My Favorite Writing Craft Books
Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction by Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd
My favorite passage is about essays and it describes exactly why I love writing them:Â
You ask the reader to take you seriously, to honor your conviction even if your ideas provoke more than they persuade. You want engagement  at least as much as you want belief. You welcome the silent dialogue with the reader, even if the reader is disputing with you. After all, you are often in dispute with yourself: beliefs are reached in the course of writing, and essays trace the course.
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
My favorite quote answers the question of what you should write about:
There is something you find interesting, for a reason hard to explain. It is hard to explain to you because you have never read it on any page; there you begin.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
My favorite quote (though it was next to impossible to pick just one) is about how to begin:
Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something–anything–down on paper.
On Writing by Stephen King
My favorite quote gives me hope.
If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.
Use Your Words: A Writing Guide for Mothers by Kate Hopper
Kate Hopper’s Use Your Words has the best guided writing exercises I’ve ever used. Her prompts and exercises are most appropriate for writers who write about the parenting experience, but I think they’d be useful for any writers of creative nonfiction.
Still Writing by Dani Shapiro:
My full review is here.
Writers: What books on the craft of writing have you found most helpful?
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50 Responses
I graduated with a degree in English so I’ve read many books on writing, but I think the only one from your list I own is On Writing. I haven’t read it since college but I remember liking John Gardner’s The Art of Fiction. And I absolutely agree that reading and writing often is key. I so wish I had more time to read, it’s like fuel for writers.
Kira recently posted..Me vs. My Body
You know… for whatever reason, I just CANNOT get into craft books. My shelves are literally lined with them and of them all, I’ve read only two cover-to-cover (and the other 20 have only been opened for a quick peek, then shelved). What’s wrong with m? The ones I’ve read: Stephen King’s book you mention above, and The Writer’s Journey, by Christopher Vogler. For me, I get so much more out of reading books that I want to emulate in some way — books that “work.” I figure, not only am I learning by dissecting books, but I also get to READ – a favorite hobby! 😉
Did I know you were an English teacher? What grades? For how long? (I have a secondary teaching degree in English/communications, but chose to go into the communications/marketing/pr field in lieu of my first teaching job offer).
Melissa Crytzer Fry recently posted..Wise Old Soul
I adore the book ON WRITING and Stephen King is absolutely right. I know this because I haven’t read or written enough.
Yet.
Dang it.
I’ve been wanting to get my hands on that Good Prose book ever since I sent it to you! I should have bought two copies. I love Kate and think her book would be a great help! Thanks, Nina Badina!
xox
Hallie Sawyer (@Hallie_Sawyer) recently posted..Finding the Cozy this Summer
I have read the books you list and agree, they’re all great. I just picked up The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglist. What a treasure. Almost any emotion your characters can feel is listed, then physical signals, internal sensations, mental responses, and cues of long-term or suppressed emotion (whatever one you’re looking at). This one stays beside me as I write.
My favorite books on writing:
Bird by Bird (and you’re right, it’s almost impossible to pick one great thing from that book, because it’s so useful)
The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction by Stephen Koch
Orson Scott Card’s How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy (regardless what people think of his politics, he knows his writing stuff)
I’ve heard so many good things about John Gardner — not just The Art of Fiction, but On Moral Fiction, too — that I must read them soon.
And the book you are giving away sounds just up my alley. 😉
Great list, Nina! I haven’t read any of them except for Stephen King’s On Writing. I have a few different ones on my list like Solutions for Writers by Sol Stein. Bird by Bird has been on my TBR pile forever but I just never got around to picking it up.
I’d love to be entered in the drawing! The giveaway book sounds great!
Gargi Mehra recently posted..What I’m reading
I’ve read my fair share of craft books and then promptly forgot all about them. But a few stand out and that’s because they are less about craft and more about mindset: Stephen King, as so many above mention, Writing Down the Bones (however you may feel about automatic writing) and John Gardner’s On Becoming a Novelist.
Here’s a quote from the last one:
‘No novelist is hurt (at least as an artist) by a natural inclination to go to extremes, driving himself too hard, dissatisfied with himself and the world around him… A psychological wound is helpful, if it can be kept under partial control, to keep the novelist driven.’
