How-To books for M/T/S

MarkEsq · Dec 26, 2009

So I got a $50 Amazon gift card for Xmas. I have taken to getting my books from friends and the library (budget crunch here until day care expenses go away in the fall). Which means I'd feel like I wasted money (a little) if I bought a novel or two with it.

So I was thinking, maybe I should try and educate more myself in our craft and so I was wondering whether you guys have How-To books that you swear by? I already have Stephen King's On Writing, which most people recommend. I was actually thinking about the one Patricia Highsmith wrote, called Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction. It's not at my local library, so it's a good candidate.

Any others?

Melville · Dec 26, 2009

MarkEsq said:
So I got a $50 Amazon gift card for Xmas. I have taken to getting my books from friends and the library (budget crunch here until day care expenses go away in the fall). Which means I'd feel like I wasted money (a little) if I bought a novel or two with it.

So I was thinking, maybe I should try and educate more myself in our craft and so I was wondering whether you guys have How-To books that you swear by? I already have Stephen King's On Writing, which most people recommend. I was actually thinking about the one Patricia Highsmith wrote, called Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction. It's not at my local library, so it's a good candidate.

Any others?

As a general book: Self-Editing For Fiction Writers by Browne & King

For M/T/S:

Writing And Selling Your Mystery Novel by Halle Ephron

Don't Murder Your Mystery by Chris Roerden

Writing Mysteries, edited by Sue Grafton

All of these are filled with useful information.

Clair Dickson · Dec 26, 2009

My favorite types of how-to books are the books similar-ish to what I want to write. Then I study what does and doesn't work for me as a reader. =D

I do like Fiction First Aid, though it's more of a general book about how to fix up common story problems.

ToddWBush · Dec 26, 2009

Echoing Clair, read the books that are in the genre you are writing in, for example, I write crime novels and thrillers such as Lehane, Crais, Michael Connelly, Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, etc. Figure out what works and what doesn't, then study, study, study. Don't let someone else tell you how to do something that you must have talent to do anyway.

Of course, if someone doesn't have the talent, then... well... doesn't matter what how-to book you read.

jeseymour · Dec 27, 2009

"Telling Lies for Fun and Profit" by Lawrence Block. "Spider Spin Me a Web" by Lawrence Block. "Writing the Breakout Novel" by Donald Maass. "The Writer's Journey" by Christopher Vogler. "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott.

MarkEsq · Dec 27, 2009

jeseymour said:
"Telling Lies for Fun and Profit" by Lawrence Block. "Spider Spin Me a Web" by Lawrence Block. "Writing the Breakout Novel" by Donald Maass. "The Writer's Journey" by Christopher Vogler. "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott.

And if you could pick just one of these? Or can you rank them?! I only have $50 remember.

jeseymour · Dec 27, 2009

"Writing the Breakout Novel" would be my first choice. Then the Lawrence Blocks. I just bought "The Writer's Journey" which I wanted to look at because I'm trying to use mythic structure in my WIP. I haven't read it yet, so I don't know for sure how useful it will be. "Bird by Bird" is excellent, but not really geared towards mystery. Neither is the Maass book. Neither is the writer's journey one. :Shrug:

ToddWBush · Dec 27, 2009

Mark, out of that bunch that jess listed, DEFINITELY pick the Maass book. Also get his second books "Putting the Fire in Fiction" or something like that. Maass is a big-time agent who knows what it takes to make a good fiction book.

HistorySleuth · Dec 27, 2009

Somewhere on the forums was suggested "The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile" by Noah Lukeman.

I ordered it because I had a 30% off coupon to Borders. He is also a literary agent. It's not a how to write book but more like a how to refine book to stay out of the slush pile. As is evident by the title, how to hook them so they go past the first five. What flags go up that sends it to the recycle bin. I thought it was good. Explained simply with examples.

I got a $25 gift card from Amazon too Mark. So I am paying attention to the list here too!

delb0y · Dec 28, 2009

David Morrell's book Lessons From A Lifetime Of Writing is another goodie; and clearly one penned by a thriller writer.

TC Beacham · Dec 28, 2009

DON'T MURDER YOUR MYSTERY by Chris Roerden is helpful and well organized, easy to use and refer back to.

ToddWBush · Dec 28, 2009

A LOT of people seem to get in trouble during the writing of mysteries when they can't keep up with the clues, the red herrings, and what actually happened to the victim (since most mysteries are murders). I like to start a whole new word document and write what REALLY happened to the victim, from the time they got up that morning to the time they met their fate (or father back if needs be). That way, I can refer back to it when I'm writing a particular scene for my MC. It also makes it easier to write red herrings because you can already see what's happened and how to confuse the reader and the sleuth.

HistorySleuth · Dec 28, 2009

Todd, that is a great idea! I kind of need something to put one of my characters in place and that is a perfect idea. I shall deviate today and write his last moments. That will help a great deal with the timing and details. Thank you.

How-To books for M/T/S

MarkEsq

Clever title pending.

Melville

Reader first, writer second

Clair Dickson

A dark core to every cloud

ToddWBush

jeseymour

MarkEsq

Clever title pending.

jeseymour

ToddWBush

HistorySleuth

Researching History's Mysteries

delb0y

TC Beacham

Great Beach Reads!

ToddWBush

HistorySleuth

Researching History's Mysteries