On Writing: A
Memoir of the
Craft
By Stephen
King Scribner, 2000
Hardcover, 288 pages
ISBN# 0-684-85352-3
$25.00
By Anika Logan
Some people
tell me that this book is only relevant for those who write fiction, particularly genre fiction. I disagree. I think this book could prove useful for writers of non-fiction as well. After all honing our craft is a goal that all writers set for themselves from the very beginning. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is a successful blend of memoir, how to, and general commentary on the writing trade. I am not terribly fond of Stephen King’s writing but this book piqued my interest and I admit that after only two or three pages I could not put it down. It is skillfully written as he weaves his writing tips and ideas with examples from his own life and work. King’s personality comes through in the pages and you almost feel as though he is right there in the room with you talking about what he loves the most, writing and doing what he can to help you make yours the best that it can be.
On Writing is more of King’s memoir than it is about the craft of writing but this actually works out quite well for the reader. The book is divided into three sections. In the first
section he
describes his humble beginnings including his poverty-stricken upbringing but then goes on to talk about the events that shaped his adult future and his rock solid determination to make it as
writer. He describes his tortured teenage years and the starving artist period that ended with the success of his first bestseller, Carrie. A point that really caught my attention- most books on writing tell readers that to be a writer, one must write. King takes this commonly held notion and flips it around. He says instead, to write, one must be a writer.
The second, middle section of the book is the longest. This is where he delves into his pointers to help the aspiring writer get on the right path. Here he talks about the proper structure of sentences, the value of revision and proofing of your work, how to learn to deal with constant rejection and basically how to write, and write well. However this is the weakest section of the book. King doesn’t tell writers, even amateur ones, what they haven’t been told a hundred times before. Show, don’t tell. Limit the usage of adjectives and adverbs and discard unnecessary ones. Read Strunk and White from cover to cover. We know all this. There is no new information here. He does however recommend some other excellent writing books to read which is a definite plus.
The final section of the book describes the accident, of the weaving van that almost took his life in the summer of 1999 as he was strolling down a country road in rural Maine. It is excellently written in elaborate detail with lots of vivid imagery as he describes everything he remembers from the impact of the crash, to the pain he endured, to his surgery and then the long road back to recovery. He talks about his fear of dying and the fear that his writing career was over. He ends the section with his tenacity to overcome insurmountable odds and get back to where he had once been. The reader is with Stephen King in this moment, as is King with the reader.
This book gives tips but so much more. A unique kind of writer’s insight can be gleaned from its pages. It is a glimpse into the personal side of a well-known writer with something worth listening to. His pearls of wisdom, by way of his struggles and setbacks are an inspiration to anyone who reads this book. Writing is everything to King. He wants to help others, and it shows.
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