The SLF Annotated Guide to Books on Creative Writing

There are quite a few lists of writing books available online; we hope that this list will be particularly useful as a result of incoporating signed annotations to give you a better idea of what each book offers. We encourage further comments, but plan on limiting this to three comments/book, using the most informative of the comments that are sent in, with a link back to the commentor's web page and/or e-mail, if they like. Please be aware that if a more informative comment comes in, your own previously listed comment might be bumped, to keep this list as helpful as possible.

Send suggestions to info@speclit.org, with the header SLF WRITING BOOKS, please. Thanks!

Appreciation to Andrew Butler for his spec fic writing booklist, incorporated herein, and to Fiona Kelleghan and Lewis Murphy, for extensive contributions.

• On Writing - General
• On Writing - Genre-Specific
• On Publishing
• Background Research / Reference
• Related Interest
• Other

On Writing - General

• Baxter, Charles. The Business of Memory
  • "Baxter has collected several essays from skilled and noted memoirists, addressing many of the primary concerns of those writing creative nonfiction. This collection engages such issues as: the slippery nature of memory itself; the blurry line between fiction and nonfiction; the question of how much to reveal of oneself; the ethics of writing other people's stories. An essential book for anyone interested in exploring memoir writing." (Mary Anne Mohanraj)

• Block, Laurence, Telling Lies for Fun and Profit.
  • "From the mystery genre, very useful." (C.J. Czelling)

• Bradbury, Ray. Zen in the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity
  • "In this book, Ray Bradbury, one of the greatest story tellers of all time, uses personal anecdotes to inspire both newbie and veteran writers alike. If you ever wondered why you have the compulsion to write, or need a swift kick in the pants to get the ink flowing from your pen (or words flowing from your keyboard, as the case may be), then this book is definitely for you." (G.B. Banks)

  • "Some excellent advice along with some silly advice, but his little pep talks work like a shot of adrenaline for me." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Brooks, Terry. Sometimes the Magic Works : lessons from a writing life, 2003.
  • Library Journal: "Fans of Brooks's fantasy may be fascinated by this insider's account of how a book gets written, what thoughts and insecurities the author has, and the unique challenges faced by writers of fantasy fiction. Brooks indeed provides insights into how he names fantasy characters and creates realistic fantasy worlds. Unfortunately, those not familiar with his writings might find that he violates the best advice he gives in this short book: don't bore the reader. Only occasionally does Brooks linger long enough on a topic to provide valuable tips, and so much of this narrative is relevant to his experience alone that creative writing students might have difficulty applying his advice to their own struggles with craft, technique, and the creative writing process. Recommended for large fantasy collections only."

  • From the Publisher: "Getting there is half the fun. Now, Brooks tells the story of how he got there - from beginner to bestselling author - and shares his secrets for creating unusual, memorable fiction. In addition to being a writing guide, this is Brooks's self-portrait of the artist. Here are sketches of his midwestern boyhood, when comic books, radio serials, and a vivid imagination launched a lifelong passion for weaving tales of wonder; recollections of the fateful collaboration with legendary editor Lester del Rey that changed not only the author's life but the course of publishing history; and an eye-opening look at the ups and downs of dealing with Hollywood, as a writer of official novels based on major movies by both Steven Spielberg and George Lucas."

• Brophy, Kevin. Explorations in creative writing, 2003.
  • From the Publisher: "Much more than a primer for aspiring authors, this book transports the reader through the dilemmas of becoming a real writer. Novelist and poet Kevin Brophy eloquently reflects on the processes of writing, of teaching and studying writing. Peppered with Brophy's personal experiences and private thoughts, often humorous, always sentient, this is an original, highly readable text for any person interested in creative writing."

