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On Writing

by Stephen King

4.18 · rating details · 32,878 ratings · 3,196 reviews

"Long live the King" hailed "Entertainment Weekly" upon the 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 ground...more

Mass Market Paperback, 297 pages

Published June 25th 2002 by Pocket (first published January 1st 2000)

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Jan 30, 2012

Lou rated it

Shelves: november-read-2011, writing, non-fiction

This is a must read for writers, readers and off course Stephen King fans.
Fully laden with inspiration to walk the walk and start that journey of writing a story of you're own from short story to a full novel. Imagine great writers of the past like Dickens around to give advice to aspiring writers it's a real opportunity to grasp.

This man, Stephen King, worked hard to make himself into a writer and had sheer determination, from working all hours to pay his college education t...moreThis is a must read for writers, readers and off course Stephen King fans.
Fully laden with inspiration to walk the walk and start that journey of writing a story of you're own from short story to a full novel. Imagine great writers of the past like Dickens around to give advice to aspiring writers it's a real opportunity to grasp.

This man, Stephen King, worked hard to make himself into a writer and had sheer determination, from working all hours to pay his college education to writing his first stories in a trailer. He was a single parent child with one brother. His life story is what dreams are made of, he defeated the single parent upbringing stereotype and made things work. When he was awaiting that call from his agent on selling the paperback rights for Carrie he was only expecting around a $40'000 mark and received an astonishing $400'000 payout. He really loves to write and does mention it was 'never about the money.' His marriage is solid and that helped his career, he met his wife Tabitha at a poetry workshop and both their loves for writing was an important ingredient to their marriage.
From a millworker to one of the greatest writers. He had written Running Man in a week and writes one word at a time, he tells us in his book that it's all about the story never the plot.
Write what you know, fresh images and simple vocabulary believable characters graceful narration, and truth telling all the hallmarks of good writing.
It is really nice to hear him say that if you don't have time to read you don't have time to write, a bad story can teach the reader so much on how not to write a story. Reading is an essential core to successful story writing. As I ponder all this advice I am also looking to try and start writing a story.
He says that 1000 words a day is good and to all importantly have that room to write, cut yourself off from distractions, immerse yourself and close that door to the world and write one word at a time.

It was lovely to hear of his time in London at The Brown's Hotel. He wrote at Rudyard Kipling's desk the first words of his novel Misery.
Here is a photo of the table and what he said.

"I wrote most of Misery by hand, sitting at Kipling's desk in Brown's Hotel in London.....Then I found out he died at the desk. That spooked me, so I quit the hotel."
---From a 1998 interview with journalist Peter Conrad

Close that door, close out the world and immerse yourself in writing your story!

Some quotes from the book.

"Read to measure ourselves against the good and the greats and to what can be done."

"If you don't have the time to read you don't have the time to write."

REVIEWHERE TOO.(less)

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Dec 17, 2007

Jenny rated it

Recommends it for: Any aspiring writer

Shelves: read07, favorites

I read this shortly after finishing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year, actually it would be more accurate to say I devoured it. This is full of great writing advice, and I'll need to get a copy and read it 1-2 times a year. Most helpful? The section on grammar! Seriously, I never really learned grammar.
"Gould said something else that was interesting on the day I turned in my first two pieces: write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open. Your stuff starts out...moreI read this shortly after finishing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year, actually it would be more accurate to say I devoured it. This is full of great writing advice, and I'll need to get a copy and read it 1-2 times a year. Most helpful? The section on grammar! Seriously, I never really learned grammar.
"Gould said something else that was interesting on the day I turned in my first two pieces: write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open. Your stuff starts out being just for you, in other words, but then it goes out. Once you know what the story is and get it right - as right as you can, anyway - it belongs to anyone who wants to read it."

"...The writer's original perception of a character or characters may be erroneous as the reader's. Running a close second was the realization that stopping a piece of work just because it's hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don't feel like it, and sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position."

"You can approach the act of writing with nervousness, excitement, hopefulness, or even despair - the sense that you can never completely put on the page what's in your mind and heart. You can come to the act with your fists clenched and your eyes narrowed, ready to kick ass and take down names. You can come to it because you want a girl to marry you or because you want to change the world. Come to it any way but lightly."

"The object of fiction isn't grammatical correctness but to make the reader welcome and then tell a story.... Writing is seduction. Good talk is part of seduction."

"Once I start work on a project, I don't stop and I don't slow down unless I absolutely have to. If I don't write every day, the characters begin to stale off in my mind - they begin to seem like characters instead of real people. The tale's narrative cutting edge starts to rust and I begin to lose my hold on the story's plot and pace. Worst of all, the excitement of spinning something new begins to fade. The work starts to feel like work, and for most writers that is the smooch of death."

"If I have to tell you, I lose. If, on the other hand, I can show you a silent, dirty-haired woman who compulsively gobbles cake and candy, then have you draw the conclusion that Annie is in the depressive part of a manic-depressive cycle, I win. And if I am able, even briefly, to give you a Wilkes'-eye-view of the world - if I can make you understand her madness - then perhaps I can make her someone you sympathize with or even identify with. The result? She's more frightening than ever, because she's close to real."

"What you should probably be doing is writing as fast as the Gingerbread Man runs, getting that first draft down on paper while the shape of the fossil is still bright and clear in your mind."

"The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better."

"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."

"Reading is the creative center of a writer's life." (less)

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Nov 01, 2011

Palice Parrot Pepper rated it

Recommends it for: Writers

Shelves: you-must-read

I don't care who you are, what you are, but if you're willing to become a writer at some point in your life, then I think you should go briefly over this book. There is a section about his life before he became a writer, a section on writing, and a short section about when he got hit by a van.

The first and last section may not interest some people, but I really, really think EVERYONE needs to read what he has to say about writing.

This book shouldn't have taken me this lo...moreI don't care who you are, what you are, but if you're willing to become a writer at some point in your life, then I think you should go briefly over this book. There is a section about his life before he became a writer, a section on writing, and a short section about when he got hit by a van.

