I’m actually not a Stephen King fan, simply because as a general rule I don’t like horror or scary things (as a child my most common recurring nightmares were Ursula from Disney’s version of The Little Mermaid and Roald Dahl’s The Witches; Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away also terrified me). That said, he’s generally considered a pretty good writer — not just popular but actually good; a distinction he clarifies in regards to other authors — and this book gains definite credibility from his reputation and experience.

It offers a lot of practical advice, particularly concerning the drafting, editing, and publishing processes; obviously a lot of writing is subjective, as King addresses, but you have to learn the rules before you break them, and even then within and with good reason. The general tone is encouraging but realistic: if you’re not willing to put in the work (to get better, to finish the story, to solicit and weigh feedback), then you’re just wasting your own time; if you’re serious, though, you’re capable of achieving some version of success.