On Writing

A Memoir of the Craft

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Stephen King, Joe Hill, Owen King

Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Twentieth Anniversary Edition with Contributions from Joe Hill and Owen King

ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S TOP 100 NONFICTION BOOKS OF ALL TIME

Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work.

“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, 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. 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. 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.

The twentieth-anniversary audio edition includes Owen King reading his essay, “Recording Audiobooks for My Dad, Stephen King,” and a recorded conversation with Joe Hill and Stephen King.

©2000 ©2000 Stephen King, All Rights Reserved; (P)2000 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Critic reviews

"These rare glimpses into King's personal life - as related in his earnest tone and real (thank God) Maine accent - are fascinating.... If you write - or want to - get this book." (AudioFile)

"Spunky, vivid prose are the prime ingredients of what must be considered not at all the usual writer's guide." (Booklist)

"On Writing contains some of the most harrowing pages he has ever written." (Salon.com)

Authentic to the writer, authentic to the reader

Lately I'm entertaining the thought of writing fiction. Where better to start then in the mind of Stephen King?

This rather short compilation is really two books in one. The first book is about the experiences that forged what would come to be one of the top 5 modern fiction writers of the last 100 years. The second book is more like what prior generations would call an "oral tradition" being passed on to posterity.

I thoroughly enjoyed this offering on both counts and took it as bonus that the narration was done by King himself. as I mentioned before I am only late arriving to the prospect of fiction writing and it shames me to admit I am much more familiar with screenplay adaptations of this great writers work.

The most ardent admonition in this book, is to read lots of fiction. The next book on my list is "The Stand". Rarely in history does a master deconstruct his craft for the benefit of the novice. Thus humility is my most present frame of mind and I look at this effort by Mr. King as the sort of noble charity that normal people do but never speak of.

Appreciatively,
Eric

As amazing as I heard it was

I'm thankful he lived to finish it. It is probably the best book about writing I've ever heard and gave me information I otherwise wouldn't have known.

THE BEST FROM THE BEST

Stephen King is the reason I read, and the reason I write. I think like him, and I seem to write like him. Well, not nearly as good, mind you, but we seem to "do it" the same way. I'm a total pantser, and he's my idol.

If you have an interest in writing, or you're just a Stephen King fan, or you want to learn the craft from the BEST, this is an awesome book. I can't say enough good things about it. I have the hardcover, and the audiobook.

STEPHEN KING IS THE MASTER, and I feel soo fortunate to learn from the BEST.
Watch out Stephen King! I'm working on my first novel now, The Dark Divide, and I'm comin' to get ya! ;)

GREAT BOOK!! GET IT.

Great insight for Writers and personal Journey

I have to say that I expected there to be a bit more of outright formulaic instruction from this book and I am glad it was not that. I appreciated a candid look at his creative process and what works for him, and it provides perspective on crafting your own rituals and practices for writing.

Great story from a great storyteller

Would you listen to On Writing again? Why?

As a writer, I appreciate this very candid and personal discussion about the craft. Stephen King is such a compelling storyteller that he makes even a grammar lesson enjoyable. Aside from being a refresher course for anyone who writes, this book is wonderful for teenagers who tend to find traditional writing guides kinda boring.

What other book might you compare On Writing to and why?

This one stands alone, primarily because of the humor that is infused in the narrative.

What about Stephen King’s performance did you like?

He's a regular guy.

Keeping it true

I laughed, I hurt and I love this book. I am not a huge fan of Stephen King's books but this book has taken a spot among my favorites. It isn't just that he answers the questions you hear at every panel or signing. He brings you into the reality of a writer and shares his feelings of the process so elegantly I felt intrusive into his personal life. You feel you are right there with him.

non aspiring author liked it too

I'm not even thinking of writing a book but I still thought it was a great book. Not sure why but it was just really interesting here Stephen King story a little bit in these pages.thanks to you. ps. try not to cuss so much. From the son of a backhoe operator and sailor.

Relatable read

I really liked this book. hearing it from Stephen King's voice took it to a whole new level and you could feel his emotions in some of his stories about growing up at the beginning.

Be Like Stevie

What made the experience of listening to On Writing the most enjoyable?

The best part of this audiobook is that it's Stephen King talking. And he's talking to me.

What does Stephen King bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His personality comes through. Those are his words, his inflections, his emotions.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When he gets into the the mechanics of writing, I found myself saying "Yes!" Things that I already believe, Stephen King believes. There's nothing like confidence when performing anything. That Stephen King and I abhors the use of adverbs as much as I do is a total confidence boost.

Part Memoir, Part Writing Guide- All Good

I decided to listen to this audiobook, to get inspiration to work on my dissertation. Even though it is a completely different type of writing, this audiobook provided grammatical guidance, ideas for developing writing style, and more importantly ideas for developing in the habits of mind and practice essential to getting started and completing the project.

All the while, King tells us bits of his personal life story to illustrate points and to explain where his ideas came from. Wow.

Recently I've listened to his 11 /22/ 63, which is an amazing book, and between these two books, I really have developed an appreciation for King's ability to think through complicated storylines, and to narrate in very simple language. This is a skill we all could use.

Spoiler alert: King tells us about his terrible car accident in the summer of 2001 at the end of this book. He continued to work at On Writing while recovering. This alone was worth the purchase price for me. I can't recommend this book more highly. ( With apologies to Stephen for using an adverb.)