• Browne, Rita Mae, Starting from Scratch
  • "As essential as Natalie Goldberg." (Matt Buchman)

• Browne, Renni and King, Dave. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. ISBN 0-18-188293-0.
  • "Renni Browne And Dave King's Self-Editing for Fiction Writers was recommended to me as being an excellent course in how to edit your own writing. There was some debate over this one on rasfc, where some people said that they'd found it a waste of money, but I personally found it very good. It seems to be one of those ones that suits some people and not others, so it's probably worth trying to find it in your local library." (Jules Jones)

• Card, Orson Scott, Writing Character and Viewpoint
  • "I found this to be much more useful than his book on writing science fiction and fantasy, and have consistently used it when teaching writing classes." (Dean Wolvert)

  • "This book is a must read, in my estimation, for anyone wishing to take their writing from good to great. It is an excellent muse stimulator. The simple, easy to apply suggestions are based on common sense and the way that readers perceive the characters that we write. I personally recommend the sections: "The MICE Quotient," "Servants of the Idea," "The Implied Past," and the chapters "How to Raise the Emotional Stakes," "The Hero and the Common Man," and "Presentation vs. Representation." (M.J. Goodner)

• Desrosiers, Karen, et al. A Group of one's Own : nurturing the woman writer, 2003.
  • From the Publisher: "Designed for both the beginning and seasoned writer, this book describes how to create an environment that enables all participants to excel in their writing; establish and run a group; provide constructive feedback; find the time to write; organize artist dates and retreats; and get published."

• Drake, Barbara. Writing Poetry
  • "This is is the second edition of Drake's original book first published in 1983. She has made some modifications, but she has kept her intent pure, which was to write a text that students of poetry "would choose to have in his or her survival kit if stranded on a desert island." This book covers such diverse topics as voice, surrealism, found poetry, the craft of revision, metaphor and simile, publishing, and the advantages of keeping a journal." (Mark Rudolph)

• Dufresne, John. The lie that tells a truth : a guide to writing fiction., 2003.
  • From Publishers Weekly: "A novelist and teacher, Dufresne (Deep in the Shade of Paradise) shares his blunt views on writing in this instruction book, which draws heavily on the tenets of realist fiction and method acting. Divided into two main sections - "The Process" focuses on habits and emotions; "The Product" emphasizes narrative mechanics - Dufresne's manual often adopts the tone of a fiery professor advising a group of wide-eyed young freshmen. "Fiction writing is arrested development," he declares. "Just know that you should quit right now if you can." Readers may sometimes feel lectured by his many stern instructions - "Thou Shalt Not Be Obscure," "Thou Shalt Show and Not Tell," "Thou Shalt Steal" - but the author hits his stride when he covers the mechanics of story. Particularly valuable is his advice on choosing character names, occupations, and points of view. A principle of acting teachers Konstantin Stanislavsky and Michael Chekhov-that exterior movement leads to interior feeling-forms the basis of one of Defresne's two chapters on characterization. Elsewhere, he skillfully analyzes the work of his favorite writers Anton Chekhov, Frank O'Connor and Eudora Welty. (Dufresne also mines his own work for examples of process and technique.) Each chapter closes with a set of writing exercises. Although this volume is unlikely to displace classic fiction guides like E.M. Forster's Aspects of the Novel, many readers may respond to the author's encouraging, exhorting tone."

  • From Booklist: "Like so many writers' guides, this one talks about creating a character, finding an idea, constructing a plot, and the rest of it. It does all of that quite well, too, but what makes it stand out in this popular genre is its tone and approach. Novelist Dufresne, the author of Deep in the Shade of Paradise (2002), lays out the storytelling process clearly and simply. "Fiction is telling the truth, not telling the facts." His tone is light, amiable, conversational: a professional storyteller... "

• Eiben, Therese and Mary Gannon, with the staff of Poets & writers magazine. The Practical Writer : From Inspiration to Publication, 2004.
  • Library Journal: "In a market glutted with beginners' books of the "write-a-best-seller" variety, this is one of the few high-quality resources available for intermediate and advanced professional writers who are more committed to their work than they are to becoming famous. In fact, of the myriad books currently on the market for aspiring writers, this is one of the best, both in quality and scope. Experienced professionals from every area of literature, including professors, authors, and journalists, offer advice on the craft. In addition, editors advise on the submission process, a foundation manager talks about strategies for obtaining grants, and publishers, agents, and publicists share their experiences. There are five sections, described by one of the editors as "five points on the arc a writer travels from inspiration through marketing and publication." About two-thirds of the essays have already appeared as articles in Poets & Writers magazine, with which editors Eiben and Gannon are affiliated. Appendixes are provided as well. Highly recommended for all public libraries and for all academic libraries supporting professional writing programs."

