Long live the King hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen Kings On Writing. ""On Writing" had more useful and observant things to say about the craft than any book since Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style"." (1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful). On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King This superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. ", "Combines autobiography and admonition, inspiration and instruction. What "tools" do you find most indispensable when you write? This straight-up book inspires without being corny, and teens suspicious of adult rhap-sodies to perseverance will let down their guard and be put at ease by the book's gritty conversational tone. Do this, don't do this kind of thing. This book was so amazing and every aspect was good! Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. There was a problem loading your book clubs. My primary writing project during the past year has been to write a memoir. Discuss King's extended metaphor of "writing as excavation." Unable to add item to List. Do you agree with Stephen King that the desire to write always starts with a love of reading? .orange-text-color {font-weight:bold; color: #FE971E;}Ask Alexa to read your book with Audible integration or text-to-speech. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. It took some time to publish for money, but ever since, When Stephen King says "blood" or "lips," his Bangor, Maine, accent drags the "l" into his own dialect. If you are a Stephen King fan and want to learn more about him, about his life, his childhood and how he became the best-selling author he is today, this one will make your day. I am in awe! He believes that most writers remember the first book they put down thinking "I can do better than this." The memoir was so interesting and it was great to see how he came up with his story ideas. Who is that person and why? What serves as the basis for most of your stories? Here, King tells the story of his childhood and early influences, describes his development as a writer, offers extensive advice on technique (read: write tight and no bullshit) and finally recounts his well-known experience of being hit by a drunk driver while walking on a country road in 1999 and the role that his work has played in his rehabilitation. Services that store e-book files may require registration, please read the terms carefully. Based on the Scribner hardcover (Forecasts, July 31, 2000). Stephen King in Conversation with John Grisham: Writing on a Computer. Please try your request again later. When I sat down with this book I was expecting a manual on writing. As his diehard fans know, King is a member of a writers-only rock 'n' roll band (Amy Tan is also a member), and this recording starts off with a sampling of their music. I don't know if I'll ever write a book, but after reading this book I think I'm more prepared if I ever decide that I do want to try writing. These promotions will be applied to this item: Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the Kindle edition of this book. If you find inappropriate content, please report about it. King was in the middle of writing this book when he was nearly killed in a widely reported accident. ISBN 13: 9780743211536. The author/patient recounts his discovery that his passionate mania for writing helps mend both bones and heart. King describes the symbolism in many of his novels and offers writers common sense advice. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. He shows what you can learn from H.P. There was a problem loading your book clubs. This page contains standard text of the standard disclaimer and at least standard text about cookies. Please try again. A situation? "In 1999, Stephen King began to write about his craft -- and his life. On Writing is for me hands-down the best book I've read about the craft of writing and living the life of a writer by a writer. The book also gives us a real touch because the memories are not clear one, they are just recollection in an unarranged order thus this thing gives us a hint that the whole thing is not fake. The second part of the book, "On Writing," is where aspiring novelists might find inspiration. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. (3 of 4 readers found this comment helpful). J.A.H. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. --Tim Appelo, Adult/High School-By the time King was 14, the scads of rejection slips he'd accumu-lated grew too heavy for the nail in the wall on which they were mounted. Being new to the genre, I started by publishing my father’s memoir, enrolled in an online writing course, read numerous writing books, and reviewed a few good memoirs. .orange-text-color {color: #FE971E;} Discover additional details about the events, people, and places in your book, with Wikipedia integration. I am in awe! According to King, good story ideas "seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky," and often don't ignite until they collide with another idea that also comes unbidden. The main characters of this non fiction, language story are Stephen King, . "If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write. (2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful). It may sound unsettling to some, but King quickly puts listeners at ease with his confident, candid and breezy tone. (3 of 5 readers found this comment helpful). While King's comical childhood anecdotes and sober reflections on his accident may be appreciated while driving to work or burning calories on a treadmill, the book's main exercise does not work as well in the audio format. No, the subtitle very succinctly describes the ... this is an inspirational collection of musings on the craft, purpose, and genre of memoir for memoir writers of all stripes, from the journaler to the columnist. This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. Please try your request again later. 1947). (1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful). He explains why Hart's War is a great story marred by a tin ear for dialogue, and how Elmore Leonard's Be Cool could be the antidote. Send-to-Kindle or Email . King's advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999 -- and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Now he is treating his vast readership to another glimpse into the intellect that spawns his astoundingly imaginative works. His novel 112263 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for MysteryThriller as well as the Best Hardcover Book Award from the International Thriller Writers Association. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it -- fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told. He gives you a whole writer's "tool kit": a reading list, writing assignments, a corrected story, and nuts-and-bolts advice on dollars and cents, plot and character, the basic building block of the paragraph, and literary models.