If you want to be a writer, read this book
348622
This was written in a very conversational style that I liked. I enjoyed learning about her life and struggles as a writer. This book seems like a must read for people who want to become a writer. The message I took away from it was if you really want something, you need to work hard and don't let any failures get you down. Keep on trying.
2412079
Stephen King brings his wealth of experience, humor, and intelligence to create a most readable book on what it takes to be a writer. Combining his own life stories with his first forays into writing and submitting work, this book is a must for all aspiring writers. After reading it, and reading it again, replete with highlights and margin notes, one will be compelled to commit pen to paper. Or fingers to keyboard. Buy it. You will not be disappointed. Kudos to Mr. King!
4934510
What's better than going to the next big writer's conference? Having 45 Editors, Agents, and Authors personally answer your questions about getting published. Wouldn't that be amazing? I have a wonderful surprise for you. The Portable Writer's Conference - Your Guide to Getting Published by Stephen Blake Mettee is just that. A compilation of expert advice you can have at your finger tips.

For me there is nothing better than inside information when you want to learn about an industry's needs and wants and how to provide those things to them. I was able to learn how to write nonfiction using fiction. How to write from my roots. How to use colorful description to enliven my nonfiction writing to name just a few of the gems you will find inside the covers.

If you truly have that burning desire to be published this year. If you want to bypass the same old excuses. If life keeps tossing you hurdle after hurdle and your are tired of allowing that to stop you from achieving your goal. Then this book is an absolute necessity.

This book carries tips for fiction and nonfiction writers. It paves the way for you to self-publish or get published in magazines or by book publishers.

It shows you how to hone in on your goal. How to set your sights on exactly what you want to accomplish. Then personally takes you by the hand and teaches you each step you need to take to finally achieve your goal.

Even if you attend every writer's conference that is being held this year in person. You will not have the opportunity to hear and learn from 45 experts that can show you how to apply what is necessary to your writing now.

Publishing in the 21st Century can be fun and profitable. It takes work of course. It takes time to learn the new publishing standards and expectations. It takes time to hone your craft. Then it takes some more time and dedication to find the right audience for your work. And finally, you need to match your audience with the correct publishing technique or company.

Stop wasting your precious time. Achieve your publishing goals today by reading and following the advice of experts who are in the trenches. Pick up this book. Find the section that applies to the kind of writing you do. Take action on its advice, and achieve your publishing goals today.<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Portable-Writer-s-Conference-Your-Guide-to-Getting-Published/dp/1884956572/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Portable Writer's Conference: Your Guide to Getting Published</a>
2310203
I love books on writing.  I have read my share of them too.  I've read ones by Terry Brooks and Stephen King and others.  So you'd think by now that I would have at least one novel under my belt.  But I don't.  Julie clarifies this issue in a nutshell...you have to write your way.  Yes, you should pay attention to the advice and there are certain things the writer should not fudge on, like style and grammar.  She recommends The Elements of Style by Strunk and White and there I couldn't agree with her more.  I happen to have that book in my writing arsenal.  A writer should also keep a good book on grammar handy.  What she said that I really liked and agree with 100% is "write something that matters--if only to you."  Great advice.  Who wants to write something they don't care about?  If the writer doesn't care, the reader certainly isn't going to.  It doesn't have to be a big statement book, but the story should mean something, should touch the writer and, therefore, the reader.  Authenticity and truth come in too.  Don't skimp on the details.  Do the research.  The most important thing though...get it written.  Set deadlines for yourself and this is one I like.  Set a goal of five pages per day, five days a week.  This works for Julie because she's a rule breaker so if she doesn't write on Monday, she can write Saturday to make it up.  Or she can add pages on to other days.  I think I like this approach better than so many words per day or hours even.  Frankly, the word count thing makes me very nervous (I'm talking to you NaNoWriMo)!

Julie's core rules:

Start it--put one word after another.
Put your heart in it.
Part with it--get it written.