• Eighner, Lars. Elements of Arousal
  • "Lars Eighner's Elements of Arousal (the first edition was titled Lavender Blue) is one of the best books on writing fiction I've ever read. It's aimed at writers of gay men's erotica, but the general advice on writing should be read by anyone who's writing fiction with the aim of getting published. He covers both the craft of writing, and the nuts and bolts of running a writing business. The book is out of print, but is currently available on Eighner's website, with a suggested donation to cover the website costs. Some aspects of the book are out of date (in particular his discussion of computers and the details on tax issues for writers), but this doesn't detract from the book's value as a course in how to write good stories, and how to sell them." (Jules Jones)

• Elbow, Peter, Writing Without Teachers, second edition, Oxford University Press, 1973, 1998
  • "Not an attempt to phase out my job, but a book with a wealth of information about the writing process and the sort of 'teacherless' writing groups that have become the model for many critique groups and workshops." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Flaherty, Alice. The midnight disease : the drive to write, writer's block, and the creative brain, 2004.
  • Publisher's Weekly: "Flaherty (The Massachusetts General Handbook of Neurology) mixes memoir, meditation, compendium and scholarly reportage in an odd but absorbing look at the neurological basis of writing and its pathologies. Like Oliver Sacks, Flaherty has her own story to tell a postpartum episode involving hypergraphia and depression that eventually hospitalized her. But what holds this great variety of material together is not the medical authority of a doctor, the personal authority of the patient or even the technical authority of the writer, but the author's deep ambivalence about the proper approach to her subject. Where Sacks uses his stylistic gifts to transform illness into literature, Flaherty wrestles openly with the problem of equating them, putting her own identity as a scientist and as a writer on the line as she explores the possibility of describing writing in medical terms. She details the physiological sources of the impulse to write, and of the creative drive, metaphorical construction and the various modes of stalled or evaded productivity called block. She also includes accounts of what it feels like to write (or fail to write) by Coleridge and Joan Didion as well as by aphasiacs and psychotics. But while science may help one to understand or create literature, "it may not fairly tell you that you should." To a student of literature, Flaherty's struggle between scientific rationalism and literary exuberance is familiar romantic territory. What's moving about this book is how deeply unresolved, in an age of mood pills and weblogs, that old schism remains. Writers will delight in the way information and lore are interspersed; scientists are more likely to be divided."

  • The Washington Post: "This is a learned book. It's chock-full of information on drug use and alcohol, hallucination and vision, advice and caveats from writers of every stamp. Some of the information is poignantly practical: Hot showers and clean clothes may sometimes help writer's block, and stay away from the snooze button on your alarm because it won't help your mental state! There is the story of a child who tried, literally, to climb into a book and broke down sobbing because he couldn't. And a marvelous chapter on metaphor and inspiration, dealing with use of language and the connections between the muses who speak to writers and the divinities who have spoken (or is it our own inner voices that speak?) to our visionaries and saints." (Carolyn See)

• Forster, E.M., Aspects of the Novel
  • "What Forster says is pertinent to any writer of fiction. The two sections on "People" are especially valuable." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Gardner, John, The Art of Fiction
  • "A great book to have read at least once." (Matt Buchman)

  • "Very literary, but very clear, and more passionate than most books that come from the literary/academia neck of the woods. The exercises at the end of book are quite ingenious and worth trying." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Gardner, John, On Becoming a Novelist

• George, Elizabeth. Write away : one novelist's approach to fiction and the writing life, 2004.
  • Publisher's Weekly: "Here's a useful book for the novice writer battling the fears and insecurities that attend when she contemplates her first novel. Highly successful as the writer of a dozen novels of suspense (A Place of Hiding, etc.) and a teacher with significant experience, George reveals that those same fears and insecurities still bedevil her. She quickly moves beyond that to a consideration of the craft of writing-mastering the tools and techniques that a writer needs in order to create art. While George illustrates her points with passages from both her own works and those of numerous writers she admires (Martin Cruz Smith, Barbara Kingsolver, Louise Erdrich, Michael Dorris), this remains more of a how-I-do-it book than a how-to-do-it book. Thus George will typically discuss an aspect of writing, such as creating the landscape of a novel, illustrate it with examples from various writers and then show how she approaches it. The result is an informative, instructive and idiosyncratic examination of the structure of the novel and of one writer's rigorously disciplined approach to creating one. George makes clear that writing is a job and that mastering the tools and techniques of the craft can go a long way toward making a writer successful. Finally, she advocates self-discipline, or what Bryce Courtenay (The Power of One) calls 'bum glue.' As George puts it, 'A lot of writing is simply showing up... day after day, same time and same place.'"

