On Writing:A look into Stephen King's world

Ryan Foster

Whether he is captivating readers with tales of horror, or describing the tools with which ones needs to write, it is all the same to Stephen King.
He dazzled us with the gentle giant John Coffey in The Green Mile, he scared the hell out of us with IT and he made us have feelings for characters like Annie Wilkes in Misery. It seems whatever King wants us to do or feel he can make us do just that.
King's latest endeavor into the literary world, On Writing, is a memoir of sorts. He takes the reader through his childhood, then turns to his helpful tips on writing. Even if you are not an aspiring writer, you should still give this book a chance.
Why? Even though this is a memoir on the craft, King still finds a way to tell a gripping story. He tells of his accident which almost killed him, and cost the world a great author.
On June 19, 1999, King set out on his daily routine of an afternoon walk. He walked down Route five in midwestern Maine. As he went up a short incline he had no idea what would meet him at the top. It was a blue Dodge van, driven by one Bryan Smith.
King says all he remembers from the time he was, "very carefully wiping palmful's of blood," out of his eyes, to looking down to see his bottom half seemed to be on sideways. He takes you, the reader right through to his recovery and to when he started writing again.
The first half of the book is King's childhood and growing up. The next section is simply titled Toolbox. It consists of the implements he believes are necessary in writing. Most of the suggestions in this section are very useful and would probably be extremely helpful to someone just starting out.
King includes passages from books which have either helped him write or were just horrible and of no use. Well, maybe they were of some use, showing people how not to write.
Never give up, he urges. Use rejection to inspire yourself to work harder. King himself kept his rejection slips in his room on a spike.Writing what you know, is also crucial, he says.
If you are not a fan of King, I still suggest you give this book a try. It has a bunch of great advice for young up and coming writers and some great stories for those of you who just like to read.
Although it comes with a $37 Canadian pricetag, buy it. On Writing is one of those books that will always have a place on your bookshelf, and the hardcover just ensures it will last as long as it should.