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peopleofthedas2010-12-22 09:41 am
aithne) wrote in peopleofthedas2010-12-22 09:41 am
Writing book recommendations
(Mods: let me know if this isn't cool to post here and I will happily move it.)
This came up in comments the other day, and I though I'd post about it here, since there seemed to be some interest. And then my friend Cat posted a list of her own that has a bunch of overlap with mine. (I need to pick up some of the books on her list.)
I’ve read a lot of writing books over the last however many years, and I’ve become fond of a few of them. I tend to like books that really focus in on a particular problem or technique, and I’ve built up a small library of them.
My current favorites are:
Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Nancy Kress
Nancy Kress is completely awesome, as is this book. As the title says, it takes you through the three parts of a story or book and discusses the functions of each and problems you might encounter with them. It’s full of exercises and examples that illustrate the various points, and it’s written in a pointed but humorous tone. Recommended for everyone who writes fiction, whether short stories or novels. (The whole “Elements of Fiction Writing” series is very highly regarded, but I’ve only read this one. I’m planning on picking up a few more next year.)
The 10% Solution by Ken Rand
Ever get the comment that you need to tighten your prose, but aren’t sure how? This book will help. It’s a short, speedy read with a bunch of strategies for cleaning up your prose and making your sentences more powerful. Wonderful if you know you need to revise but aren’t sure where to start.
Writing The Other by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward
If I could drop a book into the hands of every writer, this would be it. This is a series of essays on how to write from the viewpoints of characters who are unlike yourself--different races, different ages, different sexual orientations--and do it both sensitively and well. There are a lot of basic exercises in here (it was originally written as a companion to a workshop, the abbreviated version of which I’ve taken) and it is really worth reading through the book and doing the exercises. It’s a small book, but packs a punch.
The Joy of Writing Sex: A Guide for Fiction Writers by Elizabeth Benedict
The best guide to writing sex scenes I’ve found. Ms. Benedict discusses not only the mechanics of writing sex scenes (really, where *is* the line between a story with a sex scene and an erotic story?) but also how to have sex scenes carry their weight in terms of character development and plot. I was impressed by the inclusiveness of the book, and I refer to it on a reasonably regular basis.
The Chicago Manual of Style (or another style guide; Cat recommends Strunk and White, but I'm not big on that one.)
Every writer needs three books: a dictionary, a thesaurus, and a style guide. And while the Internet can stand in for the first two, I haven’t yet found a good electronic substitute for the third. The Chicago Manual was recommended to me as the style guide that tends to be most suitable for fiction writers, and I’ve generally found that to be the case. Not the easiest book in the world to read, but invaluable in its own way.
(older versions and used copies are a lot less expensive--the 14th edition is still entirely usable and you can pick it up for a song.)
So, tell me. What books about writing have you found useful, and why?
This came up in comments the other day, and I though I'd post about it here, since there seemed to be some interest. And then my friend Cat posted a list of her own that has a bunch of overlap with mine. (I need to pick up some of the books on her list.)
I’ve read a lot of writing books over the last however many years, and I’ve become fond of a few of them. I tend to like books that really focus in on a particular problem or technique, and I’ve built up a small library of them.
My current favorites are:
Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Nancy Kress
Nancy Kress is completely awesome, as is this book. As the title says, it takes you through the three parts of a story or book and discusses the functions of each and problems you might encounter with them. It’s full of exercises and examples that illustrate the various points, and it’s written in a pointed but humorous tone. Recommended for everyone who writes fiction, whether short stories or novels. (The whole “Elements of Fiction Writing” series is very highly regarded, but I’ve only read this one. I’m planning on picking up a few more next year.)
The 10% Solution by Ken Rand
Ever get the comment that you need to tighten your prose, but aren’t sure how? This book will help. It’s a short, speedy read with a bunch of strategies for cleaning up your prose and making your sentences more powerful. Wonderful if you know you need to revise but aren’t sure where to start.
Writing The Other by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward
If I could drop a book into the hands of every writer, this would be it. This is a series of essays on how to write from the viewpoints of characters who are unlike yourself--different races, different ages, different sexual orientations--and do it both sensitively and well. There are a lot of basic exercises in here (it was originally written as a companion to a workshop, the abbreviated version of which I’ve taken) and it is really worth reading through the book and doing the exercises. It’s a small book, but packs a punch.
The Joy of Writing Sex: A Guide for Fiction Writers by Elizabeth Benedict
The best guide to writing sex scenes I’ve found. Ms. Benedict discusses not only the mechanics of writing sex scenes (really, where *is* the line between a story with a sex scene and an erotic story?) but also how to have sex scenes carry their weight in terms of character development and plot. I was impressed by the inclusiveness of the book, and I refer to it on a reasonably regular basis.
The Chicago Manual of Style (or another style guide; Cat recommends Strunk and White, but I'm not big on that one.)
Every writer needs three books: a dictionary, a thesaurus, and a style guide. And while the Internet can stand in for the first two, I haven’t yet found a good electronic substitute for the third. The Chicago Manual was recommended to me as the style guide that tends to be most suitable for fiction writers, and I’ve generally found that to be the case. Not the easiest book in the world to read, but invaluable in its own way.
(older versions and used copies are a lot less expensive--the 14th edition is still entirely usable and you can pick it up for a song.)
So, tell me. What books about writing have you found useful, and why?
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Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella. Not all of it applies to prose fiction, some is more geared towards scriptwriting, but the parts that do apply to prose are very good.
Lots about establishing unique diction for characters, the natural flow of conversations, and even how to set up a discussion in a work of prose without resorting to he said she said he said over and over by interspersing action and movement.
Dialogue is definitely my strong point, and it's the one aspect of my writing that would always get praised in my writing class critique. I suspect that is due to this book.
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I also really liked Orson Scott Card's Science Fiction Writing book (yeah, I know people hate him - just check it out from the library), and On Writing by Steven King (which admittedly isn't really a "how to" book so much as autobiography - but it's fun, and gives a really interesting view as to the creative process from a very successful author). I do love Strunk and White, but the Chicago Manual of Style is also good. ;)
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I'd have to agree that Orson Scott Card's How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy is pretty damned good (and frankly I think this book is better than his actual science fiction). I mean, the guy is a complete tool, but he knows his shit when it comes to writing. I'd also have to second Stephen King's On Writing as well as Strunk & White's Elements of Style.
And while Absolute Write Water Cooler are online forums and not a book about writing, I thought I'd mention them because it's a fantastic resource for people who are actually trying to get published, from everything from which publishing houses are scams, to writing advice from actual published pro authors to specific genre help. I really should spend more time over there, but there's a lot of great stuff if you dig.