• Goldberg, Natalie. Writing Down the Bones
  • "I'm a huge fan of anything by Natalie Goldberg on writing (haven't read her fiction). Especially Writing Down the Bones which I return to year after year to reread, get reinspired and do a few of her exercises. Her books are essentially "writing Zen" and are about the 'practice' of writing more than being about anything technical, grammar etc. As such Writing Down the Bones is also one of the few books I have bought over and over again to give as gifts." (Shannon Clark)

• Goldin, Stephen and Sky, Kathleen. The Business of Being a Writer, New York: Harper and Row, 1982.

• Gordon, Karen Elizabeth. The Well-Tempered Sentence
  • "A fun guide to grammar. No, really." (Matt Buchman)

• Hale, Constance. Sin and Syntax
  • "This is an excellent guidebook that promotes and emphasizes mechanics but dismisses rules. As for erotic content, the title is mostly flirtation, but some of the example passages wouldn't make it into the tamest of, say, Black Lace's categories." (T.E. Lyons)

• Heffron, Jack. The Writer's Idea Workshop : how to make your good ideas great, 2003.
  • From the Publisher: "Whether you have one idea or several, your goal is to create a powerful piece of fiction or nonfiction -- the kind you've always dreamed of writing. The problem comes in transforming that good idea into a great story or article. How do you proceed after that initial flurry of inspiration? Heffron guides you through the idea-development process from initial concept to final revision. An accomplished writer, editor and teacher, Heffron writes with an honest, insightful voice -- one that's no-nonsense and instructive, yet a joy to read. Use this book to carry you through a project from beginning to end, or focus on prompts and chapters that speak to specific concerns or problems."

• Hillerman, Tony. Talking Mysteries : a conversation with Tony Hillerman / Tony Hillerman and Ernie Bulow ; illustrations by Ernest Franklin. (2004, c1991; 1st pbk ed.) .
  • "Most of the material in this book appeared in a substantially different arrangement as Words, weather, and wolfmen : conversations with Tony Hillerman, c1989."

  • From the Publisher: "Hillerman discusses his craft, including his approach to plot, characterization, and setting, and the wrinkles and twists that make his brand of fiction unique. These and other insights into how he writes emerge in an extended interview with his long-time friend and fellow author Ernie Bulow. An autobiographical piece by Hillerman details his early years in Oklahoma, first encounters with Navajo culture, and his eventual life as journalist and author. Navajo artist Ernest Franklin created twelve sketches of Hillerman characters for this book. Hillerman credits Franklin with "showing me what Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn look like." As an additional treat, a Jim Chee mini-mystery, "The Witch, Yazzie, and the Nine of Clubs," originally published in 1981 and long unavailable, is included."

• Howe, Nicholas. Across an Inland Sea : Writing in place from Buffalo to Berlin, 2003.
  • Publisher's Weekly: "Though Howe takes readers from Buffalo, N.Y., to Paris and from Oklahoma to Chartres, Berlin and Columbus, Ohio, in these elegant essays, his is not a travelogue in the traditional sense, but rather a deeply felt, meditative exploration of the "power that places have over us." A medievalist and professor of English at UC Berkeley, Howe reveals a gift for capturing the modern-day pilgrimage. "Journey, story and metaphor alike," he writes, "draw from the same need: to move from point to point in the hope of discovery." Howe's discoveries take the form of little epiphanies-about the way to see a city with fresh eyes, about the writing about place and memory-and are the stops along the way that he meticulously relates to his readers, so that, in the end, his journey becomes his reward. Howe's references are often literary - Kafka, Roland Barthes, Flaubert - but his accounts are clear and thoughtful, and his wit helps make his narrative work accessible. His opening chapter about his family's-and his own-history in and relationship to Buffalo during its recent decline is stunning in its breadth of understanding and melancholy, while his elegy to Columbus's High Street reveals a striking depth of feeling for a main drag marked by fast food chains and ethnic restaurants, student hang-outs and underused parks. This graceful volume will be especially meaningful to writers, but it should appeal to anyone who muses about authenticity in a place or people."

