Stephen King

On Writing

1. IDEA 1

   A writer shares his craft

   King combines memories of his life with practical lessons on writing fiction. He describes his childhood, early rejections and struggles before success. In his account, the book shows how his own experiences shaped the way he thinks about stories.

2. IDEA 2

   Writers need a toolbox

   King compares the writer's skills to a toolbox, with vocabulary and grammar on the top shelf. Writers should carry their tools everywhere. In his view, a writer who builds these skills over time has more to draw on when the work gets hard.

3. IDEA 3

   Reading and writing are essential

   King argues that the two essential habits of writers are reading widely and writing every day. There is, he says, no shortcut. In his account, these habits teach by example how others solve problems and build the writer's own feel for language.

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