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Although this classic book targets nonfiction writers, Zinsser discusses many forms of writing, from interviewing and telling stories about people to writing about travel. In addition to writing tips on consistency, voice, editing and more, he also includes the fundamentals of craft that can help you grow as a writer in any genre. 5. “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White From the book: “If we’re free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running away from it.” 25. Mouth Full of Blood by Toni Morrison Staying motivated: Once you start writing, you will face self-doubt and overwhelm and a hundred other adversaries. Planning ahead for those obstacles ensures you won’t quit when they come. Your child might also find it useful to draw maps or diagrams. What are all the different areas of their fantasy landscape called? How is the baddie’s base organised? Or for non-fiction, where does their shark or spider live?
Going strong with its 30th-anniversary edition, On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction is an evergreen resource for nonfiction writers which breaks down the fundamental principles of written communication. As a bonus, the insights and guidelines in this book can certainly be applied to most forms of writing, from interviewing to camp-fire storytelling. Beyond giving tips on how to stay consistent in your writing and voice, how to edit, and how to avoid common pitfalls, Zinsser can also help you grow as a professional writer, strengthening your career and taking steps in a new direction. Taking advice from famous authors is not about imitation, but about finding your own voice. Take it from someone who knows: Thomas is the New York Times #1 Bestselling author of The Hate U Give, On the Come Up, and Concrete Rose. While she’s found her calling in YA literature, she has plenty of insight into finding your own voice in your genre of choice. Written in the form of a guided journal, this volume comes with step-by-step instructions, writing prompts, and exercises especially aimed at helping younger creatives develop the strength and skills to realize their vision.Smith is well-known for her fiction, but she is also a prolific essay writer. In Feel Free, she has gathered several essays on recent cultural and political developments and combined them with experiences from her own life and career. In “The I Who Is Not Me”, she explores how her own lived experience comes into play in her fiction writing, and how she manages to extrapolate that to comment on contemporary social contexts, discussing race, class, and ethnicity. For years, writing teachers have assigned “ The Elements of Style” to their students to teach them about grammar, structural writing rules and the principles of composition. Brushing up on the basics from time to time is critical for continually developing your skills, and this book contains simple truths that every writer needs to know. 6. “The Associated Press Stylebook” by the Associated Press But if you're ready to get into the weeds, here are 40 of our favorite writing books. Books about becoming a writer 1. On Writing by Stephen King It focuses on how to craft quality writing that boosts business and helps find and retain customers. Plus, it includes writing tips, content help, grammar rules and much more. Despite the growing world of hashtags and abbreviations, writing matters more now than ever. 34. “The Breakout Novelist: How to Craft Novels That Stand Out and Sell” by Donald Maass It doesn’t matter if it’s a desk or a restaurant or the kitchen table. It just needs to be different from where you do other activities. Make your writing location a special space, so that when you enter it, you’re ready to work. It should remind you of your commitment to finish this book. Again, the goal here is to not think and just start writing. Phase 2:Doing the work
From the book: “It is impossible to consider the lyric without fully interrogating its inherent promise of universality, its coded whiteness.” 34. The Hatred of Poetry by Ben Lerner The full title of this work, Mouth Full of Blood: Essays, Speeches, Meditations, gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect from one of the most influential and important voices in modern literature. In this collection, the late Nobel Prize winner comments on race, art, and politics over the course of four decades, and offers invaluable insight into the craft as well as the powerful potential of writing. Revisiting and reassessing some of her most famous titles, Morrison discusses revisionist perspectives and their place in the American literary landscape. If your child prefers non-fiction, use the facts you find to create a fact sheet, a poster or a mini-book. Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative” will help you understand that nothing is original. To discover your true artistic side and build a more creative life, read this book to be inspired by Kleon’s transformative principles about the power of embracing influence. Instead of writing what you know, this read will give you the courage to write what you want and be imaginative in your work. Books on Writing as an Art Form 20. “The Writing Life: Writers on How They Think and Work” edited by Marie AranaFrom the book: “Here’s the thing: authors don’t find readers; readers find books. [...] Marketing is not about selling your book to readers. It’s about getting readers to find it.” 31. Everybody Writes by Ann Handley No matter what stage you’re at in your writing career, Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones will help you write more skillfully and creatively. With suggestions, encouragement, and valuable advice on the many aspects of the writing craft, Goldberg doesn’t shy away from making the crucial connection between writing and adding value to your life. Covering a range of topics including taking notes of your initial thoughts, listening, overcoming doubt, choosing where to write, and the selection of your verbs, this guide has plenty to say about the minute details of writing, but excels at exploring the author life. Award-winning and best-selling novelist of 30 books Brandilyn Collins created this in-depth guide to help writers understand the psychology of your characters. That way, you’ll know how to express it in your stories and bring your characters to life. Because it draws on popular acting methods that’ve been used professionally for decades, reading this book will teach you techniques and concepts that’ll change the way you look at writing. 13. “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers” by Renni Browne and Dave King
In her anthology, Martin includes a series of essays and interviews from well-known literary icons such as Roxanne Gay, Cheryl Strayed, Jennifer Weiner, and Jonathan Franzen where they discuss the intersection of writing and money. 33. “Everybody Writes” by Ann Handley words–100,000 words = very long nonfiction book / long novel. The Four-Hour Work Week falls in this range. In fact, the first couple books I wrote didn't do that well at all — even with a traditional publisher. It took me years to learn this, but here's what nobody ever told me: Finishing: Nobody cares about the book that you almost wrote. We want to read the one you actually finished, which means no matter what, the thing that makes you a writer is your ability not to start a project, but to complete one.Be sure to find out what handwriting style your child is learning at school. Consistency is key, so it is important not to correct something that you think is an error but that is actually part of the style your child is learning. Consistency makes creativity easier. You need a daily deadline to do your work — that’s how you’ll finish writing a book. Feel free to take a day off, if you want, but schedule that ahead of time. Never let a deadline pass; don’t let yourself off the hook so easily. Setting a daily deadline and regular writing time will ensure that you don’t have to think about when you will write. When it’s time to write, it’s time to write. 4. Write in the same place every time As the bestselling author of five books, I can tell you without hesitation that the hardest part of a writer's job is sitting down to do the work. Books don’t just write themselves, after all. You have to invest everything you areinto creating an important piece of work. In this volume, Dillon explores the often overlooked genre of essay writing and its place in literature’s past, present, and future. He argues that essays are an “experiment in attention” but also highlights how and why certain essays have directly impacted the development of the cultural and political landscape, from the end of the Middle Ages until the present day. At its heart, despite its many forms, subject areas, and purposes, essayism has its root in self-exploration. Dip in and out of Dillon’s short texts to find inspiration for your own nonfiction writing. Now, it's time to get down to business. Here, we are going to focus on the next three tips to help you get the book done: 5. Set a total word count
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