On Writing by Stephen King

Having read the first fifty pages of On Writing I have come to the realization that I made an error in my first thirty-one years of life. More specifically, I have not read a Stephen King book.

On Writing is not a fictional story, rather, a vivid recollection of childhood memories which will, according to the book description, turn into some type of guide on writing. I am sure that anyone reading these blogs will be thankful that I am taking on some "lessons" on writing....

Stephen King shares stories which shaped his style and lessons he learned through the description of specific childhood events. One chapter discusses hitchhiking more than 10 miles on a weekly basis to catch the newest sci-fi/horror thriller at a theatre across town. He also describes how he would later break most copyright laws by translating these films to print and selling it at school for $0.25 a copy. (He did get in trouble for this by a teacher at school and was required to refund the money to the other children.)

King shares an early lesson on writing though an experience he had as a sophomore in high school. In response to the boredom of being the editor for The Drum, the high school newspaper, King creates his own satirical paper called The Village Vomit.

"The boxed motto in the upper lefthand corner was not "All the News That's Fit to Print" but "All the $h!t That Will Stick." That piece of dimwit humor got me into the only real trouble of my high school career. It also lead me to the most useful writing lesson I ever got." (Page 40)

The "useful lesson" came a few weeks later after a guidance counselor recommended that King apply for a job as the sports reporter for the Lisbon weekly paper. Had it not been for The Village Vomit, it could be fair to say that the recommendation would not have happened - as his talent and "restless pen" could all have been lost. Thank goodness for Vomit and the immature satirical mind of a 15 yr. old Stephen King.

At 1/2 penny per word, this was the first job in which Stephen King was paid to write regularly - and he did get the job - reluctantly. The lesson came from Mr. Gould after marking up the first report about a high school basketball player breaking the school record.

"I only took out the bad parts, you know," Gould said. "Most of it's pretty good."
"I know," I said, meaning both things: yes, most of it was good-okay anyway, serviceable-and yes, he had only taken out the bad parts. "I won't do it again."

He laughed. "If that's true, you'll never have to work for a living. You can do this instead. Do I have to explain any of these marks?"

"No," I said.

"When you write a story, you're telling yourself the story," he said. "When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not the story." (Page 47)