Friday Five: Favorite Writing Books
I’ve written about some of these books here, but it felt like time to just toss up a list. As of today, and in no particular order, these are my top 5 books on the craft of writing. If you’ve got some other favorites, add them to the comments, where everybody can see!
- Donald Maass‘ Writing the Breakout Novel (and accompanying workbook)
- Les Edgerton’s Hooked
- John Truby’s The Anatomy of Story
- Alicia Rasley’s The Power of Point of View
- James Scott Bell’s Plot and Structure
I have to mention one other book, which I haven’t actually read yet, but which I have on order–after listening to Merrily Kutner explain the diagramming method for picture books that the author teaches. I’m pretty sure I’m going to seriously love Eve Heidi Bine-Stock’s How to Write a Children’s Picture Book, Volume I: Structure. I’m pretty sure I’m going to like Volumes II and III, too, but I’m going one at a time for now!
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8 Comments
Thanks for this! I’ve bookmarked. 🙂
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Hope you find one you like! 🙂
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Hey, those are mine, too! Seriously, you introduced me to Hooked and The Power of Point of View. I’ll take credit for turning you on to Maass. Not sure how the cross fertilization worked with other two but I love Truby and Bell.
I also loved Bell’s The Art of War for Writers about the more psychological aspect of this business.
I may spend Friday lost in one, or several, of these books. Time well spent.
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I think you told me about Truby, and I resisted for a long time, then fell in love with his plotting.
Happy reading. 🙂
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I recently read Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder which is for screen writing, but everything he says applies for novels as well.
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I really need to read that one–I keep hearing novelists talk about it.
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Love getting new writing book recommendations.
I’ve read & loved the Maass books. Just got “Hooked” and reading it now. Checked the Bell book on Plot out recently and loved it too.
Another favorite of mine is “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” by Stephen King & the Elizabeth George book, “Write Away.” Hard to zero in on just a few. I’m enjoying Writing for children & Teenagers by Lee Wyndham right now. I got a great deal on about 25 book for a quarter each from a friend of mine.
Can’t wait to find those other favorites of yours.
Fun post!
c
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Great recommendations, Claudine. Thanks!
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