by M.A. Dal Cero

Created on: May 09, 2009   Last Updated: September 06, 2009

"It starts with this: put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn't in the middle of the room. Life isn't a support-system for art. It's the other way around." - Stephen King, from "On Writing"

"On Writing" is a must-read for any aspiring or seasoned writer. Thought-provoking, honest, and inspiring, Stephen King's "memoir of the craft" offers the reader a rare glimpse into his childhood and adolescence, his years as a struggling writer, his battles with alcohol and drugs, and his emotions during the moment he learned that his first novel, "Carrie", would be published. King next gives the reader a lesson on the fundamental tools of the trade, such as vocabulary and grammar, which he suggests every writer keep in his or her "toolbox". He also offers thoughtful insight into the life of a writer, along with helpful advice on dealing with the art's inevitable ups and downs. Finally, King moves the reader with a description of the events which transpired on the day of his life-threatening accident in 1999, and the details of his journey on the road to recovery.

Far from yet another "How-to-Write" book filled with lofty and impersonal ideas on the craft, "On Writing" is more akin to sitting in King's living room with him as he relates stories of his past, and presents friendly guidance on the art of writing solely for the love of the profession. For example, he stresses repeatedly the often overlooked idea that, "If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write". Most notable, perhaps, is the fact that throughout the book, King gives aspiring writers the permission and encouragement to follow their dreams, hone their talents, and believe that they will succeed.

Fans of Stephen King's many novels, as well as those searching for realistic and practical advice from an author of his stature, will come away from this book with a sense of not only who King is as a man, but also with a better understanding of the writing process in general. He urges the reader to write, yet at the same time, begs that we do not attempt to do so lightly. King summarizes this thought at the end of the "curriculum vitae" section of the book by saying, "If you can take it seriously, we can do business. If you can't or won't, it's time for you to close the book and do something else."

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