Recently I read ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King and was intrigued to find out that one of the tips that King offers to budding writers is to read voraciously. Stephen King, himself, reads around 70 novels a year. What was surprising to me is that King advocates a method which focuses on sifting, borrowing and polishing other ideas. This does not necessarily equate to stealing from others ,but rather acknowledges the fact that there are very few truly original ideas and that new ideas germinate from a mixture of existing ideas.

This book also captures some of Stephen King’s personal experiences like how he survived an accident to write again. Stephen King is the author with the highest number of books that were made into films – 34 and his book ‘ On Writing’ offers more than a glimpse into how uncomplicated yet unconventional, his methods are. This is not one of those books which reads like an instruction manual. It offers simple and practical advice to budding writers and asks them to be patient in honing their craft.

Key takeaways from the book :

1. Read a lot to be able to write a lot
2. Be patient in honing your craft
3. If you are passionate enough about your craft, the money will follow but Money should not be the sole motive.

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