From the Bookshelf of The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club…

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Stephen King

Start date: December 1, 2019

Finish date: January 31, 2020

Why we're reading this: Our Dec 2019/Jan 2020 book. Discussion Fun Day will be January 22, 2020.
[close] Our Dec 2019/Jan 2020 book. Discussion Fun Day will be January 22, 2020.

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

May 31, 2020 Jennifer Lane rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction, memoir, writing

Sharing Love for His Craft

I'm embarrassed to admit I've never read a Stephen King novel (maybe because I'm not a horror or paranormal fan, though I adored the movie, The Shawshank Redemption). But I've heard so many recommendations about this book from writers that I wanted to give it a try.

Good writing is a meeting of the minds between the writer and the reader. My favorite advice was about editing. Young Stephen learned volumes from a brief interaction with a local sports reporter:

"When you w ...more

23 likes · Like · see review

Apr 11, 2011 Stephen Tremp rated it it was amazing

I finally started reading On Writing and finished sixty pages in no time. Stephen King's autobiography (first half of book) is fun to read. The second half where he addresses aspiring writers was loaded with great tips. Well worth the read! ...more

11 likes · Like · see review

May 16, 2011 Trisha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed, format_paperback, nonfiction

For quite some time after first hearing about this book, I knew that I as a writer should probably read it someday. I finally bought a copy, and then it sat on my shelf for ages, waiting to be read. In September I finally got around to starting it. And now, at the very start of November, I've finished it.

I really enjoyed the first section which was about Stephen King's life growing up, but which also related to his history as a developing writer. When I got to the "on writing" section, I read a For quite some time after first hearing about this book, I knew that I as a writer should probably read it someday. I finally bought a copy, and then it sat on my shelf for ages, waiting to be read. In September I finally got around to starting it. And now, at the very start of November, I've finished it.

I really enjoyed the first section which was about Stephen King's life growing up, but which also related to his history as a developing writer. When I got to the "on writing" section, I read a lot of things that I felt I already knew. Much of it rang true to me, as stuff I was already doing with my own writing. So the reading slowed down, and I read a few other books while waiting to pick this one back up.

I did finally pick it up and got to sections that talked about things that intrigued me. For one, Stephen King is a pantser?! As in, he writes without a plan, even if he may have some general thought in his mind about where he's going. He doesn't necessarily know how his story will end when he starts it - in fact, it seems he usually doesn't. For some reason, this amazed me.

I know every famous author has their own method, but I guess I just never imagined someone like Stephen King could be a pantser ... like me. :D I admit I have done more plotting in recent years, so I'm not JUST a pantser nowadays. But still, a lot of people out there talk about the importance of having your plot all dot-pointed out. But Stephen King says this is certain doom, in that it will lead to a stiff, boring story. Obviously that's just his opinion, and other authors who do rely heavily on plotting can still come up with great, gripping stories. But when I read these words by Stephen King, they really spoke to me. ;)

Also, because I have been trying to focus on revision this year (and have mostly failed), and because I have so many rough draft novels that NEED editing, the editing section was really important for me. I think it made me realise I might have been doing it wrong all along. I generally like to get stuck right into edits, but Stephen King always reads through his entire manuscript before editing. I know I've done this before, printing out my entire MS and editing it on paper. It felt quite effective at the time. But I seem to have moved away from that method in recent times.

I guess it doesn't hurt to try different revision methods. But reading ON WRITING made me think I should go back to what I did before, just maybe. And it could be because I've really struggled with this year's revision project.

The book finishes up with firstly, a recount of SK's horrific accident that nearly took his life in 1999. Secondly, he includes an excerpt of a rough draft, totally unedited, and follows up with his edits. I found that very useful because I could definitely see why he made the edits he did, and his wordiness needing to be whittled down really reminds me of my own problems with my stories - they're always very overbloated and need trimming.

So yeah, this was a great book and I'm very glad I read it at long last. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Feb 24, 2012 Tom Britz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

AS always, Stephen King touched a part of me that wants, no, needs to write!

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 01, 2011 Doreen McGettigan added it

Fabulous Common Sense!!

1 like · Like · see review

May 25, 2010 Margo Kelly rated it it was amazing

It took me awhile to finally jump into this book - - simply because I'm not a fan of memoirs or books of the biographical type.

I wished I would've started this book sooner! It was simply wonderful.

The first half is a memoir of King's life, and if you are a fan of his, you'll love it. From wiping his bum with poison ivy to being locked in a closet, the glimpses into his life will make you appreciate his writing even more.

The second half of the book is about the craft of writing. So if you're not ...more

Like · see review

Aug 29, 2018 Aishwariya Laxmi rated it really liked it

#StephenKing's #memoir 'On Writing' takes us to his childhood when he wrote stories and collected rejection slips. Some of the anecdotes shared also give us a peek into his rebellious, creative side. The book shows us the early experiences in his life that shaped him into the celebrated writer he is today.
He gives tips for aspiring writers on narration, description, dialogue and building characters in fiction. He introduces to us the concept of Ideal Reader or that one reader whom we picture in ...more

Like · see review