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Books on How To Write

SimonDoom

SimonDoom

Kink Lord
Joined
Apr 9, 2015
Posts
19,142
I'm reading "Write Away", a book on the art of writing fiction by Elizabeth George, well-known mystery writer, and really enjoying it. She's an excellent writer herself and knows her craft. She cites many passages from works of fiction to illustrate her point, which helps. I recommend it.
 
Can recommend Chuck Wendig's "Damn Fine Story". Great advice on how to write a story that people will care about, with plenty of examples both from published work and from his own life.
 
One of the points George makes in her book is the importance of "bum glue" -- that mysterious substance that keeps you glued to the chair at your desk (or equivalent) and forces you to keep writing. I am in need of better bum glue.
 
"Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style" by Benjamin Dreyer

He's the chief copy editor for Random House.
I like this book because his writing is humorous and accessible, and he makes his points clearly (which you'd expect). It's not a dry, lecturing, tome; it's a conversation with a friendly expert.

There's a chapter specifically about writing fiction, that I would copy and paste in its entirety if that wasn't a terrible copy write infringement.

Reading the book has illuminated for me many of my errors, provided an understandable explanation of *why* they're considered errors.

I also like that he readily admits the rules he has trouble with himself, and isn't averse to noting when he would turn to his references or other experts to correct himself.


BTW -- I started reading this book a few days ago, and have been thinking about starting a thread like this one the whole time. I even had a much more pretentious title for it. But, thanks to Simon, I don't have to. :)
I'm really interested to see what other recommendations are made.
 
SimonDoom said:
One of the points George makes in her book is the importance of "bum glue" -- that mysterious substance that keeps you glued to the chair at your desk (or equivalent) and forces you to keep writing. I am in need of better bum glue.
Click to expand...
Suzie looked at Simon with a hard glint in her eyes. "Simon!" she stamped her foot in frustration. "Everything looked so promising in January. What happened?"

She rang EB. "What should I do?"

"Set up your cam, honey. He seemed to focus on that."

"He focussed on something," she replied, quickly putting her knees together.
 
I don't think I have ever read a useful 'how to write fiction' book. It may have something to do with the fact that I have spent most of my career writing non-fiction. But one of my favourite general 'how to write' books has to be William Zinsser's On Writing Well. I would also recommend James Wood's How Fiction Works. It won't tell you how to do it; but it might help explain why what you did that worked worked. :)
 
Privates1stClass said:
. For fiction works, you don't have to do all the research required for nonfiction. :)
Click to expand...

LOL, somebody should have told me. For a current story I researched a major town in Florida, found a small town nearby, got the distance and average commute time. Researched his sports car including how the doors opened (gullwing) availability (2 yr wait) and speed, badging, cockpit etc. Then I researched to find a seaside seafood restaurant, distance, route, opening hours, dancing, menu, physical layout. Not endless detail in the story but the menu thing was just so he could ask her if she'd ever tried... And that's just part of the story. For me it's writing fiction around facts that will hold up to scrutiny.

Anyway on another note that's related but not about the actual writing is Platform Mastery by Nick Thacker a fairly successful Indie author. In it he discusses the strategies for setting yourself up (self promotion) to sell your stories. A lot of good ideas there for budding authors. It's on Amazon.
 
"Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder. It's specifically about screen writing, but it's advice on plot structure and idea clarification are applicable anywhere.
 
I second "Damn Fine Story". Great stuff.

Chuck Palahnuik (of Fight Club fame) just came out with his writing book: "Consider This". Fun with many no-bullshit writing tips.
 
I enjoyed Stephen King's 'On Writing', entertaining with great writing tips. Can't write without Shrunk & White's 'Elements of Style' nearby to help avoid mistakes.
 
Julia Cameron's The Right to Write is my inspiration - very helpful in helping you realise you have something to write about, and the most important thing in writing is just to write something.

Snatching moments of time to write really helps. Since the invention of the smartphone with notepad app, I've written more than in the previous 20 years, not to mention transcribing and improving some of the notebooks I filled previously on endless journeys.
 
Most "How to" books on writing are no substitute for simply investing time in writing. That said, one I am fond of is John Gardner's "The Art of Fiction." More than others, it made me stop thinking in recipe mode and think about what I was actually trying to do -- tell a story.
 
Maeven_quinn said:
"Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder. It's specifically about screen writing, but it's advice on plot structure and idea clarification are applicable anywhere.
Click to expand...

I've heard this is very good. I have read Jessica Brody's reworking of the concept in her book "Save the Cat Writes a Novel."
 
Hands down my favorite book on writing is Anne Lamott's Bird By Bird
 
BelleCanzuto said:
"Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style" by Benjamin Dreyer

.
Click to expand...

I'm going to third this. I read it and really enjoyed it. It's more of a style reference guide than a writing how to, but as you say it's written in a very accessible and sometimes humorous way.

What I like about Dreyer, too, is that he has strong opinions, but he's not a pedant.

I'm glad I saved you from being pretentious! We wouldn't want that.
 
Maeven_quinn said:
"Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder. It's specifically about screen writing, but it's advice on plot structure and idea clarification are applicable anywhere.
Click to expand...

Good choice. I'm working on a screenplay, and I've read several books on the subject, and this is the most entertaining. He was a successful screenwriter, too, not just one of those people who teach but can't do. The "save the cat" concept is funny.
 
SimonDoom said:
I'm going to third this. I read it and really enjoyed it. It's more of a style reference guide than a writing how to, but as you say it's written in a very accessible and sometimes humorous way.

What I like about Dreyer, too, is that he has strong opinions, but he's not a pedant.

I'm glad I saved you from being pretentious! We wouldn't want that.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I enjoyed the strong opinions, especially in the section about pet peeves.

Never fear -- I'll dredge up an excuse to be pretentious some other day, just you wait!

SimonDoom said:
Good choice. I'm working on a screenplay
Click to expand...

This is just EB bait, isn't it?

Floating out there in the ether, wending its way on the jet stream toward the land of Oz, until it lands with a snicker and taps his shoulder.

"D'you see what Simon's got planned now? Suzie's gonna be in a movie."
 
BelleCanzuto said:
This is just EB bait, isn't it?

Floating out there in the ether, wending its way on the jet stream toward the land of Oz, until it lands with a snicker and taps his shoulder.

"D'you see what Simon's got planned now? Suzie's gonna be in a movie."
Click to expand...
Suzie's been waiting in the multiplex queue for a couple of years now. They're running a revival, all of the Doctor Doom movies, back to back. She's got the popcorn, the sleeping bag, she's more excited than Simon was for the last Star Wars series (but look what a disappointment that turned out to be). Suzie has faith, she's a believer.

And in the queue a little voice could be heard, just where the line turned the corner.

"Vssszzh, vssszzh." The wind blew an empty chip cup down the street. "Vssszzh, vssszzh."

;)
 
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