Lupina had a great idea for a You Tell Me: What are your favorite books on writing?
I’ll kick it off with a nod to Robert McKee’s STORY. Yes, it’s about screenplays, but I haven’t seen a better breakdown of how to create a great plot.
What’s your favorite?
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the-sea-to says
Not one to know much about “How to write books” (not a plea for info, just tend to attack any challenge from such a variety of sources no single one seems best)
But did want to say the new website looks lovely, very nicely laid out, very clear and (my personal bugbear as I audit buildings for people with disabilities) extremely accessible.
Well done!
Pure Fiction says
‘How to write a damn good novel’ by James n Frey – very cheesy, but I found it helpful, particularly with rewriting.
The First Carol says
Two of Elizabeth Lyon’s books: Manuscript Makeover and A Writer’s Guide to Fiction. Third on my list is The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, but that’s only for painful moments when no other book is in my bag.
Kristin Laughtin says
I’m still a fan of Strunk and White.
I like the new website! Very snazzy. Only thing I might suggest after a quick read-through is a sentence on the submissions page indicating that some agents take email queries (which they seem to indicate in their bios).
Rebecca says
I, too, admire and use McKee’s STORY. I even attended his weekend seminar
a couple of years ago.
But last year I came across James N. Frey’s HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD NOVEL and was smitten. So then I found his HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD NOVEL II and, naturally, HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD MYSTERY. He uses the frame of the hero’s journey, but most importantly, he actually creates a story, chapter by chapter, for you to follow along.
I give Jim five stars.
Rebecca Butler
M. Dunham says
The book I think that deserves a shout-out is “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers.” What a fabulous learning tool, and one I wish more users would employ.
Tracey S. Rosenberg says
For technical stuff: Donald Maass’ Writing the Breakout Novel (and the workbook too). This is currently my go-to book.
For ‘let’s break down how really great authors accomplish things’: Francine Prose’s Reading Like a Writer.
For ‘feeling like a writer’: Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones.
I also have Richard Hugo’s The Triggering Town on this shelf here, which I must reread.
SMD says
I have a ton of writing books, but the best ones are those that get me writing as soon as I put them down. These are the most effective books for me:
Plot & Structure, James Scott Bell
Writing Down the Bones, Natalie Goldman
What If? Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter
Martin Willoughby says
Like many, I would recommend ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King. Plain simple advice alongside a mini-autobiography to show how it works.
Maybe a poll of the most listed here to see which one is best?
Mercy Loomis says
Like so many others, Strunk & White and Orson Scott Card are high on my list.
My personal favorite is James Scott Bell's REVISION & SELF-EDITING. I think it's be best writing book ever. I really liked his PLOT & STRUCTURE too.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned HOW NOT TO WRITE A NOVEL by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman. It's hysterical, and so very, very true. 200 classic writing mistakes, with tongue-in-cheek examples.
I'm also very fond of Jack Bickham's THE 38 MOST COMMON FICTION WRITING MISTAKES (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM). Also Lori Perkins's THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO GETTING AN AGENT has lots of good information as well.
dbgrady says
“On Writing” by Stephen King, though the part about how easy it is to get a literary agent is worth a chuckle.
I could not write without the Strunk and White and the “Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate” by my side. The “New York Times Manual of Style” is often useful for tricky phrases and general arcana.
other lisa says
O/T, but Harper Studio announces new eBook pricing!
Belynda says
I just finished reading “Backwards and Forwards” by David Ball, and I must say it was really excellent. It was laugh-out-loud funny at moments, but had some great info on plot, forwards, subtext, etc.
It’s actually written for those involved in stage productions, and the examples he uses are all derived from Hamlet, but it has a lot of great information for writers of all genres.
Marilyn Peake says
The new Curtis Brown website looks fantastic!!
seanachi says
Really love Debra Dixon’s Goal, Moativation, and Conflict. King’s On Writing is also a favorite. And for general inspiration, I enjoy Madeleine L’Engle’s Herself: Reflections on a Writing Life.
M Clement Hall says
I’ll give three:
a)Chicago Manual of Style is essential to acceptable formatting.
b) Maass “Writing the Beakthrough Novel” explains all the mistakes we make, and how to correct them.
c) Forster’s “Aspect of the Novel” was good in 1927, and remains just as useful today (if you can get a copy).
T.D. Newton says
“How Not To Write A Novel” has to be my favorite.
Anonymous says
My favorite is “The Hero With a Thousand Faces” by Joseph Campbell.
Dan says
NATHAN! QUESTION!
– How often do agents pass queries to one another within the CB office? Ever? Never? Once a week?
Also:
I’m surprised no one mentioned the 3 AM EPIPHANY by Brian Kitely.
Though the best advice I ever received wasn’t in a book: just write, write, write.
Connie says
ON WRITING by Stephen King.
Nathan Bransford says
dan-
Not often, but we definitely pass some things around if we think someone else might be a better fit.
Sam Hranac says
I’m with Yat-Yee regarding William Zinssner’s On Writing Well. That’s a long time favorite of mine. But for year-in, year-out reference value, I keep picking up Strunk and White.
