On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (2000) Stephen King
This is a non-fiction book
on the subject of writing or more accurately, a personal stories of how the
King ‘become’ the king of fictional novelist – the good, the bad and the ugly. It
is an instruction manual for both aspiring and seasoned writers alike, and it
is also an autobiographical account of King's life. He who has sold more than
54 books of fictions. If you’re not a reader, probably you’re movie-goer who
may have watched some of his novels turned movies such as The Mist, Stand by Me, The Shawshank Redemption, Carrie, The Green Mile,
etc. If not, how about TV series such as Under
the Done and Mr. Mercedes? If
none of the above, then you probably have heard his name, at least… please…
“This is a short book,” writes King for his second forward of his
297 pages book (short?!), “because most
books about writing are filled with bullshit. Fiction writers, present company
included, don’t understand very much about what they do – not why it works when
it’s good, not why it doesn’t when it’s bad. I figured the shorter the book,
the less bullshit.” I have fun reading this book because of his casualness
and conversational tone in writing it. One particular part when he told the
story of how he struggled to finish ‘The Stand’ is quite interesting: “For weeks I got exactly nowhere in my
thinking – it all just seemed too hard, too fucking complex. I had run out too
many plotlines, and they were in danger of becoming snarled. I circled the
problem again and again, beat my fists on it, knocking my head against it… and
then one day when I was thinking of nothing much at all, the answer came to me.
It arrived whole and complete – gift-wrapped, you could say – in a single
bright flash. I ran home and jotted it down on paper, the only time I’ve done
such a thing, because I was terrified of forgetting.” [P.s: Forgive his
language in these quotes]
At the end of this book,
Stephen King advices: “Writing isn’t
about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making
friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your
work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting
well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy. Some of this book –
perhaps too much – has been about how I learned to do it. Much of it has been
about how you can do it better. The rest of it – and perhaps the best of it –
is a permission slip: you can, you
should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will. Writing is magic, as
much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink.
Drink and be filled up.” Good
book.
THINK BIG.
START SMALL. GO DEEP.
Stephen King’s memoir, On Writing, is an interesting and helpful book for wannabe and experienced authors both, because he explores both writing and the writing life. Film buffs might also read this book to garner the backstory on his films, many of which are now cult classics. Personally, I read this book mostly because I like to read and love to write—perhaps, you do too.
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