On Writing is very easy to read, and as a book to buy and enjoy just for the sake of reading it, I would say it works. As a "how to" book it also works well. I've bought a few books in my time on "how to write a novel" by people I've never heard of. It was about time that a major player decided to have a go.

There are some brilliant tips in there. The importance of cutting work down, holding back on adjectives, using plain english rather than boasting an extended vocabulary (er, I think that one was in there).

Definitely worth having in your library (my copy has just done the rounds of my writers' circle). It's still in the bargain book shops if you can find it.

As for novels, I would recommend Different Seasons for pure brilliant story-telling. This is made up of four novellas, The Shawshank Redemption, Apt Pupil and The Body (filmed as Stand By Me) and a horror short. He did a great kids book called The Eyes of the Dragon - a sort of fairy tale and if you love short stories then my favs would Night Shift and Skeleton Crew.

Most people agree that The Stand is something special and possibly his best.

Colin M

Hi Colin, I hadn't realised that King wrote the Shawshank Redemption, so thanks for the heads up. That was a film I really enjoyed, so I'll certainly make a point of reading the novella. By the way, I bought my copy of On Writing where I buy most of my books - from the very addictive Amazon.

Al.

Words's Worth,
'Slap me with a spelling stick'
Brilliant. I want more.
Regards Pete

Words's Worth,
'Slap me with a spelling stick'
Brilliant. I want more.
Regards Pete

<Added>

Sorry I repeated myself, it is late.

I picked this up a year or so ago for around £1.50 - a right bargain.

Some of the stuff on revision is very handy, and includes a short example, so definitely worth a read.

As for which SK books to read, I really enjoyed 'Desperation', and 'Bag of Bones', 'Cujo' was another that I just couldn't put down, and it also came out of the bargain bin.

According to his memoir, he was so out of his head when he wrote Cujo that he can't remember a thing about it.

Wonder what he was on when he wrote the Tommyknockers. It was rubbish.

Colin M

I bought the expanded and re-issued "The Stand" which King prefaces with some useful suggestions on writing. I will look out for a copy of this one! Next stop Amazon I think.

I hope you find it useful Crowspark. Reading this thread again has reminded me just how far I've strayed from the straight and narrow of the King-prescribed way. I need to get my head down again and switch off the internet.

Not before you've helped us to dig up Colin and extract an RLG from him...

Dee

I absolutely adore this book - a random Liverpudlian lassie that I met in Tanzania gave me a copy after I'd told her of my dabbles in fiction writing, and it inspired me to start writing again after a very long lay off. I've read it ten or eleven times since then, as I often find myself just picking it off the shelf. One of the nice things about it is it doesn't set itself up as a 'Write and Sell Your Own Blockbuster' style book, making a lot of promises it can't possibly keep, but it is a delightful blend of no-nonsense advice, family history and triumph over adversity. It's cracking, and required reading I reckon.

Cheers

Dave

This book was a gift to all writers, I think. Overall, fabulous. Ive just finished it.

I have read almost every word he has written. Most of it is blindingly good, but some, as said before, lacked the oomph factor. I liked Tommyknockers. He wrote the whole thing out of his head on cocaine and it's quirky b movie style is fab.

Tommyknockers, by the way, are mythical fairies who lived in mines and used to knock to draw miners to their deaths.

The Stand was superb. I read it in school and it just transported me. It also got me seriously thinking about humanity and the shit we do to the world. IT is amazing, I've rarely read a better book about the terrors of childhood and the hopes of adults.

The Dark Tower sequence and THe Talisman (written with Peter Straub) are also brilliant. I hated Dreamcatcher, but it was vindicated by Black House.

King is the writer who got me to write. Who made me see my dreams aren't so weird after all, and made me dream harder.

JB

Funny, I've just finished it too. I haven't read much Stephen King (only Misery when I was about fourteen, I think!), but I thought it was a really enjoyable read that made me think Stephen King must be a really cool no-bullshit kind of guy! I did feel a bit inferior for not reading and writing in such great quantities as him, though....

The Artist's Way is still the best, though!

Catherine

To be fair Catherine, I haven't read enough guides to judge it by, but I know King so well I feel I can take his word for it.

I'll check out the one you recommend, by the way. Ta!

JB