Irish B says
FIRST DRAFT TO FINISHED NOVEL, by Karen S. Wiesner
Chris Bates says
Nice work, Bransfordians.
There’s some great how-to books mentioned in the previous posts. Certainly a few that have escaped my attention prior to this, so I should make an effort to chase them up.
I think that some of the best how-to books are actually created by ourselves.
I used to obsess about screenplay story and structure to the point that I would go to the cinema, watch a film for fun, then buy a ticket to the very next screening with my pen and notepad at the ready.
Also those 10 for $10 video rental deals sustained me for a few years. I’d hit ‘play’ then proceed to pause the film constantly wilst taking notes. My partner at the time couldn’t stand to be in the same room.
And, man, how good are those screenplay archives on the net? A budding writer can read and deconstruct for ever and a day.
I haven’t been quite as obsessive with novels. Although I do tend to dog-ear hundreds of pages for further reference … only to re-read those passages later and not have a clue as to why I marked them!
I’m not a particularly well-read person when it comes to books – I read my first complete book, Brave New World, at age 16 – so I am way behind the eight ball compared to many of the posters here. When I look at the reading material people mention in their posts I’m aware that these people are educating themselves by osmosis on a book-by-book basis. The content of this education impresses the hell outta me. Here I am reading ‘The Saint’ whilst others are probably wading in Finnegans Wake!
What I have come to understand is that there is a ton of how-to stuff residing in those oft cited classic novels. We just gotta read between the lines and take note, so to speak.
Ajax says
I recommend the audio version of Stephen King’s “On Writing”. He narrates it himself, and it is like taking a class from the man himself. Pretty good stuff! I have listened to it about 10 times and never get tired of it.
Dawn says
We should see how many copies of On Writing are sold after this post. I just bought one.
MadTheodore says
Creating Short Fiction, by Damon Knight. In spite of the title, I think it applies well to writing novels, too. Pehaps I like it because he calls his creative subconscious Fred, which amuses me, because mine is named Fred, too. Orson’s books are OK, but I keep going back to Damon’s. As for Stephen King, in spite of his success, I would rather quit writing than write like him. I think his writing would be better if he threw half of it OUT.
Chuck H. says
I was going to say those Dick and Jane books I had to read in first grade. They bored me so much that I started writing my own stories.
I actually only own two books on writing. They are:
Screenwriting From The Soul by Richard Krevolin
Right Brain Write On! by Bill Downey
Other than that it’s just dictionary and thesaurus.
Is the King book really that good? I thought about buying it but never could find it at a discount. Yeah, I’m cheap.
Anonymous says
The Art of Dramatic Writing, by Lajos Egri. A very straightforward look at the nuts and bolts of what makes a story.
-Amy
mary beth says
Anne Bogart’s “A Director Prepares: Seven Essays on Art and Theater” is my favorite book on the creative process. It’s about making theater but the lessons are applicable to any kind of creative endeavor. I also love Stephen King’s “On Writing.”
aleesha says
Stephen King’s On Writing. It was much better than I expected. I also love William Zinssner’s On Writing Well. Both books are used frequently in my creative writing class.
terryd says
I’ve read most of ’em.
Here’s one that I found quite helpful when writing my novel:
MAKE A SCENE by Jordan E. Rosenfeld.
Myra says
James Scott Bell –
Plot and Structure
Revision and Self Editing
Both “you can do it” books, like classes taught by a professor who doesn’t even own a red pen. Lots of encouragement and solid advice and a nice place to turn when you get a little bit lost.
Mira says
Oh my god. The Stephen King thing has taken off and now has a mind of it’s own.
I am now on a vendetta. I’m on an anti-Stephen-King’s-Book-On-Writing vendatta.
My dislike of that book has now reached red-hot poker proportions. It’s become my life mission to stop people from reading that book.
It’s not a noble life goal.
It’s not even a worthy life goal.
In fact, it’s a rather embarassing life goal.
I don’t care. It’s my goal, and I’m sticking to it.
Melissa McInerney says
DON’T MURDER YOUR MYSTERY by Chris Roerden
ON WRITING Stephen King
Do they actually work? Well, until I’m an author, the jury is still out. At least I know what I’m supposed to be doing and I’m filled with the desire and motivation to write.
Mara Wolfe says
I’m a fantasy writer, so my favorite book on writing is How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card. He really knows what he’s talking about, and I recommend it to all speculative fiction writers.
Anonymous says
The Writing Soldier by RObert N Stephenson is excellent. You can download it for free here:
https://www.altair-australia.com/altair/free.html
there has been a few problems with the site today, so if it doesn’t work, try again in awhile.
Lupina says
Wow, I checked in late today and was stunned to see my idea in play (thanks so much, Nathan) and 133 replies already!
I am so glad because many books I was unaware of are now on my “must buy” list, especially those of Orson Scott Card. I’ve read his entire Ender series but somehow never knew he wrote help books.
As for me, Strunk and White is indispensable but my favorite nightstand companion is Lawrence Block’s “Telling Lies for Fun and Profit; a Manual for Fiction Writers.” With great foreword by Sue Grafton. Block’s wit and great use of literary example, along with keen insight into the transparent mind foibles of most writers keep me coming back to it.
