Contradictions In Stephen King's On Writing

The first two sections of Stephen King's On Writing are in the least enjoyable. They are written in a very forward and easy to follow manner, detailing his life's poignant moments connected to writing. King's story of his writing is deeply connected to the story of his life. On p. 94, he ends the first section, the story of his life in writing, with “Life is not a support-system for art. It's the other way around.” This idea is a testament to the closely connected role his art has played in his life. However, in explaining his art form, King seems to contradict himself and closes many topics with frustrating resolutions. I was frustrated with King and his contradictions he makes as he tries to communicate his different opinions on writing. For one thing, he criticizes overly abstract poetry that he experienced in his college days. He generalizes abstract poetry for being meaningless. This generalization is a fault, when paired with him showing a poem his wife wrote in response to the mock poem he used to exemplify “bad” poetry. King thus does nothing for the reader except to provide his opinions.
This flaw is repeated in the second section of the book.
Because he feels he must write about the components of a writer's “toolbox”, he admittedly ends up “preaching to the converted” (113). He feels the need to explain the necessity of nouns and verbs and tense and paragraphs, things readers of the book have been barraged with in grammar books for years. The difference here is he provides examples from prose that he likes. Thus the reader is presented once again with simply things King personally supports or opposes. Albeit generally enjoyable to read, these opinions are only being read because King is famous and people care about his opinion. It doesn't bring anything new forward; simply new examples for old
ideas. King's drug and alcohol abuse provided an unexpected turn in the generally positive story of his life up to that point in the book. I found myself frustrated with his intervention episode and condemnation of the idea of an alcoholic writer. I agree that it is an absurd notion that writers can acceptably be alcoholics simply because of a more sensitive state of being. But King is someone who has many people who care for him deeply. When faced with the intervention business, he realized he wanted to stay married and a father. However, he does not understand the specific life situations that the writers King blames for the writer-substance abuse myth. Throughout his memoir he doesn't seem to ever have it that bad. Many of those substance abusing writers had it worse. He had a lot going for him, and a lot to fall back on. Many were not so lucky. He does not acknowledge this fact strong enough. It is undeniable that King has a gift for writing, and while I find myself often frustrated or unenthusiastic with some of the things he says, he nonetheless provides the reader with thoughtful writing theories and interesting stories. He is not afraid to write what he wants to write, aware of the criticisms a popular writer of his sort receives. However, being such a popular writer, it is unclear whether to take this book as a useful and genuine tool for writing and a poignant memoir, or simply a recitation of opinions from someone famous and self indulgent.