“Have you been helped by any writing “how-to” books? If so, which?”
Here is the book list generated from author-members’ responses. I added additional suggestions from authors on Facebook and WordPress. I wanted to keep that list handy for myself!
Hi, I'm Marsha Ingrao, a retired educator and wife of a retired realtor. My all-consuming hobby is blogging and it has changed my life. My friends live all over the world. For thirty-five years, I lived in the most beautiful area in Central Valley of California in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains minutes from the Sequoia National Park. As a child I moved from Indiana to Oregon. With my first husband I moved from Oregon to Colorado to California. Every time we moved, it hurt so much to leave friends. I never wanted to move again. After Mark passed, I married again. I told Vince that I could never budge from my roots in California. He said he loved the high desert. I don't think he ever thought he would realize his dream. In November, 2020, we sold everything and retired to the mile-high desert of Prescott, AZ. We live less than five miles from the Granite Dells, four lakes and hundreds of trails with our dog, Kalev, and two cats, Moji and Nutter Butter. Vince's sister came with us and lives close by. Every day is a new adventure.
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11 thoughts on “Authors’ Most Helpful “How to” Book List About Writing”
Great list. Mine would be:
Writing down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
On Writing by Stephen King
Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande (old but still relevant)
I have read On Writing by Stephen King. That’s my fav. I’m going to have to order the other two and read them. My neighbor just published a book, and I read it last night and this morning. I was so impressed. It was her first, and I would never have guessed she was a newby author. I still have lots more to learn and master before my fiction is worth reading. 🙂 I get lost in my own writing! 🙂
Hi!
I have Zinsser, Strunk, Maass, and Lukeman. Also the following:
Brohaugh. Write Tight.
Bell. The Art of War for Writers.
Williams. Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace.
Gerke. The Art and Craft of Writing Christian Fiction.
Warre/Hauck. From the Inside, Out: Discover, Create, and Publish the Novel in You!
Daigh. Maybe You Should Write a Book.
Woodford. Writing and Selling.
Cane. Write Like the Masters.
Burroway. Writing Fiction
Mazzeo. Writing Creative Nonfiction
Landon. Building Great Sentences.
And a dear ol’ little thing called: A Colleciton of Readings for Writers
I don’t care for King, much, and LaMott, not at all. :-\
I read Burroway’s about every 2 years, and found Cane’s very helpful. Also I read Daigh’s now and then. It was the first writer book I ever read, and it made me believe in the idea. 🙂
Great list. Mine would be:
Writing down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
On Writing by Stephen King
Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande (old but still relevant)
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I have read On Writing by Stephen King. That’s my fav. I’m going to have to order the other two and read them. My neighbor just published a book, and I read it last night and this morning. I was so impressed. It was her first, and I would never have guessed she was a newby author. I still have lots more to learn and master before my fiction is worth reading. 🙂 I get lost in my own writing! 🙂
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Hi!
I have Zinsser, Strunk, Maass, and Lukeman. Also the following:
Brohaugh. Write Tight.
Bell. The Art of War for Writers.
Williams. Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace.
Gerke. The Art and Craft of Writing Christian Fiction.
Warre/Hauck. From the Inside, Out: Discover, Create, and Publish the Novel in You!
Daigh. Maybe You Should Write a Book.
Woodford. Writing and Selling.
Cane. Write Like the Masters.
Burroway. Writing Fiction
Mazzeo. Writing Creative Nonfiction
Landon. Building Great Sentences.
And a dear ol’ little thing called: A Colleciton of Readings for Writers
I don’t care for King, much, and LaMott, not at all. :-\
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Wow! That’s a great list! Thanks for adding those. You did not like LaMott or King? So tell us more. You are VERY well read! 🙂
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Thanks for the compliment!
I guess I like a gentler approach, is all… More teacherly and not so…idk…brusque or something?
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Ha! Although I loved Woodford and he’s a cad! Maybe there is no rhyme or reason to it? 😉
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I read Burroway’s about every 2 years, and found Cane’s very helpful. Also I read Daigh’s now and then. It was the first writer book I ever read, and it made me believe in the idea. 🙂
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I have a lot more reading to do!!!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!!
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That makes a lot of sense! I’m sure people will enjoy the list. I’ll add them to my permanent list when I make a page for resources.
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Thank you for sharing Marsha.
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Thank you! Glad to do it. 🙂
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