Two Sylvias' Weekly Muse: November 12, 2023

Issue 81

Hello Writers and Poets!

You may associate writer Stephen King with frightening books and movies (The Shining, Carrie, Misery, and The Stand, to name a few), but in 2000, King released a book that has become a mainstay in many writing and literature courses. King’s On Writing: A Memoir of Craft is an inspiring read, combining elements of autobiography with advice for both experienced and emerging writers.

Discussing his life, King talks about his early interest in storytelling as well as his struggles in writing his first book, Carrie, while supporting his family as a high school janitor. He wrote this novel wedged in a closet (his “office”) in the laundry room of his small home. King also candidly explores his bout with alcoholism—he doesn’t remember writing Cujo (a story of a killer canine who terrorizes a town) due to his constant state of drunkenness. This memory lapse led him to seek help.

When it comes to advice in On Writing, King provides practical guidance on various aspects of …