On Writing

Inhoud

In 1999, Stephen King began to write about his craft - and his life. By midyear, a widely reported accident jeopardized the survival of both. And in his months of recovery, the link between writing and living became more crucial than ever. Rarely has a book on writing been so clear, so useful, and so revealing. On Writing begins with a mesmerizing account of King's childhood and his uncannily early focus on writing to tell a story. A series of vivid memories from adolescence, college, and the struggling years that led up to his first novel, Carrie, will afford readers a fresh and often very funny perspective on the formation of a writer. King next turns to the basic tools of his trade-how to sharpen and multiply them through use, and how the writer must always have them close at hand. He takes the reader through crucial aspects of the writer's art and life, offering practical and inspiring advice on everything from plot and character development to work habits and rejection. Serialized in the New Yorker to vivid acclaim, On Writing culminates with a profoundly moving account of how King's overwhelming need to write spurred him toward recovery, and brought him back to his life. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower -and entertain- everyone who reads it.

Bespreking

If you don't have time to read, you don't have time to write

The book opens with something that can best be described as King's first attempt to his memoirs. Starting with the description of what he thinks are his first memories, he guides us through his youth of poverty, a time in which he started to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. In a colourful narrative he deals with the darkest periods of his life showing that nothing can steal away his energy to prove himself. When he is financially at his lowest point, a first success as an author is about to happen: the publishing of Carrie.

In the second part of this book Stephen King opens Fazza's writing toolbox. Not to give you a textbook version of a "Creative Writing" course, but simply to share his enthusiasm with anyone who dreams of becoming a writer. But that is not all. In a friendly and almost intimate way he shows you the nastiest pitfalls of the craft: adjectives, passive sentences, dialogue, grammar, etc. Then he shows you his opinions on plotting, 'colourful' language, the theme of a story and much more. The list of topics he is willing to address is far from complete, but he certainly covers all the things he thinks are of importance (or of which he has something interesting to say, that is.).

This book is inspiring and enriching for everybody who has at some point tried to write a story or even a novel. After reading this book you just cannot still the urge to take some paper and start writing. If you ever need to pump-up your motivation to write, read this book! You will not be disappointed. And never forget: "If you don't have time to read, you don't have time to write."

As an extra bonus you get the complete story behind Stephen King's live threatening accident in midyear of 1999, when he was run down by a blue van. This book was serialized in the New Yorker.