Recommended Books
Writing |
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| No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty In his introduction, Chris Baty acknowledges that writing a novel in a month is insane, and yet his humorous style makes it seem like a fantastic idea. Like many of the best writing books, the infectious enthusiasm of No Plot? No Problem! made me want to drop the book and get busy writing. Read the rest of the review here. |
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| How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead: Your Words in Print and Your Name in Lights by Ariel Gore According to Gore, if you have no idea how to publish a book, get out there and do it anyway. If you’ve wasted too much writing time daydreaming about being famous, stop. Stop dreaming and start doing. Ariel Gore’s message is that no matter how shy and reclusive you are, even if you’re the stereotypical writing hermit, you can publish and promote your book. Read the rest of the review here. |
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| Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg I love Writing Down the Bones not as much for the wisdom it imparts, but for the way it consistently rekindles my enthusiasm when I feel the writing part of me gasping for air. I crack it open and all the joy of writing comes pouring out. I can only read a chapter, or at most two, before my hair stands on end, I seize a notebook, and I write. Read the rest of the review here. |
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| Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life by Natalie Goldberg |
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| Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s Craft by Natalie Goldberg |
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| How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card This is one of my favorite writing books, one that I re-read periodically. When I’m feeling like I don’t really want to write, this book can get me interested again, simply because Card makes the process so accessible. How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy has a little bit of everything a SF/F writer needs to know, including defining the terms and the boundaries between Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Fiction; creating a believable, consistent world; determining how to focus the story; and introducing the world so that the reader doesn’t get lost. |
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| Characters and Viewpoint (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Orson Scott Card |
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