Marina Sofia recently posted..Bangkok Eight by John Burdett
Thank you so much for this, Nina! I have actually never read a book on the craft of writing, but I’ve been wanting to, especially Bird by Bird. This list is very helpful.
Jessica recently posted..August Break Week Two
“Writing Picture Books” by Ann Whitford Hall has been extremely helpful in creating children’s stories with fully developed and memorable characters. Thanks for the suggestions, and the quotes, Nina!
Jarmila Del Boccio recently posted..Tool #37: In short works, don’t waste a syllable.
Bird by Bird is my favorite writing book and actually ranks pretty high on my list of fave books in general. Now I feel the need to reread it. I also love On Writing and I have The Writing Life on my shelf to be read.
Shannon recently posted..Calculators + Long Pants = Back to School
I have a shelf full of writing books that I’ve read once. The ones I go back to are more about inspiration than craft. I love The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. I also like to use prompts to warm up and get my brain going and for that I like Everyday Writing by Midge Raymond and A Writer’s Book of Days by Judy Reeves.
I love these suggestions, Nina– I have the King and the Lamott books. I had not heard of the other three, but I’m intrigued. I have read Tracy Kidder’s work and really enjoyed it. I had my students read Strength in What Remains a few years ago, and Mountains Beyond Mountains was also excellent. So glad you put these on my radar.
I would love to be in the drawing for the Hopper book. I need a good writing prompt source!
(Still waiting on baby… Our favorite name right now is Alice… what do you think?)
Katharine Owens recently posted..What’s up Wednesday and Ready. Set. Write! Update
Ooh! I like it a lot! Is her last name the same as yours? The two names together have a great sound.
I’d love to be entered in the drawing – the book sounds fascinating!
Natalie Goldberg is another favorite of mine. In one of her books, she wrote about writing really being about creating a relationship with your mind. I took that to mean that you trust your mind with the ideas it gives you and when you’re stuck, know that it will help you find a solution.
I love Anne Lamott and Natalie Goldberg books the most. I believe my favorite so far is Natalie’s “Old Friend From Far Away.” I want to write memoir so I am on my second go round of this book.
I read a lot which keeps me from writing more than I do, but I love to read. I get ideas and inspiration from reading others.
My biggest hangup on writing is my lack of education. My degree is in Business and I have 3 years into getting a psych degree, but nothing in English or Literature. I sometimes feel lost on how to construct a sentence properly, or where to put a comma, or which word to use. No matter how much I beat myself up over my writing style, I still have to write. It’s what I do and I believe it’s part of who I am.
Brenda Marroy recently posted..Redefining Myself
Great list! I want to read all of them. Someday (sigh). I’m also a huge fan of Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, and Writing Alone and With Others by Pat Schneider.
Hi Caedra,
I just did the drawing tonight and you WON! Will you email me your mailing address? (ninabadzinblog@gmail.com)
Thank you! I know you’ll love the book. Nina 🙂
Great list! I refer to Stephen King and Anne Lamott a lot. I also really love The Half-Known World by Robert Boswell- geared toward fiction, but a beautiful meditation on why writing works. I’m looking forward to Dani Shapiro’s new book on writing.
Alisa recently posted..What If This Is As Good As It Gets?
Oh! I loved Dani Shapiro’s. I had an advance copy from NetGalley. I think you’ll like it for sure.
This is a great list, Nina. I hadn’t heard of Good Prose. I’m looking forward to Dani Shapiro’s Still Writing, coming soon. I saw you said you’d read the ARC of it. (Can’t wait!)
My favorite craft books are Stein on Writing by Sol Stein, Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell, the Gotham Writers’ Workshop Writing Fiction, and Story by Robert McKee. I’ve recently finished Donald Maass’s Writing 21st Century Fiction, and thought it was an excellent addition to his others, Breakout Novel and Fire in Fiction.
I could talk craft books all day, but I wholeheartedly agree with you: reading great books cultivates the best writing. And, you’ve always been an inspiration for reading. Thanks, Nina!
Jennifer King recently posted..8 Summer Afternoon Beauties: a Photojournal
I love this, Nina! My favorite is The Writing Life and I feel sure you will add Dani Shapiro’s Still Writing, which is out in October, to your list! xox
I would love to be entered into the drawing for “Use Your Words.”
