On Writing, Stephen King
On Writing, Stephen King
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On Writing
A Memoir Of The Craft

Author: Stephen King

Narrator: Stephen King, Joe Hill, Owen King

Unabridged: 9 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/01/2000

Synopsis

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF WRITING with fresh testimonials from fellow writers about why they love Stephen King and On Writing—and a few new words on the joy of writing from King himself.

*ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S TOP 100 NONFICTION BOOKS OF ALL TIME*

Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work.

“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

The twentieth-anniversary audio edition includes Owen King reading his essay, “Recording Audiobooks for My Dad, Stephen King,” and a recorded conversation with Joe Hill and Stephen King.

About Stephen King

Stephen Edwin King was born in 1947 in the city of Portland, Maine. He attended the University of Maine, where he received a B.A. degree in English in 1970. He married his present wife, Tabitha, in 1971, and they have three children. King is an American author of contemporary horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy. His novels have sold more than 350 million copies. Many have been made into films, television movies, and comics. He has published 54 novels using a pen name (Richard Bachman) for a few of them. Many of his stories take place in his home state of Maine.

He has won about every possible literary award beginning with his 1980 novella, The Way Station. His most notable literary award was in 2007 for the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America.King has had the common human weaknesses including alcoholism and drug addiction. His health during that period was so bad that he barely remembered writing the novel, Cujo. The first novel written after he quit all dependent drugs and alcohol was Needful Things.Stephen King's wife, Tabitha, has published nine of her own novels along with both sons being published writers. His daughter is a Unitarian Universalism Church minister with her same sex partner.

A life altering happening beset King in June of 1999. King was walking on the shoulder of Route 5, in Lovell, Maine, when a driver, who was distracted by an unrestrained dog, struck him from behind. His severe injuries kept him in the hospital until July 9. His lawyer purchased the van that hit him to prevent it from being sold on eBay. It was crushed at a junkyard. King thought that he would not write again, but did resume writing with this caveat, "I'm writing, but I'm writing at a slower pace".

His most notable novels are: Carrie, The Shining, The Stand, Misery, It, The Dark Tower, Under the Dome, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Wil on January 02, 2010

I know it's like saying "puppies are cute," but it bears repeating: everyone who wants to write, whether for a living or not, simply must read this book. On Writing did more for me as a writer than anything, and any success I've found as a storyteller can be traced to my reading it.......more

Goodreads review by Josu on July 26, 2020

Un libro imprescincible para cualquier escritor. No soy muy fan de libros tipo 'autoayuda', porque siento que su tono es condescendiente. No soy fan, en general, de gente que se cree por encima de ti y decide prestar su valioso tiempo en enseñarte lo que sabe, pero dejándote claro que su éxito es ina......more

Goodreads review by Fabian on February 04, 2020

So it's become very clear to me now that very few writers actually write about the craft. The only Latin American writer to do so? Mario Vargas Llosa (who took several years off of his busy novel-writing to write about his now-ex-pal Gabriel Garcia Marquez). But I suddenly forgot who the King was (n......more

Goodreads review by Valeriu on August 31, 2024

Nu-mi plac romanele lui Stephen King (n. 21 septembrie 1947). Cred că nici lui nu-i plac foarte tare. I-au adus avere (net worth), notorietate, și asta e tot ceea ce contează pînă la urmă (măcar pentru el). Nu pot să neg însă că este un prozator profesionist, cum nu sînt prea mulți în spațiul moldo-......more

Quotes

"Twenty years after this audiobook came out, it remains as fresh as it was in 2000—a combination of memoir, observations on literature and authorship, craft tips for writers, and an emotional concluding segment on the 1999 near-fatal accident that put King's career on hold. King presents his work in a conversational storytelling voice with excellent timing. This new edition sports two bonuses, both of interest to audiobook listeners. There's a New Yorker essay written and read by Stephen's son Owen, explaining how his father paid him to record books on cassette tapes back when most audiobooks were abridged. Also included is an hour-long conversation on writing between Stephen King and his son Joe Hill, which features father and son reading from each other's works."

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