Book Review
On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft
by Stephen King
The reason is quite simple, I’m not a fan of the horror genre. I have nothing against it; I’m not squeamish. I’m certainly not a snob. It just doesn’t do anything for me.
Yet I have the utmost respect for Stephen King, and his peers, such as Dean Koontz; craftsmen who can hook readers into their novels and leave them begging for more. King is an acknowledged master of the genre – but more importantly, he is a master of writing. Full stop. We can all learn something from him.
And so I dove into this book keen to learn more about this fascinating man and his remarkable talent.
The book is a hybrid – part memoir, part tutorial.
The first half of the book is autobiographical.
King grew up in small-town America in the fifties and sixties; the story of his early life and burgeoning love of writing – any writing – is a candid and insightful view of what made him the man he is today. That tale alone is worth reading. Unfortunately, despite what it says on the cover image at the top of this page, the edition I have is the original from 2000, rather than the newly updated 20th anniversary edition, so only provides a snapshot of the first twenty-odd years of his career.
The second part – on writing – is why this is a #TuesdayTip, rather than a #RecommendedRead.
King is a leader in the field and this book is his own unique perspective on how to go about writing. It’s told as a narrative, with an almost folksy approach. Rather than a text book (although it is used in degree courses all over the world), it is as if King is sitting down chatting to you about what he’s learned over the years. King taught high school English, and so even the most technical discussions about grammar, pace and structure are explained clearly for the non-specialist. The only assumption he makes is that you want to be a better writer.
The chances are that you won’t agree with everything in this book. I certainly didn’t. Some of the rules that he has found work for him, won’t work for you. But that’s OK. In fact it’s a good thing. Every writer is different – do what works for you. But exposure to diverse ideas is essential when honing your craft. I know that there are things that I have subconsciously absorbed when reading this book that will help me in the future.
An interesting and controversial view, that King states forcefully, is that too much plotting makes for a bad book. Many of his peers would vehemently disagree, and have produced masterful examples that disprove this theory. Yet it gives hope to those of us for whom plotting is a chore. But don’t let that put you off if your outline runs to hundreds of pages. There is still much to be valued in here, and reading about different approaches can help you hone your own method.
Perhaps one of the nicest things about this book is the way that King’s love for his wife Tabitha – Tabby – runs throughout it. They met at college, and she has been his cheerleader, sounding-board, and fiercest critic throughout his career. In 2021, they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary and it’s heart-warming when reading a book set twenty years ago to know that they are still going strong today.
The book finishes in 1999, a significant year in King’s life, after a careless driver nearly killed him. The final chapters describe the horrifying accident and its aftermath in a frank and detailed manner that befits a man who has made a career of torturing imaginary characters. Because of the endpoint, we don’t get to hear his views on eBooks, the rise of Amazon, self-publishing or the ubiquity of social media.
For that reason, I will endeavour to read the twentieth anniversary edition at some point, and continue the story of Tabitha and Stephen.
