Stephen King > Reviews > Kings new book on being a writer

Author's product rating:   

Listenability

Once you start it, you won't be able to switch it off!

Advantages:	Insightful, humorous, great advice on writing
Disadvantages:	none

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I have re-posted this opinion as there were problems last night and opinion was never seen. So this is the opinion on the new book 'on writing' by Stepehen king. If you rate this opinion, do not rate my previous one or even look at it as it is the same one, it is entitled 'want to be a writer.....', thanks.

I bought this book yesterday, after finding out about it on Ciao, a review by RichardW (see his excellent opinion on this book) and was thoroughly engrossed with it. I moaned about having to work as I had to put the book down and stop reading, but I managed to sneak a break and have a wee read whilst doing a quick one (bit more info than you needed there).

I bought this purely because it gave information on the writing process, and not because I am a fan of Stephen King. I was complaining that everybody who had written a book on the writing process were not best-selling authors, and then this falls from the sky.

The book is split into two, the first part being an abridged autobiography and the second part giving advice on the writing process, mostly novel writing. The two parts are engrossing and intriguing at the same time and manage to capture the man himself, and not just the tuxedo parts but the parts with his trousers down as well.

The first half gives a fragmented account of some of the childhood experiences that led him, possibly, to start writing and they are humorous, moving, and well written. It gives us an insight into a boy growing into a man growing into a writer, growing into a man again. It shows us the character that collected rejection slips for years before getting published and the elation he felt when he heard the news that 'Carrie' had commanded a $400,000 paperback bid from Signet books, I could almost feel churning of his stomach as he recounted this. He also gives us the side of him that shows his warts, after candidly showing us about his addiction to alcohol and then later on to cocaine. Behind every good man there is a woman and King is no exception. He lovingly attributes a lot of his success to his best friend and wife Tabitha King (herself a writer) and gives a quick tour of their love affair with each other. This half of the book is written very honestly and he does not mince his words, and it lets us take a peak inside the brain of Stephen King.

The second part leads us to the craft of writing and does it all very subtly, not in a rule book kind of fashion. I felt alive when I was reading it and couldn't wait to start my own writing again. He dispenses pearls of wisdom at the drop of a hat and leads us to believe that if he can write a book anyone can. One of the best pieces of advice he gave in the book was 'read a lot and write a lot, that is the only way you will get to know the craft', I think this is obvious, but still has to be said, for it to register. There is plenty of advice on grammar (mainly if you don't know by now you don't need to know), style, theme, characterisation, editing. It is written with humour, wit, and a touch of disdain for the Miss Jean Brodie style of teaching how to write.

The book also gives reference to other books which may be of use to the aspiring writer, particularly in the grammar section. It also lists a selection of books that King has read over the last few years, which is strange in a way as you'll recognise a lot of books that are on your list.

At only 238 pages long you will be able to read this in a day and come away from it wanting to turn off that damned TV and start writing your first novel, even if it's crap it's your first novel and besides that is what revisions are for, he would say. A great book to add to any writers reference collection.