Recently read Stephen King's new book (the non-horror one) entitled On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (2000, Scribner) and highly recommend it even if you'd rather not read some rough language. I think I would deem King an extraordinary man: other top fiction writers, such as John Grisham, create novels that have a solid basis in what they've experienced, whereas I would hope that King has not experienced the horrors which he so eloquently describes in most of his writing.
My daughter has read every single one of his books (actually, I gave her this one for Christmas and said that I wanted to read it after she got done...fortunately she read it in about three days), whereas I have managed not to read anything but Dolores Claiborne and a collection of short stories which gave me enough gruesomeness to last for a lifetime. When Katy chose Misery to be read aloud during our week at the beach, I chose not to listen.
There's much autobiography in this book, which makes it even more delicious, although the description of what was broken and damaged as a result of being hit by a van two years ago (in the middle of writing this book) is detailed and not so delicious. King suffers from macular degeneration of his eyes, also. That was hardly mentioned, but he does describe his alcoholism and drug addiction and his recovery from both.
His first two books were written on a typewriter perched on the washing machine in a tiny laundry room. When the second one had its movie rights sold for a--to him--astronomical figure, he and his wife moved out of their small apartment and he finally moved out of the laundry room.
He is a solid believer in the efficacy of William Strunk's The Elements of Style in providing guidance to any good and aspiring writer, and he despises adverbs and extra words as much as Mr. Strunk did. But he has such a charming way of describing why adverbs are less than worthy words--"seem[ing] to have been created with the timid writer in mind."
King also firmly believes that if you don't read a lot, you'll never be a writer. And the only real benefit to taking writing classes is that you are with a group who won't denigrate writers. His words of wisdom: "You learn best by reading a lot and writing a lot, and the most valuable lessons of all are the ones you teach yourself. These lessons almost always occur with the study door closed." His writing takes place in his study at a desk under the eaves for four to six hours a day...just about every day...with no one else reading the material until the full book has been drafted.
I am struck by the strong contrast with Natalie Goldberg who apparently does most of her writing in coffee shops and little restaurants, according to Writing Down the Bones and A Long Quiet Highway. She seems to find the activity inspiring and not distracting to the point of no accomplishment.
When I am at home, it is difficult to stay in one place and write. To stay in one place at all. Throw in a load of laundry...oops, now time to hang it out...visit the kitchen...scrounge for something to eat...think about categorizing my photos...sort the recycling...clear a pile of stuff off the table...hmm, let's read some of this book...geez, and I call myself a writer????
Enjoy the coming year and keep writing!
Cherie