Stephen King is one of the most best-selling writers of all-time. In this book, which I read in a tenth-anniversary edition, King shares his insights into the process and lifestyle of writing. Obviously, these insights are of interest to writers who seek to improve their craft. Although I still prefer Strunk and White’s classic more than King’s, I am quite grateful to have spent the time to read this classic.
Strunk and White harp on grammar. King harps on process. He provides a brief autobiography and sets the tone for the work. Interestingly, while composing this book, he was almost killed in a freak accident in which a car struck him while he was walking on the side of the road. He had to reteach himself the art of writing. What better way to relearn the craft than by teaching it to others as therapy?
King’s success relies heavily on his appeal to a wide audience. As he acknowledges, not every writer has such a grand audience. He presents his “big break” as nothing but serendipity. He claims not to write for money but only for fun. (It is easier to write for fun when one is guaranteed the ability to put food on the table, of course.)
In the middle sections, he dwells upon aspects like plot, pace, and characterization which serve as the essence of his skills. There is nothing new to these elements. Nonetheless, it is nice to hear someone as accomplished as King telling us the same thing our language teachers taught us in high school.
Like most books on writing, the appeal of this book is generally limited to writers and to fans of the author. Still, Time Magazine ranks it as one of its Top 100 Nonfiction Books of All Time. King is an engaging writer whose style can be emulated. Nonetheless, there isn’t a whole lot here that is new or unique. (In other words, King is no Faulkner – even though there are very few Faulkners in the history of our language.) It is nice to get inside a respected author’s head, though. We can be grateful that King gives us access to a residence so great as his.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
by Stephen King
Copyright (c) 2000
ISBN13 9780743455961
Page Count: 291
Genre: Non-Fiction, Writing
www.amazon.com