The first and last section may not interest some people, but I really, really think EVERYONE needs to read what he has to say about writing.

This book shouldn't have taken me this long to finish, but it did, and not because I got bored or was too busy. After every two or three pages, I'd stop reading and start writing or editing. I'm gonna need my own copy of this book so I can fill it up with sticky notes and bookmarks. Then every time I grab the book, I'll run off and start writing. It would be the best way to get me writing.

Now excuse me, I'm just going to collect some quotes here because I want to, and because they all won't fit in my status updates.

"I distrust plot for two reasons: first, because our lives are largely plotless, even when you add in all our reasonable precautions and careful planning; and second, because I believe plotting and the spontaneity of real creation aren’t compatible. It’s best that I be as clear about this as I can—I want you to understand that my basic belief about the making of stories is that they pretty much make themselves. The job of the writer is to give them a place to grow (and to transcribe them, of course). If you can see things this way (or at least try to), we can work together comfortably. If, on the other hand, you decide I’m crazy, that’s fine. You won’t be the first."

"If I tell you that Carrie White is a high school outcast with a bad complexion and a fashion-victim wardrobe, I think you can do the rest, can't you? I don't need to give you a pimple-by-pimple, skirt-by-skirt rundown. We all remember one or more high losers, after all; if I describe mine, it freezes out yours, and I lose a little bit of the bond of understanding I want to forge between us. Description begins in the writer's imagination, but should finish in the reader's."

(Oh my god, Nevermore comes to mind. Leave me something to imagine for myself, please -- don't take it all away.)

"For me, good description usually consists of a few well chosen details that will stand for everything else. In most cases, these details will be the first ones that come to mind. Certainly they will do for a start. If you decide later on that you’d like to change, add, or delete, you can do so—it’s what rewrite was invented for."

"It’s also important to remember it’s not about the setting, anyway—it’s about the story, and it’s always about the story. It will not behoove me (or you) to wander off into thickets of description just because it would be easy to do. We have other fish (and steak) to fry."

"You must tell the truth if your dialogue is to have the resonance and realism ... and that holds true all the way down to what folks say when they hit their thumb with the hammer. If you substitute “Oh sugar!” for “Oh shit!” because you’re thinking about the Legion of Decency, you are breaking the unspoken contract that exists between writer and reader—your promise to express the truth of how people act and talk through the medium of a made-up story."

(This made me remember something from Psych class. Apparently, swearing helps when you're in pain. If you say something like, "Oh, cheese and crackers!" when you want and feel like saying something more vulgar, it won't feel good. Swearing = increase in pain tolerance. The worse the swearword, the better you'll feel. SWEARING IS GOOD FOR YOU! Sorry, off topic.)

"Some people don’t want to hear the truth, of course, but that’s not your problem. What would be is wanting to be a writer without wanting to shoot straight. Talk, whether ugly or beautiful, is an index of character; it can also be a breath of cool, refreshing air in a room some people would prefer to keep shut up. In the end, the important question has nothing to do with whether the talk in your story is sacred or profane; the only question is how it rings on the page and in the ear. If you expect it to ring true, then you must talk yourself. Even more important, you must shut up and listen to others talk."

"Sometimes the book gives you answers, but not always, and I didn’t want to leave the readers who had followed me through hundreds of pages with nothing but some empty platitude I didn’t believe myself ... if the theme stands out clearly enough, those discussing it may offer their own morals and conclusions. Nothing wrong with that; such discussions are one of the great pleasures of the reading life."

"The most important things to remember about back story are that (a) everyone has a history and (b) most of it isn’t very interesting. Stick to the parts that are, and don’t get carried away with the rest."

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Dec 27, 2011

Michael Scott rated it

Shelves: fiction, non-fiction, teaching, writing-about-on

This book binds together three very different parts: an autobiography, the part teaching the art of writing according to Stephen King, and a description of the author's current life and work (current means in the year 2000). The book reads easily, and, though helping with nothing in improving your writing skills, I enjoyed the auto-biography of Stephen King; from it, the author looks like a nice and down-to-earth person, which is contrary to the preconceived idea I had about big-earning horror-w...more

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Sep 21, 2008

Leah rated it

I wish I could give this book more than five stars. The first 100 or so pages were highly colored anecdotes from SK's childhood (did you know Stephen King had an obese, negligent babysitter who used to sit on his head and fart? me neither). I thought the whole book was going to be like this--a personal history intertwined with the occasional tip about persistence, and that was OK with me. That's how entertaining the first bit is. It certainly makes the book worth reading even for those unint...more

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Nov 28, 2009

Madeline rated it

Let's be honest: Stephen King is not one of the greatest writers of all time. He will never win a Pulitzer or a Nobel (he might win a Newberry though, if he ever decides to tap into the Kids/Young Adult market), and on the few times his books are featured in the New York Times Book Review, the reviewer will treat the book with a sort of haughty disdain, knowing their time could be better spent trashing Joyce Carol Oates.

None of this should suggest, however, that King is not qualifie...moreLet's be honest: Stephen King is not one of the greatest writers of all time. He will never win a Pulitzer or a Nobel (he might win a Newberry though, if he ever decides to tap into the Kids/Young Adult market), and on the few times his books are featured in the New York Times Book Review, the reviewer will treat the book with a sort of haughty disdain, knowing their time could be better spent trashing Joyce Carol Oates.

None of this should suggest, however, that King is not qualified to write a book about how to write. Sure, he churns out pulpy horror stories that are proudly displayed in airport bookstores, but the man knows how to write a good story, and he's probably one of the most well-known, non-dead American authors in the world. So he must be doing something right.

