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What books helped improve your writing????

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NiallMcF

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I was recently told by a successful, published author that there are no absolutes in writing. Almost every guidline and rule has been successfully broken at some point.

However, I think my lack of knowledge in the basics of writing a book is letting me down big time. I would like to learn the basic rules and regulations of writing, and the general no no's for writers so that I can choose when, and which ones to break.

Does anyone know of any books out there that will help me understand the basics for writing a novel?

From grammer, sentance structure etc - to inspirational writing.

It's all a bit general I know, but just throw your thoughts at me. What books really helped YOU improve your writing?
 

DeleyanLee

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All the really good novels I enjoy reading. Sitting down and figuring out what makes them work so well is the best thing I ever did to learn writing.
 

stormie

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Early on, I went to the library and read as many books I could find on writing. I can't say which specific books helped me, as they all contributed in some way. And also, when you do read for pleasure, read with a writer's eye. What drew you in to the story? How is character developed? How does the author move from scene to scene?
 

Dr.Gonzo

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I just mentioned one book in another thread: On Writing by Stephen King. It's a great read, dealing more with style, basic traps to avoid, and a great section on editing, but nothing too specific. A book to balance this out and be more centred on grammar and all the main rules is The Elements of Style by Strunk & White, which is much more like an organised textbook.

With the combination of the two books I've mentioned you're good to go.
 

RJK

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Read the authors you'd most like to emulate. Pay attention to how they construct their sentences and how they handle dialog.

As far as How-To books, I've read dozens. In addition to the ones recommended above, I'd recommend you start with:
  • Characters & Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card
  • The first Five Pages by Noah Lukeman
  • Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Brown & Dave King
  • Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss
  • Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
 

Shadow_Ferret

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Just read as many books as you can.

For me, there were no books ABOUT writing that did squat to help. Only lots of reading and lots and lots of writing helped.

As for grammar, any decent 7th grade text book on the subject will help.
 

cuddlekins

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And also, when you do read for pleasure, read with a writer's eye. What drew you in to the story? How is character developed? How does the author move from scene to scene?

I do this a lot and would recommend this as the best thing to help you write.
 

Chris P

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As far as how to develop a story, use characters and plot elements, read as many good examples as you can find. Books on the subject are fine, but remember that (as you said) in each case it's the authors opinion of what works, and it is more important that you find your own voice. In the end, you will incorporate a small percentage from many authorities, and ignore the rest.

As far as grammar, etc., you can learn the basics from Strunk and White's "Elements of style," Lynn Truss' "Eats Shoots and Leaves" and "Woe is I" [forgot the author]. "Chicago Manual of Style" will tell you ten times what you need to know and is pricey, but is the industry standard and will answer just about any grammar question you might have. Good grammar goes hand-in-hand with good story telling, as being able to say exactly what you mean is vital to the reader's enjoyment.

ETA: Don't write to be understood, write so that you cannot be misunderstood.
 

shaldna

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The elements of style is a brilliant book.
 

Libbie

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I agree with Deleyan -- nothing beats reading good novels with a critical eye. What really helped me improve my writing was observing other writers' fiction. I took a whole lot of notes on everything I read for several years, recording my thoughts about each book or story, and noting what worked or did not work for me, and why.

I haven't read a book so far that will hand-hold you through the process of writing a novel. There are lots of great books about writing fiction, but none of them will tell you that X is Step 1, Y is Step 2, etc. They will give you general advice and assistance with the most common hiccups writers experience, though.

But nothing can replace the act of critical reading. Go back and re-read a novel you enjoyed in the past. Take notes on your favorite and least favorite aspects as you go. When you're done reading, ask yourself whatever natural questions occur to you as you go through the notes -- such as, "why did I like this aspect of the novel?" Then put some thought into answering those questions. Then do the same thing over again with more novels.
 

Jamesaritchie

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I was recently told by a successful, published author that there are no absolutes in writing. Almost every guidline and rule has been successfully broken at some point.

However, I think my lack of knowledge in the basics of writing a book is letting me down big time. I would like to learn the basic rules and regulations of writing, and the general no no's for writers so that I can choose when, and which ones to break.

Does anyone know of any books out there that will help me understand the basics for writing a novel?

From grammar sentence structure etc - to inspirational writing.

It's all a bit general I know, but just throw your thoughts at me. What books really helped YOU improve your writing?

The published writer was correct, but you do have to know the rules before breaking them, and then you need a good reason for breaking them.

First, I think any new writer should check to see if his favorite writer has a how-to book on the market. If you love the way a writer tells a story, then his how-to book should be a must read.

Beyond this, for grammar and sentence structure you want a style book. The Elements of Style is simply the best, but NOT the online version. That isn't the same book.

The two best how-to books I've ever read were King's On Writing, and Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing.

I also absolutely love Lawrence Block's two books, "From plot to Print, and Telling Lies For Fun and Profit. These books begin with the basics, and take you all the way to publication.