I like Donald Maas too.
I’m now going to re-read the entries with pen and paper in hand.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions!
RainSplats says
I prefer to read novels while I’m wearing my writers’ spectacles. It’s easy to figure out what I like and what annoys me.
There was a series of “He said, She said” posts on the net that I liked once. I think they took it down when they turned it into a book. Too bad I don’t know what the book is called :/
Anonymous says
Steering the Craft, by Ursula K. LeGuin, and On Teaching and Writing Fiction, by Wallace Stegner
April Hollands says
Actually, Enid Blyton books probably gave me the best ideas about how to write because they got me interested in reading and gave me a great head start with the English language as a result. And anything by David Crystal.
Gabrielle Faust says
Stephen King, On Writing
Sally Apokedak says
Donald Maass WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL
William Zinsser ON WRITING WELL
Sol Stein STEIN ON WRITING
I’ve learned from many more, but these are the ones that keep on teaching me, it seems.
Steve Axelrod says
In Writing A Novel, his 1974 handbook for aspiring authors, John Braine dispenses a great deal of no-nonsense, working-class advice for carpentering a first book together. Unlike writers as otherwise diverse as E.M. Forster and Ernest Hemingway, he makes no claim (implicit or explicit) that his notions are universally applicable.
“The rules I lay down for the writing of a novel are the ones that suit me,” he says early on. “I don’t assert that my way of writing a novel is the best or only way; only that it works.”
It’s hard to argue with that. He recommends writing a brief synopsis and then charging forward with the goal of a finished draft, however messy. Then you write another outline and start patching holes and making sense of the narrative. A novel should cover no more than a year. 100,000 words is the maximum length. And no digressions:
A straightforward passage in time with no flashbacks is best. It is absolutely legitimate for your characters to remember what happened in the past; they’d be very odd if they didn’t. But they should talk about it or think about it; it mustn’t be presented in the same way as the main action of your novel. And it should be kept brief; go into the past for much over 500 words and the story comes to a dead stop.
Later in the book, he gives some typically blunt and practical advice on narrative viewpoint:
I strongly recommend that your first novel should be in the first person. While you must never avoid what is difficult out of laziness, it doesn’t make sense not to take the easiest way if, provably, it works. And first person narrative works. It’s entirely natural to buttonhole the audience and tell them all the things that happened to you personally. The use of first person gives your tale veracity. You know all the details because you were there; you tell the story because it happened to you … another advantage of the first person: you depict the main character’s thoughts absolutely naturally. When someone is telling you a story in real life, you take it for granted he’ll tell you his thoughts.
Braine is wonderful and I highly recommend this no-nonsense book.
And I don;t think anyone has mentioned E.M. Forster’s Aspects of the Novel, another essantial volume.
Jen C says
I’m not going to read the comments section too closely today, because I have this… problem, when it comes to books, especially writing books. And I’ve already spent my book budget for this month AND next month. (Although it’s not uncommon for me to dip into my food budget to buy more books..)
I will say that I never ended up reading On Writing by SK all the way through. It’s still there on my shelf (borrowed from my sister.. oops!), but I only got as far as his childhood before I moved on to something else. I’m haphazard like that. Perhaps I should give it another shot..
And, ZOMG!! Nathan, your company was responsible for the movie TEX!!!! Man, I freaking love that movie!
Word veri: spesso. The new slang for special, taking over from spesh. i.e. That TEX movie sure was spesso!
Jodi says
Cameron, King and Lamott, by all means. Also AMY TAN’s THE OPPOSITE OF FATE; URSULA K. LE GUIN’s STEERING THE CRAFT; URSULA HEGI’s INTRUSIONS; MANJUSVARA’s WRITING YOUR WAY; for poets…AADDONIZIO and LAUX’ THE POET’S COMPANION and for moms trying to make a career of writing (and other people, too) CHRISTINA KATZ’ WRITER MAMA.
Bee Hylinski says
Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott; On Writing Well, by William Zinsser; Baseball: The Writer’s Game, by Mike Shannon and The Author’s Guide to Building an Online Platform, by Stephanie Chandler
knight_tour says
Hmm, I seem to have read, and liked, most of those already mentioned, but my favorite is On Writing by Stephen King.
R.Fife says
Its more editing than writing, but I love Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. The tips in are really useful in helping to take a step back an look at how a new pair of eyes might see your work.
Anonymous says
I saw someone actually mention my book ‘The Writing Soldier’ – I think it has to come with a warning as the book is not for everyone, and in some instances even put someone off writing all together. This book was put together to help with writers who procrastinate, and who think this business is easy. The Writing Soldier has helped many new writers find their way on quite a number of levels
The download file is a pdf, so please make sure your pdf settings are correct – or in IE just save file.
I thank the person who did suggest the book. But my own favourite was by Orson Scott Card and I suppose part of him rubbed off on me.
Again it was a surprise to see my book on the list – and yes download free at https://www.altair-australia.com/altair/free.html
Robert N Stephenson