I'm not the biggest fan of King's books, but I really enjoyed On Writing. He talks about writing frankly and practically, mixing tried-and-true pieces of advice (fear the adverb, never write "replied/remarked/muttered/yelled etc" when you can write "said", and don't be afraid to kill off your favorite character) with anecdotes about how some of his books came about. I especially liked the story behind Carrie: King was working as a janitor at a high school, and one night he was cleaning the girls' locker room. He asked the other janitor what that little metal dispenser box on the wall was, and the other man replied that it was for "pussy pluggers." At the same time, King had been reading about how psychic abilities often manifest in girls just beginning to go through puberty. He combined the two ideas and wrote out a couple pages that would turn into the opening of Carrie. (if you haven't read it you should.) Many thanks to King's wife, who rescued the pages from the wastebasket after King first decided that the idea was stupid and threw them away.

So, in conclusion: even if you aren't a fan of Stephen King's work, he has some very good advice about writing and storytelling, plus some good stories of his own. Sure, you can call him a sellout. But I like him.

Also, he once said in an interview that Stephenie Meyer "can't write worth a darn." You stay classy, Mr. King. (less)

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Jan 03, 2010

Becky rated it

Recommends it for: Stephen King Fans

Shelves: stephen-king, non-fiction, owned, 2010, reviewed

I love Stephen King. I'm not IN love with him, but I love his writing, his stories, his characters, and now, his advice: "Read a lot." (4-6 hours a day, even!)

Yessir, Mr. King! Finally some advice I want to heed! OK, I should say that this is really only a small fraction of the wisdom he imparts in this book, and I neglectfully left out the "write a lot" part that immediately follows "read a lot".

But I have never actually aspired to be a wr...moreI love Stephen King. I'm not IN love with him, but I love his writing, his stories, his characters, and now, his advice: "Read a lot." (4-6 hours a day, even!)

Yessir, Mr. King! Finally some advice I want to heed! OK, I should say that this is really only a small fraction of the wisdom he imparts in this book, and I neglectfully left out the "write a lot" part that immediately follows "read a lot".

But I have never actually aspired to be a writer, so the reading part is good enough for me. I admire writers, sure, some more than others, but I've never thought about writing something of my own. I never really had any ideas, and if I did, I never had any follow-through on them, so they just kind of withered and died. I did take creative writing in highschool, but that doesn't count.

But here we have a revelation of sorts. Writing doesn't have to be so stiff and planned and diagrammed! I always knew that King had a kind of "organic" (gosh, how cliche that word is becoming these days) writing style - he'd let the characters be themselves and come to life on their own, and let events develop based on these characters, and just see where the story takes him. Sure, I knew that, academically. But I still rather thought that he had a kind of road-map in his head for which direction things would go, and that he filled in the details along the way. Point A to Point B to Point C to Destination D.

It's rather inspiring to know that's not how he does it, and that his method WORKS. Because it does work. My highschool creative writing teacher would probably cry herself to sleep every night if she knew. She of the "Plot Diagramming Is Key!" mentality.

I really enjoyed the way that this book was written. It didn't feel much like reading. Most of the time, it seemed as if I was having a one-on-one with Steve himself, and he was telling his tale and giving his advice to me alone.

I also felt like this, as well as Lisey's Story, is a kind of tribute to Tabitha King, for all the ways that she kept him afloat through the years. It was a little like peeking through the window into their lives. I could see their college days, their trailer with two small babies days, their slightly bigger but still small apartment with two small kids days, their big-break day. I could see the beer cans stacking up in the bin, and the drug-covered floor in the intervention. When King described his various workstations, I could see them clearly in my mind, even though he'd give us only the barest description... but then again, it's a white rabbit with a blue 8. His description of his accident, and the aftermath especially, brought tears to my eyes because, even though I knew how close the world was to losing him that day, I didn't really KNOW until he showed me.

I read this in one sitting, which is a testament to King's readability, as I am not by nature a non-fiction reader. He just somehow makes stuff, life, interesting. Even something as seemingly mundane (even to a reader) as grammar rules, he makes it interesting. His personality and sense of humor shine throughout the book and lent it a personal feeling that other grammar and writing texts lack. Man, I wish I could have had him as a teacher. Those lucky bastards. I hope they appreciated every red mark he ever scribbled on their work.

King loves to write. That's obvious. He's a gajillionaire and needs never work another day in his life, but he still writes. This makes me happy, because I can't imagine never reading another new Stephen King book. The day he is no longer able to write will be a tragic day indeed. But, hopefully that day will be very long in coming, and King will continue to do what he does best: Tell us stories. :) (less)

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Jul 24, 2008

Alison rated it

Recommends it for: readers, writers

Shelves: ew25best

You don't have to be a fan of Stephen King's work to appreciate this memoir--part auto-biography, part instructional guide to writing.

I was most caught up in his stories recalling his early days as a writer (as a child up until he sold the paperback rights to Carrie). I also enjoyed his common sense, accessible advice for writers (up until the point when he talks about finding agents, etc.--that was actually a little boring to me, although I know he meant well).

I enjoy...more

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May 01, 2007

Nicola rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: writers of all sorts

Shelves: nonfiction

Stephen King’s book On Writing offers insight into how one writer grew into his style and what defines the way he works on his craft. This is not the end all and be all for all writers but simply an example of how it can be done. King also provides valuable information on some of the technicalities of writing, including a very helpful simile likening a writer’s skills to a toolbox.

One extremely helpful notion King illustrated in his book was the idea of the Ideal Reader. This is t...moreStephen King’s book On Writing offers insight into how one writer grew into his style and what defines the way he works on his craft. This is not the end all and be all for all writers but simply an example of how it can be done. King also provides valuable information on some of the technicalities of writing, including a very helpful simile likening a writer’s skills to a toolbox.

