8 Popular Books on Writing
Nearly everyone has tried to write something whether it’s poetry, a novel, freelance work or some other form of writing. Those that wish to continue their writing career whether for a hobby or professional, here are some great books that will help you along the way.
Add them to your library, read then and work hard. You’ll find success!
Writing Process
Listed here are books on the writing process. The author’s specific writing process or a suggested writing techniques that could give you suggestions and insight for your own writing process.
On Writing by Stephen King
This book is also has his memoir, along with his process on writing and editing as he’s done for the time that he’s been writing. Gain insight on King’s work process, editing and more. Know what it’s like in his early days and now that he’s gotten multiple best sellers under his belt.
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
This book mostly focuses on non-fiction writing, but it does touch on other types such as Interviews, tales on individuals, and travel writing.
While it focuses mostly on non-fiction, it does include the fundamental principles of writing, gives cues on consistency, editing, voice and much more. With that, it make it an invaluable book to any aspiring writer.
Plot and Structure by James Schott Bell
This book is for fiction authors and simplifies everything from story structure models to techniques to methods of writing. It will assist you in crafting a fantastic story from beginning to end. Not only will you get structure and techniques, but you’ll get a wealth of writing tips, plot diagrams and more.
Editing
Editing your own story can be one of the most time consuming and frustrating areas of the writing process. That’s why it is highly recommended that you seek professional guidance when you get to this step.
Though, affording an editor when just starting out can be difficult, there are books that will help you with editing your work. Below is one of my favorites.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and David King
When you are really strapped for cash and are in need of editing and can’t afford an editor (or as a first step to save your editor some headache), this is the book for you! This book will educate you on the things you need to know in order to edit your own story before sending it to an editor. It goes through things such as dialogue, exposition, point of view, and much more.
World-building and Character Development
There are aspects of your story that you want to take a little extra time to develop: World building and Characters. If you don’t have a world that pulls your readers in and characters that your reader relate to or love to hate (in the case of the villain); you’ll have a hard time gaining and keeping readers engaged in your story.
On Writing and World Building by Timothy Hickson
Book 1:
World-building is not an easy task, but something you want to do if your story world is different than that of what we live in. Those differences will need to be discovered and developed for your characters to know and possibly rebel against depending on who and what your characters are doing. This world is where you characters live, where they spend their time and you need to know as much as you can about it to portray your characters within that world comfortably.
Within the pages of book one, Timothy discusses specific topics on writing, including:
- Exposition
- Foreshadowing
- Villain Motivation
- Religions
- Hero – Villain Relationship
- Battles
- Magic Systems
- Empires
- and More
Book 2:
World-building is not an easy task, but something you want to do if your story world is different than that of what we live in. Those differences will need to be discovered and developed for your characters to know and possibly rebel against depending on who and what your characters are doing. This world is where you characters live, where they spend their time and you need to know as much as you can about it to portray your characters within that world comfortably.
Within the pages of book two, Timothy discusses specific topics on writing, including:
- Pacing
- Fighting
- Mentor Characters
- Monarchies
- Classes
- Power
- 1st Person Narrative
- Backstory
- Fantasy
- Alien Races
- Wealth
- Place Names
- and More
If there are any of these areas you are struggling with, these are great books to give you an idea and information to flesh out these ares.
Getting Into Character: 7 Secrets a Novelist can Learn from Actors by Brandilyn Collins
One of the areas of writing you want to spend time on are your characters. You want to know as much about them as you possibly can flesh out. Even if you will not use all the information about your characters, you’ll have it in case it comes up. The more you know your characters on a personal level, the better the chance you’ll be able to convey them in a way that creates a connection with your readers.
Other Great Works
What other things could you possibly need in order to become a successful writer? Well, a lot actually, but we’ll not get into that now. What you can use are these next to books to keep you organized and motivated as you complete your writing journey.
The Organised Writer by Anthony Johnston
In this book, Anthony, discusses less on how to write and more on how to function as a writer. He goes over how to be efficient in juggling multiple projects and organize everything from notes to folder on a computer. Not all will fit your personal style, but the suggestions are there for you to use if you wish. I personally wouldn’t print everything and keep them in physical file folders unless it was necessary, but you do you.
The Kick-Ass Writer: 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published and Earn Your Audience by Chuck Wendig
As the title suggests, in The Kick-Ass Writer, you are given insight into the writing and publishing world of great fiction. Chuck answers questions on how to write dialogue, how you build suspense, how to start your writing, and how to master skills to build a dedicated fan base.
Other topics you’ll learn within the pages of this book are:
- Build Suspense
- Defeat Writer’s Block
- Write Endings
- Conquering Social Media
- Writing a Query Letter
- Deal With Failure
- Craft Characters
- Write a Scene
- Start a Blog on your Writing
- Crowdfunding
- Talk to Agents
- And More
Final Thoughts
Writing is not easy, and has many parts to it that need attention, whether you are writing stories, screenplays, freelance writing or writing poetry. These books and many others can help you fine tune the areas you’re struggling with and even help you get published, edit, and more. There are so many opportunities for you to succeed, so add these to your library and more to reference when needed. Everyone needs help sometimes, and these authors are here to help!
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