I was lucky enough to review a copy of Shaunta's book Viral Nation which is up on the blog today and she very kindly offered to write a guest post for me.
Three of My Favorite Writing Books
I teach creative writing classes at my local community college. Every time I prepare for one, I get to spend time re-reading and learning something new from my favorite writing craft books. If I was trapped on a deserted island, these are the three writing books I'd want with me.
On Writing is half memoir, half succinct, unbelievably useful writing guide. This is one of the most readable writing books on the market as well. It inspires me every time I open it. My favorite part is the marked up copy of a few pages from one of his novels. He also talks a lot about reading like a writer, which I think is one of the most important skills anyone who has writing aspirations can learn.
Oh, I love this book! It's broken into chapters that each discuss a different aspect of writing (characterization, pace, dialogue, etc.) and then after great discussion gives bullet-points for integrating what you've learned into your manuscript. I learned my very favorite piece of writing advice from this book: RUE. Resist the Urge to Explain. Pick up the book and learn it too, it's kind of mind-blowing.
Based on Joseph Campbell's work on the hero's journey,
The Writer's Journey is a great introduction into storytelling. Once you start to really understand how and why certain stories work so well, your own storytelling starts to fall into place as well.
The Writer's Journey always helps me when I get stuck or when something in my story just isn't working.
About the Author
Shaunta Grimes has worked as a substitute teacher, a newspaper
reporter, a drug court counselor, and a vintage clothing seller. No
matter which direction she strays, however, she always comes back to
storytelling. She lives in Reno with her family, where she writes,
teaches, and perpetually studies at the University of Nevada. Viral
Nation is her debut traditionally-published novel.
That is awesome! I think I will pick up those first two books. I don't aspire to be an author but I would love to read these anyway because I do want to write a novel for myself one day - not for publishing but just to say "i did that" you know?
ReplyDeleteStephen King's On Writing is one of my favorite non-fiction books, it's a great regardless of whether you want to be a writer or not. Self-Editing for Authors has found its way on to my wishlist as it sounds great, like you I write but it's just for me, not publication.
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