My husband and I got a generous gift card for Christmas-- $50 to Amazon-- and after some small discussion, he now agrees that buying writing books for me would benefit both of us a great deal, and would indeed be the best use of this gift card.
Only I'm in a quandary. I can't decide!
And so, dear blogging writer friends, I turn to you for advice and suggestions. What books on writing have you found to be the most helpful and inspirational, and why?
Please share! Because this $50 Amazon gift card is just waiting to get spent . . . .
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteHey thanks, Alex, I'll check that out. Never heard of it, so I'm excited to take a look.
ReplyDeleteI love BIRD BY BIRD, by Anne Lamott. There's a lot of writing wisdom in that book.
ReplyDeleteLinda, Writing wisdom sounds very appealing. My favorite writing books are those that have depth and meaning, that motivate and stimulate creativity. These are the ones that I go back to over and over, more than the "how to" books. Thanks for this suggestion, I'll go look at it right now!
DeleteI'm walkabout at the moment - and can't visualise my bookcase. Remind me when I get home - I know there are some I've fallen back on over and over - too far away to even remember much beyond the colour of the covers!
ReplyDeleteJo, I'm amazed that you are even able to blog in the far reaches of your latest adventure.
DeleteI'm constantly amazed by everything that Jo does!
DeleteSave the Cat is not just informative, it's a funny read.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book is less a writing book than a storytelling book(Like Save the Cat!): Writing for Emotional Impact, Karl Iglesias.
It's not funny, and it's not a quick read either. It's like film-school: teaches you the different ways to tell a story and what the benefits of each approach are, and how each impacts the reader. I reread it regularly.
Amalie, Very cool! Another one I haven't heard of-- will go look it up. Thanks!
DeleteThird vote for Save The Cat. Also Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne & King. And an older, yet lovely book is If You Want To Write by Brenda Ueland.
ReplyDeleteA few of my favorites are Sin and Syntax, By Constance Hale, The Emotional Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, and On Writing by Stephen King. Have fun spending :)
ReplyDeleteI second Bird by Bird, and first (:) Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande. The latter is copyright 1934, and never went out-of-print. I think that says something.
ReplyDeleteAnother vote for Bird by Bird. Also, The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner and Escaping Into the Open: The Art of Writing True by Elizabeth Berg are writing books I've enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen - sorry I cannot 'come up' with a modern book title because I tend to read older fiction.
ReplyDeleteYet I cannot help but think that it must be very difficult for anyone to advise an accomplished writer like yourself.
Eddie, You are sweetheart. I always enjoy your visits and comments to my blog. Hope you and Mrs. Bluelights are doing well.
DeleteKaren - how about reading a real 'oldie' like H Rider Haggard's "The People Of The Mist". Might be interesting to see how an older book compares.
DeleteI used to love reading his writing.
I've heard that SAVE THE CAT is a good one. On my list of books to buy.
ReplyDelete...autobiographies written by those who've earned such praise to allow for them are words that I find encouraging.
ReplyDeleteOn Writing by King is a must ;)
El
Yep, King's On Writing is good. I've learned a lot, here, though - I hadn't heard about Save the Cat. (Checks Amazon) - hmm, is it specifically for screenwriting though?
ReplyDeleteElliot, Simon-- I have On Writing, the one by King and Sol Silverstein as well-- both are VERY good and inspirational-- As for Save the Cat, I wondered about the screenwriting and figured it meant how to tighten the plotting, the narrative flow? Studying screenwriting is always helpful for us wordy novelists.
ReplyDeleteThe Arvon Book of Crime and Thriller Writing.
ReplyDelete:-)
Take care
x
Hi, karen,
ReplyDeleteWhat a GREAT way to spend a gift card. I have heard of all of the above. I wish I can add something to them for you.
My thoughts are to google. You could find AMAZING additional suggestions on line. AND most have reviews. It may take a bit of time, but you could find a treasure that we all forgot about.
HAVE FUN SHOPPING!
Save the Cat is a good buy. I'd also take a look at Writing the Breakout Novel. You lucky writer you! $50 and all for books.
ReplyDeleteThis is just a fabulous list, thanks for all your suggestions. Like Michael said, I am going to have FUN shopping! I've already checked out a lot of them, including the negative reviews since I can get an idea of what kind of book it is by negative as well as positive reviews.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say "Save the Cat" ... but it looks like folks already beat me to it--LOL! :D
ReplyDeleteYay for gift cards! <3
I've never heard of Save The Cat. I might even get it myself. I've enjoyed Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg but I think that's more of a therapeutic writing book - not that there's anything wrong with a bit of therapy. I often do dip into this book which is on my shelf beside me as I type this.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Writing Down the Bones!
DeleteI keep meaning to try Save the Cat. I also like Bird by Bird, and plan to re-read it soon. Then there's The Writer's Book of Days which is a combination of writing prompts and writing advice that I enjoy picking up off and on throughout the year every year.
ReplyDeleteTyrean, Going to check on The Writer's Book of Days right now....
DeleteNicola Morgan's Write to be Published and Stephen King's On Writing. I found both of those books excellent. But what is this Save the Cat? My cat-loving soul is intrigued! Love that one book mentions cats and the other is 'Bird' by Bird. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Karen .. someone mentioned "The Secret Miracle: The Novelist's Handbook" ... forgotten who - I'm sure I'll come across who it was ... and there's another book - but I need to remember again who it was ...
ReplyDeleteI'll be back to remind you I hope ... love the sound of "Save the Cat" though ...
It'll be interesting to hear what you choose ... cheers Hilary
Hi Karen .. Julia Hones has written this post - there might be some useful information here ..
Deletehttp://juliahoneswritinglife.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/alternatives-to-duotrope.html
This wasn't the book I was thinking of ...
Cheers Hilary
Thanks, Hilary! I appreciate the link, will go there!
DeleteHmmm, that is quite a pickle! I too got a $50 Amazon gift card for the holidays! I got a couple of books on my craft, and spent the rest on books I love to read for pleasure from some of my fave authors. I feel I learn just as much about writing from reading books for pleasure, as those about the craft itself. Cheers & happy shopping!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you've made a decision by now. My problem is that I've bought many writing books but read only a couple and have barely even looked at the rest. Kind of like a lot of the help and how-to books that I own. I'll have to delve into them one day.
ReplyDeleteLee
Wrote By Rote
Lee, Actually I haven't yet. Like you, I've bought writing books and barely glanced at them, others I read regularly, especially before I start a new draft. Like Hooked by Les Edgerton and anything by Jack Bickham. I haven't had time to research all the great suggestions everyone's given me in the comments. But I plan to, because I not only want to get some good ones, I want them to be ones I go back to again and again.
DeleteHi Karen - I picked a couple from this list .. Save the Cat and Bird by Bird ... coming this week ... and I need to get your recent release .. time to read first!
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary