We all know how important it is to read like a writer. Read in your genre, outside your genre, read stories and essays and poems to develop your narrative voice. But reading isn’t just for absorbing the language of prose; there are also some great craft books out there that will deepen your understanding of storytelling and level up your skill set.
Below you’ll find our recommendations for the books every writer should keep on their bedside table. Some you may have heard of, while some may be new to you. Let’s dive in!
Although written primarily for screenwriters, this exploration of narrative structure is essential for writers of any medium. John Yorke is a prolific writer, director, and producer who helmed shows like Eastenders and the BBC series Robin Hood. In Into the Woods, Yorke presents the foundation of storytelling through a series of lessons on structuring a story, developing characters, embracing subtext, and crafting a satisfying ending.
But more than that, he asks the big question: why do stories work the way they do? Why are we drawn to a story told in three acts, and what does that tell us about our own psychological makeup? Exploring everything from fairy tales to modern cinema, this book will help you understand the architecture of stories on a fundamental level.
Once John Yorke helps you master the art of crafting a solid story, Ursula K Le Guin can help you master your prose at a line level. Le Guin is a sci-fi and fantasy author best known for her Earthsea books and several collections of short stories. In Steering the Craft, she covers nitty gritty details like verb tense and punctuation, finding the right point of view, and creating sentences with rhythm. Plus, you’ll find practical exercises to test your knowledge and hone your new skills.
Originally published in 1998, this handy little handbook was updated in 2015 with new information and new perspectives on contemporary publishing. This is Strunk & White for a new generation.
Joanne Harris’s contribution to the writer’s bookshelf is useful for both beginners and more experienced writers. Harris is a genre-spanning writer best known for Chocolat and its sequels, though she’s written a wide range of material.
What makes Ten Things About Writing unique is that it covers basics for the new writer, then moves onto getting your work published, and then keeps going to cover things like what to expect from being featured at a literary festival and how to read out loud without having a heart attack.
There are approximately 1,000 tidbits of information in this book: 10 parts of 10 chapters each, with 10 tips per chapter. It’s a great book to dip in and out of when you have a particular query about a variety of topics.
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So you’ve written a competent first draft. Now what? Renni Browne and Dave King explore some of the most common mistakes new writers (and even experienced writers) make. Both King and Browne have worked extensively in publishing and have reviewed countless manuscripts from aspiring authors.
In Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, they discuss when to “show, not tell” (and what that even really means), address issues with dialogue and narrative voice, explain how to nail that internal monologue, and more. This book is an excellent choice for anyone who feels like they’ve mastered the art of putting a story together and wants to take it to the next level.
You knew this one was coming, didn’t you? Arguably the most famous writing manual of all time from a master of horror fiction, this book blends craft advice and memoir to tell the story of the formation of a writer. Beginning with King’s childhood (and the visceral, hilarious moment when he first learned that adults lie), the book then moves into developing the writer’s toolbox.
Unlike some of the above examples, King’s “toolkit” isn’t structured into austere, easily accessible sections. Instead, he tells stories and anecdotes of his own writing journey so that it feels like you’re sitting in a college classroom listening to a fun, insightful, somewhat ramble-prone teacher lecture on the craft. You’ll emerge from this book with not only some new skills to take to the page, but a better sense of how to live your own writing life.
Adrienne Young has created the ultimate novel writing workbook that will make you feel like you’ve curled up inside a Pinterest feed. Young is an author of YA and adult fiction, particularly fantasy and magical realism. However, The Storyteller’s Workbook can be used by those writing in any and all kinds of fiction.
Unlike the recommendations above, this book is intended to be a tool in itself — your companion throughout your writing process. The Storyteller’s Workbook features character development templates, worldbuilding templates, calendars to plan out your writing goals, writing prompts, STICKERS (!), and even a query tracker to record which agents or publishers you submit your completed novel to.
This book is designed to be your customisable guide from beginning to end and beyond.
By far the shortest book on this list, this snappy little manifesto is written as a call to action for artists of all disciplines. It’s available in a few editions, including one with extensive illustrations by Gaiman’s regular collaborator Chris Riddell. Neil Gaiman, known for an extensive body of work that includes novels, short stories, poems, film scripts, and comic books, shares his perspective on the power of a good story.
Similar to On Writing, this book takes a brief look at Gaiman’s childhood introduction to the world of fiction before exploring why the act of creation matters so much in today’s climate. Art Matters encourages writers to push back against the rules of traditional publishing and to find the joy in telling stories. It’s an excellent book to keep on hand for those moments of self-doubt and despair — it gives us a gentle push forward and reminds us that what we do is important.
Fija Callaghan is an author, poet, and unapologetic daydreamer. Her work has been shortlisted and longlisted for a number of short story prizes, and you can find her writing in publications like Gingerbread House, Crow & Cross Keys, Corvid Queen, and Mythic Magazine. When not writing or helping other writers get the best out of their work, she can be found haunting her local bookshops or watching the tide come in.
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