On Writing - Stephen King

$7.99 from Amazon.com

Extra Super Nerdy Distinction: Gilbert Lowell

Buy it if: You like writing. Or you like reading. Or Stephen King, America and apple pie. Basically...buy it.

Don't buy it if: Nicholas Sparks is your literary highwater mark.

To my knowledge, Mickey Mantle never conducted a hitting clinic, Bob Dylan doesn’t hold songwriting seminars and Tiger Woods…well a private session with him probably won’t do much to improve your golf score. Rare indeed is the possessor of world class skill that also commands the ability to distill their methods and approach into digestible instruction. It’s one thing to create a masterpiece, quite another to explain how its done.

With On Writing, Stephen King didn’t set out to retread instruction that was long ago conveyed by Strunk and White (though he does endorse their seminal Elements of Style as something every aspiring author should possess.) A delineated manual this is not. Lacking formal structure, the book is loosely grouped into two sections: autobiographical and instructional. And while it’s difficult to say which is more fascinating, the informal writing neatly camouflages an academic foundation. In other words, this is way more fun than you standard textbook. Cheaper, too!

The ‘memoir’ section, though exceptionally brief by Stephen King standards, offers an amazingly candid look at the life of the author. From his innocent childhood plagiarism of Edgar Allan Poe to the creation of his first published novel, it’s a deeply revealing look at the long (and humble) road to life as one of America’s most popular novelists. Carrie was inspired by his time spent as a janitor, then rescued from the trash bin (!) by his wife. True story.

The story of his personal journey parallels the professional one. A fatherless childhood of poverty is quite frankly discussed, not skimping on the gritty reality of working an industrial laundry while penning short stories for the ‘titty mags’ in the back of a rented trailer. And the chapters on the struggles of recovery from alcohol and drug addiction are, in my opinion, some of the finest writing the man has ever produced. His simple, yet profound, explanation of the addict’s mind is superior to almost any literature on the subject I’ve ever encountered. Genuine, heartfelt and riveting, it’s a shame that something so applicable and well-written will find such a relatively limited audience.

If On Writing contained only this all-too-brief biography I would still recommend it wholeheartedly, at nearly any price. But for those who continue on to the ‘instructional’ section, King offers as fascinating – and eminently useful – look at the gritty process of crafting a story in words. (And then getting people to pay for it! Something I’m still working on…)

In a rare show of brevity, the author doesn’t give much advice on grammar, structure and form. What he does include are pragmatic and deceptively simply tips for aspiring writers. Paper clip your submissions, a rewrite should cut 10% from the first draft, ignore the fallacy of the muse… It’s a slice of blue-collar academia that is a refreshing departure from the ivory tower…and tough to argue when you consider the writer has few earthly rivals in the popularity department.

For all readers, Stephen King fans or not, there is much enjoyment to be had from this book. Its only downfall is length. I'm quite certain you will find yourself wishing the prose would stretch out beyond its 289 pages. But On Writing will fill even the dullest reader with an urge to touch pen to paper for the creation of literature. It trulys makes you want to write…whether you should or not is another matter. Either way, be you an aspiring author or simply one of King’s ‘Constant Readers,’ this book is an investment that will stand up to many repeated readings. I would tell you how many I’m on, but I lost count a long time ago.