On Writing weighs in at 291 pages. King laid out the book in a rather unconventional manner. There are four major sections and three “And Furthermores.” The four major sections include:
- C.V.
- Toolbox
- On Writing
- On Living: A Postscript
King crafted each of these sections more like a novel than a traditional non-fiction book. Each of the sections contained numbered scenes absent of traditional headings. This is going to make finding specific points more challenging.
C.V.
King is a master storyteller. He uses this skill to tell the story of how he became a writer. In short scenes, he highlighted different events that shaped his imagination to write spine-tingling horror stories. He shared the movies, books, magazines, comics that shaped the ideas that would later sell millions. He told about experiences that turned him onto writing. According to King, there were a lot of failures along the way. He also shared the breaks that helped to establish his writing career. He also passed on bits of wisdom he received along his journey. I enjoyed his explanation about where he got the ideas for his different bestsellers.
Toolbox
The next section focused on the toolbox that you need to be a writer. According to King, the first and most important tool in your box is your vocabulary. He stressed the importance of using the right words to get the exact meaning you want. “Use the first word that comes to mind, if it is appropriate and colorful” (King, 2010, p. 118).
The second necessary tool for your toolbox is grammar. King recommended having The Elements of Style as a ready reference. Key elements to writing are the noun and the verb. King stressed that you should avoid passive tense. I regularly beat up the students in my grad classes about passive voice. I want them to loathe it as much as I have come to identify it and try to eradicate it from my writing. Not always possible but certainly a goal.
King also emphasized the importance of eliminating unnecessary adverbs. He added that most adverbs are unnecessary. Instead of finding an adverb, find a stronger verb. In terms of dialogue, he recommended sticking with the basics: shouted, pleaded, and said. Do not dress them up.
On Writing
In this section, there is a statement that others have quoted often. It is a statement that resonates with me.
“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot” (King, 2010, p. 145).
King offered suggestions for increasing your reading habit. I am definitely a fan of reading. I have recognized its importance to my success.
If you want to be a writer, King pointed out that you have to write. Not when you feel up to it. You have to write every day. If you don’t, then you are really not a writer. King shared his strategies for writing to include his schedule and environment. He also went into detail explaining how he approached characters, scenes, and dialogue. Throughout his explanation, he called attention to many different books and excerpts. King also discussed what went into rewriting as well as idea generation.
On Living: A Postscript
In this final section, King talked about a serious accident that he was involved in. He was hit by a car while he was out for a daily walk. When I mentioned that it was a serious accident, King was broken in multiple places and had a collapsed lung. It took months for him to recover to the point that he could write again. In the end, he summed up the importance of writing as he saw it. I tend to agree.
“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well” (King, 2010, p. 269).
And Furthermore
The last part of On Writing is broken into four sections. Two of the sections are a before and after view of an article. The first piece is a draft article. The second part is the same article with editing annotations. This was quite informative.
The last two sections are lists of hundreds of books that he has read and recommended.
While writing this review and reviewing my notes in On Writing, I am amazed at the wisdom that King shared in these pages. While I have to figure out a way to pull out the parts that will specifically serve me, I have found this book to be just what I needed to read at this moment of time. If you are a writer or want to be a writer, I would recommend that you read On Writing.
Additional Reading
- Improve Your Writing With Grammarly
- Book Review: On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
- Book Review: On Reading, Writing and Living With Books
- Book Review: Blueprint Your Bestseller: Organize and Revise Any Manuscript With the Book Architecture Method
In the spirit of full disclosure, this is an affiliate link, which means that if you purchase this item through my link I will earn a commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. I only recommend products & systems that I use and love myself, so I know you’ll be in good hands.
Plus, when you order through my link, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff. 🙂 Thank you in advance for your support!
