Our regional list of recommended books on writing is available on our NaperWriMo Wiki. Topping the list for me are:
- Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain -- a must-read book on the mechanics of writing scenes and structuring your book to hook the reader
- Writing for Emotional Impact, by Karl Iglesias. -- Great book! Tells you how to manipulate the emotions of your reader to great effect.
- Plot & Structure: Techniques and exercises for crafting a plot that grips readers from start to finish, by James Scott Bell
- Book In A Month, by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
What are your favorites? Which are the most helpful?
--Tim
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Tim Yao aka NewMexicoKid
co-ML, Illinois::Naperville
Fog Readability Analysis
Writing resources
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oct. 8, 2008 - 07 14
Wow, I have tons!
Writing Down the Bones, Natalie Goldberg
Bird By Bird, Anne Lamott
Writers' Book of Days, Judy Reeves
The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron
for more, check out my blog: http://writerinspired.wordpress.org
~ Mary Jo
----------http://www.writerinspired.wordpress.com
http://www.writelikeCRAZY.wordpress.com
52,026 / 50,000
oct. 9, 2008 - 12 25
I'm actually taking a class on Creative Writing currently--and I have to recommend this book! It's very general and focuses not only on fiction, but creative non-fiction, poems, and drama as well in case you're interested in more than just fiction. It's by Janet Burroway with its title as "Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft." I actually have the second edition, but I can't imagine the first edition is so off base it isn't useful.
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oct. 9, 2008 - 14 51
It's not your standard book on writing, but as a writer's tool, I love it.
Looking for a fun and interesting way to kill off one of your characters? Turn to The Book of Poisons, part of the "Howdunit" series of books. It lists hundreds of poisonous chemicals, plants, and the like and also branches a litlte into venom. It's a very handy book if you ever want your star detective to accidentally open an envelope filled with a mysterious powder, or if one of your characters finds a fungus in the woods and decides it's a delicious-looking morsel.
I haven't actually gotten to use it in a book yet, but I may this year as I've got a doctor character that should be familiar with at least a handful of these. There's also more to the Howdunit series.
----------2003: Psion (16,613 words)
2004: The Burning Gears (27,461 words)
2005: Wanderer (2,374 words)
2006: Broken Worlds (52,866 words) and The Fourteenth Man (22,187 words)
2007: A Bit of Human Driftwood
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oct. 24, 2008 - 21 29
I'm going to second Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. I wouldn't even be attempting this if I hadn't read it. I also like Gotham Writer's Workshop -- Writing Fiction. I'm taking one of their classes right now and the book has some solid advice.
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oct. 26, 2008 - 08 17
For NaNo specifically:
(I can personally attest to Smith's book helping me get trhough my first NaNo.)
As a practical matter, during NaNo there really isn't the luxury of time to read, absorb, and apply longer, in-depth books on writing. (In that case, my library is HUGE.)
So for NaNo specifically, I like to recommend practical, process-oriented books that get you up and running quickly. That said, there's one other book currently on bookstore shelves that suggests having a first draft in 30 days. On closer inspection, the book is really about crafting a 60-100 page outline in 30 days, and not an actual draft at all. Clearly not a book that will help with NaNo.