On ON WRITING: Part Two Full of Knowledge, Lacking in Previous Anecdotal Entertainment

Part One of my Stephen King reading and blogging assignment for On Writing left me pleasantly suprised. Rather than bloody murder synopses like those found in King novel's, I found myself identifying with the conversational tone of King's roughhewn autobiography, or "CV." Of course, I had to turn the page and find that On Writing was no longer a stroll down memory lane but a trek to literary greatness. Part Two of my assignment was missing the enticing stories from King's past; those were replaced by a thorough introduction to the craft. Even with King's constant wit and striking realism, the pace at which I read On Writing slowed from a carefree skip to a powerwalk in high heels. (Perhaps this had to do with my slight procrastination, but anyways...)
Beginning with a short but highly inspiring section called "What Writing Is", I began to immerse myself into the mind and writing experience of Stephen King. "What Writing Is" managed to describe the craft is a high form of telepathy without sounding like a hippie's guide to literary enlightenment. As King described a table, a cage, and a rabbit in order to convey the idea that writing creates a bond that transcends space and time, I realized that he was not the only one who had the power to relate to readers. In reading this section, I found that any writer (myself included) possesses the ability describe, communicate, and mystify.
 The next section of the text, "The Toolbox", was meticulous but worth the effort. By explaining the importance of vocabulary, grammar, and style, I learned that creativity is not an excuse to sloppily splash words onto the page. The page and the craft are sacred and must not be approached lightly. On a sidenote, I particularly detested King's use of the word "Fazza" to describe his maternal grandfather. I'm sorry, but that word is simply treacherous.
The first nine chapters of "On Writing" referenced an entire spectrum of writers (as did "The Toolbox"), both good and bad. I loved King's frank analyses of description, dialogue, and character formation in these examples. This section was especially dense and required extra attention to King's valuable adivce. With each guideline for composition, prose, dialogue, and storyline, I could feel myself becoming a better writer.
Overall, the second section of On Writing required me to pay closer attention to King's advice. No longer did a fluid chronological recount of King's life aid my understanding of the craft; my task was to take notes with an intense reverence to the responsibility of writing. I won't complain about the reading, however. After all, King says reading a lot and writing a lot will eventually make me a better (or at least more experienced) writer.