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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
Stories aren't souvenir tee-shirts or GameBoys. Stories are relics, part of an undiscovered pre-existing world. The writer's job is to use the tools in his or her toolbox to get as much of each one out of the ground intact as possible. Sometimes the fossil you uncover is small; a seashell. Sometimes it's enormous, a Tyrannosaurus Rex with all those gigantic ribs and grinning teeth. Either way, short story or thousand-page whopper of a novel, the tecniques of excavation remain basically the same."
Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, ir making friends. In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy. Some of this book---perhaps too much---has been about how I learned to do it. Much of it has been about how you can do it better. The rest of it---and perhaps the best of it---is a permission slip: you can, you should, and if you're brave enough to start, you will. Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up."
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Blood, Car accident
Delightful read, you can really feel King's love for writing in the pages. The tone feels like a casual chat with a passionate friend.
I took a lot of notes and learned a lot. 5/5.
I took a lot of notes and learned a lot. 5/5.
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Recommended if you like: Creative writing; Insider information; Folksy, emotional, and funny memoirs
Avoid if you dislike: Crass language; Non-fiction; Writing advice
This book may turn out to be one of the best decisions I ever made when it comes to my hobby of creative writing. The worst decision I’ve made (so far) is waiting so long to read this thing. Calling this either a memoir or a writing manual is simply false. It’s both, and still more.
Imagine you’re sitting on a beach chair facing the ocean, sipping a cocktail with nothing on your schedule except to relax, and you look to your left and realize the guy sitting next to you is Stephen fucking King. You strike up a conversation and he accepts, being in a good mood as he is, and over the next few hours proceeds to tell you about his struggles growing up, how he broke into the writing business, and every bit of advice he can think to share about his livelihood (most of which is pretty solid). This is how On Writing reads. It’s folksy, honest, and drips with that personable, blunt charm of King for which so many either adore or despise him.
King doesn’t hold back when sharing his opinions, whether the topic is bad writers, the state of the entertainment industry, or the man who almost killed him with a van. My feeling while reading was, “damn, King is a really interesting guy, but I think he would hate me if we met.” And that’s fine. You may come to realize while reading this book that you lack the discipline, intelligence, or self-awareness that King claims a writer needs to succeed. If you’re trying to become a professional writer, that may be a gut punch. But King also offers some very useful tools and motivation for those who want them. Just don’t expect them to be set in front of you on a silver platter. King is more of a “here, catch!” type of guy.
If you have even a passing interest in writing, you must read this book. Skip over the sections about finding an agent and submitting manuscripts if you aren’t trying to get published. There’s more than enough to help and entertain you, no matter what your level of interest is in the craft.
Avoid if you dislike: Crass language; Non-fiction; Writing advice
This book may turn out to be one of the best decisions I ever made when it comes to my hobby of creative writing. The worst decision I’ve made (so far) is waiting so long to read this thing. Calling this either a memoir or a writing manual is simply false. It’s both, and still more.
Imagine you’re sitting on a beach chair facing the ocean, sipping a cocktail with nothing on your schedule except to relax, and you look to your left and realize the guy sitting next to you is Stephen fucking King. You strike up a conversation and he accepts, being in a good mood as he is, and over the next few hours proceeds to tell you about his struggles growing up, how he broke into the writing business, and every bit of advice he can think to share about his livelihood (most of which is pretty solid). This is how On Writing reads. It’s folksy, honest, and drips with that personable, blunt charm of King for which so many either adore or despise him.
King doesn’t hold back when sharing his opinions, whether the topic is bad writers, the state of the entertainment industry, or the man who almost killed him with a van. My feeling while reading was, “damn, King is a really interesting guy, but I think he would hate me if we met.” And that’s fine. You may come to realize while reading this book that you lack the discipline, intelligence, or self-awareness that King claims a writer needs to succeed. If you’re trying to become a professional writer, that may be a gut punch. But King also offers some very useful tools and motivation for those who want them. Just don’t expect them to be set in front of you on a silver platter. King is more of a “here, catch!” type of guy.
If you have even a passing interest in writing, you must read this book. Skip over the sections about finding an agent and submitting manuscripts if you aren’t trying to get published. There’s more than enough to help and entertain you, no matter what your level of interest is in the craft.
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
It was so helpful and beneficial.
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Since I'm not a writer, not all of the advice in this book resonated with me. I still enjoyed hearing about King's process and I really liked the beginning and end where the book is more memoir than craft.
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
A really good book! The middle section, the actual On Writing part was quite enjoyable and held a lot of good information. It was quite anecdotal, and the CV section dragged on a bit for my taste, but the actual storytelling was very good and oftentimes ended up in a lesson or whatever Stephen Learned. Definitely helpful in my own writing journey!
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced