Andrew's comments

Post #1

When we were first told about this book, I read the description online. I figured it was just going to be one that lectured us on the art of writing. I thought it would be chapter after chapter of exactly how to become a great writer. I was somewhat right because the second part of the book was just that, but it was very useful, giving important tips and how-to’s. He gave all the aspects of how to be a successful writer and the skills one would need.

            But before the second part of the book where he spends most of the time writing about how exactly to write; the first part told us his story, and how he got to be where he is now. He took us from childhood where he first discovered his joy for reading and writing, all the way into his current life. This part of the book was the most interesting and inspiring due to the fact that he failed so many times with the entries to the publishing companies, but his love for the craft motivated him enough that he pulled through it and finally started to get published and flower into a well known writer.

Post #2

            As I continued to read I found a very interesting part. During chapter 37 on part one he was talking about writing his novel Cujo, or what he could remember of it due to his heavy drinking habits.  He was saying that he could hardly remember writing that book, but it was one of his favorites. After he finished that book he talked about feeling evicted from life and wanted things restored to the way they were before he started to drink so heavily. So people told him to give things time and they would eventually get better. He took the advice and just kept doing what he knew best; he wrote. It wasn’t his best work but it was still something, and little by little he found his “beat” again and found it as joyful as ever before.

            When he was all sobered up, he was talking about the house that he started to live in. Instead of the cramped house he used to live in, he now had a new, spacious, and comfortable place for him and his family.

            I guess what I am trying to say is that he in a way changed his life around. It was out with the old, being his old cramped house, and his horrible drinking habits, and in with the new. A new house and a clean sober slate. I think that he was able to do this because of his writing. If he wouldn’t have kept up with it, he would have lost it, and wouldn’t have been able to regain that.

Post #3

What really caught my eye when reading this book was Mr. Kings ability to overcome all of the hard times and troubles he was confronted with. As he said one of the hardest things to overcome is when you don’t feel like continuing on with say, a novel. Even if it because it’s not as good as you thought it was going to be or something came up that wasn’t right. As he said “…go on when you don’t feel like it, and sometimes you’re doing good work when it feels like all you’re managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position.” (78). What I think he’s trying to get at, is even if you’re hitting a rough patch, push through it and keep going, because in the end you might have something that was worth all of the trouble.

 

Post #4

Throughout the book, Mr. King gave good advice on how to be a good writer. I think a couple of the most important pieces would be the ones on reading and trying to write every day. He said that if one did not have time to read, then they didn’t have the time, or tools to write. He gave suggestions on how to make time for reading, and also where and where not to do your reading.

In my opinion, he is one hundred percent correct. But what do I know; I am just a high school senior reading a well-known author’s book about something I am not even half as good at. But, I think that the more people read, the more they will obviously know but their grammar, spelling, and vocabulary will most likely excel above others who don’t read as much.

 

Post #5

As my final blog I will just say what I thought of the book. Well, I guess I enjoyed reading it, and that’s not very easy for me to say because I am pretty picky when it comes to reading. The way he told his life story and his style of writing just kept me hooked. Then when he moved into the “On Writing” part, I learned a lot of new tips and tricks that will help me improve my writing. Over all I thought a good book.