Review: Stephen King's On Writing

I have never really been into non-fictional books but after trying out Stephen King's On Writing, I think I would like to give it a go.

I first came across this book in a creative writing class. For me, creative writing is an outlet, a way to reflect and escape the world. It goes hand in hand with a reading addiction. 

In summary, this piece is about the fundamentals of creative writing but in truth it is a glimpse into the mind behind some of the best horrors and thrillers of our generation. And if you don't know who Stephen King is, well then my best advice is just to read some of his novels; Carrie, IT, The Shining, Stand by Me etc. 

Truth be told, I always thought that anybody who wrote a book about themselves was a bit well...egotistic. But I really enjoyed the biographical elements of this novel, because it was wonderfully relatable.

There is always comfort in reading about how someone started off without much and rose through luck, intelligence, wit and hard work to fame. And while his practical tips are quite specific, I think any reader, particularly a uni student would benefit from some of his advice.

To name a few, his dislike of adverbs (a well founded view in my opinion, why use phrases like, 'they opened the door carefully', when, 'they nudged the door open,' conveys so much more in its simplicity!), the structure of a paragraph and guiding your reader through the journey (not slamming them with your vocabulary).

It took me a while to push past the assumptions I made about non-fiction pieces and their place on my bookshelf, but I am glad that I gave this book the chance it deserves. Hopefully, it opens doorways into learning more about the world of non-fiction.