On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (A Memoir of the Craft (Reissue))

Last year I took some of the money I won in a writing contest and bought myself a copy of Stephen King's book, On Writing. I just finished it yesterday morning and have written some words to say about it. First off, I'm giving the book 5/5 stars. It takes quite a lot for me to give something a 5/5; not that I’m overly picky, but that last star I hang onto dearly and it really needs to be earned. The book, as a whole, is perfect for what it is: a teacher and entertainer, written by one of this country’s most prolific and recognizable authors. For me, the book is timeless. On Writing was published approximately 16 years before I read it, but until the occasional sentence would pop that referenced something that—at the time—had yet to released, I would forget it wasn’t a new book. It felt fresh. King references some books that aided him in learning the craft, and I’ve no doubt that On Writing will, itself, be a historic tome essential in any writer’s “toolbox” (a term King illustrates in the book) for decades to come. Before I read On Writing, I stumbled across a complaint that someone had with the book. They took issue with not every page having been dedicated solely to lessons on writing but also included a lengthy autobiographical section. I take it the guy wasn’t actually a fan of Mr. King but instead a fan of the money King makes. Apparently the life stories King told were just getting in the way. I, for one, enjoy hearing factoids about people I’m interested in, and Stephen King happens to be one of those people. The autobiographical section takes up approximately one third of the book. We get to see exactly what Mr. King went through to finally succeed at what he loves doing most and the lessons he learned along the way. In this section, he sympathizes with the beginning writer and shares his own failures as well as successes. The anecdotes are humorous and entertaining, and if you’re an aspiring writer, they’re quite encouraging. The next section of the book is the real meat and gravy; the reason the book was written: Stephen King sharing his wisdom; all the tips on what King feels are essential for any would-be writer desiring an audience. I saw the book as a thorough crash course in writing successfully entertaining pieces. It’s not an English class. King makes the assumption you have half a brain and clearly states that if you’re horrible at writing then maybe you should find something else to do, because nothing in his book—or any other—is going to help you. However, he does give hope to the decent writer and encourages a strict reading and writing regimen in order to learn what to do, what not to do and, of course, to help that writing muscle avoid atrophy. Section number three: Something I feel was probably written more for therapeutic reasons for King personally. This small section goes into explicit detail on the event that nearly cost King his life: getting hit by a van while walking down the road. This includes his recovery and the process of getting into writing again after a hiatus; all of which actually happened during the writing of On Writing. The fourth, and final, section shows us four or five pages of a rough draft of King’s short story tentatively titled "The Hotel Story" '(later named 1408), after which we are treated with the next draft, complete with felt pen markings, corrections, and changes. The last few pages are dedicated to walking you through why each change was made. It is my belief that reading this book will give any writer a better understanding of the craft and how to tighten up their written word. If you’re not a writer but are a fan of Stephen King, then the first and third sections of the book are a must read. If you’re both a writer and a fan, then whatever it is you’re reading now needs to be put on that literary back burner with the rest of your procrastination pile. Hesitate no longer. On Writing will encourage you. It will get you excited about writing, and if you’re anything like me, it’ll dry out a few highlighters.

'On Writing' is a revealing and practical look at the writer's craft, comprising many of the necessary tools of the trade for any aspiring author. It is a gem of a resource and entirely worth its purchase price in my opinion. It is noteworthy to relate that this is NOT is a 'how-to' book on crafting novels and short stories. Although Mr. King provides many nuggets of wisdom for aspiring writers throughout his book, he makes it clear that every author must forge their own pathway toward their goals, whatever they may be. In other words, there is no such thing as a blueprint for success in his vocation. Because good stories often write themselves, in most situations it is wise for an author to 'go with the flow' rather that obsessively follow a rigid plot or storyline schematic in their mind. Every writer needs their own muse to kindle their own imagination. He compares the discovery of a good story idea with digging up a fossil; the quality of the fossil(story) is ultimately dependent on the skill of the author to delicately extract it from the earth and polish it up for appreciative museum goers. (I have improvised a little bit on his analogy, but I think it fits). On Writing is a compelling, forthright narrative on what obstacles aspiring authors might expect to encounter on their personal journeys toward self-fulfillment. It is also a tough love manual for writers peppered with anecdotal stories of Mr Kings interesting life along the way. I found it illuminating and have a far greater understanding of the craft after reading this book. .....There are a plethora of takeaways from this fine reference, far too many to include in my review. I will attempt to prioritize the more important ones for myself and relay them to anyone kind enough to read my review on Amazon. If I have neglected to mention any of value, they have probably been mentioned or discussed before in countless other reviews of this work. Takeaway 1--Omit needless words, adverbs, the passive voice, and excessive description whenever possible. Takeaway 2--Imitation often precedes creation. SK related how as a child he often copied stories from authors he enjoyed verbatim; sometimes omitting and sometimes adding story fragments of his own creation. There is no shame in imitation if it is part of the learning process! Takeaway 3--King lists his wife/marriage and his physical health as his two keys for success. The message for aspiring authors should be to exercise regularly and marry someone who is both positive and supporting of your endeavors. Takeaway 4--Read a lot and write a lot. The art of description is a learned skill that develops and improves with copious reading and voluminous writing. There is no substitute for time invested in this make-or-break skill set. Takeaway 5--Keep your story chronological whenever possible. Flashback sequences sometimes work well in the movies or on television, but often come across as corny or cliche in novels.. Takeaway 6–Find a network of trustworthy individuals to read and give feedback on your first draft in its rawest form. .......Affably written and educational, this well organized book is a delight to read. There were several revelations in this book, the most important one revealed as Mr.King recounted his near-fatal accident in 1999(he was hit by a drunk driver in a van while out for his afternoon walk). He professes that life isn't a support system for art --the reverse is actually true. Art is a support system for life. Mr King recounts vividly how the inseparable link between his writing and his life helped motivate him during the many months of his painful recuperation. My favorite quote of his is near the end of the book: “Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who read your work, and enriching your own life, as well.” I cannot recommend this inspirational and entertaining book highly enough to readers. Pubished in 2001? Seems like it was written yesterday!

