Books To Read Before You Write
There's an overwhelming amount of how-to books for writing. I'll show you four that really help.
Welcome back to You Write a Book? Yes…
First, let me say that there are a TON — seriously, a ton — of books that are ready to tell you how to write a novel. I have read so many writing books that don’t help at all! In this article, I’ll list the books that I credit for my understanding of craft, character, and story structure and hope they will help you begin your journey of writing your novel. If you have others you swear by, I would love to hear about them - please leave me a comment below and don’t forget that if you like this post, please share.
I have news for you: when you are first writing a novel, you don’t actually start it by writing. I know! That sounds weird, right? At least I don’t start that way, and I believe that most novelists don’t start that way, either.
After I’ve decided on the idea, then it’s time to think about some things that go into the novel like story structure, plot, characters, settings, and… okay, let’s stop there. As a new novelist, read how other people do it — beyond this blog — and start learning how a novel is made of a bunch of different parts that make it a whole. Believe me, it makes the process a little less chaotic.
Below are a few of the books that have helped me write my novels that I suggest you read. By the way, many of these books are available from your library, so check there first before you buy.
Story Genius is the reason I understand hero development and arc. In the book, the author explores how to create a hero who has to undergo a transformation from beginning to end. Written in a style that is easy to read, this book will help you understand total character development.
This is such a good book for story structure - seriously, the best! Ms. Brody examines the structure of a whole slew of popular books and shows you exactly how to outline your book to success! Also, she has a book for writing a young adult novel, so if that’s your genre, check out that edition. Highly recommended!
Want to know what’s supposed to happen to your hero in each part of your book? This will outline exactly what your hero is supposed to be doing in Act 1, Act 2, & Act 3. Mr. Edson is a proven successful screenwriter and generously shares all his secrets.
This is one of the greatest books on craft that I have ever read. Mr. Swain, who was a great science fiction writer himself, gives tips and tricks on how to craft sentences and thoughts, and is an expert on writing character reactions. It’s one of those books that’s so good, I’ve almost worn out my copy.
These are the books I would start with and I believe that if you read them, you will also get a good understanding of craft, character, and structure.
Click here for Save The Cat Writes a Novel
Click here for The Story Solution
Click here for Techniques of The Selling Writer
Do you have any go to books about writing that have helped you? Please leave them in a comment below because I’m always looking for a great read!
I was hoping to see Save the Cat on here! That was what I needed to help me organize my crazy meandering plot!