My Favorite Books on Writing
First, let me say that this is my opinion, so take with a grain of salt. These are the books that I have found useful and was also suggested to me. With my first paranormal novel soon to be release, I thought I would mention these books.
ON WRITING: A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT BY STEPHEN KING
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.
I have all of his books so this one had to be mentioned.
Maybe you’re a first-time novelist looking for practical guidance. Maybe you’ve already been published, but your latest effort is stuck in mid-list limbo. Whatever the case may be, author and literary agent Donald Maass can show you how to take your prose to the next level and write a breakout novel – one that rises out of obscurity and hits the best-seller lists.
Maass details the elements that all breakout novels share – regardless of genre – then shows you writing techniques that can make your own books stand out and succeed in a crowded marketplace.
SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS, SECOND EDITION: HOW TO EDIT YOURSELF INTO PRINT
Renni Browne and Dave King teaches you how to apply the editing techniques they have developed to your own work. Chapters on dialogue, exposition, point of view, interior monologue, and other techniques take you through the same processes an expert editor would go through to perfect your manuscript. Each point is illustrated with examples, many drawn from the hundreds of books Browne and King have edited.
ELEMENTS OF FICTION WRITING – BEGINNINGS, MIDDLES & ENDS
The words you choose, how you describe characters, and the way you orchestrate conflict all make the difference-the difference between a story that is slow to begin, flounders midway, or trails off at the end-and one that holds the interest of readers and editors to the final page.
CONFLICT, ACTION & SUSPENSE (ELEMENTS OF FICTION WRITING)
Using this work, writers will learn how to create stories full of drama, tension and surprise. Noble walks writers through setting the stage of a great narrative and then builds on this foundation taking it all the way to a gripping close.
DESCRIPTION (ELEMENTS OF FICTION WRITING)
When writers make their descriptions fresh, they move their stories forward and imbue their work with atmosphere. Monica Wood helps squeeze the greatest flavour from language and provides insight into how detail, editing, style, point of view and original word depictions can be used to create unforgettable images that will stick with readers for a lifetime.
ELEMENTS OF WRITING FICTION: SCENE & STRUCTURE
This book is your game plan for success. Using dozens of examples from his own work – including Dropshot, Tiebreaker and other popular novels – Jack M. Bickham will guide you in building a sturdy framework for your novel, whatever its form or length.
WRITING A ROMANCE NOVEL FOR DUMMIES
Romance is today’s most popular fiction genre, accounting for more than half of all mass market fiction sold. If you’re looking to make a serious effort at writing a romance and getting it published in today’s multifaceted markets, you need to learn as much as you can about this highly successful field—especially how to create the perfect heroes and heroines. Now, in this easy, step-by-step guide, a top romance editor gives you the know-how you need to succeed as a romance novelist!
Unlike other fields of fiction, romance truly welcomes new writers, as editors search through queries and conference appointments for the next Nora Roberts or Barbara Delinsky. The Romance Writer’s Handbook takes aspiring writers through a quick course in writing romantic fiction for today’s markets. Here is “from-the-ground-up” advice on how to begin to climb romance writing’s ladder of success.
A handbook for writers that includes chapters on fiction techniques, heroes and heroines, plot and subplots, emotional impact, tension, focus, pace, setting, and language. Combining two writers’ styles, this book follows the premise that there is no one way to write.
The ‘First Ladies’ of the Romance Writers of America, lend their years of writing, Rita Clay Estrada and Rita Gallagher, publishing and teaching experience to help beginners find their niche in the complex romance market. They also teach readers how to build a strong plot, create compelling characters and sustain a dynamic beginning, middle and ending.
Twelve years after it was first published, The Joy of Writing Sex remains the classic writer’s resource on creating compelling sex scenes. Elizabeth Benedict covers all the issues, from the first time, to married sex and adultery, to sex in the age of AIDS.
Her instruction, supported with examples from the works of today’s most respected writers―among them, Dorothy Allison, Russell Banks, Alan Hollinghurst, Joyce Carol Oates, Carol Shields, and John Updike―focuses on crafting believable sex scenes that hinge on freshness of character, dialogue, mood, and plot.
Look these books up and decide for yourselves if they can help up in writing.
ENJOY!!
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