3/5 stars

What's it about? Stephen King shares his personal path to writing as a career and tips for the aspiring author. Sound advice abounds.

How’d I find it? Shoppers frequently requested this title during my time book slinging at Busboys and Poets. Had to read it for myself.

Who will enjoy this book? Try Amy Tan’s Where the Past Begins or Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird for other blends of memoir and craft chat.

What stood out? I appreciated learning about King’s approach to the page and his writing absolutes (like him, I struggle with the hated adverb). His thoughts on writing testify to his mastery and success, with the bonus of learning the backstories behind some of his hits, like Carrie and Misery. A major takeaway on craft comes from how he advocates for firm boundaries, necessary for churning out creative work. And work it is—King has definitely put in the time. One thing that irks me: I found how King relates to gender and sex in the old school binary ways off-putting, though it doesn’t bother me in his fiction. The more you know…

Which line made me feel something? Enjoy this graphic praise of British grammar: “a British advertising man with a proper education can make magazine copy for ribbed condoms sound like the Magna goddam Carta”.