As tempting as it is, I think new writers should avoid how-to books that deal too much with the technical aspects of writing a novel. I think the autobiographies of writers make for excellent teaching tools. Better than most how-to books. It's the autobiographical section of On Writing that makes it so valuable, but many readers ignore this section.
 

firedrake

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King's 'On Writing' was the only 'how-to' book I read.

I'm a firm believer in reading those writers whose work you love and discovering what works in those books. A beautifully written book or passage inspires me.
 

stephenf

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I think the idea,read every thing,is right.But I would suggest you alternate theory with good fiction and try to spot the points being made in the theory. In the end I believe most people cobble together their own methods. As for grammar etc ,I think you probably only need to know the basics,have a look at www.grammaruntied.com. However, if you feel the need to be an expert have a look at this web site. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
 

Lady Ice

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Critical reading. You can read loads of 'how to write' books but until you've read a great deal, you won't understand the point of the rules.

Learn from experience.
 

NiallMcF

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Thanks for all the input guys. A lot of good advice and common sense there
 

RJK

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I agree that much can be gained from reading the fiction of good ---> great authors. But many new writers know nothing about the mechanics of writing. I've seen this when new people join our writing group. They don't have any idea what most of the fundamental terms mean. I'm talking about POV, Character arc, Story arc, Motive, Attitude, Justification, Voice, Hierarchy, Narrative; First, second and third person; Storyline, Show vs. Tell, etc.
New writers need to familiarize themselves with the mechanics and terminology before they can understand criticism and develop their skills. The How-to books is where they learn these.
 

NiallMcF

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Yea that's what I need. I'm familiar with a good few terms, but I keep coming across ones I've never heard before. I've been writing for a few years but I've had my head down, buried in my work the whole time. It's only now I've started to look around me and learn from others, instead of just developing on my own.
I think I've developed really well but its the fundamentals i'm missing. I was running before I could walk.
Once I've learned the basics no one will be able to stop me, and I will use my power to take over the world!!!!
 

aadams73

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Plain old reading has helped me more than anything and continues to keep the pencil sharp. The bad books have been as useful as the good.

As for how-to books, I'll read any I can get my hands on. If there's even one snippet of useful or new information it's worth it to me.
 

Fallen

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Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. by Biber, Conrad and Leech.

It's not a how-to on fiction, just a brilliant tool for breaking language down in general. And my favourite kind of book -- no happy endings... lol
 

Aggy B.

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I found that reading good books helped me tremendously. Most of what I write I do so by instinct. (Seriously. Every time someone says gerund I have to stop and look it up to remember what they're talking about. But I know how to use one and that's what counts.)

Learning the basics is good. But recognizing what an author is doing that brings the words to life on the page for you is far more important (and really goes beyond the basic rules of writing).

I found that Aristotle's Poetics was actually a great how-to in regard to story-telling and story arc. It is a bit dense, but it's short and there's a lot to be found in those pages. (It's essentially the earliest breakdown of the concept of three act structure - which applies even to things that aren't plays.)
 

katiemac

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I like Stein on Writing (Sol Stein) and Break-Out Novel (Donald Maas) for general how-tos.

There is an excellent example in Stein's book in particular that was a bit of an eye-opener. He said that when professors teach acting, they'll often use improv. The professor will take each student actor aside and give them the scene details separately.

Take, for example, a principal and a student's parent. The professor tells the actor playing the kid's mom, "Little Tommy is being treated unfairly by the nasty principal." Separately, the professor tells the actor playing the principal, "Little Tommy is a terror and is finally being punished."

Then the actors just go.

You should be doing the same thing with your characters.
 

Snivscriv

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I would second Immediate Fiction as helpful in understanding how to write a story that someone else might like to read. In addition, I recently read Thanks, But This Isn't For Us, which was helpful in understanding what agents and publishers are looking for from new authors, and funny too.

I'm dumber than the average forum member, it appears, because although I've read hundreds of great books, I'm still not writing like the masters. I am improving though, and that's a good thing.
 

JayG

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Hands down, no one has come even close to Dwight Swain. He is, arguably the best teacher of professional writing ever to get chalk on his coat. The man was a hugely popular writer, and a teacher who would fill auditoriums when he went on tour.

Where so many books on the subject present samples of writing and then talk about what makes the writing good, Swain talks about the nuts and bolts of creating a vibrant scene. He goes into the purpose of the elements that make up a story and a scene. Where others talk about the various types of POV, he analyzes POV and its role in the story, so the reader will have the feel of the character through the choices they make and what they pay attention to.

I don’t know about anyone else, but when I read, Techniques of the Selling Writer, for the first time I found myself running back to edit everything I’d ever written not once, but a half dozen times. And I’d already sold a novel before I picked up that book.

A second book, by one of Swain’s students, Debra Dixon, covers much the same ground, and is equally educational. It provides a bit less detail, but at the same time, it’s a warmer read. Either should be in every fiction writer’s library.
 
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