A handful of times over the past couple of years readers have asked about my process for writing columns. A longer response may be in the offing at some point, but in the interim I’m including below a letter I wrote Stephen King recently. I can’t recommend his memoir highly enough. KW
July 23, 2022
Stephen,
I recently finished On Writing and thought it was a terrific memoir, not to mention the best book on writing I’ve ever read. Thank you for sharing your story and approach to the craft. You may quit reading here if you like (I have no idea how much fan mail you have to wade through), but I thought you might be interested in the backstory of how I came across your book and why I felt compelled to write you. It might even make you smile.
On May 18 I found myself on the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford, MS for my youngest son’s college orientation. Since this was my fourth child to attend Ole Miss and I could just about give the orientation lecture to parents myself, I escaped into the bookstore. As I perused the aisles, my eye was caught by this interesting little book by Stephen King on writing.
The first sentence in the second foreword grabbed my attention (as did the fact that there were multiple forewords). When I read the reference to Strunk and White’s Elements of Style, which my dad gave me when I was in jr. high, I was hooked. I purchased a copy (of On Writing, not The Elements of Style), headed out to the Grove, found a bench, and sat down to read.
I didn’t finish your book that afternoon – I had to be a good dad, after all, and attend some of the orientation events with my son – but remember telling my wife that night, “You’re not going to believe where Stephen King got the inspiration for Carrie!”
When I got to the “Toolbox” section a few nights later I got my highlighter out. By the time I finished On Writing in early June I knew I had added a permanent reference work to my collection. I have since bought copies for three of my friends (including my dad). None of them write professionally (although one is an aspiring novelist), but all write the occasional blogs, newspaper columns, and op-eds.
By coincidence, I finished your book about the same time I returned from a trip to New England and the same time my wife and I were streaming Castle Rock (which, subconsciously or not, may have been influenced by reading your book). Regardless, because of the confluence of events I felt compelled to thank you for a job well done.
Finally, although I’m not a novelist, I write the periodic newspaper column and was struck by the similarities of the process. Like Tabitha for you, my wife M’lee is my Ideal Reader. Every column I write goes through her screen before I send it out for print. I also believe in the value of trimming and that less is more. (Of course, the newspaper format enforces that discipline as you recall.)
One thing that strikes me as different is that whereas you as a novelist don’t know where you’ll end up but trust the story to take you there, I as a columnist know where I want to end up but am never quite sure how I’ll get there. I’m including a copy of a recent column referencing my experience in the Boston Garden. You can decide how well (or poorly) I followed your rules.
With appreciation for your work,
Kelley Williams is a Northsider.
