I recently purchased a book entitled "On Writing, A Memoir of the Craft" by one of my favourite authors, Stephen King... yes THE Stephen King author of Carrie, The Shining, Misery and Tommyknockers etc.,
King's non-fiction book "On Writing" is excellent. The first part entitled CV is a fascinating humorous account of his life as a writer (he wrote his first story at the age of six entitled Mr Rabbit Trick), and there is a section entitled Tools covering straight forward and valuable tips for aspiring writers. The book also includes the winning short story from the ON WRITING competition.
I read it in one day. I couldn't put it down. I loved it and learnt a great deal on the craft of writing and will have pride of place in my extensive reference book collection.
I can only agree with the following testimonials displayed on the back cover:-
'Not since Dickens has a writer had so many readers by the throat...King's imagination is vast. He knows how to engage the deepest sympathies of his readers... It is part biography, part collection of tips for the aspiring writer. In the final chapters, King tells, in graphic detail, the story of his recent accident... a bizzare and absorbing story, told brilliantly by one of the greatest storytellers of our time' Guardian
'The childhood memoir is a triumphant display of wit, storytelling and guts. His advice t writers is hard-nosed, pratical and level-headed in the classic journalistic Orwell-Hemingway tradition' Evening Standard
'Absolutely fascinating... basic instructions...sensible advice'The Sunday Times
'Illuminating' Independent
'Energetic, vivid and observant' Daily Telegraph
If you can get hold of a copy (W H Smiths (UK) currently have it in stock at a discounted price), I thoroughly recommend it and just wish I'd bought it when it was first published in 2000.
Happy reading and learning...
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