Simple and straight forward.  I like it.  In subsequent chapters, she discusses voice, plot, characters, and all the nuts and bolts when it comes to writing a novel, but she does it in a fresh way.  She doesn't bog it all down with pages and pages of explanations.  That's one beef I have with writing books.  They are way too long.  Hence why there are so many on my shelves that remain unread.  Julie's 121 page dynamo is the perfect book on writing.  This is a book that will stay in my eReader and I will be using it as I continue with the novel I started during NaNoWriMo and did not finish.  I will finish it.  Five pages a day, five days a week and I will write it my way.  Thank you, Julie.
4601143
(And if you don't already have sympathy for screenwriters try reading Neil Gaimans The Gold Fish Pond or David Morrells The Successful Novelist.)

The book points out that theres a greater chance of winning the lottery than selling a screenplay, butif you have drive and talentfollowing the honest and generous advice in this book can only stack the odds in your favor.

I am not a screenwriter (even though I won five dollars on a scratch and win ticket once)but want to learn all I can from all kinds of writers and all kinds of books.

Its well organized by topic and can be re-read in doses as needed. It claims to not be a writing craft bookbut its that and more. Anyone with a story to tell should find value in this book. Or at least be inspired.

One of my favorite quotes is from the chapter on rewriting:

An art teacher once taught me to hold a painting up to a mirror to see its hidden flaws. But there is no equivalent to that in writing. If you hold up your script to a mirror, its just backwards! The only way to get that perspective is time away from the material. So the trick in rewriting is to get away from it for as long as you can.  Steven DeSouza
2028493
This book is fun to read.  Better than that, it will teach aspiring writers, practicing writers, and people who just love to read a lot about the machinery beneath a novel's surface that makes it go.  The author shares his considerable wisdom about characters, point of view, structure, dialogue, description, style, and, most challinging of all, revision and publication.  "Good dialogue isn't realistic," he warns; the author must control the release of information, he reveals, and "keep your notebook handy," he advises.  This book's great charm and readability speak for itself.
679237
Great read full of information and life lessons that I'll never forget. Robert Chazz Chute is a hilarious, talented writer. Each chapter in this book had one or more inspirational things that I either highlighted or reread. This is a book for writers, and not just those who are planning to take the indie plunge, but ALL writers. If I had to compare it to another writing book, it's kind of like On Writing by Stephen King, with little anecdotes about the author's life spritzed with advice and hard-truths about being a writer. The only difference is that you've probably haven't read this one, and if you haven't, you should. Now. Right now.
37445
I'm a writer.  Now that I've read this book, I (hope!) am a better writer.

The two most important ideas I gleaned from this book: to be a good writer you have to write.  A lot.  And read a lot.

Besides just being a fun read, which all King's books are, the advice on these pages is priceless.
4910353
I truly believe that Stephen King may go down as one of the most important writers of the late 20th/early 21st century.  That may be a stretch to some, but the man's work speaks for itself.  Some call him a hack, but I just don't see it.  His work stretches many genres and is inhabited by awesome characters.  Sure, some of these characters may be similar, but they are all still unique. He even wrote an epic in the great tradition of LORD OF THE RINGS (his Dark Tower series).

Like so many others out there, I love to write.  This book makes me a better writer.  I have enjoyed this volume in total three times; I have re-read parts of it dozens of times.  The advice is excellent, and it is presented in such an informal way.  This is not a textbook (which King says in the book).  He gives such wonderful advice to those who want to write.  Even if you don't want to be a writer, this is a great book.  There is a good portion of this book that is memoir.  King opens up about his life, and he reveals the struggles he went through.  I found his portion, though brief, about his recovery from the accident terrific.  This is a great book.  I strongly recommend it.
1147188
In 2014, I took five writing classes and in all of those classes, Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft came up as a must-read. I've not picked up a King novel since High School and even then, I've only read maybe three of his stories. He's prolific. I've enjoyed some of his non-horror stories that have been adapted for the screen, like The Green Mile and Stand by Me. I've even seen him perform in the literary rock band, The Rock-Bottom Remainders. Check them out!  Although, I'm not a huge fan of his books, I do recognize that he is a writer who has built a solid career and certainly someone who would have wisdom to impart on inspiring writers.

