Here are my 40 favorite books about writing, the books I’d swear by and beg you to read.
These books help me feel like I’m not alone. They help me work through problems I didn’t even know I had. And they give me enormous amounts of courage to keep pressing on.
After reading more than a hundred books on writing, I’ve narrowed it down to my top 40.
Look, this is basically a list of 100 Things Every Writer Should Do Before They Die. How many have you already done?
Some of them are pretty ambitious — reading 100 books in a single year is difficult, no doubt. While others like “write fan fiction” or “go to a reading” have a much lower bar.
In every author’s life there comes a moment when they must slaughter one of their creations.
Yep, you’ve got to kill one of your characters.
I know, I know, you love them, you’ve created them, and yet for the sake of the story and for the sake of the reader, they need to bite a bullet, drink that poison, or succumb to cancer.
How should you write a sentence?
Well, most guides will start off with 10,000 ways NOT to write a sentence.
You know, the finger-wagging schoolmarm that lectures you about avoiding fragments and comma splices and run-ons.
Writers hate the term genre. Readers love it.
This is because genre creates expectations. Will these characters be able to fly, shapeshift, fall in love?
These 30 writing conferences across the United States offer countless opportunities to hone your craft, network with industry professionals, and have a blast with fellow writers!
Conferences can even become an integral part of the pitching process as they offer face to face time with agents. That’s just about impossible to replicate unless you live in New York and have impeccable sleuthing skills.
Whether you’re a planner or a pantser, just hear me out.
For the writer, an outline is a tool.
A good outline helps you do two things.
Every writer dreams of hearing the words I love your book.
When looking for an agent to represent your fledgling novel, it’s key to find someone that shares your vision and passion.
Here is an alphabetical list of 22 literary and genre agents on the hunt for their next bestseller.
Will it be you? You’ll never know till you query.
If you want to write for kids, then you’re in luck!
Every year, children’s books produce almost two billion dollars of revenue, and the market is only getting bigger each year.
But with great size comes great competition. You’ll need an excellent agent to get your book published.
The difference between a bestselling book and a book that sells a handful of copies can be summed up in one word: publicity.
Listen, you definitely need a better strategy than standing on a street corner, yelling and waving your book.
Thankfully, the 25 publicists on this list can provide you with a wealth of ideas, giving you access to media that you can’t get on your own.