I figured, after reading Charlie_Azami's thread about the book First Draft in 30 Days, I would write down the list of books I have that I like to use -- Goodness knows, if you're a writer, you hoard books that could possibly help you in any way...
This list is really rough cuz I have most of 'em at home, and I'm at work right now.
No Plot? No Problem! (of course)
43 Rules of Thumb from Writers
Characters & Viewpoints - Orson Scott Card
The Weekend Novelist
Escaping Into The Open, the Art of Writing True - Elizabeth Berg
Chapter after Chapter
101 Tips from Successful Novelists
Write. 10 Days to Getting Rid of Writer's Block. Period. (I know i'm going to need this one)
Writers Write (essays about writing)
Writing The Wave (Elizabeth Ayres - signed by the author, I loved my mom for this one)
Elements of Style (illustrated hardback version)
On Writing Well - Zinsser
Writing Down the Bones - (Ok, I'm lying, I don't have this one, but I want it!!)
Telling Lies for Fun & Profit - Lawrence Block
Bird By Bird - Anne LaMott (I, again, don't have this one, I got rid of it somehow, or maybe it's still home in Oregon)
The Write Brain (366 writing prompts, one for each day of the year)
Writing The Muse (writing prompts)
Reading Like A Writer
The Writer's Block (786 ideas to jump start your writing -- it's SOMEWHERE in the apartment lol.. it's the size of a Rubix cube)
Writer's Little Helper
The Forest for the Trees: An Editor's Advice to Writers (Betsy Lerner)
Writing Fiction Step By Step
There are more that I have at home, but can't remember, and half these I remembered cuz I went on Amazon and looked up Writing, Writers and Write and Fiction! :P I look forward to hearing your lists! Feel free to comment or ask questions about any of mine!
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Oct 27, 2009 - 07 52
My favorites...
BOOKS:
First Draft in 30 Days - Karen S. Wiesner
The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing - Editors of Writer's Digest
2010 Writer's Market (worth the price) - Robert Lee Brewer
Revision and Self-Editing (Write Great Fiction Series) - James Scott Bell
Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing School - Gotham Writer's Workshop
Armed and Dangerous: A Writer's Guide to Weapons (Howdunit Series) - Michael Newton
Elements of Style (Illustrated Version...my first writing book!)
Chicago Manuel of Style
A Writer's Reference
The Write Brain (365 Writing Exercises) by Bonnie Neubauer
Writing Dialogue - Tom Chiarella
Writer's Guide to Places - Don Prues
The Book of Poisons (Howdunit Series) - Serita Stevens
The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide - JR Ward (this is a book about the series, but there are TONS of helpful facts about how to write and how to get published).
KITS/TOOLS:
Writer's Digest Writing Kit - Writer's Digest
MAGAZINES:
Writer's Digest (highly recommended...cheap, too!)
The Writer
Writer's Market
That's what I have for now, although I have a ton on my 'to-buy' list. I suggest buying books on the things you need help with and about a genre if you tend to lean that way. I do a lot of crime novels, so I bought books on procedures for police, poisons, weapons, etc. I also am weaker with dialogue, so I bought a book on that as well. But I'm good with description, so those books are just on my 'wish list.' I really recommend getting a subscription to Writer's Digest magazine. They have hints and tips for all genres, competitions, classifieds, and aides in getting published. I think a subscription is only 10 bucks for a year.
----------There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein. ~Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith
Do No Evil - Coming to a bookstore near you
31,760 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 08 07
I get Writer's Digest too, but I'm so bad, I never read them, so I have a bunch that I've only skimmed... Now that i'm doing NaNoWriMo, I think I will just grab all my back issues and read them... I also subscribe to Poets & Writers... just renewed my subscription... It's another one that I get, but barely ever read.... I'm bad about that... I want to write more, but I have a hard time kicking myself in gear, but now that my computer is running nicely again, and it's in the week before NaNoWriMo, I'm suddenly all geared up to write.. :D It's great!
8,028 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 11 15
I can't find it (which tells me that someone "borrowed" it), but I enjoyed Stephen King's "On Writing," which I found to be somewhat helpful.
8,602 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 16 00
I have Writing down the bones, I absolutely love it!
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Nov 2, 2009 - 00 57
I'm partial to Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft - I think something like NaNoWriMO is near and dear to his heart, since he really hates plotting things out first, and loves just writing and going back and editing later.
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