read books on writing

 There are tons of books on writing. Given that writers write it isn't strange that many of them would want to write about writing. Some books are written by writers and some are written by: agents, editors, publishers, critics, teachers, professors, and others. Many famous people have written books about writing. Many not so famous people have written books about writing. Some books are of the memoir type others are of the how to type. Some focus on specific aspects of writing like: plot, character, writer's block, inspiration, dialogue, the marketplace, structure, editing, getting an agent or publisher, and more.

 

You can get a lot out of reading some of these books. The question is which ones. The quantity and variety of them can be overwhelming.  Many  famous writers have written memoirs and books on writing . Many books are considered classics and 'must reads'. However just because the book is famous or well thought of by famous people doesn’t mean it will be helpful to you. What is helpful to one person is useless to another. Read recommendations for books but if the book isn’t working for you don’t force yourself to read it. Look at lots of books, read a chapter or two. Then decide if it interests you or not. If it doesn't work for you, don't continue reading it. find another book that works for you. There are plenty to choose from.

I have found that many of the most famous and classic books on writing don't work for me. I don't particularly care for books on how to create characters. I find them full of useless exercises and character by rote advice. The same goes for books on plot. Though I do like lists of plots. The ancient Greeks and Romans were all interested in creating lists of all possible plots and it seems so are we today. 

I have a page with a short list of books I have found helpful on the Resource page of this blog. If you are writing children's picture books  you must read Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitfield Paul. You are doing yourself a disservice if you do not. It is a step by step course in writing picture books. There is no other book on writing that I know of that compares with it.

For writing in general the best book I've found is Wired for Story by Lisa Cron. This book is all about how our brains are wired for stories. It is supported by neuroscience and psychology. It starts with how our brains work and goes on to talk about creating stories that align with how the human brain works.  I found it fascinating and also full of practical instructions on what to write and what not to write. I know a lot of people love the book Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. But I find it does not compare to Wired for Story.

Here is a quote from Wired for Story:

         The essence of a story lies in revealing the things that in real life we don’t say out loud

I just love that.

So those two books I give my strongest recommendation.

 

You never can tell where you will find some information that opens doors in your mind or where you will find useless words. Don’t approach books as ‘have to reading’, no matter how famous or well respected the book is. It’s only worth your time if it makes sense to you and helps you. The other thing I have to say is don't just read about the craft - if you are serious about getting published you must read about the business of publishing. And there are plenty of books out there about that.