My rating: 5 of 5 stars
On Writing is a real treat for both Stephen King fans and aspiring writers. There are two main themes to the book. There is King’s memoir about coming to be a writer, which is full of interesting anecdotes and King’s unique, genuine conversational style. Then there are the writing tips, most of which aren’t particularly profound, but it’s the easy going way they are presented and King’s fair amount of cheer-leading that make On Writing work.
The memoir section of On Writing is great. Stephen King fans will love this section and it’s worth reading On Writing for this part alone. King writes a lot about his experience as a young man trying to get into the writing business and his inspiration and writing process for some of his best novels including Misery, Carrie, Bag of Bones and many others. This book is a must read for Stephen King fans.
The advice section is terrific not because of anything profound, but because of the down to earth tone that King uses to discuss it. Stephen King is a good cheerleader for aspiring writers. He gives some advice that is very specific. Read a lot and writer a lot. Read The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Write without distractions. A lot of his advice is less specific, but it is encouraging.
Bottom Line: On Writing is a must read for Stephen King fans and an inspirational read for aspiring writers.