Il maestro Stephen King divide questo classico in tre parti. Nella prima, apparentemente slegata dalle altre, ci illustra alcuni suoi ricordi e, nel farlo, ci insegna come scrivere del passato, sia che esso sia il proprio sia che siano quello dei nostri personaggi. Nella seconda, invece, ci parla direttamente di come si scrive, mettendo insieme una quantità notevole di consigli pratici e assai utili. L'ultima parte è, invece, dedicata all'autocorrezione di un manoscritto, un laboratorio di scrittura interessantissimo da fare col maestro King. Assolutamente consigliato, soprattutto in lingua originale, perché molto dell'espressività dei consigli si perderebbe, a mio parere, in traduzione.

Stephen King, perhaps unsurprisingly, really nails it with this book. Part memoir, part how-to this book is so readable and full FULL of wisdom and actionable advice.

Longe de ser um manual prático ou teórico sobre a arte de escrever, On Writing - A Memoir of the Craft (também disponível em português como Sobre a Escrita - A Arte em Memórias) é um pouco autobiografia, um pouco confissões e um pouco um resumo de conselhos e boas dicas para escritores iniciantes e iniciados. Ao contrário de todos os livros sobre escrita que li até agora, não é mais um livro com fórmulas, faça-issos e não-faça-aquilos. King bate com força em muitas das ideias preconcebidas e deixa dicas sobre os piores erros que vê em textos de iniciantes e não iniciantes. Conta, ainda, como teve as ideias para alguns de seus livros e, no fim da obra, apresenta uma lista com os melhores livros que havia lido nos três anos que antecederam a conclusão de On Writing. O texto de King é ágil e absolutamente informal. Parece que o autor está conversando com o leitor – na verdade, está mesmo. Nas partes relativas à sua autobiografia faz revelações corajosas e admite erros como poucos famosos o fariam. Um dos pontos altos é a parte do livro em que narra o acidente que quase o matou em 1999. No fim do livro, apresenta um ótimo conto, escolhido pelo próprio Stephen King como vencedor do concurso ‘Hodder & Stoughton’ em parceria com o jornal Observer. Se eu já gostava de King como escritor, após a leitura passei a respeitá-lo ainda mais.

Très intéressant. Ce livre m'a permit de découvrir un auteur de qualité. Beaucoup d'humour verbal. Je découvre qu'il est possible d'écrire des best-sellers sans tomber dans les clichés à la mode. Un écrivain très humble et humain.

