If you’re a Stephen King fan, like me, or not, you will enjoy his book On Writing. This best-selling author leads the reader on the pathway of learning to write well. Mr. King simply and succinctly describes all he knows about writing; from first drafts, character traits, theme, getting rid of adverbs, to how to find an agent and publisher.
One idea the author emphasizes is write your first draft with the door shut. Later share your work with the door open. This makes sense to me. He states that getting your ideas down on paper should be done privately and quickly. When finished, put down your baby (your first draft), come back later and read it, revising and editing your mistakes (there will be many). Once you’ve done these first steps, then make your writing public. Let your spouse, soul mate, or close friend become your “Ideal Reader.” Let your “IR” make corrections and suggestions. Listen to their ideas.
Another point of emphasis from King is competent writers must be readers too. He reads 70 books a year. He gets ideas from these books, and studies the styles of different authors. He gives a suggested book list at the end of the book.
While I learned a tremendous amount from this book, my favorite part was King’s memoirs. He tells of his childhood, his first published stories, his struggles with alcohol and cocaine, and finally the accident that almost killed him. It’s an intriguing story.
I highly recommend this book, and stay away from those adverbs!
