When King first wrote Carrie, he noticed there was plenty of blood in the story, but never once stopped to think that the blood was created with an intentional symbolic meaning.

However, while working on the second draft of the story, King started to play around with the idea, image, and emotional connotations of blood. Blood played a role in all three crucial points in Carrie and used the symbolic meaning of blood to enhance the story.

But as with all things in this world, writers should be careful not to use it too much. Rather, symbolism is like digging for a fossil. If you dig around but don’t find anything, move on. If you dig around and do find part of a fossil, it’s best to keep digging until the fossil has been uncovered.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking to learn about Stephen King’s writing career and a few writing lessons along the way, “On Writing” is a fantastic book. However, if you’re looking for just a book about sharpening your craft, you may want to pass on this book if you’re an intermediate or advanced writer.

The book is a little less than 300 pages long, but if you take out the memoir section, it’s roughly 100 pages that focus on writing skills. It would also been great to have clear-cut lessons and tips for readers and the end of each chapter.

With that said, respect must be paid to the king, he is a spectacular writer. The book flows unbelievably well and is easy to read and understand. If you’re an aspiring writer or just starting out, definitely read this book.

Rating: 4/5 stars

If you’re interested in reading the book, click here or on the image below!