Handbook or autobiography?
How to write book . A Craftsman’s Diary is both an autobiography of Stephen King and a guide to the art of writing. We can divide it into three parts, the first of which is a kind of a writer’s diary. The author included his childhood memories, first steps in writing, professional development and work as a teacher, until he flourished as a full-time writer. Although he is well-known all over the world, he has several dozen bestsellers to his credit, in the biographical part of his work, King appears as a humble, modest, but conscious man. At every step, he emphasizes the importance of supporting his relatives, pointing out that it was his mother and then his wife that gave him self-confidence and motivation to work. He even recommends his relatives as the first reviewers of the works.
In the middle chapters What is Writing and The Toolbox , Stephen King finally reveals all of the word artist’s magic secrets. Although he calls himself a craftsman in the title of the book, he uses terms such as “writer’s tools” and rather tries not to fly into the metaphorical space when reading How to writethere is no doubt that we are dealing with a great artist. The writer shows his art step by step, breaking down the work process into prime factors. From these pages of the book, we learn in small details what this – so much needed by the writer – “toolbox” is, what the work on the text should look like, and how it is edited. Like a practitioner-perfectionist, King distinguishes the pros and cons of having an agent and publisher, and also gives ideas on how to get them. It is an absolute compendium of knowledge, donated by an experienced writer to …
For whom?
Well, for whom? Contrary to appearances, the addressee of the book is not unambiguous.
The guide is undoubtedly a must for fans of Stephen King. The most interesting stories about where the ideas for the novels came from are proof of the writer’s genius. They show how his brain processes reality, turning it into horror stories. We learn that the draft of Carrie ‘s bestseller , King’s first novel, had almost been thrown in the dustbin and would not have been written had it not been for his wife, Tabitha. It turns out that the first version of Misery was … his dream. There are countless such flavors and surprising phrases in this book. Find out where King takes his ideas from and how he implements them. This is a real treat for fans of his prose.
However, the most important addressees of the guide are – no surprise – the writers. This term covers a large group of authors, because it is not only about novice or professional writers. It’s not even the writers of the novels. I would simply describe the addressee as a creator, because the advice contained in the book may be relevant to all areas of creation. Really, anyone who needs motivation to act and develop creatively should read this book! Actually, a little book, because compared to most of King’s novels, it is only a thin book, with a little over 300 pages.
Hard moments
The third part of the book, like the first, is biographical. Stephen King began writing this work in 1997. In the summer of 1999, when he had already had his half behind him, he had a very serious accident, after which he rehabilitated for a long time. Even sitting was torture during this period, and he wrote very little. He describes what his return to the profession looked like, how difficult it was for him to motivate himself, and at the same time proves that it is not worth giving up even in the worst moments. This chapter, entitled How to live. Postscript is a kind of closing of topics related to the writing process – both the technical side of it, and the very vital one.
“And one more” times 4
In the last chapters, in a way, “adjoining”, King wrote a list of the most important books he has read in the last few years. This list was updated with subsequent editions of the book (its first edition is from 2000, and the one I am reviewing here from 2021). Personally, I am very happy with the appearance of several parts of Harry Potter on it! By the way, by citing examples in his guide, the writer refers to many other authors, highlighting what they have improved, and sometimes what they were not the best at. According to Stephen King, JK Rowling is a master of preaction, with which I will agree without hesitation. It is worth noting that the author does not set himself as a model, although he also cites fragments of his own prose in various contexts, but much more often searches for examples from the works of famous writers. This emphasizes the need to read as much as possible, because it allows you to improve your workshop.
An interesting fact is the last chapters of the book, written by two of King’s sons. They complete the artist’s image from the perspective of his children. It is also a great complement to your reading!
How to finally write?
A lot! Much, truthfully, in harmony with ourselves, not letting ourselves be constrained by anything. This is a generalized message conveyed by the guide. Above all, however, King reveals that anyone with a little talent and will can become a writer!
It also clearly emphasizes the essence of regular writing, comparing this act to sleep or meals. Writing at the same time every day keeps your mind open to the task. When our body gets used to the fact that it creates at this time, ideas will appear in the head.
One of the most beautiful values conveyed by the author in this book is being aware of the freedom one has when writing fiction. By encouraging us to observe the world around us and capture the story that interests us (“Our task is not to look for ideas, but to recognize them when they appear.” *), Gives us a really wide range of possibilities. He rejects the “planning” of history, as it may limit the path that our novel will unfold by not fitting into the invented pattern. Even a lack of knowledge on specialized topics described in the story should not be a limitation. King emphasizes that the most important thing is the story, not the details related to the described world, such as the appearance of the characters or the professional details of their work. “The description begins in the writer’s imagination and should end in the reader’s mind.” **
Utopia?
While I was absolutely delighted with this book, it leaves the impression that at least King’s early writing career seems quite utopian. He had excellent conditions for writing as a young child, great support from his mother and an imagination unrestricted by life’s difficulties. He had a wife who would not let him resign and preferred to live poor, as long as he could write, because she believed in him so much. King often points out how lucky he was. He became one of the most widely read writers of modern times for a reason – he had great opportunities to develop to his full potential.
It seems extremely difficult today. So it’s great that he wrote this book to give hope to people who do not have such conditions. Even though he is over twenty years old, this guide is still very up-to-date.
So if you are writing or just thinking of writing – read this book! If you don’t know if you have talent but would like to write – read this book! If you are an experienced writer – read this book! If you are involved in any field of creativity – read this book! If you like biographies – read this book! If you like Stephen King’s novels – read this book!
If you can read – READ THIS BOOK!
* How to write. Diary of a Craftsman , Stephen King, Warsaw 2021
In the same place.
