On Writing

Yes, the same Stephen King: Carrie, The Shining, Misery, and dozens more. Fiction? Yes–his memoir is among the best books for writing nonfiction, not the best of nonfiction books.

Writers of every genre suffer the same troubles, like doubt, rejections, not enough days when the work “flows”, procrastination, alcohol, and drug abuse, having to bow and beg (until your success reverses the tables), and so on. In On Writing, Mr. King gives us his story: "the good, the bad, and the ugly", of writing. 

Start with chapter 25 of “CV”, right to the meat of King’s… show more.

Stephen King’s book is a masterclass in resilience—an essential character trait for achieving your creative goals. King explains how he was sidelined by a van, yet managed to push through and complete the book.

While King's setback is extreme, it puts my issues of having a tight schedule or budget in perspective. If he can complete his project despite the odds, so can I.

Oh my gosh, Stephen King. He could make a soup label sound entertaining. Imagine this: A manual for writers delivered in the form of hilarious, irreverent, and sometimes scatological memories.

He demonstrates his mastery of storytelling by providing snapshots of the past and glimpses into his life’s highs and lows. Advice about process, craft, publishing, and reviews is offered in a conversational way that makes it sound fresh and exciting. 

I don’t know; when I was reading this, I felt like I was sitting with the Buddha of fiction, and being told, “You can do it, too.”   

As an author, Stephen King's book was a great inspiration to me.

In the first part of the book, I learned the author's biography. Like all great authors who build an empire, he had to build it through perseverance, failures, and setbacks. This is at least the fifth time I've read this book, and I can't wait to read it again, especially the second part, which he calls "The Toolbox".

After explaining the road to his success, Stephen King talks about writing and the tricks of the writer's journey. This giant describes himself as the first reader of his stories.… show more.

This book is a mix of memoir and advice, taking you inside the life, mind, and writing processes of one of the most successful fiction writers of our time. It’s an oldie-but-a-goodie, having come out in 2000, but the advice on craft is timeless.

Much like Everybody Writes, this book also serves as a great case study in making your writing distinctive and leaning into your lived experiences when you write. Admittedly, I’m not a big fan of the horror genre, but I’d wager that this quick read is almost as compelling and thrilling as many of his other works. 

Every time someone asks me to recommend a book on writing, this is the first book that comes to mind.

It is a two-part wonder, one part memoir and one part master class on writing. Your first treat is the tale of this expert storyteller’s path to being a writer. And then come the tips. One of my favorite tips involves killing all your adverbs, words he likens to weeds.

Whether you’re a fan of Stephen King’s stories or not, this is the book for you if you want to experience what it feels like to be a writer and… show more.

This, unlike my other picks, is a work of nonfiction. It’s a treatise on the craft of writing, actually, and one of my favorites.

I’m including it because if you’re a fan of reading books with strong elements of escapism and world-building, there’s a good chance that one day you will want to write books with strong elements of escapism and worldbuilding! And what better way than to learn from a master himself?

Not only does King offer general advice (like, don’t watch tv), he weaves a surprising amount of practical advice into this enjoyable read, too (stay away from… show more.

Before I discovered my previous pick, this book was my main recommendation for new writers. It is divided into two parts. The first is an immensely entertaining account of Stephen King’s journey to becoming a writer. The second is one of the best explorations of how to use language to tell a story I’ve ever read. Now, I don’t agree with everything King has to say on the craft of fiction writing – personally, I think he’s dead wrong when he recommends not using outlines – but I have yet to see better as guides go for how to create… show more.

Early in my author life I picked this memoir up to discover Mr. King's secret to his success. I had visited his home in Bangor Maine and of course it was quirky as I had expected but I was curious if his memoir would evoke that same feeling. When I finished this book there were some tips I gleaned from writing but I was inspired to never give up. I applied this to all aspects of life, not just as an author. His strength facing rejection, recovery from a horrible accident, and his discipline and balance in life was inspiring. 

I’m not really a Stephen King fan, although I did like Salem’s Lot. On Writing hooked me early in my writing career because he tells it like it is, ‘If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.’ I recommended this book to all my students when I taught introductory creative writing.