#132

Mentioned in 94 episodes

On Writing

A Memoir of the Craft

Book • 1999

This book is both a memoir and a writing guide.

It details Stephen King's life, from his childhood and early writing endeavors to his struggles with addiction and his near-fatal accident in 1999.

The book is divided into sections that cover King's life ('C. V.

'), the nature of writing ('What Writing Is'), writing mechanics ('Toolbox'), his advice on the craft ('On Writing'), and his recovery from the accident ('On Living: A Postscript').

King offers practical tips on writing, including the importance of vocabulary, grammar, and style, as well as the need for consistent writing routines and ruthless editing.

He emphasizes that good writing comes from within, driven by curiosity, wonder, and emotional honesty rather than commercial motives.

Mentioned by

Lenny Rachitsky

Chris Williamson

Chamath Palihapitiya

Mentioned in 94 episodes

Recommended by

Sam Parr

as a book that changed his life, teaching him how to write better while also sharing his personal experiences.

Become A Better Writer In 60 Minutes (Masterclass)

Mentioned by

Lenny Rachitsky

and

Wes Kao

as a popular writing book.

Become a better communicator: Specific frameworks to improve your clarity, influence, and impact | Wes Kao (coach, entrepreneur, advisor)

Recommended by

Lenny Rachitsky

as a book that helped him write more effectively, focusing on conciseness.

Become a better communicator: Specific frameworks to improve your clarity, influence, and impact | Wes Kao (coach, entrepreneur, advisor)

Mentioned by

Tim Ferriss

as a book on writing that he has read.

Talking to Tim Ferriss about how to live a dope life

Mentioned by

Tim Ferriss

as a book about writing well.

Talking to Tim Ferriss about how to live a dope life

Mentioned by

Alex Hormozi

as a source of inspiration for his writing process.

Alex Hormozi: Copywriting Masterclass | How I Write

Mentioned by

Ali Abdaal

as a book on writing, revisited using Shortform.

Alex Hormozi: How He Built A $150 Million Empire And His Best Business Advice

Recommended by

Tim Ferriss

as a book that is better appreciated after writing fiction.

#704: Q&A with Tim — New Religions, AI Companions, Longevity Levers, Resurrecting “Forgotten” Languages, Stress-Testing Cherished Beliefs, Tactics for Writer’s Block, Low-Back Pain, and Much More

Mentioned by

Cal Newport

, when giving Doug advice about getting started as a writer, referring to King's experience with rejection slips.

Ep. 363: Escaping the Digital Doldrums

Mentioned by

Cal Newport

as one of the most famous nonfiction books about writing.

Ep. 315: The Surprising Myth of Doing Less

Mentioned by

David Perell

as a benchmark for the quality he aims for in "How I Write."

I Met 20 of The World's Greatest Writers. Here's What I Learned.

Recommended by

Alex Hormozi

as one of the best books on writing, emphasizing concise writing and sentence structure.

Why My Books Go Viral (David Perrell Interview) | Ep 885

Mentioned by

David Senra

as containing the maxim, "Imitation precedes creation."

Mentioned by

Chris Williamson

in relation to the muse and writing.

#655 - Polina Pompliano - The 10 Habits Of The World’s Most Successful People

Mentioned by

Chamath Palihapitiya

as a memoir on writing.

E141: State of Series A's, VC dry powder, IPO window opens + more with Bill Gurley & Brad Gerstner

Mentioned by

David Senra

to emphasize the importance of supportive relationships in entrepreneurship, drawing a parallel with Sol Price's experience.

#304: Sol Price (The Founder Who Taught Jim Sinegal, Sam Walton, Jeff Bezos, Bernie Marcus)

Mentioned by

Lenny Rachitsky

as an impactful book for improving writing skills.

Mastering product strategy and growing as a PM | Maggie Crowley (Toast, Drift, Tripadvisor)

Mentioned by

Neil Pasricha

in the context of the transformative power of reading and its impact on the imagination.

Neil Pasricha: Cultivate Happiness & Live An Awesome Life

Recommended by

Noah Weiss

as a guide to writing high-quality, high-volume content.

The 10 traits of great PMs, how AI will impact your product, and Slack’s product development process | Noah Weiss (Slack, Foursquare, Google)

Mentioned by

David Senra

in relation to his quote about imitation preceding creation.

#309 Arnold Schwarzenegger (Before He Was Successful)

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