On Writing

This book by Stephen King has been genuinely recommended 5 times across 3 different shows: Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, Tim Ferriss. The people who vouched for it on air: Brandon Sanderson, Jessica Lahey, Lisa Feldman Barrett, Mark Greaney, Tim Ferriss. It comes up in conversations about addiction & recovery, brain health, consciousness, exercise & strength, longevity & aging. The earliest recommendation we indexed is from Nov 2020 and the most recent from Feb 2025. Every quote below is verbatim, attributed, and linked to the exact second it was said. Sourced expert opinion, not medical advice.

On Writing is both a textbook for writers and a memoir of Stephen's life and will, thus, appeal even to those who are not aspiring writers. If you've always wondered what led Steve to become a writer and how he came to be the success he is today, this will answer those questions. ([source][1]) [1]:

• “if you want the opposite of save the cat on writing by Stephen King is a leaping off point in save the cat's about structure and onw writings about the life of a writer”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “those will give you kind of two of the different viewpoints on storytelling and they're both very good”
  Brandon Sanderson · The Tim Ferriss Show · Feb 202500:49:35

  Said during "Brandon Sanderson, Building a Fiction Empire & Unbreakable Habits". The episode features Brandon Sanderson: Bestselling epic fantasy author (Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive) who finished Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series and built Dragonsteel, a direct-to-consumer publishing company. Holds the record for the largest Kickstarter ever. Brandon Sanderson breaks down how he built a fantasy publishing empire through writing habits, magic systems, and a record-shattering $41M Kickstarter.

• “his book on writing is really inspirational yeah because he didn't have instant success even though he got published when he was really young”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “his book on writing is really inspirational”
  Mark Greaney · The Joe Rogan Experience · Jun 202400:32:22

  Said during "Joe Rogan Experience #1942 - Mark Greaney". The episode features Mark Greaney: Bestselling thriller novelist behind the Gray Man series and the continuation of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novels. Thriller author Mark Greaney on writing the Gray Man series, the Hollywood adaptation, tactical research, brutal injuries, and the discipline behind creativity.

• “I would say that On Writing by Stephen King, you really can't read about fiction until you've tried some fiction.”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “one book you love that was better the second time around... On Writing by Stephen King”
  Tim Ferriss · The Tim Ferriss Show · Nov 202301:19:06

  Said during "Q&A with Tim Ferriss, AI Companions, Longevity Levers, Writer's Block, Low-Back Pain, & Much More". The episode features Tim Ferriss: Author, entrepreneur, angel investor, and host of The Tim Ferriss Show, in a solo live Q&A fielding pre-submitted and live-feed questions. Tim Ferriss answers fan questions on AI companions, weight training for longevity, writer's block, low-back pain, and meaning in a secular age.

• “it's stephen king's on writing my kids use it too actually my 17 year old and i have listened to this book in the car more times than i know because it makes me want to write”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “it's an incredibly joyful book it's an incredibly useful book and it is a book that makes me want to ... go right”
  Jessica Lahey · The Tim Ferriss Show · Dec 202100:49:43

  Said during "Jessica Lahey on Parenting, Desirable Difficulties, And Much More! | The Tim Ferriss Show". The episode features Jessica Lahey: New York Times bestselling author of The Gift of Failure and The Addiction Inoculation who taught grades 6-12 for over 20 years and worked five years in an adolescent drug-and-alcohol rehab. She is in long-term recovery and serves as a recovery coach at Sana, a medical detox center in Stowe, Vermont. Teacher and author Jessica Lahey on raising self-sufficient kids, preventing addiction, her own sobriety, and learning to write through failure.

• “Stephen King has a great book writing on writing and um you know where he gives tips um interlaced with his own personal history”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “Stephen King has a great book”
  Lisa Feldman Barrett · Lex Fridman Podcast · Nov 202002:06:42

  Said during "Lisa Feldman Barrett: Love, Evolution, and the Human Brain | Lex Fridman Podcast #140". The episode features Lisa Feldman Barrett: A neuroscientist at Northeastern University and one of the most cited psychologists in the world, known for her theory of constructed emotion. She is the author of How Emotions Are Made and Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain. Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett joins Lex Fridman for a freewheeling talk on love, brain evolution, free will, and consciousness.