On Writing Uno

I thought Stephen King's On Writing was superb. The book is seemingly, and destinctivly, seperated into two parts: a hilarious yet revealing semi-autobiography and a straight forward handbook to aspiring writers.
I loved his tone throughout the book. It was like he kept on wanting to avoid the "bullshit" that other authors frequently put in their novels. It was like a favorite uncle sitting you down to recap bits of his golden youth and carefully explaining his craft. His attitude was very easygoing yet firm, on the intent of the reader obtaining this knowledge. Which made him all the more humanistic, relatable, to the reader. Which is quite obsolute in many pieces of literartue. This made the book an easy read versus if John Grisham or Tom Clancy had approached the book in the same mannner.
The fact that he talked at a great length of deeply disturbing personal characteristics/flaws. The stories made me anticipate his next downfall basically. Such as when he delves into his past struggle with drugs and alcohol. The subject matter and his deteriation is undoubtedly grim yet he also manageas to place a humorous attitude towards them. Like when his wife confronts him about drinking numerous bottles of Listerine, he denies ever doing such a thing because Scope has a much mintier taste. Examples like this which could have thrown the reader off entirely, are standout moments in the book because King embraces his flaws, unlike many others.
For aspiring writers King offers, seemeningly as much advice that he can give. He states that, "If you want to be a writer you must do two things above all others: read alot and write alot." Also that we should take in books in small sips as well as long drinks. We learn his taboos of writing: adverbs and the passive voice. When it comes to writing a writer does best in a place of his own. Such as solitude for the first draft when you are writing just for yourself, ignoring symbolism and what not. The next or final draft should contain such elements when it is to be analyzed by critical readers. He also goes on to describe the elements of a writer's toolbox. Common tools, vocabulary and grammar, are on the top shelf. The second level consists of elements of grammar and style as well as an understanding of the paragraphs as the basic element in fiction. The final step is a sythesis of all these with innate and developed skills. However, one of the most important pieces of advice regards a writers subject in a novel. Every great story starts off with a what if quality, what if a dog infected with rabies was stuck with a family...Cujo.