Neonjade

As a technical writer with a career’s worth of experience in documenting military systems for companies like Jaycor, Westwind, and Lockheed Martin, I have to say that I rate On Writing as the best possible advice book for someone with my background to read when thinking about trying their hand at fiction. I believe that Stephen King implies several times that any writer bad enough to fail in all other forms of prose would probably succeed in technical writing.

Genre: Non-Fiction

My Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Adverbs seem to be the only things of less value to Mr. King than technical writers. I know that it pays to set out on new paths with humility, and On Writing dishes it up with great wit and humor. Mr. King turns his advice into a great story and the story of his life into great advice.

The most uplifting aspect of the book to me was his encouragement to do and write what you love, without worry for success or failure. Well, unless you can’t afford to, and then you do and write what you love anyway – you just work an extra job or two while you’re doing it.

My favorite bit of his advice, that I pray sticks in my head and eventually comes out on paper, is to never write for your self. Write to tell a story that someone else would want to hear. Plot, characterization, and theme always take backseat to story. Tell the story first and, in edits, expand on those other items where appropriate, but never let them rule the writing.

When my husband, Dave, and I take long road trips, I often read a book out loud to pass the time. This is how I read On Writing. I discovered Mr. King’s style and language to have wonderful cadence and diversity for reading out loud, by the way. On the return ride, I started in on The Gunslinger!

Anyway, I had to stop reading On Writing in several places where plot is ridiculed so that Dave and I could laugh with appreciation. We always discuss our thoughts on books and movies, and I can’t count the times that we’ve mutually cringed at the mutilated flow and unbelievable devices entered into with complete abandon by authors and screenwriters in the name of plot.

For any other lame soul that takes nine years to getting around to reading a book by Stephen King, I would like to offer one small piece of advice of my own. While Mr. King is an acknowledged master of popular fiction, and should be taken with all seriousness, please don’t stop reading the first time you hear him say that either you can write or you can’t, and if you can’t, you will never be able to. He repeats himself on that issue, but press on and don’t take it to heart. I think even lousy writers should be able to enjoy the pleasures of writing. Just don’t make Mr. King read it, and you should be ok.

In keeping with his convictions, Mr. King aims his advice patently at those who can write but that want to write better. I imagine that, as late in this book’s life as I have come to read it (copyright 2000,) I might have been premature in picking it up. I have no idea if I can write. If I took his statement personally, I might have saved some time by waiting until I knew, but I’m glad that I read it when I did. It takes more than a respected author being blunt to deter me, if for no other reason than that I found I agreed with almost every example and process he mentions wholeheartedly.

It might sound strange to think you might have potential as a writer because of what you like to read, but I have a feeling Mr. King might not totally disapprove of that notion, even if it did originate from a technical writer. Reading and love of reading is explained as one of the few absolute must haves to be a good writer. He even dedicates a few paragraphs to press the issue; giving you his permission to take several hours a day to dedicate to reading. I made sure to reread that part to my hubby, so he would know who to go argue with if he ever thinks I spend too much time with the books! (Not that he would, of course. My hubby is awesome.)

On Writing made me laugh, made me wince, had me nodding, and occasionally had me saying, “no way!” Mostly, On Writing made me think about what writing means to both writer and reader; what language and attitude can do; and, I think most importantly, that to write fiction, you must learn to let the story do the talking. I recommend On Writing to any style writer. It’s impossible not to take away something valuable from the generous offerings of so much experience, laid out in such an entertaining manner.

Stephen King’s official site is http://www.stephenking.com/