On Writing

A Memoir of the Craft

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Stephen King: On Writing (2000, Simon & Schuster Audio)

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English language

Published Oct. 13, 2000 by Simon & Schuster Audio.

ISBN:
978-0-7435-6337-6
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4 stars (1 review)

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

Here is Stephen King's master class on his craft. On Writing begins with a mesmerizing account of King's childhood and his early focus on writing to tell a story. A series of vivid memories from adolescence, college, and the struggling years that led up to his first novel, Carrie, offer a fresh and often funny perspective on the formation of a writer. King then turns to the tools of his trade, examining crucial aspects of the wriiter's art and life, offering practical and inspiring advice on everything from plot and character development to work habits and rejection. King was in the middle of writing this book when he was nearly killed in a widely reported accident. On Writing culminates with a profoundly moving account of how his need to write spurred him …

45 editions

More a memoir than a how-to-write guide, but

4 stars

It's probably the closest we'll get to a proper memoir out of a very interesting & likeable guy, who's utterly unique in the publishing world.

Regardless of whether you are a fan of his actual output or not, you can't question his consistency, and as far as his style and approach to writing, he keeps it simple and straightforward, which for a beginning writer is really useful. And like all Stephen King works, it's an easy read that keeps moving.