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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Lucinda says
Besides the usual resources (dictionaries, thesaurus, internet, etc), I have learned from Strunk’s Elements of Style about simple grammar problems and how to correct them.
Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing, by David Morrell changed my life, my writing and my attitude. He has a revised edition of this book now out. It is called, The Successful Novelist. He first became a teacher of literature, and then wrote books. He is the author of the infamous Rambo series. His books on writing cover everything from what goes on in our minds to what goes on the paper, advice on getting published, and in the revised edition, he covers marketing. He seems to love to teach as well as write. And, he even answers his emails.
I bought On Writing by Stephen King, but like Heather, I didn’t finish reading it. First, he recommends that we eliminate all useless words and phrases (similar to Strunk), then clutters his writing with unnecessary adjectives. I already know how to cuss.
One other writer that, even though his books are not “on writing,” his writings make one think beyond their private little worlds. I have just begun reading books by Robert Fulghum. (Yes, I am behind in my reading by a couple decades)
Thank you Nathan for posting this topic. I wanted a better list of recommended books to read during my quest to write books that others will want to read.
Tamara says
Wow. There are some great ideas here. I have to put in another vote for Stephen King’s ON WRITING and Robert McKee’s STORY. Thanks for posing the question, Nathan.
L.C.McCabe says
Well, I’m a bit late to this game, BUT maybe this will be beneficial.
My friend Jordan Rosenfeld, author of the fabulous Writers Digest book MAKE A SCENE: Craft a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time has a limited time offer.
She is moving and would like to unload her inventory of author copies of that book and also of WRITE FREE: Attracting the Creative Life that she co-wrote with Becca Lawton.
She is willing to sell them for $10 each, free shipping.
Normally each book sells for $14.99.
Send her an email at jordansmuse@gmail.com if you’d like to try to snag yourself a copy.
Supplies are limited. Act now!
So this isn’t totally a commercial for a friend of mine, I’ll add a different title to the mix that has not been mentioned before. My favorite book that I use to inspire my dramatic writing is Michael Shurtleff’s AUDITION: Everything an Actor Needs to Know to Get the Part.
I love that book. He explains so much, including the reason why alcohol is written into scenes. It is not to withdraw, but to lower inhibitions and take risks that you might otherwise be too fearful. My favorite line from that book is “Conflict is Drama.”
Jo says
I’m stunned to see Stein on Writing mentioned so often. I never see anyone talk about it. The best book on writing ever.
Also good:
Getting into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors byBrandilyn Collins
Finding Your Voice by Les Edgerton
Hooked also by Les Edgerton
Eva Ulian says
These are the 15 books I found most useful and still use at times, so they are not for sale:
1. How to Write Realistic Dialogue
(Can’t do without this even now)
by Jean Saunders also by same
author:
2. The Craft of Writing Romance
3. The First Five Pages
by Noah Lukeman
4. Writing the Blockbuster Novel
by Albert Zuckerman
5. Twenty Master Plots
by Ronal B. Tobais
6. The Fiction Writers’ Handbook
by Nancy Smith
7. Conflict, Action & Suspense
by William Noble
8. Beginnings, Middles & Ends
by Nancy Kress
9. How to Write for Children
by Tessa Krailing
10. How to Write Stories for
Magazines by Donna Baker
11. Creating Characters
by Dwight V. Swain
12. How to Get Published and make
a lot of Money by Susan Page
13. Writing to Sell
by Scott Meredith
14. How to Write & Sell True Crime
by Gary Provost
15. Cause of Death… a writer’s
guide…
by Keith D. Wilson, M.D.
Anonymous says
Stephen King’s On Writing, because it has good observations and for other possibly obvious reasons.
Richard Lewis says
I read some place last year that ELEMENTS OF STYLE and STORY have done more to stifle genuine creativity that the whole host of MFA programs put together.
I can’t recall who said it, and the post was sarcastic in tone, but if you stop to think about it, there’s some truth in that.
The trouble is, the exceptional writers to whom these great books would be stifling are the geniuses, which you and I most assuredly not.
Richard Lewis says
“are not”
Although we wish we were.
Jen C says
The trouble is, the exceptional writers to whom these great books would be stifling are the geniuses, which you and I most assuredly not.
Speak for yourself! I’m pure genius in everything I do…
Robin Constantine says
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
I love her sense of humor. The chapter Radio Station KFKD is hilarious (and so true!)
A classic.
JD Spikes says
I’m with Wendy. Both Anne Lamott’s BIRD BY BIRD and Stephen King’s ON WRITING were the only craft books I’ve located so far that speak to the pantser in me.
Kathleen Ryan says
THE MODERN LIBRARY WRITER’S WORKSHOP: A GUIDE TO THE CRAFT OF FICTION by Stephen Koch
THINKING LIKE YOUR EDITOR: HOW TO WRITE GREAT SERIOUS NONFICTION – AND GET IT PUBLISHED by Alfred Fortunato and Susan Rabiner
THE ELEMENTS OF NARRATIVE NONFICTION: HOW TO WRITE AND SELL THE NOVEL OF TRUE EVENTS by Peter Rubie
Scott says
Anyone interested in my new book On On Writing? It’s all about this great book by Steven King. 🙂
Casey McGill says
Bird by Bird Anne Lamont definitely. You're coming to my school on April 7 & 8th! See you there. And at The Collective you should definitely try the sandwich called the Center of the Universe.