One extremely helpful notion King illustrated in his book was the idea of the Ideal Reader. This is the person you have in mind when you are writing something. With every word you put down you think of how your I.R. will react to the choices you have made. King uses his wife, Tabitha, as an example of his I.R., but I believe your I.R. could be someone who you don’t even know, who may or may not exist. This person is simply there as a focal point, someone you are hoping your writing will appeal to because they, like you, are interested in what you write about. William Zinsser, in his book On Writing Well, talked about not trying to appeal to a specific audience if you have to change your natural writing inclinations in order to do so. King’s idea is that this I.R. will appreciate what you write without you needing to change to satisfy his or her desires.

Another suggestion King makes is that your first draft be with the door closed and your second draft be with the door open. This is basically the idea that the first draft you write should be pure you, nothing but your original idea and your ability to put it down on paper. You shouldn’t show it to anyone during the writing process. It is only when you’ve completed the first draft and set it aside for a few months that you should take it out and show it to the people you trust to give you their honest opinions. By showing it to other people you are opening yourself up to their comments and criticism and therefore keeping the door open. Whether or not you take every bit of their advice to heart is up to you, but at least you are keeping an open mind and are willing to hear other people’s input.

Of the more technical aspects King writes about, the idea of keeping a “toolbox” of you writer’s skills was one of the more interesting. He suggests placing basic tools like grammar and spelling on the top level, most accessible and most basic. He was very clear on not wanting to turn the book into a classroom lesson though so he kept the instruction down to a minimum.

Even more inspiring than the clear-cut points he made about the dos and don’ts of writing was the story he told of his own life, his own beginnings as a struggling young writer. This is where the book ceases to be a lesson and becomes a fairy tale. It was very exciting to read about someone who was once in the position most of my peers and I are in now, only to become published and famous. We may not all end up like Stephen King with dozens of books published, fans around the world and heaps of cash, but we see that it is possible, as much of a dream as it may be.(less)

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Mar 27, 2008

Jennifer rated it

Excellent book about writing. I'd never read King before because I'm just not a horror fan, but he can really write and he comes off as likable and funny in this part memoir/part writing guidebook.
In the first half of the book he talks about growing up and how he got into writing while the second half is devoted to practical advice on writing. I found myself highlighting passages that I wanted to remember, which I tend not to do.
I've read a couple other books more recently on writ...more

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Mar 17, 2011

Julie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: bio-autobio-memoir, reference-instructional, best-of-2011, read-2011

100 percent loved this. I may even knock it up to "It was amazing" as its treasure trove of advice sinks in.

Here's the thing: Stephen King knows how to tell a story. From the early to late 80s- junior high through mid-university years- I read nearly everything he'd written. His novels are the only of the horror-genre that I've read; it's never been my cup of tea, either in print or film, but King's writing has always been a cut above. He is the literary equivalent of Bruce...more100 percent loved this. I may even knock it up to "It was amazing" as its treasure trove of advice sinks in.

Here's the thing: Stephen King knows how to tell a story. From the early to late 80s- junior high through mid-university years- I read nearly everything he'd written. His novels are the only of the horror-genre that I've read; it's never been my cup of tea, either in print or film, but King's writing has always been a cut above. He is the literary equivalent of Bruce Springsteen. I don't own a Springsteen album, but when I hear one of his songs, from any era, I know I am hearing pure genius. Story-telling genius.

I believe King's mainstream success has little to do with his ability to scare the bejesus out of his readers and everything to do with the emotional chords he twangs with his characters, his dialogue, his everyman dilemmas that arise from the most bizarre circumstances. As he counsels in On Writing, don't worry about writing what you know, write what you love to read. So, King loves sci-fi and scary stuff. And he is able to write about with such astonishing skill that even the most avowed detractor of popular fiction is held captive by his pen.

This writing guide is divided in two parts. In the first, King takes you through his hard-scrabble childhood, focusing on the events that shaped him as a writer. I enjoyed the heck out of this. He recounts his past in a sweet, sad, funny, and completely natural voice. I didn't know anything about his personal life, which included years as an alcoholic and coke addict.

Then he turns to offer practical writing advice, which can be summed up as: Read A LOT; Write A LOT; Create a space of your own; Blow up your television; Use the active voice; Limit adverbs; Watch out for dialogue attribution; and, above all, Write stories. Not plots. Not themes. Just Stories. King believes that if you have a good story, the rest - character development, plot, theme- will take care of itself. King presents his advice with such clarity and conviction that you believe it's all possible.

I have to contrast this concise set of advice with another masterful work on the art of storytelling: Robert McKee's Story<i/>. McKee's guide is 466 pages. I took a couple of months to read Story<i/> and used a ream of post-its to mark the meaningful passages. McKee's approachs is the antithesis of King's. He advocates careful plotting and sub-plotting, character studies, outlines, and a tried-and-true structure that respects the desires of the audience. True, McKee writes about the craft of scriptwriting, but his directives are relevant to literary stories, as well.

As different as these two approaches are- King's organic, McKee's structured- their bottom line is identical: Write a story that people want to read.

King loathes adverbs. This hits home because I am decidedly guilty (see!) of using adverbs copiously (see!!). I've just finished reading James Joyce's The Dead, which is often cited as the best short story ever written (and lauded by King). Here is its final sentence:

"His soul swooned softly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead."

Delicious irony. Well, to adverb or not to adverb? Only one way to find out...

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Dec 22, 2008

Katharine rated it

Recommends it for: wannabe authors

Shelves: on-writing, read-2008

Well now. I have never read any of Stephen King's work, and after reading this... well, now I don't really want to.

He came across as a pretentious sod and honestly, I'm put off by his tone and how he ... well, he really sounded condescending in many parts of this. I hesitate at saying such things over an author who everyone else seems to love, but... well, I'm just saying 'What I Learned from this book.'

It has some good parts, yes, but the main thing I agreed with him o...moreWell now. I have never read any of Stephen King's work, and after reading this... well, now I don't really want to.

He came across as a pretentious sod and honestly, I'm put off by his tone and how he ... well, he really sounded condescending in many parts of this. I hesitate at saying such things over an author who everyone else seems to love, but... well, I'm just saying 'What I Learned from this book.'