In his seminal memoir/writing guide On Writing, Stephen King allows readers an unprecedented glimpse into the experiences and disciplines underlying his prolific career through over five decades. Published in 2000, the book interweaves King’s personal story of becoming one of history’s most successful authors with generous wisdom for aspiring writers. It chronicles his journey from unknown writer subsisting on meager earnings to literary superstardom in intimate detail. With heartfelt humor and humility, King outlines the crucial life events, raw talents, and relentless work ethic that enabled him to craft over 60 revered horror and suspense novels, sell over 350 million books, and achieve pop culture icon status. While acknowledging individual creative brilliance cannot be replicated, On Writing insightfully demystifies Stephen King’s methods and reveals his approach to the craft as an act of joy and discovery. Beyond concrete tips, it captures King’s sincerely held belief in writing fiction as a spiritual calling that confers lifelong meaning, not mere acclaim. The memoir portion of On Writing tracks Stephen King’s development from childhood origins through decades of refining his signature horror, fantasy, and supernatural fiction style. In descriptive anecdotes, King pinpoints childhood experiences that sparked his prolific imagination, from adolescent discovery of iconic science fiction and horror creators like H.P. Lovecraft to real-life brushes with death that left an imprint. He traces his earliest beginnings—scribbling short stories on a stolen typewriter—to first getting published in a horror fanzine. King outlines his initial years enduring constant rejection and relying on part-time jobs to scrape by as he slowly forged his unique literary voice. With self-deprecating humor, he confesses it took submitting a story over thirty times before making his first professional magazine sale. Candidly, King also delves into periods of severe substance abuse and personal issues that nearly destroyed his burgeoning career. He is transparent about significant gaps in his memory and output during the 80s due to drug and alcohol issues. King poignantly describes the interventions by family and friends that finally prompted him to get sober, as well as his regret over lost time and productivity. By frankly recounting his struggles, he humanizes the pressures of dealing with spectacular literary success at a young age. King also reflects thoughtfully on the wealth of life experience, both joyful and traumatic, that he channels creatively into his prolific output. Scenes from his Maine upbringing, relationships, parenting, and interests pepper the narrative, affirming how he transforms the mundane into the thrillingly bizarre. Throughout the memoir, King repeatedly underscores that the impetus for writing comes from within, not a quest for fame or riches. He traces his irresistible urge to write fiction back to childhood delight in imagining stories, even before aspirations of being a published author entered the picture. King asserts that he writes compulsively simply because the act brings him happiness and a sense of purpose. In beautifully philosophical passages, he describes writing as a spiritual journey of exploration, both of the human condition and his own subconscious preoccupations. According to King, good fiction originates from curiosity, wonder, and emotional honesty rather than commercial motives. He emphasizes embracing creativity for self-fulfillment first, then refining work to resonate for readers. The second half of On Writing distills the pragmatic lessons Stephen King learned over decades of trial and error into an accessible writing guide. While acknowledging innate talent and inspiration can't be systematized, he offers plenty of concrete suggestions for improving any writer's craft. King stresses that above all, consistent dedication and work ethic separate serious writers from dabblers waiting on inspiration. He advises diligently building writing routines: daily sessions of two to three hours, minimum word count targets, and treating writing like any other job. According to King, volume and repetition are key regardless of mood or muse. He urges writers to power through a first draft without excessive self-editing to get the raw story down on paper. Sensory details, lively dialogue, varied sentence structures, and ruthless editing are other skill areas he covers. King goes beyond nuts-and-bolts techniques to passionately celebrate writing fiction as a noble pursuit driven by intuition, imagination, and childlike curiosity. He urges writers to explore the primal human need for storytelling, beyond surface commercial motives. King sees fiction as a unique path to emotional truth and wresting meaning from chaos. He becomes almost evangelical in advocating fiction writing as a path to purpose and lifelong creative development, regardless of public validation. Throughout the guide portion, King pushes writers to mine their own experiences, quirks, and passions for material, rather than chasing trends. He sums up his advice as: “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.” Accessible and generously insightful, On Writing continues to resonate with both aspiring authors and general readers over two decades after publication. Beyond a simple writing manual, it offers unprecedented access into the brilliant, yet utterly human, mind behind some of modern fiction’s most iconic works. For writers, the memoir provides inspiration through King’s stories of early struggles, while his concrete tips provide a flexible toolkit. For fans, it provides a fascinating glimpse at the peculiar obsessions, quirky rituals, and redemptive habits underlying his creative output. Most rewardingly, On Writing explores the purposeful role of fiction writing in processing life’s chaos and horrors into meaningful narratives. Both memoir and guidebook, it reveals the alchemy of raw talent, dogged work ethic, personal experience, and joyful wonder that King channeled into a legendary career. Any reader comes away thoroughly convinced of his assertion that “writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art.” In summary, On Writing by Stephen King remains an unparalleled classic of the writer’s memoir/guide genre by elucidating the many facets behind constructing compelling fiction. King’s intimate wisdom and transparent voice inspire through combining earnest memoir, pragmatic advice, passion for the craft, and philosophical insight. Beyond the secrets of his success, it captures the all-consuming personal fulfilment King derives from writing as his creative outlet. For authors in any stage of development, On Writing provides both practical help and spiritual reassurance needed to nurture a writing life. Two decades later, newer generations of writers continue looking to the book as an essential roadmap and motivational touchstone. More than any formula, they take away King’s guiding principle: dedication to the daily writing journey itself ultimately matters more than any singular work or external measure of achievement.