PLOT - King divides On Writing into two parts. The first half of the book is dedicated to a series of true-life events that King believes foreshadowed his career in writing or events that shaped the themes that appear in his stories. Even if you're not an aspiring writer or don't give a fig about his writing advice, this first half of the book is highly interesting. If you're a King fan, this is a must read. His stories are so well know, that even the ones that I've not read or seen a film adaptation of, I knew and this made it fascinating to read the inspiration for these stories. I think what King is really trying to drive home here is that stories exist in the every day and to shape, not fight against those themes that keep presenting themselves.

The second part of the book focuses on writing advice, everything from proper grammar to getting a literary agent. King draws on his own experiences, as well as the experiences of his colleagues. He is constantly pointing out that this is just his (one writers) advice on how to do it and that there are plenty of other solutions that have worked for other writers.

LIKE - I liked King's frank advice. One of the biggest things he repeats is the need for writers to be active with both their reading and writing. This sounds obvious, but just having spent a lot of time with other aspiring writers, this does not always seem to be the case. There are readers who want to write and writers who avoid books. I tend to read more than write and King's advice has inspired me to up my game.

He also inspired me to think more about how I can create "my own" space in which to write, a distraction free space. I've not quite found that right spot or the times that I'm most productive. King made me really think about my writing strategy in terms of getting my short stories published and the longer term goal of finding a literary agent. He makes a compelling case for the necessity of a literary agent. King gave me a good kick in the ass towards figuring out my future goals.

I appreciated King's section of editing and how he showed a first draft of his own story and then showed the subsequent edit. King never says that writing is easy or that everyone can do it, but it does give encouragement, especially in showing that he too has and still does have blocks or writing problems. The fix is always hard work.

DISLIKE - Nothing to dislike. I found much to be gained from reading On Writing. It's a book that warrants a slow, thoughtful read and it will be a reference book on my shelf for years to come. It sold me on wanting to read some Stephen King novels! It's not like this book is at all a pitch for his novels, but with all of the references, it put me in the mood.

If there is drawback, it might be that the book is dated, written before this boom in self-publishing and e-readers. I'd love to hear how King's advice might have changed with this new landscape.

RECOMMEND - Yes. On Writing is a wonderful resource for new writers or writers wanting to take steps to get their stories published. The first half of the book is a must for all King fans, regardless of your desire to be a writer.

Like my review? Check out my blog!
2502704
I've just finished reading this. I began it last night as something to read before turning out the light, and found I had to put it down reluctantly, when the graininess of my eyes told me it was time to sleep. When I left for work this morning it was in my bag.

While computers were running maintenance programs, I was reading. While I ate my lunch I read. During smoko, it was my companion and when my wife went to umpire netball this evening, I sat on a sofa and read till I finished it.

I found it to be a compelling read (duh!). And extremely funny in places. Stephen is up front with his experiences that helped develop the writer, millions have come to love. His thoughts on how to write, the mechanics, what works and what doesn't, is thought provoking at worst, eye-opening almost always. He passes judgment on other writers across a multitude of genres, makes comment on the tools a writer needs, critique groups, readers, schedules, word counts and even provides a book list of the titles he's read over the four or five years preceding this book's publication.

He also talks candidly about his accident in 1999.

I've heard in reviews, from other writers, and on the grapevine that as a new writer, I should definitely read this. Now, in this review, I'm repeating that advice. Every writer should read this.

Not everything in it will be of use to every writer. But there will be something that strikes a chord with anyone who has ever put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) with the goal of publication.

I'm not going to go into detail on the contents of the book--you need to go out and buy your very own copy. At less than $10AU at just about anywhere that sells books, not just any good bookstore, you will gain more than your money's worth.

In case I haven't made my opinion clear on this book--go and buy it! I'll be referring to my copy for many years to come.
827544
Informative and provides food for thought if you are interested in turning your writing into a career
3478545
One of the first things that jumped out at me in You are a Writer, was the amount of nodding along that I was doing.  I could feel where Jeff was coming from, I have felt most of those things myself.  Many of those thoughts are what inspired me to start blogging and get some of "Me" out there into the Universe.  But what good is getting out there if no one reads it?  That is what I feel to be the base message of the book.