It has some good parts, yes, but the main thing I agreed with him on is the one thing almost everyone else does not agree with, and that is that plotting makes writing dull and boring. Like The King, I write to find out what happens next and to tell myself the story. ...Whereas few others agree - they simply can't write without plotting it out first. Does that make this a moot point? Who knows.

I've heard most of his tips before, or I've worked them out for myself already, and I've only been writing since '99. Write first with the door closed, edit with the door open... ...Wow, really? How clever.

I did like how he makes the point that 'If you don't have the time to read, then you don't have the time or tools to write.' because I feel that is true, however he only sounded scathing and bitchy saying it like that. It's not always true, either. I have a friend who can write quite well and he's read only five books this year - all written by Stephenie Meyer. So there you go.

Another thing I guess I agree with is that one must write a few thousand a day, if they want to get better at their craft and keep their idea fresh and thick - but that's another thing people often disagree with me about - so again, moot point?

I wanted to like this, I really did. Having never read any of his work before I wanted to discover a whole new author to collect madly and devour, and now I'm only glad that I missed out on the hype. He really got on my nerves more than once, but I accept that is my problem - after all, he has a load more fans than I do.

It has it's good points. I'm glad I read it, but I won't be rushing out to get anything else by him just yet. ...Maybe for a very long, very boring plane ride...(less)

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Nov 01, 2007

Gay rated it

Recommends it for: anyone who writes

This book is a revelation as well as a confirmation of what I have always believed. If you work at something you will do it. King, like many writers, wanted to write from the get go and he didn't let anything or any comment throw him off. While I believe the gazette that he and his brother produced was advanced for their ages, I also know that it wasn't necessarily brilliant. It was kids at play doing what kids like to do...pretend they are what they want to be. Or not. I have a memory of ...moreThis book is a revelation as well as a confirmation of what I have always believed. If you work at something you will do it. King, like many writers, wanted to write from the get go and he didn't let anything or any comment throw him off. While I believe the gazette that he and his brother produced was advanced for their ages, I also know that it wasn't necessarily brilliant. It was kids at play doing what kids like to do...pretend they are what they want to be. Or not. I have a memory of playing with a friends old "operator" toy in the enclosed back porch of their farmhouse.

The room was the 1950s version of a modern family room with the added beauty of a forest outside the glassed walls--three sides! And Susie had a metal telephone board complete with plugs on rubbery wires that pulled out of a console to be pushed into a hole with a beeping light to connect one caller to the other. I loved it. Sitting there pretending to talk to I-can't-remember-who--my experience at that age was no farther afield than 10 miles of corn--I felt like a grown up. And an important one too. My job was to connect everyone in town with everyone else. Without me and my little headphone and plugs, no one could use the phone. But I didn't grow up being an operator. I didn't know what I wanted to do. Everything sounded like fun to me and I played at it all, nurse, teacher, librarian. And writer. But I didn't know any writers. That job didn't seem like a regular job. It seemed more like a gift. You were born with a little money on the moors of England with a strange depressive father. You had little to do but play with your sisters and brother. Your play was to make plays which led to writing plays which led to writing period.

That wasn't my experience. I played at writing to but there were so many other things to play at too.

With King, he had a brother and between them, I'm sure they role-played a million different things boys play, but what stuck was writing, at least for Steven. He kept at it. He was not to be deterred. His play was writing and he just wanted to do it and did.

I began writing as a serious endeavor and that always hung over me. It's taken me most of my life to accept writing as being the same as playing "newspaper writer, editor, publisher." Or even operator. You have to give into it. Love it. Play all the time at it. And if you do that, eventually it will become what you do.(less)

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Jul 03, 2007

AJ Griffin rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: someone who understandably assumed stephen king sucked at pretty much everything

Everything I've ever heard about this book was prefaced with something along the lines of "I know Stephen King kind of sucks, but..." and that seems pretty fair to me. I'm not a big (or, rather, not at all) fan of horror shit, and even though I grew up living about an hour away from the dude I never felt compelled to anything of his (though he does have a cool gate at his house)

I guess I borrowed this from someone, as I no longer have it. It was a long time ago, but I reme...more

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May 24, 2007

steffie rated it

Recommends it for: Gunslingers

I have not been into Stephen King since I was 11 years old. I read The Shining in one day after swiping it from a friend's mom's bookcase (I did this a LOT as a kid. Hello, The Executioner's Song and The Book of Lists!). Soon after that, I got Christine, The Dead Zone, and Carrie for Christmas. I think I read two of those books and then gave up on Stephen King entirely, but somehow got pegged as a Stephen King fan for years afterwards by siblings who assumed I wanted nothing more than MORE Steph...more

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May 28, 2009

Bonnie rated it

Shelves: reviewed-books, on-writing

This was a very interesting read. I was a little surprised at how much I got out of it.

King divides this book into three parts. The first explains how he came to be the writer he is today. The second deals specifically with writing. The final part is about the accident he had in 1999. That the accident happened when he was in the middle of writing this book explains why the tone changed half-way through.

I have read many books “On Writing” so although I got some good adv...more

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Mar 02, 2011

Austin Ratner rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, how-to-write-books

Apparently, the entire Stephen King industry was spawned by a daydream about naked teenage girls in the shower, pelting another girl with tampons. And there's a great lesson in that: a creative writer can't censor himself--more than that, he has to pay close attention to his own imaginings and memories without shame, has to go beyond that and take those imaginings and memories seriously as the possible basis for an entire novel. Stephen King's slightly perverse little daydream turned out to be...more

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Dec 01, 2008

Christie rated it

Recommends it for: Anyone that want to become a writer

Recommended to Christie by: Ms. Levy

This book was helpful to read because it shows that someone who has nothing really can have it all. Being able to free write opens up doors that never seemed to exist. Emotions and feelings can flow freely because they are disguised behind character names and images. Anyone that is able to write should write when given the opportunity. The more writing that is done the better writer you beome.
This book starts out as a biography on Stephen King's life from when he was a littl...more

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Nov 10, 2010

Greta is Erikasbuddy rated it

I've been wanting to read this book for maybe a year now. .... Maybe shorter... but probably pretty close to a year.

