Welcome friend! Whenever I read books about writing, they always mention On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. So, here is me picking up this one and finding the magic for myself. I am glad to have reviewed these notes as I continue with my November Writing Challenge! Here is what the book is about:
Stephen King | Goodreads
In June of 1999, Stephen King was hit by a van while walking along the shoulder of a country road in Maine. Six operations were required to save his life and mend his broken body. When he was finally able to sit up, he immediately started writing. This book is the extraordinary result.
He tells readers about what books and films influenced him as a young writer, his first idea for a story, and the true-life tale that inspired “Carrie”. For the first time, here’s an intimate autobiographical portrait of his home life, his family, and his traumatic accident. Citing examples of his work and those of his contemporaries, King gives an excellent masterclass on writing – how to use the tools of the trade from building characters to pace and plotting as well as practical advice on presentation. And he tells readers how he got to be a No. 1 bestseller for a quarter of a century with fascinating descriptions of his own process, the origins and development of, for example, “Carrie” and “Misery.”
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft – Review
On Writing is an engaging book to read. Stephen is a frank narrator, brutally honest and observant of himself and others. On Writing is a nonfiction narrative about a writer’s life and the gems he has found in routines, practices and stories that keep him going. The first half of the book is about Stephen, how he came to the craft, his childhood, his influences and life. I love reading his thoughts on the books he liked, the people in his life and what led him to become the writer that he is. As the author of over fifty books, Stephen shares the inspiration behind many of his own books through On Writing.
Debunking the Myth
Stephen was an alcoholic and his works are not short of characters who drink. Dealing with addiction is a good part of the book and not something I was expecting to read. It is deeply personal and truly shows the human in the legend. The fear that in giving up drugs and alcohol, the magic and creativity will no longer be accessible, that inspiration will no longer tap on his door… Stephen had to weigh the future of himself in a family unit against writing. This is where I enjoyed Stephen’s writing the most. He is not afraid of taking on myths about creativity and calling out people.
“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the greatest pop-intellectual myths of our time. […] Any claims that drugs and alcohol are necessary to dull a finer sensibility are just the usual self-serving bull shit. […] for an addict, the right to drink or drug must be preserved at all costs. Hemingway and Fitzgerald didn’t drink because they were creative, alienated, or morally weak. They drank because it’s what alkies are wired up to do. Creative people probably do run a greater risk of alcoholism and addiction than those in some other jobs, but so what? We all look pretty much the same when we’re puking in the gutter.”
Stephen King, On Writing, Pg 98, 99
There is commentary about writing something amazing under the influence and no longer remembering how it felt to pen down this masterpiece. There is sorrow and loss just the same.
Support Systems
“Life isn’t a support system for art. It’s the other way around.”
Stephen King, On Writing, Pg 101
Art is the support system for life. It is what enriches and replenishes our soul. I actually want to expand this further: anything that immerses us and makes time fly by, that is the support system for life. It can be reading, spending time playing with pets and kids, or jumping in the lake. These activities do not take up the bulk of our day but they make getting up in the morning worth it. They lower the burden of a hard day at work. It felt great to read Stephen’s thoughts on this.
The Writer’s Toolbox
Back in 2019, I discovered my Writer’s Sandbox. It is fun going back to concepts I haven’t visited in a long time. While the sandbox was about continuing a habit and coming back to it, the toolbox is about tackling the problem. Having everything I need to write right there so that I do not get discouraged or waste time. This has been a profound practice for my progress through November Writing Challenge.
Top shelf: Vocabulary & Grammar
Stephen reminds the reader that the first rule of vocabulary is to “use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and colorful. […] The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. ” – pg 118
Next shelf: Style
Stephen analyzes many examples of redundant wording, writing styles, use of passive voice, adverbs, etc. There is a wealth of knowledge in his analysis. William Strunk’s Elements of Style is widely cited. He mentions where he has made mistakes in writing as well.
Third shelf: The instruments – reading and writing
“Reading is the creative centre of a writer’s life.”
Stephen King, On Writing, Pg 147
Stephen is an avid reader who pursues reading because he likes it, not to study the craft. I got a good chuckle when he said he is a slow reader and reads only 70-80 books a year. I am as slow as him. We don’t like all the books we read and who knows if we even understand them the way they were intended.
Reading and writing are a circular cycle. I can vouch for that. Though I don’t write fiction, writing reviews is encouraged by reading fiction.
“Constant reading will pull you into a place where you can write eagerly and without self-consciousness.”
Stephen King, On Writing, Pg 150
Stephen emphasized the act of closing the door is a signal to the world of your commitment.
What’s in a story?
I often ask authors what came first to them – the plot or the characters. Stephen is of the opinion that plot should make itself. He also isn’t afraid to say he didn’t get a book. In his view, stories and novels have three parts: narration, description and dialogue. For the books he had issues with, his critiques of writers and writing are hilarious. I learned a lot from them and as I read On Writing, the fiction I was pursuing on the side was met with the scrutiny of what is good writing from Stephen’s lens.
Practice
On Writing, with its numerous examples, highlights the idea that practice is necessary and invaluable. It should feel good and not like practice at all. I think about reading. I practice reading all the time in books I pick up but it doesn’t feel like practice at all.
“You learn best by reading a lot and writing a lot, and the most valuable lessons of all are the ones you teach yourself.”
Stephen King, On Writing, Pg 236
Anything pursued out of joy can be pursued forever.
Getting Published
In the last half of the book, Stephen talks about the publishing industry and the reading market. He shares the importance of writing stories and pitching, the advantages of having an agent and to never stop trying. As a book-buyer himself, he talks about readers and their tendency to pick books where they see echoes of their own lives. He does not recommend a premeditated effort to write a book based on the market. Writers will find many more gems of wisdom in this book, including insights into finishing a first draft and coming back to it.
Overall, On Writing is a book I am glad to have read! It taught me a lot about reading and writing, while also giving me a look into the life and mind of Stephen King. Have you read it or do you plan to? If you are interested in this book, add it to your Goodreads.
My edition of On Writing has two lists of book recommendations from Stephen King so if you want to find out how well your tastes match with Stephen, leaf through the lists. 🙂
Thanks for reading!
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