Best Books on Writing and WHY
- Thread starter Raphee
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Sol Stein's Growing a Novel and Stein On Writing were both invaluable to me. He describes lots of common problems and then gives you concrete examples of how to fix them. Tons and tons of writerly wisdom in those books.
A good 'un, if you can find a copy:
Published in 1992, Random House, "James A. Michener's Writer's Handbook".
This is a good one. Why? Because He shows all drafts, all edits of original (photocopied) of some of his book excerpts and spoke extensively on the writing and editing process. This is a must for the bookshelf of any beginning writer. I really think it's the only writing book with photocopies of the actual author's corrections-- and why he made those changes. it shows how "pieced" together a first draft is, and how much actual work goes into creating it. It really deflates the balloon of those who say that you just churn it out. Seeing it makes a first time or beginning writer get a huge dose of reality, quickly.
Published in 1992, Random House, "James A. Michener's Writer's Handbook".
This is a good one. Why? Because He shows all drafts, all edits of original (photocopied) of some of his book excerpts and spoke extensively on the writing and editing process. This is a must for the bookshelf of any beginning writer. I really think it's the only writing book with photocopies of the actual author's corrections-- and why he made those changes. it shows how "pieced" together a first draft is, and how much actual work goes into creating it. It really deflates the balloon of those who say that you just churn it out. Seeing it makes a first time or beginning writer get a huge dose of reality, quickly.
"First Five Pages" by Noah Lukeman. He's owns his own literary agency. He's worked with many major authors. He knows the biz very well. He targets the problems beginners most frequently make. He also points out the things "in the first five pages" that if they aren't there (or in some cases are there) will kill the agent's reading of your work.
It's easy to read, not too long, and he gives examples for each concept, and what I really liked were the manageable exercises at the end of each chapter. I remember the first few that I did on my own work, and wow, what an eye opener. It increased the readability exponentially.
Highly recommended. Like $8 at B&N.
It's easy to read, not too long, and he gives examples for each concept, and what I really liked were the manageable exercises at the end of each chapter. I remember the first few that I did on my own work, and wow, what an eye opener. It increased the readability exponentially.
Highly recommended. Like $8 at B&N.
I second the Noah Lukeman suggestion and add Walter Mosley's 'This Year You Write Your Novel'. It's short, it's eloquent, and it inspired the hell out of me.
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Bird by Bird by Anne Lamont is very good and entertaining, though it doesn't deal with the craft side of writing to much but more the process.
I would add ON WRITING by Stephen King to your list. He is a master of the English language and after reading this book, you'll know why and how he does it. Of course, THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE by Strunk & White is essential. Good luck.
I second On Writing - there's some really good advice on the process of writing a novel, including drafting. It's also an interesting autobiography with some details of Stephen King's accident and recovery.
The First Five Pages looks interesting, I may check it out - thanks!
The First Five Pages looks interesting, I may check it out - thanks!
Bird by Bird for inspiration ranging from the gritty to the sublime.
For basic writing instruction, go to the manual for rewriting instruction: Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. This one will teach you all the essential writing lingo, like POV, exposition, dialogue beats. Good exercises follow each chapter.
For craft, the Writers Digest Elements of Fiction "white" books remain good. My favorites are Orson Scott Card's Characters and Viewpoint and Nancy Kress's Beginnings, Middles and Ends. Very thorough, both of them.
My favorite novel writing book is long out of print, I fear. It's Christopher Derrick's The Writing of Novels (Reader's Report in England). Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Hunt it down if you can.
Another personal favorite, though more advanced: The Fiction Editor, the Novel and the Novelist, by Thomas McCormack. Here you'll learn some esoteric concepts that, if wrestled to the ground, will deepen your understanding of the guts of fiction, such as the prelibation and the formidable master prelibation.
For basic writing instruction, go to the manual for rewriting instruction: Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. This one will teach you all the essential writing lingo, like POV, exposition, dialogue beats. Good exercises follow each chapter.