I’ve published a few articles and am currently working on a novel. As far as writing books… I read as many as I can, but unfortunately quite a few have been less than helpful.
Fun! I, too, loved Stephen King’s On Writing (although his advice on how to get an agent his painfully outdated now). My other favorite is Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel — fantastic stuff in there!
Annie Neugebauer recently posted..In Need of a Word
Like you, I’ve taken a few wrong paths to becoming a writer. Not only was I prelaw, I graduated from law school and have been a lawyer for over 20 years. I’m doing some freelance writing now. I would love a copy of the book you are giving away.
What a great list! Thank you so much for sharing it! Bird by Bird is certainly on my list of favorites as are Use Your Words and Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues. If you enjoyed Use Your Words, I would definitely recommend Lisa’s book. I was lucky enough to take a workshop class with Lisa for two years. It was a phenomenal experience. I also took Kate’s Use Your Words on-line class and it was great too!
Stacey recently posted..Midday
Great list, Nina! I’m loving Kate Hopper’s book. Her book is practical as well as a pleasure to read itself. And I love how I’m getting more suggestions from the other commenters. When I was teaching middle school English, I loved Ralph Fletcher’s books. And of course, Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones was the first writing book that I read, as a high school sophomore. Just as relevant today!
Jessica Smock recently posted..Your Hovering Doesn’t Help: A Quiz and a Simple Step
I’ve read a couple of these (and love the Stephen King one!), but a couple are new to me, and I’m especially excited to see Good Prose because Tracy Kidder is one of my all time favorite non-fiction writers. My favorite writing book is Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway and Elizabeth Stuckey-French. (I’d love to get an MFA but that’s not really in the cards.)
Julia Munroe Martin recently posted..Coffee Club Culture
Oh I’m so glad I saw your post on Facebook. A writer after my own heart. I’m going to go read your post “I’m Not An Aspiring Novelist” next because just reading that title made me want to jump up and holler an “Amen, Sister!”
I have read all of those books you suggest except the very last one. I will look into it now.
I loved Kidder’s book, but knew before I opened it I would. His writing is amazing, as are Dillard and the others. I also couldn’t have a bookshelf with out Natalie Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones” and “If You Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit” by Brenda Ueland– both books that feed my writer’s heart and soul.
Now, on to your other suggested posts….
I loved reading your list, Nina, and all the great suggestions in the comments as well.
It’s pretty technical, but William Zinsser’s On Writing Well really drives home the need to pare down my writing. I can be wordy, so this book was a great eye opener.
Shana Norris recently posted..The August Break :: Midday
I’m a big Kate Hopper fan and took one of her courses last year, which brought out some interesting writing. I’m a sucker for good writing books and have a large collection. Kate’s book is on my wishlist, so I’d love to be entered into the giveaway! Thanks, Nina.
Thank you for the recommendations, they all sound good, especially Good Prose: The Art of Writing Nonfiction. I have the Steven King book, but haven’t read it yet. Shame on me, as it’s on every writer’s list and I love his quote!
I really liked Help! For Writers by Roy Peter Clark and Writing Nonfiction Book Proposals by Elizabeth Lyon.
Excellent round up, Nina. I’ve not read Good Prose either, but will add that one to my list. I’m a fan of the others, especially Stephen King and Anne Lamott. In fact, I use excerpts of those two when I teach my class at The Loft.
One of my favorite writing books goes back to Stephen King’s suggestion that good writers are good readers. Just reading isn’t always enough to learn how to be a better writer. It’s important to read with a questioning mind: Why do I like this sentence? Why is it about this that is so suspenseful? Etc. Francine Prose’s book Reading Like a Writer is very helpful in that regard.
Jackie Cangro recently posted..The One with the Monk
Nina…what a lovely post of quotes (and the decor here is cool and refreshing). I’ve read a few of your WU articles on Twitter etiquette, and have even recommended you in a couple of articles and on FB, so I can’t believe it’s taken this long to actually come visit.