Jeff is very positive.  Almost to a fault!  Actually he gives you such a feeling of "I can go do this!" that I just want to write!  That is on of Jeff's great gifts, it is why I started reading his blog, he is so encouraging.

He gets into how to become a "writer", how to be true to yourself, how to get paid for your craft.  He talks about disciplining yourself, practicing the craft, avoiding distraction.  He gives you some hard truths about being a writer, some I knew but had forgotten and must now relearn, for real.  And then he goes into exactly how to do it.

All in all, if you have ever had aspirations of being a writer, or you have dabbled in writing and have given up, or you are a writer who just needs to read about "doing it" once in a while, Grab this book and get started, you will not be sorry.
4596697
Reasons to buy/read this book

1. You have writer's block and need help.

2. You feel that you've confused the many rules of writing.

3. Your writing style bores you.

4. It takes you three pages to explain something that's complicated.

I read "Words Fail Me" for motivation while writing my second book. The best way to move past a writer's block is to lift your confidence by sharpening your writing skills. O'Conner delivers writing confidence in about 20 easy-to-digest chapters.

Patricia T. O'Conner's work is neither preachy nor boring. She speaks to the aspiring writer who may have forgotten some grammar rules while queuing you to times when you may not need to adhere to all the rules in the grammar book.

Her writing is witty and makes grammar fun, for once. It's a neat refresher book to add to your writing library.
3281705
This is my third King book to read and I think he is the best of all the writers I have read.  Unfortunately, I don't particularly enjoy his genre, but King is the best at writing believable characters and making you feel part of the story.
The first part of this book, the autobiography, read just like one of his novels.  I kept waiting for something sinister or crazy to happen, then I had to remind myself that this was a true story, not fiction.
Many people who buy this book are going to do so because they havve some sort of aspirations to be a writer.  The point I took from this book is that there are no magic secrets to writing, you just have to sit down and do it.  More time you spend trying to figure out how to write, the less time you will spend writing.  King gives a few valuable pointers on editing and structure.  His advice on not plotting, just starting with a situation and going from there might not be for everybody, but it makes sense.  King's inspirational advice says to just write for yourself, not for anyone else, and see what happens from there.
I definitely reccommend this book to any wanna-be writer or King fan.
1730099
Stephen King gives us two books in one here, both connected by the overall theme of the writing life. He begins with a memoir of some of the incidents and turning points in his life that shaped him as a writer. The book closes with an account of his near-fatal encounter with an out-of-control van, and a moving discussion of the role writing played in his recovery.
In between, we get King's how-to primer for those who want to pursue the writer's trade. He offers the same kind of sound, practical advice that others have offered to aspiring writers: read a lot; write a lot; learn the basic tools of grammar; don't do it for money, or for fame, or for any reason but a need to express yourself. It's this mind-set that he wants to transmit, it seems, above all else.
Like some of the other reviewers, I haven't read anything by King before this book. Just a few impressions that stick with me: King has a great sense of irony, and a wonderful sense of humor. And he cares passionately about his craft. I think it doesn't matter to him when the critics dismiss him as the modern king of pulp fiction...and it's not a case of him laughing all the way to the bank. As long as he knows, and those who love and value him most know, that he's given his work the very best he's got to offer, he'll be happy with himself.--William C. Hall
1479327
For anyone considering pursuing a career in self publishing, or even a part time hobby as a writer, there are two necessary avenues. The first is to learn how to write, and if you're just starting out, On Writing by King is the place to go. HOWEVER if you're planning on earning an income from that sweat and toil, then you need to understand that success as a writer is based on being able to get people to buy and read your work. Estimates are that 60-70% of success as a writer is due to this.

Gaughran's book is the fundamental guide to achieving this, just as King's book is a fundamental guide to developing the craft. Any and every writer ought to have both of these books handy for reference as they develop their career. Let's Get Visible explains the complexities of Amazon's black art of helping readers discover books and strategies for using them to your own benefit. He also gives excellent advice on setting up promotional campaigns for either new releases or for reviving an existing backlist.

I am as grateful to Gaughran for creating this work as I am to King for On Writing. Actually, it's a 70/30 split! lol