on writing stephen king

"Murder your darlings," so says Stephen King, quoting F.S. Fitzgerald on selective editing.

Regardless if you like Stephen King or his stories, you’ll like this book.  This is the best gift for any aspiring writer out there, with perhaps the exception of Bird by Bird by Anne LaMott.  Why not get the writer in your family both?  In fact, include a copy of the current Writer’s Market and you’ll have a fan for life.


Gist of the (non-fiction) story:

This book is divided into three-ish portions:

1.  A memoir of King’s early years that reads like fiction.  Short, captivating chapters that are meant to explain his interest in writing, how it began, why it continued, the struggles, the lead up to the publication of his first novel, Carrie, etc.  For many readers of Stephen King, they are familiar with a small note in the front or back of each of his books explaining how he came to write the novel, or what his thoughts are regarding it.   He addresses each of these as a personal letter, “Dear Constant Reader.”  I, for one, sometimes enjoy his musing on his book better than the book itself.  The front of this book reads like one long letter to me, his constant reader.  (And if you don’t cringe at the eardrum needle piercing, you’re not reading hard enough.)

2.  The bones of why writing works and why it doesn’t.  Very practical advice delivered by example.  This is my fourth (maybe fifth?) time reading this book through and I find something new every single time.  This time, I ‘got’ what he is saying about being dependent upon writing classes, circles or retreats.  I felt like he bonked me upside the head, ala V-8 commercial, saying that I don’t need any more training to write; I just need to do it.  Life happens anyway.  You might as well be writing while it’s passing you by.  Thanks, Mr. King!  (Again).

3. The third section is more memoir regarding his accident. For those not in the know, Stephen King was hit by a reckless driver in 1999 and was nearly killed.  He talks about the accident and the recovery and, more importantly, how to get back to writing after suffering trauma…or simply a disruption.  Because the book was written on the heels of his recovery, readers may not find this section as relative as it was when the book was released.  But, still, relative.  (There are also some interesting side notes here:  the man driving the van overdosed and died a few years after the accident.  Coincidentally, he died on King’s birthday, something which King has noted as “something I couldn’t have dreamed up.”  Also, King’s wife, Tabitha, ended up buying the van that struck King so it wouldn’t end up on e-Bay.  Rumor has it that King took a sledgehammer to it.)

3-ish. There are two small appendices at the back.  The first is a short story and then it’s rewrite, with hash marks made where appropriate.  I must admit, I’ve never read this section through.  Skim this.  The next is a list of good books to read.  Because I’ve read of the list, I’ll agree.  They’re good.  However, as with all books, some selections may seem slightly less popular than their release.  Still, read them.

Quotable

The rest of it [this book] – and perhaps the best of it – is a permission slip: you can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.

Book Rating

on writing stephen king book rating chart 4.5   Beside the Bed When I’m Dead. Though it’s likely to be beside the bed when I’m actually dead because I reread it near every summer, there still is a factor of people thinking that Stephen King is a popular writer, therefore not considered a “real” writer.

4.8 Sleepless for the Story. I always zoom through this.  Especially the memoirs at the beginning.  Suckers me in every time.

4.7 Regifting this Read. I would never dream of regifting my copy, but I have gifted this read to other writers, students and wannabes.   I think it may be difficult to gift this to anyone other than that or a huge Stephen King fan, however.

4.67/5 Overall rating. To see more on how these book ratings work, see here.

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