What stopped me?

Well, I've never been much for book-learning and I kinda figured this book would intimidate me.

But it's by Stephen King! Why would he want to intimidate you?

Ok, it's not that he'd intimidate me... it's more like I felt my little simple mind wouldn't be able to understand ...more

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Jan 26, 2009

Sandra rated it

Recommends it for: everyone who wants a clearer understanging of writing. Anyone who is or wants to be a writer.

Shelves: memoirs, non-fiction

I liked this book a lot. I have always admired Stephen King's way with words even tho I don't always like his stories. But it was illuminating to read how he goes about writing. And I think I have a much clearer understanding on why some books are stilted, some are good, and some are great. Maybe I can now better enunciate my thoughts about an authors writings when I write a review. I also think, at times, I will be reading with a thought to how the writer has actually been able to convey t...more

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May 06, 2009

Nate Jordon rated it

· review of another edition

The best book on the craft I've ever read. If you're a prose writer, this is a must-read. Not only does King offer sound advice, proven through his decade-spanning career of success, but he offers witticisms and personal anecdotes that allow the reader to breathe. Of the many passages I could quote, I'll quote the following as I (being an MFA graduate from a creative writing program) can wholeheartedly relate to the experience:

"What about [writing seminar:] critiques, by t...more

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Jan 28, 2009

Slone rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 22, 2011

Pagetranquillity rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, favorites, from-library

Stephen King is of course best known for his fiction, but this book is invaluable to the would-be writer. I read the book, listened to the audio, and took notes. There are tips and techniques in it that I will never forget. The best is: Don't use alot of adverbs, better yet, don't use any adverbs, find a more interesting way to get your meaning across. He has his concept of "the pyramid of writers", the top being the genius writers who can't really understand themselves, and who te...more

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Nov 26, 2008

Allison rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: all writers

Recommended to Allison by: Robin Bates

So I'm afraid to read any of Stephen King's actual horror novels. I'm not a big fan of blood or things that can keep me up at night. And I'd seen this particular book many time and honestly didn't think that it would be worth my time to read. Let's just keep it simple and say that I was wrong about this book.

Perhaps, reading this book at a time in my life when I'm trying to write a novel was particularly inspiring, but this book is full of information. King write about his own pe...more

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Dec 07, 2011

Jeremy added it

Shelves: non-fiction-about-language

I've never read King before, and this is obviously not representative of his work. What it is however, is a pretty decent mini-memoir/writing guide which covers the basics of both categories without wallowing unnecessarily in either. I always think of King as this interminably successful pop author. I can literally never recall a point in my life when I didn't walk into a bookstore and see a new (or reprinted) Steven King bestseller somewhere. So it was really interesting reading about his ...more

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Jun 21, 2011

Tracey rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, bio

Never saw that coming. I don’t read horror novels; I don’t tolerate the whole genre well. (I tried to watch some of Halloween H2O when it played at the theatre I was working in – I lasted four not particularly terrifying minutes.) Prior to last week I’d read three of his books: Gerald’s Game, which I had to read for school (art school, that is: we had to do a cover for a Stephen King novel; don’t know how I chose this one), Rose Madder (did I get it from the library? I don’t own it…), and The...moreNever saw that coming. I don’t read horror novels; I don’t tolerate the whole genre well. (I tried to watch some of Halloween H2O when it played at the theatre I was working in – I lasted four not particularly terrifying minutes.) Prior to last week I’d read three of his books: Gerald’s Game, which I had to read for school (art school, that is: we had to do a cover for a Stephen King novel; don’t know how I chose this one), Rose Madder (did I get it from the library? I don’t own it…), and The Eyes of the Dragon. GG was a horror, all right – it was more years ago than I wish to acknowledge, and I still remember parts of it vividly, above and beyond the part I tried to illustrate. (Also, it was in this I learned “lefty loosy, righty tighty”. Seriously – never heard that before.) (ALSO, I think of it almost every time I hear The Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker” – “they call me a space cowboy”. *shudder* It would be every time, but they play it so blamed often.) The dog … *hard shudder* But what I remember most was the surprise I felt at how good a writer King is. I had assumed he was to fiction what reality shows are to television: popular schlock. Well, there’s reality tv, and there’s reality tv; Survivor is several steps above, say, “The Bachelor”, and SYTYCD is miles above Survivor. And Stephen King has chops. Rose Madder was strange, and good, and I don’t remember it as well. Eyes of the Dragon, more on the fantasy end of the spectrum, was okay, not as good as I expected. I’ve been collecting the Dark Tower novels as I’ve come across them, and after recently reading a Buffy/Salem’s Lot fanfic crossover I decided I needed to see if I could manage his vampires. I haven’t gotten around to that yet.

But in the past few months I’ve seen King’s On Writing recommended a couple of times, by writers I have some respect for. Confession: when I saw the recs, my first puzzled thought is “who is Stephen King to be writing a book on writing?” But when I did my “I’ve got my income tax refund and dammit I’m buying books” thing this year it was part of the Amazon order. And wow.

The first half of the book is a memoir, skimming over his life from his birth, through his childhood raised by his mother, alone, to the time of the writing of the book, in the middle of which latter he was hit by a van and horribly injured (1999). At first I wondered about the purpose of the memoir. I enjoyed the hell out of it, but wondered. By the time I finished the book, it made perfect sense.

The second half of the book is about, as advertised, writing. What not to do, and what to do – and a permission slip to go and do it. Read and/or write 4-6 hours a day. Not easy with a full-time job and a mom to look after – but he knows that. It’s not like Malcolm Forbes wondering why people don’t try to find work they love; this is a man who started out washing hospital laundry and trying to feed two kids on very low pay.