I thrive on quotes. Quotes that inspire (Churchill), quotes that make me laugh (Dorothy Parker), quotes that motivate (pick an author). I loved Bird by Bird and wrote a post with a video of 50 quotes from the book. Yeah…I’m a big quotehead.
It’s a pleasure finally making it here. I think it will be a regular thing. Wonderful post.
ML Swift recently posted..On Commenting
Thank so much for visiting and for the compliment on the look of the blog. I swear I’m always wanting to tweak things, but I resist for now. The truth is nobody looks at our blogs as much as we, the blog owners do. The content matters most of all!
Thanks for recommending the Twitter articles. So glad they’ve helped.
I’d love to see that post with the Bird by Bird video. Will you respond back here with the link? I better others would like to see it, too!
Nina,
I know that we’re the ones who most often see our blogs (they’re like our houses), and like our houses, we get tired of the layout and want to rearrange. I know I do. But you end up settling on the best fit, and this is a nice fit for your blog. Clean, crisp, cool colors…welcoming and relaxing. I guess I’m a visually stimulated person, although all my other senses are quite alert! But the visual gives us our first interpretation of most things. (As a matter of fact, I wrote something about book covers to that effect, but I digress).
Goodness…beware. I can wander in my ramblings.
The link to my Bird by Bird post is:
http://mlswift.me/2013/02/20/five-minutes-with-anne-lamott-on-writing-and-life/
It was the first video I made, and while it turned out okay, it runs a little fast. I was trying to keep it to five minutes, though, and pack in a lot. The post is part of a book club I started.
Sarah (LeftBrainBuddha), the lady below, may find it interesting.
Nice to meet you, Nina.
ML Swift (@mlswift1) recently posted..Exactly Where I Need To Be
Great list! I am reading Use Your Words, and I just picked up On Writing at the library yesterday. And I keep seeing Bird by Bird recommended… if only I had endless amounts of time to read!!!
Sarah {LeftBrainBuddha} recently posted..The Audacity of Vulnerability and Authenticity
I adore books on craft. I’ve got a shelf of them. You’ve got a couple here that I haven’t read.
One I particularly find helpful is Book two of How To Write a Damn Good Novel, by James Frey. That one helped me zero in on how to go about it like no other ever had. It’s a combo of technical, and inspirational.
On another note – what the heck happened to your tweet button, Nina? Am I just blind? 🙂
Good question on the Tweet button! You’re right, it’s not there. I will look into that. Thank you!
I love Bird by Bird. It’s always been a favorite.
Loved Stephen King’s On Writing — I actually have it on my shelf right now.
I am a fan of Stephen King’s “On Writing” too.
Jack recently posted..Good Vibrations- Breaking Bad While Breaking The Blog
For me writing hit hurdles when I got lost in the details–the details of the writing but also the minutiae of life (and thinking “I can’t possibly work in this chaos”). I know now the only thing that will help me write more and hopefully better is to write regardless of the circumstances around me.
(OH, I don’t have Kate’s book yet. Is it wrong to enter my name in the giveaway?)
K.M. OSullivan recently posted..An Ordinary Family Making a Not So Ordinary Choice About School
The Anne Lamott quote is a relief because I’m doing a really great terrible first effort right now! 😉
Lady Jennie recently posted..What’s On My Shelves?
Once I started, I just couldn’t put down Anne Lamott’s – Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.
But the latest advice on writing that got me through a hard day was by Jeff Goins – “Write for yourself.” here is his blog post. http://goinswriter.com/write-for-yourself/
Good writing to all. and please add me to the drawing! Jen Cabral
That’s a fantastic link. Thanks for sharing it!
FINALLY had a chance to read this post, and I am so glad I did! I have recently purchased a couple books on writing, most notably “The Memoir Project”, and have found their advice so beneficial. “On Writing” is on my TBR list, as is Lamott’s “Bird by Bird”. Haven’t heard about “Use Your Words” before, but I’m always on the lookout for new writing ideas and exercises! Thanks, Nina, for the recommendations – they couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for me!
What a great list — excited to check this out more thoroughly when I get a chance! xox
Hi Nina,
I would love to be entered into your draw for A Writing Guide for Mothers. I am a writing mother in need of just this kind of help!
Thanks,
Julie
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