I've become the Queen of Writing Research. I have so many books in drawers and on book shelves having to do with 'how to write', 'what to write', 'when to write'. And they are ALL great books and I'm getting a lot of useful information from all of them. I probably should sit down and put some of that good information to use by doing some of my own writing. But I'm a reading addict as well as a writer.
I thought I would share some of the books that have been very beneficial to me. The first is, of course,
On Writing by Stephen King. This is a MUST HAVE for any writer who is wanting good, sound, and straight-to-the-point advice on writing. And, of course, if it's written by Stephen King, it's going to be good. Stephen King has definite goals that he accomplishes when he writes and he shares these willingly. One in particular, which I think is a difficult one for some of us -
". . . The space can be humble . . . and it really needs only one thing: a door which you are willing to shut. The closed door is your way of telling the world and yourself that you mean business; you have made a serious commitment to write and intend to walk the walk as well as talk the talk." This can be difficult to do, especially if you have a husband/wife and children, wrangling for your attention. But it needs to be done if you intend on getting any writing done.
A couple of other books I found very useful in helping me to organize my writing life were
Writer's First Aid and
More Writer's First Aid by Kristi Holl. Kristi has a very graceful writing technique. These books were extremely easy to read and had a natural flow to them. They were also chocked FULL of contact information, referencing books and articles that I found very helpful and inspiring.
Another book that I just recently finished was
The Productive Writer by Sage Cohen. This book was also full of inspiring information. Sage goes from start to finish and guides you through every step of the writing and publishing process. She gives you downloads to spreadsheets that help you organize and prioritize all aspects of your writing. This book is very detailed in it's layout. It is also full of information about social media and how to create a stress-free life in writing. I highly recommend it.
There are so many other books out there and I will periodically share my stash with you. But these are great starts to add to your collection if you are looking for some basics that will get you moving in the "write" direction. Good luck to you and "Keep Writing"!
