Posts made in September, 2017

Must-Read Books about Writing

Posted by Theresa Lutge-Smith on Sep 3, 2017 in Blog | 0 comments

Books on overcoming the struggles of writing The Writing Life by Annie Dillard The author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek shares words of wisdom in this handy book where she discusses the difficulties of writing. She writes about how hard it is to write and how sometimes it is necessary to destroy paragraphs, phrases and words to re-form them as something even better. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron From time to time, every writer suffers from burnout or writer’s block. Julia Cameron’s book focuses on the craft of writing and training yourself to be even more creative. Word Work: Surviving and Thriving as a Writer by Bruce Holland Rogers Word Work is packed with practical advice for overcoming procrastination, finding happiness in writing and even conquering writer’s block via useful exercises. It also covers how to handle rejection and success. Books on honing your craft On Writing by Stephen King Part memoir, part guidebook, Stephen King’s classic will appeal even to those who avoid King’s renowned horror-packed tales. In this book, King discusses how he came to be the writer we know today. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Bird by Bird is an essential part of any writer’s toolbox. In this work, Lamott shares herself and her craft with readers, including anecdotes that tie the pieces together into all-around great writing. Writer’s Market edited by Robert Lee Brewer Writer’s Market helps aspiring writers become published ones. Its listings contain hundreds of pages of suggested markets for nonfiction writers, as well as those looking to sell short stories, including details for how to pitch your work. On Writing Well by William Zinsser This classic book targets nonfiction writers and includes writing tips, as well as the fundamentals of craft. Zinsser discusses many forms of writing, from interviewing and telling stories about people to writing about travel. The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White For years, writing teachers have assigned The Elements of Style to their students. Brushing up on the basics from time to time is critical for continually developing your skills, and this book contains simple truths that every writer needs to know. The Associated Press Stylebook 2017 by the Associated Press AP Style is known by many as the “go-to” writing style for journalists and public relations pros. The 2017 Associated Press Stylebook contains more than 3,000 entries detailing rules on grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, abbreviation and word and numeral usage to help you master news writing. How to Write Bestselling Fiction by Dean Koontz While many books on this list are aimed at nonfiction writers, this one is for those who dream up their own stories to tell. If anyone is qualified to tell people how to write bestselling fiction, it’s prolific author Dean Koontz, who’s sold more 450 million copies of his books. This book was written in 1981 and is out of print, but has valuable insight for writers who manage to snag a copy (check the library!). Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg Goldberg’s book examines the craft of writing including how to start brainstorming, the importance of learning how to listen, the vital role verbs play in writing, and even how to find an inspiring place to write. Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell Aimed at fiction writers, this book tackles everything from models to help with story structure to a variety of techniques to help with crafting great stories from start to finish. You’ll even find tips on creating plotting diagrams. and tools to overcome various plot problems that can arise. A Writer’s Guide to Persistence by Jordan Rosenfeld This book focuses on how to be a happy and successful...