There are so many books about writing out there that it can be difficult to not only find a good one, but to find one that tells you anything new.
I’ve read plenty, but here are the three books that I found the most useful.
If you’re new to writing, you absolutely must read this book. Stephen King has his critics, but if there is one thing he knows how to do, it’s how to sell lots and lots of books. In On Writing, he lays out all the basics that a new writer needs to know, from avoiding adverbs to getting your first short story published.
This is a great guide for writers, going into a little more detail than King’s books. It includes many examples of “bad writing” and how to fix it as well as giving tons of practical information about the business of writing fiction.
Once you’ve got the basics down, it’s time to really get to work on your presentation. When you’re trying to sell your novel, first impressions matter more than anything else. This book by Noah Lukeman goes over all of the essential elements that should be included in the few pages of your novel.
So there you have it. If you’re a new writer an looking for a place to start, pick up any of three three books and get to reading.
And then get to writing.
