Urgent help needed with reference books

[SecretScribe]

Hi there all

I would like to order some books while I am still in the UK (not much longer), but I can't afford all the ones on my 'wish list', so I need some help. I need help with editing, characters and plot - mainly.

My list:
Beginnings, Middles and Ends (The Elements of Fiction Writing) - Nancy Kress

Characters and Viewpoint (The Elements of Fiction Writing) - Orson Scott Card

Stein on Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies - Sol Stein

Solutions for Writers: Practical Craft Techniques for Fiction and Non-fiction - Sol Stein

Dynamic Characters: How to Create Personalities That Keep Readers Captivated - Nancy Kress

Don't Murder Your Mystery: 24 Fiction-Writing Techniques to Save Your Manuscript from Turning Up D.O.A. - Chris Roerden

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print - Renni Browne & Dave King

Line by Line: How to Edit Your Own Writing - Claire Kehrwald Cook


Which of these should I look at getting?

Hope someone can help a poor writer
SecretScribe :)

[James D. Macdonald]

If you can only afford one, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers.

After you've read it you can re-evaluate your list and see where you'd like to go.

If I can give a couple of more reccos, though: Magic and Showmanship (http://www.powells.com/partner/34766/biblio/9780486410876) by Henning Nelms, and The Elements of Style (http://www.powells.com/partner/34766/biblio/020530902X) by Strunk and White.

[RickN]

I only own 2 of those books.

I own 'Don't Murder Your Mystery', but haven't read it yet. It's on my list; just haven't gotten around to it.

I own 'Self-Editing for Fiction Writers' and I read it every year to refresh myself. I think it's a great book.

[ORION]

Self editing by brown and king - hands down. It's the best!

[Bubastes]

Another vote for "Self Editing." "Characters and Viewpoint" is also a good book, but I'd get "Self Editing" first.

[Old Hack]

Have you looked at www.abebooks.co.uk? There are all sorts of second-hand books listed there, which might be cheaper than Amazon.

[David I]

Browne and King, by all means.

My second choice of the lot would be "Stein on Writing", but, frankly, I don't think any of the others you have on the list are really top shelf.

I'm a big fan of Stephen Koch's "Modern Library Writer's Workshop" myself. And Lawrence Block's "Telling Lies for Fun and Profit" is another classic.

[SecretScribe]

Thanks guys! I already have The Elements of Style, so good choice there.

Is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers a line-editing book, or more of a going through the draft book (hope someone can unravel that badly edited question!)

And is Character and Viewpoint better than Dynamic Characters?

Or any other books on characterisation and plotting.

[johnzakour]

I just bought Self-Editing for Fiction Writers myself. I am determined to make my manuscripts cleaner for my editors (without using a pre-editor.)

[Prawn]

Hate to muddy the waters, but I like Plot and Structure, by Bell.

[GerriB]

Here's my very long recommended book list. Some books are duplicated from earlier in the thread. Consider it a confirmation of my liking of said books.

Beginner: People who are just diving in or struggling with their first book would benefit from these basic books.

FIRST DRAFT IN 30 DAYS Karen S. Wiesner

TEACH YOURSELF WRITING A NOVEL Nigel Watts

CHARACTERS AND VIEWPOINT by Orson Scott Card

CREATING CHARACTER EMOTIONS by Ann Hood

WRITING DIALOGUE by Tom Chiarella

CREATING PLOT by J. Madison Davis

THE 38 MOST COMMON FICTION WRITING MISTAKES by Jack M. Bickham

HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY by Orson Scott Card


Intermediate: For people who have written one or more novels that are getting mixed reviews and general lack of attention on one level or another.

WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL by Donald Maass

WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK Donald Maass

WRITING THE BLOCKBUSTER NOVEL by Albert Zuckerman

MAKING A GOOD WRITER GREAT Linda Seger


Advanced: For the experienced writers who need to develop refinements to their Story or prose in order to get over the hump of good to great.

45 MASTER CHARACTERS by Victoria Lynn Schmidt

CRAFTING SCENES Raymond Obstfeld

STORY STRUCTURE ARCHITECT Victoria Lynn Schmidt

BETWEEN THE LINES Jessica Page Morrell


Revision: How to find what's good and bad in that first draft, and how to fix what needs to be fixed.

THE FIRST FIVE PAGES Noah Lukeman

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO EDITING YOUR FICTION Michael Seidman

FICTION FIRST AID Raymon Obstfeld

NO MORE REJECTIONS Alice Orr


Inspiration: Those other voices out in the dark looking for comfort that they're not alone.

FONDLING YOUR MUSE John Warner

DOJO WISDOM FOR WRITERS Jennifer Lawler

WRITING PAST DARK Bonnie Friedman

PAGE AFTER PAGE Heather Sellers

CHAPTER AFTER CHAPTER Heather Sellers

THE COURAGE TO WRITE Ralph Keyes


Time and Creative Management: For those who need a punt on the ass to get going in the right direction. Approximately. At least in that general area.

COACHING THE ARTIST WITHIN Eric Maisel

TIME MANAGEMENT FOR THE CREATIVE PERSON Lee Silber

[wayndom]

Haven't read Self-Editing, but I have Stein On Writing, and consider it to be one of the best overall books on writing fiction.

Although it's not on your list, I'd add Writing the Blockbuster Novel, by Albert Zuckerman, even if you're not trying to write blockbuster bestsellers. It could have been titled, How to Write Un-Put-Down-able fiction.

[SecretScribe]

Thank you for all the suggestions - my head is spinning and making a decision is getting harder and harder. I am particularly looking for something on plotting and something on character that doesn't just say - do this and do that and don't do this - but rather has great examples and is inspring. I read a little bit of Dynamic Characters on Amazon's Look Inside and it immediately made me think: oh yeah, I can do this or that with my characters.

Don't know if that ramble made any sense at all!

[SecretScribe]

I will definitely get Self Editing, but still trying to decide on something really good for plot and for character.

Looking at:
- Dynamic Characters (Nancy Kress) / or perhaps Characters and Viewpoint (Orson Scott Card)

- Don't murder your mystery (Chris Roerden)

- Plot and Structure (James Scott Bell) / or perhaps Crafting Scenes (Raymond Obstfeld)

Or perhaps I should focus elsewhere - sorry, this decision is getting painful! :o

Or is there a single book that covers all of these that is really good?

[SecretScribe]

Any ideas on the above? It's decision time.

Also is Writing the Breakout Novel (Donald Maass) or Writing the Blockbuster Novel (Albert Zuckerman) better?

[SecretScribe]

Anyone :(

[Sophia]

I only just saw this thread. I hope you can still use this!

I LOVE Dynamic Characters. It is superb, and I recommend it without hesitation. I also love Beginnings, Middles and Ends.

[She Raven]

Another option: JA Konrath has a great site, he has odooles of writing tips, links to cool sites with tips. www.robertwwalkerbooks.com, Donald Maass ageny, and Backspace.com have many good tips on what your're looking for and you can print them out LOL.