On Writing A Memoir of the Craft

Personally I like the cover shown here because it was the one I bought years ago when it first came out and I like its bright shiny lightness and dark suggestion. I would guess it’s King’s favorite as it is both ominous an humorous. A style he perfected in his writing along with a million other King gadgets he perfected. The book is a gift to anyone who is serious about writing or want to know more about him, his life and process. If writing defines him, as it does to most his fans, then you’ll love this book whether you want to know how he ticks or pick up tips.

The sausage making is discussed in all it’s King-glory. It’s a gift to all writers and should be required reading from grade school to grad school. It’s a highly accessible masterclass resource for your permanent collection and a glimpse into the mind of a certifiable iconic genius and worldwide treasure.

It’s like if Rembrandt wrote about tips, tricks, and anecdotes on the backing of Night Watch. Besides suggesting some rules to follow he allows the reader in, writing about writing, how he views his art and how to be more effective. But King being King is not going to write a textbook. He talks about the writing business, his personal life, all in the first-person without an intervening mythical character (as far as I can tell). He writes about how he almost gave it all up before his career started as his part-time teaching gig barely paid the expenses of his financially struggling young family. But thanks to his wife picking the first few crumpled up pages out of the trash she thought he had something with the Carrie concept he abandoned doubting his ability to pull it off. And turned into a rocket-ship.

We are graced with this rare non-fiction because he still carries the teacher he started in life within in him and believes it’s important to share his thoughts on writing and a bit of his life. He knows more than any author about writing in the history of mankind if his prolific library of literature and record setting sales are any indication. But he’s also a student of the craft respectful of its magic. Writing has been his salvation and continues to pour it out.

Just because you’re limber doesn’t make you a gymnast and just because you can write doesn’t make you a writer. It takes a ton of work, never giving up, and luck. He proved formidable challenges in life takes massive effort, years of suffering, and a lifetime to achieve the stratospheric places King took modern literature. You fall, you fail, you tighten your laces, sharpen you pirouettes, engage your imagination and follow your dreams. And jot down your nightmares. Yes, with enough practice and patience you too can be a limber back-flipping, twirling writer sticking the landing your way.