• James, Henry, "The Art of Fiction," an essay available in many anthologies and collections.
  • "No matter how you feel about Mr. James’ writing, what he says about fiction is remarkably incisive and generous. If nothing else, remember his admonition to the young writer: 'Try to be one of the people upon whom nothing is lost.'" (Richard Chwedyk)

• Keyes, Ralph, The Courage to Write

• King, Stephen. On Writing
  • "This is a great book for the beginning writer, and entertaining and insightful enough that the intermediate and advanced writer will enjoy it too. King combines some beautiful memoir work with practical advice on how to turn competent writing into good writing, addressing everything from vocabulary and grammar to writing spaces to setting writing goals for yourself. Along the way, the reader gets an intimate look at King's attitudes and character, making this book a pure pleasure to read." (Mary Anne Mohanraj)

• Knight, Damon. Creating Short Fiction
  • "Down to earth, extremely helpful, knowledgeable and sensible. The sections on "Voice and Persona" and using your unconscious (which he calls "Fred") will save you at least ten years of wandering through the wilderness." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Koch, Stephen. The Modern Library Writer's Workshop : a guide to the craft of fiction (Modern Library pbk. ed., 2003)
  • From Booklist: "There's no shortage of writing guides available, but Koch's is especially valuable as it collects the comments and thoughts of such writers as Anthony Trollope, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Stephen King, in addition to his own sage advice. Koch, who taught at Columbia University's writing program, divides his book into the stages of the writing process. "Begin right now," he urges his readers. He goes over the basics, such as the importance of reading, the difficulty of finding time to write, and the importance of plot, with the added bonus of backing quotes from writers who have been around the block and found success. Learning that Toni Morrison, too, had to balance work and writing, or that Ray Bradbury writes six or seven drafts of each of his stories, is bound to buoy struggling writers. One thing he avoids is talking about the difficulties of a writer's life--a student sagely advised him to leave that to everyone else. Koch's tone is both encouraging and forthright, and his accessible, friendly guide will be essential for aspiring writers."

• Kress, Nancy. Beginnings, Middles and Ends. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1993.

• Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird, Pantheon, 1994.
  • "You owe it to yourself to read this, even if you had no interest in trying to write. If Anne can't make you cry, you're a tougher man than I am." (C.J. Czelling)

  • "Sympathetic, hilarious 'instructions' from someone who is intimately familiar with every writer's neuroses inside and out." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Le Guin, Ursula K. Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions On Story Writing For the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew. Portland, Or.: The Eighth Mountain Press, 1998.
  • "This is a slim volume on the craft of writing, but looks can be deceiving. LeGuin has packed a mere 172 pages with examples, exercises, and essays that could keep a college creative writing class busy for years. And she does it all with an elegant style and a dry wit." (Mark Rudolph)

  • "Just what the title says. The focus of this book is on improving a writer's style rather than structure, but it contains a lot of material pertinent to all facets of fiction writing." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Le Guin, Ursula. "Some Thoughts on Narrative," essay in Dancing at the Edge of the World, Harper and Row, 1989.
  • "How narrative works in life as well as in art." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Le Guin, Ursula. The Wave in the Mind : talks and essays on the writer, the reader, and the imagination, 2004.
  • CONTENTS: Personal matters -- Introducing myself -- Being taken for granite -- Indian uncles -- My libraries -- My island -- On the frontier -- Readings -- All happy families -- Things not actually present: On the book of fantasy and J.L. Borges -- Reading young, reading old: Mark Twain's diaries of Adam and Eve -- Thinking about Cordwainer Smith -- Strews-rhythm in poetry and prose -- Rhythmic pattern in The Lord of the rings -- The wilderness within: The sleeping beauty and "the poacher" -- Off the page: loud cows: a talk and a poem about reading aloud -- Discussions and opinions -- Fact and/or/plus fiction -- Award and gender -- On genetic determinism -- About feet -- Dogs, cars, and dancers: thoughts about beauty -- Collectors, rhymesters, and drummers -- Telling is listening -- The operating instructions -- "A war without end" -- On writing -- A matter of trust -- The writer and the character -- Unquestioned assumptions -- Prides: an essay on writing workshops -- The question I get asked most often -- Old body not writing -- The writer on, and at, her work.