The advice is solid. The toolbox metaphor is brilliant. Who is Stephen King to write a book on writing? Stephen King is a man who has sold more than 350 million copies of his books, who started from nothing and made himself an icon. And who is a pretty damn good writer.

“What is writing? Telepathy, of course.”

I never, ever looked at it that way.

"This is what we’re looking at, and we all see it. I didn’t tell you. You didn’t ask me. I never opened my mouth and you never opened yours. We’re not even in the same year together, let alone the same room … except we are together. We’re close.

"We’re having a meeting of the minds."

And as valuable as the straightforward advice is, even more valuable is the feeling I came away from this book cherishing. It’s what the one really good teacher I can claim acquaintance with, Deb Simone of Paier College of Art, used to accomplish: that feeling of limitless space and the ability to achieve anything, the inspiration to move mountains, or at least molehills. To get out there and do something.

It’s motivation. It’s permission. It’s reassurance, and it’s a kick in the butt. It’s a slap on the hand (or a cuff on the ear) over committing some literary sins – and a high five over the shared concepts, the telepathy achieved.

Another reason to love the man: “King was quoted as calling conservative commentator Glenn Beck ‘Satan’s mentally challenged younger brother.’” Oh, heart.(less)

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Aug 16, 2011

Victoria rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

First of all, I would like to say that I'm not a fan of Stephen King. Yes, I have read a few of his stories, watched some movies filmed after his books. I enjoyed it, but that's it. I don't have a crazy idea to read all his books one day.

King's books rarely have any deep philosophical thoughts, he's not up for propagandizing his Opinion. I doubt that they will ever teach King at schools (but... who knows?). But lets hand it to this writer - he's a genius when it comes to storytelling...moreFirst of all, I would like to say that I'm not a fan of Stephen King. Yes, I have read a few of his stories, watched some movies filmed after his books. I enjoyed it, but that's it. I don't have a crazy idea to read all his books one day.

King's books rarely have any deep philosophical thoughts, he's not up for propagandizing his Opinion. I doubt that they will ever teach King at schools (but... who knows?). But lets hand it to this writer - he's a genius when it comes to storytelling. And storytelling is the main reason for him to keep writing.

This is one of the main thoughts of "On Writing". He often repeats that however many smart thoughts and beautiful words you use in your novel (book, movie, etc), nothing will substitute a thrilling story. He's absolutely right when he says that you don't need to artificially enlarge your vocabulary. It should come naturally and help you later. And it's so funny to be reading blogs, magazines, articles now... And it's really eye-catching when you see that the author most definitely included this particular expression just to make it sound more beautiful. Don't you think? And after something like this, I really don't want to keep reading because what's the point in wasting your time on reading something that's been forcefully pushed out of someone? So that's why King advises you to cross out about 10% of your writing after you're done, since that's exactly the amount of useless words people usually include in their texts.

By the way, King has told a hilarious and useful thing. I said "told" because the greatest value of this book is that King manages to have a lively conversation with his reader. When King finishes writing a book, he gives it to its first reader - his wife. When his wife is reading, King attentively and closely watches her to notice the moments when she puts the book aside to go and do something else. Why? Because mostly people "wait" for a less exciting moment in a book to put it aside. So after finding out the most "boring" moments of his new work, King goes on and edits it accordingly sometimes even throwing out these boring parts completely.

Finally, I want to share 2 thoughts that really made me think.

First. King was right to point out that it's not possible to make a good writer out of a bad one. As well as it's not possible to make a great writer out of a good one. So you're either great or not, sorry. But what you can do is make a good writer out of a competent one.

Second. Quote "We're a nation of writers, not readers". And that's absolutely terrible. Disgusting. Everybody is writing something nowadays, but who's gonna read all that stuff? Because nobody has time for reading now, do they? What a shame.

Who I'd recommend to read this book:

1. Obviously to those who are interested in writing and want to do it.
2. To those who don't really wanna write, but still love reading and are always up for reading a good though-provoking story.
3. To those who are interested in Stephen King's work.
4. To those who enjoy reading memoirs. A part of this book is actually a memoir, and I can tell you that it's the best one I have ever read.(less)

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Jan 09, 2009

J.R. rated it

I enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it, especially for aspiring writers.

"On Writing" is not your ordinary, boring, english how-to manual. It is a book written by a successful author (who started off as an unknown himself), who gives the reader tips on writing a good story... their story.

Throughout, we learn of Stephen's past which not only keeps our interest but allows us to relate to him as a person - not just another successful, unreachable author....more

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May 30, 2009

Amanda rated it

Shelves: nonfiction, 2008, memoire

I’ve heard conflicting reports about this book. On one hand, my friend and editor, Oisin, said it was a good and helpful book. On the other, fellow book blogger Rebecca said the book was awful. Rebecca tends to read a lot of classics, and while her tastes in classics are oftentimes not the same as mine (it seems she and my husband have similar tastes, actually – so let it be a lesson to everyone: never assume all classics lovers are the same!), she always has very insightful things to say about ...moreI’ve heard conflicting reports about this book. On one hand, my friend and editor, Oisin, said it was a good and helpful book. On the other, fellow book blogger Rebecca said the book was awful. Rebecca tends to read a lot of classics, and while her tastes in classics are oftentimes not the same as mine (it seems she and my husband have similar tastes, actually – so let it be a lesson to everyone: never assume all classics lovers are the same!), she always has very insightful things to say about books. Her tastes coincide with mine more than Oisin’s generally do, despite him being my best editor.