Rick Daley says
Nathan,
The new Curtis Brown website is excellent. It look sharp and it’s easy to navigate. I’ve had my turn at website design, and it is not small task. For whatever it’s worth, please pass along my accolades to those responsible for its development, they really did a great job!
Gina B. says
I can’t believe no one has mentioned: THE LIE THAT TELLS A TRUTH, by John Dufresne.
Outstanding!!!
Elaine 'still writing' Smith says
Books about writing books?
If writers are writing about something they have never seen, heard, felt or done – then the ‘how to’ book would be a must – is anyone actually doing that?
(Talk to the person who did it – or buy the book written by the person who did it – or as close as you can find ) then visualise it – plan the ‘journey’ (space, time, physically, mentally, emotionally and socially) – and write; let them live – play God.
Anonymous says
I want your babies!!
Lydia Sharp says
HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY by Orson Scott Card
Mira says
Scott – can you just kill me now. It would be kinder.
Anon – I have no babies to give you – sorry.
Anonymous says
Techniques of the Selling Writer (Swain),
Anatomy of Story (Truby),
Writing to Sell(Meredith),
The Art of Dramatic Writing (Egri), The Plot Thickens (Luckman),
Story (McKee),
https://fictionwritingtech.blogspot.com/
abc says
My screenwriting teacher in college introduced me to Natalie Goldberg and I was lucky enough to see her speak at Prairie Lights in Iowa City when she came out with fiction book. I love her personality! And she gets me excited about writing.
Ed Miracle says
Techniques of the Selling Writer, by Dwight V. Swain. Hokey title; wonderful guide for the fictioneer.
Hardly a page on which I didn’t underline something vital, important or simply enlightening.
~Sia McKye~ says
Debra Dixon's GOAL, MOTIVATION and CONFLICT. I've read bits and pieces of several books I keep as references: Writing Down the Bones
Natalie Goldberg,ON WRITING by Stephen King. I've got several reference books I still use from college. I also like Give "em What they Want, Camenson & Cook.
Anonymous says
I’m with most of the people in this post, I really enjoyed On Writing by Stephen King. Yes, I do see what some are saying about how he took up a lot of space with non-writing issues (although one could say that the non-writing parts of life are writing parts but anyway). But the sections that were clearly about writing were lucid and, I think, applicable to the average person. High level stuff for the average Nathan-blog reader? Maybe not. But for someone who dabbles in writing, writing students, yes, and he does offer some good advice for some of the folks here, too. My two cents.
Jen C says
I knew I shouldn’t have even opened the comments section today. Of course, after skimming what everyone had to say, I thought I would go to the bookshop at lunch, just to check a few of the titles out. Now I’m approximately $100 poorer.
Word Veri – thnorb. Sums up how I’m feeling right now very nicely.
Laura says
On Writing by King and Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. Both are brilliant and encouraging.
Nathan–
I know I’m behind on this, but thank you for not participating in queryfail. I won’t query the ones that did. I’m nervous about querying — it’s hard to boil down your baby in a few sentences without sounding goofy. It’s nice to know there are agents out there with enough respect for others not to publicly mock their heart and soul via twitter.
You’re one of the good ones.
Beatriz Kim says
My favorite book on writing…”On Writing” by Stephen King…it appears to be a popular choice on this comment stream.
I have read many books on writing, but usually only find 1 or 2 useful tips in a book. “This is a waste of time”.
Then I found…”The Complete Idiot’s Guide to…Writing a Novel”. It has just the basics and a little information on the “getting published part”. I like the general overview. It’s my new reference book.
I use this reference book to help me find books on the details. Wow!
Since I’m not an English major…Idiot’s guide seemed appropriate.
clindsay says
First, the website looks great! Thumbs up!
Second, for non-fiction, I would recommend Susan Rabiners THINKING LIKE YOUR EDITOR.
For fiction, if you can find one (it is sadly out of print), the late Scott Meredith’s WRITING TO SELL. Also, for just breaking down the creative barriers, WRITING DOWN THE BONES by Natalie Goldberg is very good.
Gerri says
My favorite one, so far, is ANATOMY OF A STORY by John Truby. Although he teaches screenwriting classes his book focuses on building a solid plot foundation for any kind of story form.
Laura says
p.s. to anyone upset about the fact that half (and it was half, not 90%) of King’s book being an autobiography– that was precisely the part that encouraged me. I felt a kinship with King. He’d had his share of rejection letters and look at him now! And didn’t talk down to the reader/fellow writers, he gave us a walk through his childhood and his writing lessons, successes, and failures before getting to the nuts and bolts.
I read his chapter “What is Writing” to my comp classes every year. Because he’s right, it’s magic.
YvettesGoneFishing says
Uh oh. I was excited to see Curtis Brown had a live site and I immediately went to check it out.
