King's book is a combination a condensed life story and where he got his motivation from. Along with a second part on writing tips and such. I thought of course by far his best advice is to simply go out and write and write regularly. You can't get good at writing by reading about getting good about writing and the other thing was readings lots of material and just the massive amount he has read in the past few years. He finds time by taking up extra minutes like if he goes to a movie he brings a book and reads till the movie starts or while in waiting rooms.
Overall a very inspirational read and good ideas presented. On another note he started this book shortly before his accident and finished it afterwards so you get a big insight into his experiences with that and his difficultly getting back to writing after his near death accident.
For example, both agree that the only way to learn how to write is by reading a lot and writing a lot. But they disagree with how a writer should develop his or her vocabulary. King says don't consciously try to improve your vocabulary; Gardner exhorts beginning writers to read the dictionary (actually, Gardner stole this from Hemingway). Now what's interesting is that I have to look more words in the dictionary reading King than Gardner (and Hemingway!). Go figure?
[This message has been edited by Balthasar (edited May 26, 2003).]
I found this book quite by accident while browsing the library shelves one day, and found it to be a great description of Steinbeck's process for writing. I learned a lot about writing by reading it.
Apparently, Steinbeck's journal while he was writing The Grapes of Wrath has also been published; I haven't read it, but I imagine it would also be full of lessons on writing.
I second Gardener’ The Art of Fiction. I especially recall his advice for beginners to rework their stories a number of times to learn the craft. This has helped me immensely with my stories, which I rewrite in some degree at least three times before sending them out. It’s always amazing how much junk you find when you reread a story.
I would also recommend Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing. The title essay gives the most compelling argument for writing something every day that I’ve ever found. Bradbury’s emphasis on what affects you emotionally is also worth learning, since touching the reader emotionally is perhaps the best way to create saleable stories.