It doesn't matter what you think about Stephen King's fiction (heck, I couldn't even get past the first couple chapters of Pet Cemetery), but On Writing is brilliant in its execution and intent. Who else can encapsulate the essence of being a writer with a wry, almost self-deprecating tone yet dish out sensible advice with very little BS? After reading this, I felt like gathering up all my rejection slips and staking them through the wall too (except I don't have a stake and my landlord probably wouldn't appreciate the hole in the wall).
I don't care for horror, so Stephen King's books are not my cup of tea (although several of them have made great movies). But I agree that On Writing was outstanding. I made me think that he really must be a good writer, if you are into his genre.
Thou dost speaketh HERESY! SK is one of the best writers ever!
But, ok, he's not to everyone's taste, 'tis true.
Combine King's, with John Gardner's "The Art of Fiction" and top it off with Koontz's "How to Write Best Selling Fiction" (out of print, so you'll have to library it) and you've got the essential three from the folks who knew what they're doing.
And I'd never noticed before, but heresy is awfully close to Hersey (and in chocolate). I wonder if that was intentional...
