The Writer's Library
Hi Writers! Time to take off your writing pants and put on your reading pants. What? You don't have writing pants? You should get some. Mine are pink Santa Claus pants, but you can write in other colors of Santa Claus pants...if you insist.
A lovely young Twitch asked me for recommendations of writing books on craft. I mentioned at the Chicago Spring Fling during my Break Into Publishing talk that I had a stack of writing books on craft all the way up to my hip. My agent Sara had to interject that wasn't saying much (I'm short).
But here are my top seven favorite books on writing that I go back to again and again.
3-The Elements of Style by Strunk & White
4-The Writer's Little Instruction Book - Craft & Technique by Paul Martin
5-The Writer's Little Instruction Book - Inspiration & Motivation by Paul Martin
6-The Writer's Little Instruction Book - Getting Published by Paul Martin
7-Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
My suggestion to aspiring writers is to read craft and technique books by real writers, published writers, famous writers, and not necessarily by professional writing instructors no matter how impressive their list of Ph.Ds. Stephen King knows more about writing a bestseller than a college professor. Why? Because he's done it. Fifty fucking times.
P.S. The Writer's Little Instruction books by Paul Martin are out of print. Buy them anyway.
P.P.S. You should also read THE SIREN by me. It won't help you learn to be a better writer but it will make you laugh, cry, and want to bang the nearest Catholic priest. And really, isn't there something to be said for that?
