On Writing: 10th Anniversary Edition (Scribner Classics)

[mae]

Not sure what new, if anything, there will be, but Scribner is publishing a new 10th anniversary edition of On Writing on July 13, 2010. What's interesting is that it's a hardcover, not a paperback, as it's usually done with such reprints.

There is only this short description:


A Scribner Classics edition of Stephen King's critically lauded, million-copy bestseller about the craft of writing.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1439193630/

[lophophoras]

That is unusual. Should be interesting.

[herbertwest]

they did a BAG OF BONES one...

[CrimsonMordred]

I've read that book and listened to the audio countless times. I think it has helped my writing go up by 75% at least.

[Brainslinger]

I read the book up to the writing exercise. I totally intended to do it, then carry on. Except... I didn't and so I haven't. Heh.

I enjoyed what I read though. Interesting to see King's planning tends to be different from many authors. I.e. start with a situation and characters... and go from there rather than plotting out the whole thing. (Not that he's against plotting entirely, he just seems to see that as a last resort. At least that's how I read it.)

I don't think there's really a right or wrong though, but his way looks interesting. I rarely start a story not knowing how it will end though, although the stuff in between is often ambiguous. When I write. Something I intend to do more of. In better English than those last two sentences. ;)

[CrimsonMordred]

I didn't really find interest in the writing exercise, it seemed a little cliched with his book "Rose Madder" in a lot of ways, plus the abusive, criminal husband genre really isn't much of of my style.

From what I understand he only held the exercise for about 2 years after he brought the book out. Now he's stopped taking submissions for it, unsurprisingly.

[Brainslinger]

I didn't really find interest in the writing exercise, it seemed a little cliched with his book "Rose Madder" in a lot of ways, plus the abusive, criminal husband genre really isn't much of of my style.

It's not really the sort of subject matter I'd usually choose either, although I liked the twist he gave at the end. I partly wanted to do it because it was different than what I'd usually go for. Actually, much of the story is mapped out in my head, and I had a further twist of my own. I'm not sure it's all that good though.


From what I understand he only held the exercise for about 2 years after he brought the book out. Now he's stopped taking submissions for it, unsurprisingly.

I heard that too. I wasn't going to submit it myself anyway, it was a creative exercise. Or would have been, if I'd, like, done it. Heh.