One thing I love more than writing is studying the craft. Since I was a teen, I remember scouring the English Language/Writing section of Borders. (Gosh, do you remember Borders? I loved that bookstore).
I spent so much of my babysitting cash on craft books (and CDs, this was after all, the pre-streaming Amazon music days). Even today, I find it hard not to meander to that same section when I find myself (magically transported, of course) into a Barnes & Noble or Books-a-Million or even the library.
Though I do intend to write a review for each of my favorite craft books, I thought it’d be nice to provide a curated list here. This will likely be updated as time goes on (I’m always finding something new and exciting), but for now, here are some of my top Go-To resources.
My Promise to You, Dear Reader: I will not advertise, recommend, or otherwise link a product, that I do not fully back.
Spellbinding Sentences by Barbara Baig
The Describer’s Dictionary by David Grambs
Descriptionary by Marc McCutcheon
Police Procedure & Investigations by Lee Lofland (He also has a great website: https://leelofland.com/)
DIY MFA by Gabriela Pereira (She has a great site and I enjoy her podcast: https://diymfa.com/diy-mfa-podcast)
The Portable MFA in Creative Writing by The New York Writers Group (because, why spend thousands when you can teach yourself for a fraction of the cost?)
How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson
Spunk & Bite by Arthur Plotnik
Writing Tools 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark
What are your all time favorite go-to writer’s craft books? Let me know in the comments below!
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