I want to be a writer, what must I do" question. Write a lot. Read a lot. That. Is. It. King is the everyday man's writer. Master's programs, writing camps, and expensive workshops are not worth their time or dime. They are excuses people use for not wanting to do the real work. They are futile shortcuts to becoming great writers. Read. Write. Find a steady "first reader" who can be your biggest critic and greatest cheerleader. Find a routine place to write that is all your own. Close the door behind you and write write write. "Write what you like, then imbue it with life and make it unique by blending in your own personal knowledge of life, friendship, relationships, sex, and work."
Be disciplined but love what you do. If your goal is "becoming published" or writing a best-seller, you're going about it all wrong. Writing is not for you. You must love the craft itself. "Talent renders the whole idea of rehearsal meaningless; when you find something at which you are talented, you do it until your fingers bleed or your eyes are ready to fall out of your head. Even when no one is listening, every outing is a bravura performance, because you as the creator are happy."
On writing is a book worth reading when you need a break from all the reading and writing expected of your craft but you don't want to feel guilty about taking a break. Still, it felt pretty tepid to me. For King, writing is more about entertainment and escapism than it is a source for bringing to life meaningful truths for our communities. If you're a writer wanting to be moved, to experience why writing really matters, I'd recommend Margaret Atwoods writing memoir, Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on Writing (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1406929700?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1)
I didn't resonate with King's personality, nor have I connected with his fiction, but if you enjoy his books/movies, I'm sure you'll be pleased with this one.
-"There is no Idea Dump, no Story central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky; two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun. Your job isn't to find these ideas but to recognize when they show up."
-"When you write a story, you're telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not story."
-"Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference. They don't have to make speeches. Just believing is usually enough."
-"The idea that endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time...Any claims that the drugs and alcohol are necessary to dull a finer sensibility are just the usual self-serving bullshit...Hemingway and Fitzgerald didn't drink because they were creative, alienated, or morally weak. They drank because that's what alkies are wired up to do."
Besides the several tools he outlines for writers in Part II, I believe his greatest advice, which has been echoed by many other non-bull shitty pedagogues surrounds the "if I want to be a writer, what must I do" question. Write a lot. Read a lot. That. Is. It. King is the everyday man's writer. Master's programs, writing camps, and expensive workshops are not worth their time or dime. They are excuses people use for not wanting to do the real work. They are futile shortcuts to becoming great writers. Read. Write. Find a steady "first reader" who can be your biggest critic and greatest cheerleader. Find a routine place to write that is all your own. Close the door behind you and write write write. "Write what you like, then imbue it with life and make it unique by blending in your own personal knowledge of life, friendship, relationships, sex, and work."
Be disciplined but love what you do. If your goal is "becoming published" or writing a best-seller, you're going about it all wrong. Writing is not for you. You must love the craft itself. "Talent renders the whole idea of rehearsal meaningless; when you find something at which you are talented, you do it until your fingers bleed or your eyes are ready to fall out of your head. Even when no one is listening, every outing is a bravura performance, because you as the creator are happy."
On writing is a book worth reading when you need a break from all the reading and writing expected of your craft but you don't want to feel guilty about taking a break. Still, it felt pretty tepid to me. For King, writing is more about entertainment and escapism than it is a source for bringing to life meaningful truths for our communities. If you're a writer wanting to be moved, to experience why writing really matters, I'd recommend Margaret Atwoods writing memoir, Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on Writing (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1406929700?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1)
I didn't resonate with King's personality, nor have I connected with his fiction, but if you enjoy his books/movies, I'm sure you'll be pleased with this one.
koberreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
One of the best nonfiction books you could read even if you are not an aspiring author or novelist or writer.
- Filled with his memories since childhood up to present publication date
- Note he mentions his memory is not as profound and as clear and complete as other memoir writers but he describes writing this book as if walking in an open foggy field. And his memories aer "bare" leaveless trees that he gets to encounter from time to time but these trees are far in between from each other. Even though he writes all memories vividly and as candidly as he can.
- First part of the book is mostly his life, writing career and later at the other half or near the last 1/4 part of the book is the writing techniques of aspiring writers (mostly fiction writers) and his very long but beautiful book reading recommendation list. Reading is as important as writing to an aspiring writer. Writing without any time or love for books makes you into a person is the equivalent of who is doesn't have weapons while he charges into a war. A carpenter without his tools attempting to build something.
- Memoir in itself are beautiful read for their own sake because you are literally getting into another person lives but this time instead of it being fictional, it is quite real and at times can be more heartfelt and also more horrifying than fiction. It is one of the best memoir's I read. Along side with "Glass Castle" by Jeanette walls and "Educated' By Tara Westover.
karrama's review against another edition
5.0
Very well done. I couldn't put it down. Not only does it humanize a mythical figure in writing, it helps the little guy remember the basics without talking down to the world.
dillonbrantley's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent opportunity to peek behind the curtain of one of the most prolific writers in the last 50 years. Stephen King acknowledges that what works for him may not work in all cases, but offers solid advice for aspiring writers amidst bits and pieces of his life that have made him the writer he had become. As someone with no real writing experience, but an interest in the process, I found exactly what I was looking for here.