  • Library Journal: "In this collection of essays, organized into thematic categories (e.g., "Personal Matters," "Readings," "Discussions and Opinions," and "On Writing"), she explores a variety of subjects through personal vignettes that give insight into her values. The essays also provide perceptive literary criticism on works by a wide range of authors, from Jorge Luis Borges to Mark Twain; incisive comments on fiction vs. nonfiction; and discussion of gender, beauty, literacy, privilege, and the writer's role and character. Le Guin is invariably thoughtful; she engages and challenges her readers' minds and values while exploring her own voice and modeling good prose style. Highly recommended."

• Levasseur, Jennifer & Kevin Rabalais, ed., Novel Voices, (Writer's Digest Books, c2003)
  • From the Publisher: "In Novel Voices, you'll discover a wealth of practical and motivating insight from today's most talented authors. Interviews with Ernest J. Gaines, Ha Jin, Melanie Rae Thon, Charles Baxter, William H. Gass, and more provide the instruction and inspiration you need to create winning fiction that will garner critical and creative success. Learn how to spark ideas for your writing and bring a story to life. Explore various elements of craft, from deciding on the best form for a piece of fiction to creating effective and realistic dialogue. Read advice on how to deepen a story by adjusting pace, tone, or point of view. Each author also discusses various aspects of the editing process, whether it's determining when to stop writing and start revising, or how to take and work with criticism. Throughout, you'll find first-hand tips on the craft of writing and breaking into publishing, all to develop and strengthen your own novel voice."

  • Library Journal: "Numerous collections of author interviews are available, primarily because reading authors' views on the creative process helps aspiring writers hone their own skills and reinforces their faith in their own sense of craft. This book collects interviews with 17 well-known novelists (e.g., Andre Dubus, Ernest J. Gaines, Ann Patchett, and William H. Gass) representing a wide range of ages, geographic areas, and styles. Levasseur and Rabalais, who are both editors of the Hogtown Creek Review and whose previous interviews have appeared in the Missouri Review, Glimmer Train, and the Mississippi Review, explore less familiar territory, posing questions that are more in depth than is typical of such interviews. They've also included sidebars on improving style and getting published successfully."

• Lewis, C.S., An Experiment in Criticism, Cambridge University Press, 1961.
  • "This is more a book about literature than writing, but all writers should read what Lewis says about "popular" versus "literary" fiction." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Lukeman, Noah. First Five Pages.
  • "It's a great, no-nonsense, 'work on the writing not your emotions' guide to easily correctible mistakes within the first five pages, and the entire book. For when the writer is ready to get down to the nitty-gritty revisions on a sentence level. Although some of the advice will seem like old news to seasoned writers, it's a good resource for the mid-level writer who is beyond not knowing how to finish a story, and needs to know the tricks of the trade they may not have picked up yet." (M. Thomas)

• Mailer, Norman. The spooky art : some thoughts on writing, 2003.
  • From the Publisher: "Mailer discusses with signature candor the rewards and trials of the writing life, and recommends the tools to navigate it. Addressing the reader in a conversational tone, he draws on the best of more than fifty years of his own criticism, advice, and detailed observations about the writer's craft. Mailer explores, among other topics, the use of first person versus third person, the pressing need for discipline, the pitfalls of early success, and the dire matter of coping with bad reviews. While The Spooky Art offers a fascinating preview of what can lie in wait for the student and fledgling writer, the book also has a great deal to say to more advanced writers on the contrary demands of plot and character, the demon writer's block, and the curious ins-and-outs of publishing. Throughout, Mailer ties in examples from his own career, and reflects on the works of his fellow writers, living and dead - Twain, Melville, Faulkner, Hemingway, Updike, Didion, Bellow, Styron, Beckett, and a host of others. In The Spooky Art, Mailer captures the unique untold suffering and exhilaration of the novelist's daily life and, while plotting a clear path for other writers to follow, maintains reverence for the underlying mystery and power of the art."

