Play Book Tag discussion

Stephen King’s spooky, scary, supernatural work is his signature and having never had any interest in writing, I just couldn't work up much enthusiasm when I picked this up to read. Was I ever wrong!

You have to love the way Stephen King captures a reader from the first sentence. "This is a short book because most books about writing are filled with bullshit."

On Writing has been divided into four parts:
1. Autobiographical section
2. Stephen King sharing his tips on what he feels are essential for any would-be writer wanting an audience.
3. This small section goes into explicit detail on King getting hit by a van while walking down the road. This event almost cost him his life. It describes his recovery and the process of returning to writing again.
4. The final section shows readers a few pages of a rough draft of King’s short story, 1408, complete with the tentative title “The Hotel Story.” He then moves on to the next draft, including felt pen markings, corrections, and changes. The last few pages are dedicated to walking you through why each change was made.

I really enjoyed the autobiographical tale of King's life and, as a fan, found it the most fascinating. The second half of the book gives readers tips on how to write their own books and get their start in the writing profession.

The actual guide portion of the book was very readable. It's as though King is sitting next to the reader, casually talking about what he knows about writing. Even though he's just describing his own evolution into a well known writer, his struggles resonate. Reading this book will give any writer a better understanding of the craft and how to tighten up their written word. If you're not a writer, any King fan will really enjoy the autobiographical sections.