For craft, the Writers Digest Elements of Fiction "white" books remain good. My favorites are Orson Scott Card's Characters and Viewpoint and Nancy Kress's Beginnings, Middles and Ends. Very thorough, both of them.
My favorite novel writing book is long out of print, I fear. It's Christopher Derrick's The Writing of Novels (Reader's Report in England). Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Hunt it down if you can.
Another personal favorite, though more advanced: The Fiction Editor, the Novel and the Novelist, by Thomas McCormack. Here you'll learn some esoteric concepts that, if wrestled to the ground, will deepen your understanding of the guts of fiction, such as the prelibation and the formidable master prelibation.
Bird by Bird (Lamott) and On Writing (King) have been mentioned. I'd add:
How to Write a Million (Orson Scott Card, Michael Ridpath, Ansen Dibell, and Lewis Turco) - the section on plot is one of the best and most practical things on plot construction I've ever read and the section on character's also great, though I didn't get on with the dialogue section at all. Wannabe a Writer by Jane Wenham-Jones - fab, like having a good chat with a writing buddy. The Writer's Journey by C Vogler - wonderful.
How to Write a Million (Orson Scott Card, Michael Ridpath, Ansen Dibell, and Lewis Turco) - the section on plot is one of the best and most practical things on plot construction I've ever read and the section on character's also great, though I didn't get on with the dialogue section at all. Wannabe a Writer by Jane Wenham-Jones - fab, like having a good chat with a writing buddy. The Writer's Journey by C Vogler - wonderful.
I just finished Getting the Words Right: 39 Ways to Improve Your Writing by Theodore A. Rees Cheney. I'm not published, so take that for what it's worth, but it not only taught me something, I really enjoyed the read.
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I'm also an avid reader of The Elements of Fiction Writing series. To add a couple of my favorite titles:
People have mentioned Bird by Bird, and I enjoy that book along with Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg for getting the idea of your story down.
My personal favorite is called The Writer's Little Helper by James V Smith. It's a small book, but it has color indexed pages on most topics.
People have mentioned Bird by Bird, and I enjoy that book along with Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg for getting the idea of your story down.
My personal favorite is called The Writer's Little Helper by James V Smith. It's a small book, but it has color indexed pages on most topics.
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"Telling Lies for Fun and Profit" by Lawrence Block was pretty awesome. Lot's of solid advice for fiction writers in there.
"The Right to Write" by Julia Cameron was good for the "artsy" side of writing.
"The Right to Write" by Julia Cameron was good for the "artsy" side of writing.
The only three books in my collection are Writing the Breakout Novel and Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass and the aforementioned Beginnings, Middles & Ends by Nancy Kress.
For books ABOUT writing, I highly recommend pretty much anything by Lawrence Block, though Telling Lies for Fun and Profite and Spider, Spin Me a Web are my favorites. Reading Block's books about being a writer made me realize I wasn't unique, crazy or stupid.
For books ABOUT writing, I highly recommend pretty much anything by Lawrence Block, though Telling Lies for Fun and Profite and Spider, Spin Me a Web are my favorites. Reading Block's books about being a writer made me realize I wasn't unique, crazy or stupid.
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I also recommend Bird by Bird and On Writing, and I'll add Making a Literary Life by Carolynn See. Like the first two titles, See's book is part memoir, part pep talk, part how-to, and all kinds of funny.
Not as much fun to read, but essential in its brass-tacks advice is Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass. It's one thing to write just because you want to tell a story. However, if you want to make money as a writer, enough money to pay rent and buy food, you're eventually going to have to evaluate your writing's commerical value. Maass will help you do that.
Not as much fun to read, but essential in its brass-tacks advice is Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass. It's one thing to write just because you want to tell a story. However, if you want to make money as a writer, enough money to pay rent and buy food, you're eventually going to have to evaluate your writing's commerical value. Maass will help you do that.
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as an aside, I also have a subscription to "The Writer" magazine and it's worth the money. Lot's of broad based topics covered, lots of freelance markets and contests listed, and so good stuff in there.
