Stephen King On Writing Analysis

King’s writing was both fair and accurate. He seemed to have done lots of research, and written only the facts that had been proven. When he did write anything that seemed a little exaggerated, he would always source the statement making sure the reader knew that he was only stating what someone else said, not the complete truth. King also shows both sides of the story. He gives all characters an equal chance to prove themselves. As seen best with Lorenzo, King praises him first with Lorenzo’s doors, but then he expresses Lorenzo’s incompetence towards the wooden

King uses allusion like the Declaration of Independence and references famous American Idols like James Meredith and T.S. Elliot. This not only helps King’s credibility, but also for the ideals he stands for. He also masterfully uses rhetorical questions like, “but what else is there to do when you are alone for days in the dull monotony of a narrow jail cell, other then write long letters, and pray long prayers” (Paragraph, 5). King also asks the question, “or should I say book?” (Paragraph, 5). King is using imagery in his rhetorical questions to illustrate his dull and desolate surroundings. He says he is writing a book because he is implying that there are a lot of civil rights issues that he would like to

One metaphor used by King was “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny”(564). King also used a simile in his letter, “Like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must be opened with all is ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, in justice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion, before it can be cured.” (569-570). These uses of figurative language were just two of many found in King’s letter. By using these language tools King creates an eloquent writing style which is deep, sophisticated and poetic. Using this eloquent style, not only makes his writing polished but it supports his creditability. Eloquent writing supports creditability because it proves King’s wit and writing skills, which proves that he is well

This an an example of personification and imagery. King explains the randomness of ideas when he writes, he makes it clear that he can’t just pull ideas out of drawer. He describes the ideas as “sailing out of the empty sky” and joining together to make something new under the sun. His ideas come to him whenever they please, he has no control over it. He clearly states that his job as a writer is to recognize them when they appear.

Throughout his piece King expresses his disdain for television. Television is considered a waste of time and talent, without it more people would be able to address their potential for writing, through reading. When one could be reading and improving on writing, they are constantly drawn into the illuminated screen in the middle of the room. After explaining his view on the waste caused by television, readers are already having second thoughts about their leisurely activities. Once King has readers questioning their own personal motives, he really pulls them in with the first of his series of rhetorical questions, he asks “…how much of a sacrifice are we talking about here?”

To set the mood in this piece, King describes where he is writing his work and calls it his “far-seeing place,”(103). He says that he is writing this chapter at his desk down in his well lit basement in the winter, and this place is his sanctum away from the stresses of life. By writing about his current setting in his sanctuary, King showed that he was just like any one of us. King reads books as a release from life’s frustrations.

Ethos, ethical appeal and credibility as a writer, is portrayed in every word in this letter. King’s language is more than appropriate to the audience and subject, and his

Authors use literary elements and techniques as tools to convey meaning. These devices are the means by which authors bring richness and clarity to a text. They express moods or feelings that allow the reader to connect with the writing. In On Writing, the author, Stephen King makes use of literary elements to tell his story. The techniques King uses are effective in portraying vivid images and feelings in the reader’s mind.

King incorporates a myriad of stylistic devices that shape and develop the theme of the passage in the book. Through the periodic use of rhetorical questions such as,

Stephen King is considered one of the greatest horror and science fiction novelists of all time. With an amazing 98 or more books, you could say that he is quite a professional. Some of his books include “The Shining”, “Salem’s Lot” and “Misery”. Most of his books have been made into movies or short films, such as “Carrie” or “Creepshow”. Stephen King is one of the greatest horror/sci-fi authors of all time.

One must really dig into the book to get to the thesis. That is not to say the introduction and the entire first chapter is ineffective, quite the opposite is true. It is necessary to understand the context and transformation of King’s life in order to appreciate the thesis.

Most memoirs consist of many short stories about the author's life in order to teach the reader a particular lesson. Typically, memoirs are autobiographical and only tell a story through a singular, biased lens. When the writing and craft is strong, not only can the reader get into the head of the author, but the author can tell a story in an unbiased perspective. In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez and On Writing by Stephen King, are two memoirs that create a telepathic connection between the narrator and the reader. Alvarez tells the story of the Mirabal sisters living in the Dominican Republic in the mid-1900’s under the Trujillo regime. Her writing style is unique because each chapter is written in the perspective of the different sisters. In contrast, King solely narrates On Writing and accounts specific events that led up to his success as a writer. As touched upon in the TED Talk “The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, King creates a “single story” for the reader while Alvarez creates a broader perspective. In In the Time of the Butterflies, On Writing, and the TED Talk “The Danger of a Single Story”, the authors teach American readers about success and the value of life by writing from different points of view and a larger perspective.

A theme is unable to be expressed unless the audience is able to associate themselves with the characters and situations that the author sets the story up with. King treats capably those literary techniques that critics expect of a good and serious writer with his theme and craft. Writing is in fact hard and tedious, it is something that almost every experienced writer and beginner writes have to overcome. But when an aspiring writer finds themselves facing the incompetency to begin or finish their work, what do they do? In King’s On Writing, he dedicates an entire chapter to describing a toolbox. Although he begins the section by describing a real one, he addresses how an individual needs a toolbox of the mind. Not only should one pay attention

Writing is an important aspect of human culture. Ever since we learned to communicate, we struggled to remember or did not want to forget certain events. Thus we created pictographs and symbols, but then symbols evolved into writing. Then writing became more than just history, it became: dialogue, memoirs, grammar, editing, a window to the imagination. In its own way, writing is a language all on its own. Hence fiction writing, untrue stories, can used to prove how well an author is able to interpret his or her imagination onto paper. Thus books are sometimes interpreted as windows into the author's imagination. Stephen King is a clean translucent window when it comes to writing. Yet, Stephen King has many reasons behind

One of the tips King says is to not care about others with think, and says to write as if you were telling yourself the story. Perhaps the reason king is a worthy writer is because he doesn’t hold back when it comes to writing his stories because he’s over thinking on how to please the readers. Of course the goal for him is to satisfy the readers so they will keep purchasing his books, but there’s so many people to please when he writes, if he focused more on that, things might not turn out how he wants them too.