It looks like queries are accepted only by snail mail. Though it doesn’t specifically say ‘snail mail only,’ there’s only a mailing address on the submissions page, and under Ginger Clark (the agent I queried on 08 FEB 09) there is no email address.
I got her email address from the AgentQuery site, and it says she accepts email queries. Has Curtis Brown or changed its submissions policy?
What’s the least obnoxious way to find out if my query was deleted and if I need to resend it by post? Do I need to ask these questions directly of Ginger Clark by snail mail?
The submissions policy also states a sample chapter should accompany the query. The guidelines I got off the AgentQuery site for this agent specify query only, which is all I sent.
Am I screwed?
lmmay.com says
Everyone has already mentioned many of my favorite writing books, but here's a couple I didn't see (or missed) in the list:
TELLING LIES FOR FUN AND PROFIT
Lawrence Block
SPIDER, SPIN ME A WEB
Lawrence Block
THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING SCIENCE FICTION
Cory Doctorow & Karl Schroeder
(Horrible title, but helpful book for new writers in the field)
The following are my favorite books to reach for when I feel writer's block coming on:
BREAK WRITER'S BLOCK NOW!
Jerrold Mundis
(out-of-print, which is unfortunate)
THE WRITER'S BOOK OF HOPE
Ralph Keyes
THE COURAGE TO WRITE
Ralph Keyes
BECOMING A WRITER
Dorothea Brande
Alps says
THE WRITING LIFE by Annie Dillard.
Writer from Hell says
Great question! I’ll be checking out some of these books that others have mentioned in their msgs.
Can someone pls guide me (sorry this blogpost is not about that, I know but.. taking the creative liberty here) if you send a book proposal to someone, can the cover letter just say normal human stuff like ‘enclosed pls find…’ or does that also have to have some sex appeal? Though try as I might, I can’t figure out how to write an exciting cover letter! Any help wd be appreciated. Thanks.
Anonymous says
Stein on Writing by Sol Stein. It’s great nuts and bolts on writing effective paragraphs and stories. It’s the sort of book I didn’t even think I needed to read until I started it.
Anonymous says
WORD PAINTING by Rebecca McClanahan changed the way I read books and my work. Fantastic.
Anonymous says
whoo hoo to the new website!
redqueen1 says
I have two because they address two different aspects of writing.
Orson Scott Card’s HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY. That book is amazing.
Noah Lukeman’s THE FIRST FIVE PAGES: A WRITER’S GUIDE TO STAYING OUT OF THE REJECTION PILE.
Morning Scribbler says
BLOCKBUSTER PLOTS by Martha Alderson and THE SUCCESSFUL NOVELIST by David Morrell
Damyanti says
Hi Nathan,
Great post here, and a terrific resource in terms of book suggestions from your readers.
I was making a copy of the books and authors, and thought why not make a list?
So I’ve made a list of the books posted so far in the comments and posted them here:
https://amloki.blogspot.com
Here are a few books I’ve been reading:
# Fiction Writer’s Workshop Josip Novakovich
# Write is a Verb Bill O’ Hanlon
# Writing Tools Roy Peter Clark
MrTact says
I have found both Some Writers Deserve to Starve by Elaura Niles and The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman invaluable.
Dorinda Ohnstad says
There is one book that sits on my desk at all times within reach, which is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – How to edit yourself into print by Renni Browne and Dave King.
Vodka Mom says
Stephen King- On Writing. HAND’S DOWN.
OscarB says
I’d like to delurk to second Kathleen Ryan and recommend THE MODERN LIBRARY WRITER’S WORKSHOP: A GUIDE TO THE CRAFT OF FICTION by Stephen Koch. It definitely gave me a kick in the pants.
THE PARIS REVIEW INTERVIEWS are also gold for an insight into the writing process of some big literary names.
I only read the non-autobiographical parts of Stephen King’s ON WRITING and certainly appreciated a lot of the wisdom but was not blown away by it like some others…but then I’m an unpublished nobody so what do I know?
Thanks Nathan for another great post and everyone else for expanding my reading list to even more outlandish proportions!
Ari Lestariono says
Bruce Lee by Bruce Lee
Eva Ulian says
Just posted a picture of the books I mentioned in my list above here-
https://www.freewebs.com/evaulian/
just in case someone didn’t believe me… ah yes I forgot to add number 16. Teach Yourself Screenwriting by Raymond G Frensham
Judy Schneider says
THE WRITER’S JOURNEY: MYTHIC STRUCTURE FOR WRITERS by Christopher Vogler
If your story has all the elements he suggests and you spend the time to write well and revise, you’ll gain notice. It’s a great guide for writing the plot- and/or character-driven story.
Ink says
Mira,
I’m reading On Writing right this very minute… Oooh, nice pages! Pretty words! Look, I’m turning the page! I’m going to read it ALL DAY!
🙂
Bryan
AMB says
All of the Poets on Poetry Series books from University of Michigan Press. I work there so maybe I’m a little (or a lot) biased but they really are beautiful, insightful, and instant classics.