The contrast drew me. Before this book, I’d read 7 other Stephen King books, most of them back when I was in the 12-14 year old stage and my mom for some reason had a lot of them around the house (not sure why – she didn’t like horror): Carrie, Firestarter, Cujo, The Dead Zone, Misery, Nightshift, and Insomnia. Only this last one did I read at a later age. It’s possible I’ve read more than that – I only remembered Firestarter after King mentioned it in On Writing – and just don’t remember. In any case, I thought most of those were enjoyable, though The Dead Zone was quite boring to my 13-year-old self. They weren’t life-changing, though. Good, fun reads to pick up once and discard afterwards. The exception was Insomnia, which is high up on my list of books and which I’ve read 3 or 4 times. It’s the only one (other than On Writing) that I own. Funny, in On Writing, King says Insomnia is too wooden and contrived, and he obviously doesn’t like it very much. Hm.

Anyway, my impression of Stephen King was always that he was a good storyteller, and a good writer of stories. Not a classic by any stretch of the imagination, but good at what he did. I have more respect for him than I do for most other best-selling authors. His plots, characters, etc, have more depth than most best-sellers. I wouldn’t say that he really speaks to the human condition, but I’d take him over Danielle Steele any day.

Having said that, I thought On Writing was a load of crap. Most of the book didn’t even discuss writing. The first 100 pages, in the section called “C.V.”, he talks about his childhood, telling every potty-joke antic he can think of. While I don’t doubt his honesty, I first wondered if half the things in there were a joke – I mean, doing your business in the woods and wiping up with poison ivy? How cliche is that? It felt like an immature 12 year old telling dirty jokes to his equally immature friends. And when you start out in that attitude, you’re not likely to capture my attention. Sorry, but the Monty Pythons and Southparks of the world just don’t do it for me. Bleagh.

Once he got to the writing part, he said the same sorts of things that are said in any book about writing. This book was no more useful than any other book, and in some instances, probably less useful. Mostly, I got the impression that Mr. King is a bit arrogant**, not to mention he seems to desparately need to categorize what he does as intellectual work, to feel better about himself. His books are not literature, so I’m not sure why he wants us to feel that they are. I think he’d be better off if he just realized who he is as a writer and deal with it. Okay, so he writes horror and fantastical novels. No big deal. But he seems to look down on that label, and therefore parades himself as something he’s not. That bugs me.

He does have some useful advice, but unfortunately, it’s nothing I haven’t read a million times before. Nothing I haven’t heard in creative writing classes, nothing I haven’t heard in editing groups. This book did nothing to help me along with my work. I suppose if I were a novice, it’d be different. He explains in very layman’s terms how to handle theme, symbolism, plot, character, etc. Fortunately, these are all things I already know about and understand, but if someone was just starting to write, I can see reading On Writing being more enjoyable than some other textbook-like writing book. If you can stand all the potty humor.

Really, what disappointed me most was that King’s normal writing eloquence was completely absent in this book. If this had been the first thing by him I’d ever read, I wouldn’t be encouraged to pick up another book! It’s sad, because King is a decent writer. Some of his stuff is better than others, of course, but everything I’ve read by him – even boring ol’ The Dead Zone – was far superior to this memoire/instruction manual. If you want to try out Stephen King, this isn’t the place to start.

I suppose, in the end, I agreed with Rebecca more than Oisin. I didn’t have the same qualms, necessarily, that Rebecca had, but I still thought reading this book was a fairly big waste of my time.

**I want to add that I don’t think Mr. King is a bad guy. He and his wife have been together since 1971. He conquered an alcohol and drug addiction. Mostly, he seems real nice. I just thought he sounded defensive and arrogant in this book, and I don’t know if that really reflects on his personal life at all. I don’t want to sound like I’m judging him personally – I don’t know the guy.(less)

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May 16, 2009

Dana Stabenow added it

Kerri forced me to get this book. I almost never read books about writing. You'll notice I'm in no hurry to read it, either.

April 2 update:
Guilt finally moved this to currently reading.
Enjoyed his life story. Liked Bill Bryson's better.
He reveres The Elements of Style, okay, he's showing me something.
He thinks adverbs are the mark of a lazy writer, me, too.

His life story went fast, and now I'm bogged down in the how to write part. Too muc...moreKerri forced me to get this book. I almost never read books about writing. You'll notice I'm in no hurry to read it, either.

April 2 update:
Guilt finally moved this to currently reading.
Enjoyed his life story. Liked Bill Bryson's better.
He reveres The Elements of Style, okay, he's showing me something.
He thinks adverbs are the mark of a lazy writer, me, too.

His life story went fast, and now I'm bogged down in the how to write part. Too much like work. I'm going to stick to it at least until the scene where he's laying on the side of the road thinking, "OMG, I've been run over by one of my characters," which of course I've heard about, as who hasn't.

April 3:

Okay, time to stop whining. This is a good book. It is in fact (oh, he'd smack my hand for that phrase) three good books, or novellas, if such a term may be used to describe non-fiction. The first is his life story, the second is a primer on the craft of writing, and the third is the account of his close encounter of the van-crazy-guy-and-Rottweiler kind. The first is entertaining as hell, the third is entertaining and scary as hell, and the middle section, the section on craft is honest, practical and hard-nosed as hell. And also entertaining.

I like everything he said about craft because I agree with all of it. "The best form of dialogue attribution is said." "You should avoid the passive tense." "I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs." Simple, direct, absolute, I'd go farther than King and say that these are rules that should be tattooed backwards on the foreheads of all beginning authors so they see them every time they look at themselves in the mirror.

What I really like here is that he takes craft so seriously, because he loves it. He's in love with writing, with storytelling, with the written word, in love even with the way it looks on the page. He cares that we do the best job we can. "I don't believe a story or a novel should be allowed outside the door of your study or writing room unless you feel confident that it's reasonably reader-friendly."

What he said. Thanks, Kerri.(less)

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About Stephen King

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his parents separated when Stephen was a toddler, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent...moreLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his parents separated when Stephen was a toddler, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of the elderly couple. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.

Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and then Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.

He and Tabitha Spruce married in January of 1971. He met Tabitha in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University of Maine at Orono, where they both worked as students. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.

Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many of these were later gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.

In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching high school English classes at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.(less)

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