W1S1 Recommended Reading List

Project Deadlight

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Following on from the posts about inspiration and goal setting, I'm wondering if it would be worth having a thread about writing-related books that people have found inspiring? Maybe as a sticky at the top of the page or something? What do you think, Izz.

I was thinking not just about instructional manuals (though they have their place too) but also writer's biographies and auto-biographies.

Here are some that I've read lately that I've found either/both inspirational or useful. I'd love to hear other W1S1ers suggestions as my own writing routine involves always having one of these on the go alongside my fiction reading.

Richard Laymon - A Writer's Tale
(Incredibly rare but a pdf is online at scribd. Very insightful as he is a US writer that only posthumously became known in his home country but was big in the UK. Lots about the struggle to break through and perseverance etc). Not a fan of his by any means but the book stands alone as an interesting, slightly embittered, gem.

Ray Bradbury - Zen and the Art of Writing
A book that makes you love writing by a man who clearly loved writing. His prose is soaked in enthusiasm.

Stephen Spignesi - Stephen King Encyclopedia
Really thick tome that is available on amazon for reasonably cheap. Surprisingly interesting as it was written before Stephen King came to be accepted by more literary types and is mostly comprised of interviews with up and coming writers giving their take on King's popular success. Interesting for the lay of the writing land circa-1990. Plus occasionally interesting material for SK diehards.
 
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TomKnighton

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Stephen King - On Writing

Part autobiographical account of his writing career, part text on writing. I found both parts equally interesting and useful, particularly about how many story rejections he got and what he did with them.
 

Aggy B.

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Blake Snyder - Save the Cat

Almost everything he says about writing screenplays can be applied to writing novels/short stories. And he has a lot of insight into how to build a plot and characters around a single idea. (And also how to trim down a vague idea into a well-defined one.)

Syd Field - Screenplay

A great breakdown of the concept of three act structure. (I find the book a little bit long, but he demonstrates the idea of Beginning, Middle, End from screenplay level to individual scenes/sequences.) Again, written about screenplays, but equally useful for writing novels.

Aggy, not an English/Creative Writing graduate
 

Izz

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Following on from the posts about inspiration and goal setting, I'm wondering if it would be worth having a thread about writing-related books that people have found inspiring? Maybe as a sticky at the top of the page or something? What do you think, Izz.
Sounds like a great idea to me, PD :)

However, while i may spend most of my time in this room, i'm not currently a mod here (i gave up the duties a while back because of RL stuff). zanzjan would be the mod to ask re stickying :)
 

Aislinn

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I'm now exploring my bookshelf... probably time to re-read a lot of these gems.

I agree that On Writing and Zen in the Art of Writing are must-reads for inspiration.

For practical inspiration and professionalism and doggedness, I'd recommend Lawrence Block's Telling Lies for Fun & Profit.

I also enjoyed Aspects of the Novel by E M Forster.
 

fihr

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Thirding (four thing?) 'On Writing'. My husband enjoyed that book, and he doesn't even write.

But I love most books about writing. I really ought to read 'Save the Cat', it's so famous.
 

V1c

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What It Is by Lynda Barry. Oh, so sad that book is in my storage locker and not with me on my travels as it is my Bible. I also used it when I taught fiction - it is part graphic novel, part exercise book, all parts awesome. One of my students described it as a writing book on acid.
 

Sai

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I really like a lot of books already mentioned here, including Save the Cat and On Writing, but I also want to give a shout-out to 'Bird by Bird' by Annie Lamott and 'Writing Tools' by Peter C. Clark. Bird by Bird is a good overview about how to have a good attitude/mindset about being a writer while Writing Tools is great about getting down to the nitty-gritty of writing.
 

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Starve Better by Nick Mamatas.
 

Tedium

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Anyone know any: a) books of creative writing exercises? and b) podcasts/radio shows on writing and literature?

Reply to an old question, but these are some of my absolute favorite books on writing and they are all exercises:

The 3 A.M. Epiphany by Brian Kiteley

The 4 A.M. Breakthrough by Brian Kiteley

The Writer's Book of Matches by The Editors of Fresh Boiled Peanuts

And because no one mentioned it and editing is important:

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

 

Gnome

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Reply to an old question, but these are some of my absolute favorite books on writing and they are all exercises:

The 3 A.M. Epiphany by Brian Kiteley

The 4 A.M. Breakthrough by Brian Kiteley

The Writer's Book of Matches by The Editors of Fresh Boiled Peanuts

And because no one mentioned it and editing is important:

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

Neat! I might try some of those exercises.
 

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Stephen King - On Writing. Practical and inspirational by a guy who has been there and done that.
 

alexshvartsman

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Stephen King - On Writing. Practical and inspirational by a guy who has been there and done that.

On Writing was one of the fist books about writing that I've read, and I feel it is much more of a memoir with amusing anecdotes and small bits of good writing advice sprinkled in than a manual on the craft of writing. Still worth reading, of course, but don't pick it up for the wrong reasons. :)
 

fihr

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I second Sai's tip about 'Bird by Bird', by Anne Lamott. Bits of that keep coming back to me whenever I get stuck or need to persevere, plus Anne Lamott writes beautifully, which is itself an inspiration.

And I second Gnome: 'Self Editing for Fiction Writers' is invaluable. Easy to read and use.