RECOMMENDATIONS | Writing Craft Books
Happy November! This month means more autumnal fun, Thanksgiving, and … National Novel Writing Month! I don’t actually do much creative writing. In fact, up until a few years ago, I didn’t write on my own time at all. I’ve gotten a little more into it every year since I started doing it a little more, and this year I actually have a few projects in mind. So, I’ve decided to take a stab at NaNoWriMo. I can be really bad at keeping up with things like this (I tried NaNoWriMo for all of a few days last year), so we’ll see what happens. But, I also thought this was a perfect time to share some of my favorite writing craft books! As evidenced by most of this paragraph, I am far from an expert about any of this, but I have really enjoyed all of these. They’ve informed my copywriting for work, my creative writing for fun, and my pursuit of an inspired lifestyle.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
I’ve heard mixed things about this, and I understand some of the criticism it receives, but I LOVED this book. I found Gilbert’s approach entertaining and enlightening. She did make me think about creativity in a new way, which I value. This is also unique on this list, because it isn’t only about writing. Gilbert talks about her pursuit of a creative lifestyle, filled with outside-the-box thinking in all ways.
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
This little book made me a better writer and editor. When I first started at the job I’m currently working, I had an incredible mentor, and she’s the one who recommended this to me. And now, I will recommend it to anyone. It does focus more on writing from a journalistic perspective, but anyone who writes anything could benefit from reading it, if you ask me.
A Poetry Handbook: A Prose Guide to Understanding and Writing Poetry by Mary Oliver
Whether you write poetry or not, this is an interesting read. That being said, if you do write poetry, or want to, I think this is an awesome resource. Mary Oliver is one of (if not my single) favorite poet, so I am biased. However, you can’t argue with the fact that she’s one of the best-selling poets of all time. In this book, she teaches the basics, offers advice, and shares her own perspective on the craft. It’s a gift.
The Writer’s Diet: A Guide to Fit Prose by Helen Sword
This is another one that I read more for the purpose of improving the writing I do for work, which is copywriting. It’s more on the journalistic side of things. However, as with The Elements of Style, I would say anyone who writes could gain much from reading this. One of the most useful things about Sword’s instruction is her method of organization and analysis. She breaks it down to five categories and employs a process for determining how “fit” your prose is. The process, and her explanation of it throughout this book, really gave me a whole new perspective. I looked at a paragraph of my writing after reading this, and saw so many new ways to improve it. Sword also has an online program that goes with this book. It is free and will allow you to paste a paragraph in and get an analysis. Very cool!
Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction by Jeff Vandermeer
This is an awesome read! I haven’t even gotten all the way through, but it’s a great experience for anyone who writes or is interested in writing. Vandermeer gives the reader a ton of advice and altered perspective, and the illustrations by Jeremy Zerfoss are gorgeous. My favorite part of this is the cool diagrams.
