Writers must be readers. It is a commandment given so many times in books for writers. Or maybe it is an observation. Successful writers read a lot. They read for pleasure as well as research. You should too.
Mostly, those will overlap. Write in the genre that you enjoy reading the most. If your guilty pleasure is tearing through a thriller, but you want to write a historical romance, you are going to have a rough go of it. Write that thriller instead. You will have a natural sense of plot and tempo that comes with familiarity. Now, most adults may need to cut back on their leisure reading to carve out more time for other responsibilities. But you are also a writer, and writers must be readers, you have a duty to your craft that says you must keep reading. So, keep reading those books that make you happy, it is part of your growing writer’s life.
There are also books about writing. Actually, there are THOUSANDS! Everything from writing lifestyle to plot development, to genre specific. I have read many of them. Like most good books, there is usually some good information in them. Some new light is shown on a concept that is helpful. They are nice, and I try and keep them in mind for later use when I see a weak point in my own writing.
Then there are the ones that I continue to read again and again. They inform and inspire. The books I have selected to share are not the only books that I have found to be transformative, and there are others that caused me some pain to not include. I am not unique in my admiration of these books, you will find them on other people’s lists as well. In fact, that is how I found most of them, by reading someone else’s “most favorite” list. Now it is my turn, so here are my personal top three.
Raye’s Top Three Books for Writers
The first one got on my list because it is the one that made writing for a living, in this internet/Amazon/eReader age, seem a truly achievable goal. It made the possibility real. REALY real!
It is full of practical advice, real-life examples, and motivation. When I say “motivation” I don’t mean plucky little can-do sayings with a small illustration to pull at your heart. I mean that the authors’ excitement and joy are palpable and contagious. Oh, and “authors” is plural. There are three and they not only collaborated on this book but had been doing so for years in the fiction. They continue to be very active in the writing community. This book is what turned me on to them, and I still follow them today.
Write. Publish. Repeat. So that you can start looking at making your writing dreams a reality.
This next one is pretty well known. It is written by Steven Pressfield, a well accomplished author. The first book I read of his was Gates of Fire which I credit with getting the whole Sparta craze going. It is a really great book about the Spartan battle at Thermopylae.
Anyway, his book, The War of Art, is for authors, or any creative person, deals with overcoming “resistance”. It is also autobiographical, and you get a bit of Steven’s back story as well. But the great takeaway is seeing that he, just like you, must overcome multiple buggyboos that keep him from writing. His tools, rituals are good, but best is learning to recognize those things that are holding you back from doing the writing.
Finally, there is the classic Stephen King book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. This one seems to make it to every list I have seen. For good reason, it is a masterpiece.
I am not even a big Stephen King fan. I have read a few of his books, and I enjoyed them, but his work just isn’t something I must read. He has a dedicated and almost cultish strong fan following, but I am not one of them.
Except maybe when it comes to this book. I am with the fans on this one!
This book tells of his start and how he got to where he is. It also goes a bit into his personal life, which is also fascinating reading. Most importantly, there is a gold mine of writing advice that is solid, dependable, and worth memorizing. You owe it to yourself to read it.
There! Those are my top 3. Let me know if you have read any of these, if they were helpful, or what your top books are. I am alway looking for more!
