A List of 45 Books About Writing

Books. We read them. We write them. We love them.

Even a writer who’s been at it for a while can always learn something new. Sometimes when my brain gets stale, or I find myself struggling with some aspect of a story, a short visit to my personal library will give me the boost I need. Refreshing oneself is part of the creative process.

I’ve listed the tomes on my bookshelf in alphabetical order for convenience, but almost all of these titles have been invaluable to me at some point in my career. Many are about techniques and style, while others address the business and promotion aspect of being an author. But don’t stop here--search your favorite bookseller for new releases about this craft we love and hate at the same time.

Toni Leland’s Bookshelf

American Slang - Robert L. Chapman, Ph.D.

Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia

Between the Lines - Jessica Page Morrell

Book Marketing from A-Z - Francine Silverman

Conversations with American Writers - Charles Ruas

Dangerous Men & Adventurous Women: The Appeal of Romance - Jayne Ann Krentz, editor

Dictionary of Cultural Literacy - Hirsch, Kent & Trefil

Elements of Grammar - Margaret Shertzer

Elements of Style - Strunk & White

Emotion Amplifiers - Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi

Feature & Magazine Writing - David E. Sumner & Holly G. Miller

Fiction Dictionary - Laurie Henry

Finding Your Voice - Les Edgerton

G M C: Goal, Motivation & Conflict - Debra Dixon

Grammatically Correct - Anne Stilman

How to Write Dazzling Dialogue - James Scott bell

How to Write Killer Fiction - Carolyn Wheat

Merriam-Webster’s Manual for Writers and Editors

New Encyclopedia of American Scandal - George Childs Kohn

No More Rejections: 50 Secrets to Writing a Manuscript That Sells - Alice Orr

On Writing - Stephen King

Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus

Oxford Dictionary of Quotations

Plot & Structure - James Scott Bell

Self-Publishing Attack - James Scott Bell

Story Structure Architect - Victoria Lynn Schmidt, Ph.D.

Take the Mystery Out of Promoting Your Book - P.M. Terrell

Techniques of the Selling Writer - Dwight V. Swain

The Art of Character - David Corbett

The Career Novelist - Donald Maass

The Chicago Manual of Style

The Complete guide to Article Writing - Naveed Saleh

The First Five Pages - Noah Lukeman

The Forest for the Trees - Betsy Lerner

The Novel Writer’s Toolkit - Bob Mayer

Webster’s II New College Dictionary

Wham Bam Publishing: Strategic Marketing Plan - Janice & Joan Phelps

Write Your Novel From the Middle  - James Scott Bell

Writer’s Guide to Places - Don Prues & Jack Heffron

Writing Fiction for All You're Worth - James Scott Bell

Writing Mysteries - Sue Grafton, editor

Writing the Blockbuster Novel - Albert Zuckerman

Writing the Breakout Novel - Donald Maass

Inside a Writer's Mind

A peculiar thing happens to writers. Not immediately, you understand. But as we learn our craft and smooth the rough spots, the rhythms of writing start to become second nature. Then, suddenly, we find ourselves unable to read fiction or watch a movie without applying every tidbit we've gleaned from myriad how-to books, magazine articles, workshops, and conferences.
This may not seem like a big thing, but for me, the phenomenon comes close to obsessive. Imagine a family member's reaction when I groan about a story I'm reading: "Why did the author do that? It's not in character!" Or I turn and smile knowingly at my husband: "Did you see the way the screenwriter used foreshadowing?" or "Right there--that was the second turning point!" He just shakes his head.
But this new awareness is not a bad thing. The very fact that we as writers recognize the structure, symbolism, and end intent of another's work proves that we are growing--absorbing the sweat equity of those who have clawed their way to the top of the cliff and hoisted themselves over. A reward, if you will.
Every craft has its weirdness, and it takes a certain amount of "hermit-ness" to stay the course. But behind the drive to become published, a thought hovers in the back of every writer's mind as he or she reads a bestseller or watches a great movie--I can do this.

©2018 Toni Leland