I am a library reader. I love to log on at home-where it doesn't matter who is laughing, crying, dumping puzzles out or who has to go to the bathroom- and search. Search reviews. Search similar books categories. I've developed a habit where someone online recommends a book, and I log onto my library account and request it, right away.
I've read maybe fifteen books on writing- some fantastic, some decent. I requested another 20 to be sent to my home library and will be bringing you my take-home points from each. The librarians will be glad to see me since there aren't a lot of shelves. (FYI-150 books came up in the search. Writers love to talk about writing, don't they?)
A lot of this is subjective- things that might have blown my mind six months ago I may have read in several places, and I won't be impressed in the same way I might have been. And I know there're so many author/agent blogs out there, but there's something about a book. I'll let you know who it's aimed at, or try to.
I'll focus on some loose groups- workshop books, famous writer books, and genre books- how to write romance, mysteries, etc. Plus a few other categories as I figure this out.
I will review the "Idiot's Guide to Writing", though I don't like the title. The best title I read was "You're not fooling anyone when you take your laptop to a coffee shop."
Open to suggestions! What books have helped you become a better writer?
Strunk and White is off the table, okay?
A Tale of Two How-Tos
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As a connoisseur of writing how-tos (and yes, I had to look up how to spell
connoisseur – and okay, “addict” might be a more accurate word), I have
read ...
1 day ago
My writing life is pretty new, but the books that have helped me so far are Orson Scott Card's Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy and Characters and Viewpoint, Stephen King's On Writing, and James Scott Bell's Plot and Structure. After reading books on writing, it's fun to apply new knowledge to stuff I've already read. Some of the mystery disappears -- in a good way. Thanks for the post! I look forward to visiting again.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions, Jonathan. I've read the Orson Scott Card one, but not the others. They're one the list!
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