The Art of Fiction by John Gardner.
He explains how to establish a "fictional dream"
so that the reader is drawn in and imagines the story is really happening.
At the end of the book Gardner provides good writing exercises,
for example this one:
"Describe a building as seen by a man whose son has just been killed
in a war. Do not mention the son, war, death or the old man
doing the seeing; then describe the same building ..... as seen
by a happy lover."
He explains how to establish a "fictional dream"
so that the reader is drawn in and imagines the story is really happening.
At the end of the book Gardner provides good writing exercises,
for example this one:
"Describe a building as seen by a man whose son has just been killed
in a war. Do not mention the son, war, death or the old man
doing the seeing; then describe the same building ..... as seen
by a happy lover."
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Any book in the genre you're writing in. Sometimes the best teacher is what's already published in the genre.
How To Write a Damn Good Novel by James N. Frey, because he explains the mechanics of good storytelling itself.
Much as I hate to steer you to my blog, over there I have reviews of several important books for writers:
Atlanta Nights (the classic anti-textbook, by Uncle Jim and others)
78 reasons why your book may never be published and 14 reasons why it just might by Pat Walsh (a book by an editor that you owe it to yourself to read)
The Art of Fiction and On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardner
Telling Lies for Fun and Profit and Spider, Spin Me a Web by Lawrence Block
The Modern Library Writer's Workshop by Stephen Koch
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
The Paris Review Interviews, Vols 1-8, George Plimpton et al, eds.
The Sound on the Page: Style and Voice in Writing by Ben Yagoda
Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose
Two I haven't reviewed but highly recommend are
The Courage to Write by Ralph Keyes
and
How NOT to Write a Novel by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman.
How NOT... is, in addition to being deadly accurate, absolutely hilarious.
Stephen King, Sol Stein, and Noah Lukeman are all good reads as well.
'Zat enough?
Atlanta Nights (the classic anti-textbook, by Uncle Jim and others)
78 reasons why your book may never be published and 14 reasons why it just might by Pat Walsh (a book by an editor that you owe it to yourself to read)
The Art of Fiction and On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardner
Telling Lies for Fun and Profit and Spider, Spin Me a Web by Lawrence Block
The Modern Library Writer's Workshop by Stephen Koch
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
The Paris Review Interviews, Vols 1-8, George Plimpton et al, eds.
The Sound on the Page: Style and Voice in Writing by Ben Yagoda
Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose
Two I haven't reviewed but highly recommend are
The Courage to Write by Ralph Keyes
and
How NOT to Write a Novel by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman.
How NOT... is, in addition to being deadly accurate, absolutely hilarious.
Stephen King, Sol Stein, and Noah Lukeman are all good reads as well.
'Zat enough?
Thanks everyone. This list is huge and I'm going to have it to limit to those being mutliple recommendations.
David I, I visit your blog already, on a regular basis. Great place. You know me by a different anon. Long story on how i got to be Raphee here on AW.
I'll wait and see what others say. Though I have ordered Ben Yagoda.
David I, I visit your blog already, on a regular basis. Great place. You know me by a different anon. Long story on how i got to be Raphee here on AW.
I'll wait and see what others say. Though I have ordered Ben Yagoda.
For memoir/writing books: On Writing by Stephen King, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, and Sometimes the Magic Works by Terry Brooks. The last one isn't talked about much but it's really, really good.
"The First Draft in 30 Days" by Karen Wiesner is the best book on outlining I have ever seen. The title is misleading, but the book is great. I don't even outline and I loved it
-Feathers
"The First Draft in 30 Days" by Karen Wiesner is the best book on outlining I have ever seen. The title is misleading, but the book is great. I don't even outline and I loved it
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The writing book I return to the most is Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain.
I've also read Donald Maass' Writing the Breakout Novel several times, and will return to it again soon.
I've also read Donald Maass' Writing the Breakout Novel several times, and will return to it again soon.
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