• Malin, Jo, and Victoria Boynton, ed., Herspace : women, writing, and solitude., 2003.
  • Synopsis: "Virginia Woolf famously called for "a room of one's own" as a necessary prerequisite for a woman's ability to write and express herself. Malin (English, State U. of New York at Binghamton) and Boynton (English, State U. of New York at Cortland) present 14 essays and one poem that explore the relationships between women, writing, solitude, and space. The essays theorize on solitude and writing or offer personal reflections on authors' experiences with writing or their relationships to their homes."

• McClanahan, Rebecca. Word Painting: A Guide to Writing More Descriptively
  • "An excellent book on the intricacies of language and how to creatively and effectively paint vivid mental pictures with mere words. McClanahan's writing is in-depth, but also entertaining. It'll hold your interest all the way through, and teach you a lot along the way." (G.B. Banks)

• Maass, Donald. Writing the Breakout Novel
  • "Takes Zuckerman [see below] and creates something of a companion piece which is more targeted toward speculative fiction." (Dean Wolvert)

• Maass, Donald. The Career Novelist

• McKee, Robert, Story.
  • "An excellent guide to the basics of creating formed fiction, although his notion that we shouldn't hit the same emotional chord in successive scenes is quite irritating. Sort of like insisting that a musician not hit the same notes twice in a row." (Dean Wolvert)

• Meredith, Scott, Writing to Sell
  • "A fine book on writing for the story by one of the great literary agents of all time. Not for those dedicated to form over function stylism." (C.J. Czelling)

• Moneleone, Tom, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing a Novel
  • "A no-nonsense guide to the writing process specific to novel creation. The strength of this book is Monteleone's experience as a multiple award-winning fantasy writer and editor of horror fiction anthologies, like Borderlands. His voice as a savvy veteran writer can come across as strong-willed at times, but novice writers will appreciate Monteleone's surety. His strategies for writing are spot-on, tried-and-true. The interviews with multiple bestselling fantasy and horror writers are what make this book worth more than a casual glance by those with more experience writing, but who aren't yet published novelists." (Michael Arnzen, Ph.D.)

• Murdock, Maureen, The Heroine's Journey (see Vogler)
  • "A fascinating read of what Campbell didn't understand about women." (Matt Buchman)

• O'Connor, Flannery, Mystery and Manners, Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 1969.
  • "Most directly the essays 'The Fiction Writer and His Country,' 'The Nature and Aim of Fiction,' and 'Writing Short Stories.'" (Richard Chwedyk)

• Oates, Joyce Carol. The faith of a writer : life, craft, art, 2003.
  • From the Publisher: "In the Faith of a Writer, Oates discusses the subjects most important to the narrative craft, touching on topic such as inspiration, memory, self criticism and the "the unique power of the unconscious." On a more personal note, she speaks of childhood inspirations, offers advice in young writers, and discuss the wildly varying states of mind of a writer at work. Oates also plays homage to those she calls her "significant precessors" and discusses the importance of reading in the life of a writer."

  • Library Journal: "Prolific novelist, playwright, and poet Oates has collected 12 previously published essays about the craft of writing, plus an interview regarding her novel Blonde. The topics covered range from coping with failure as an artist to the inspiration derived by reading others' writing. The award-winning writer draws insight from various writers' diaries, especially that of Virginia Woolf, regarding unsuccessful attempts at evaluating one's own writing. Although her intention is not to write an autobiography, she does incorporate personal anecdotes, particularly those about childhood readings, attending a one-room schoolhouse, and her in-home study. Except for the introduction and an initial half-page essay, no new material has been included in this collection. While this may disappoint some Oates fans, those desiring to know more about this versatile writer or those who aspire to write will find the essays instructive, albeit they are more general than those found in how-to-write manuals. Recommended for academic and large public libraries."

• Olsen, Lance, Rebel Yell
  • "Olsen's book seeks to help new young writers cut against the grain of conventional advice and approaches, urging them to develop their own voices and experiment in the name of originality. At the same time, Olsen addresses the literary conventions of fiction and an intellectual (as opposed to just emotional) approach to the craft in a way that reflects his interests in postmodern theory and the genre of the Avant Pop, in which he includes cyberfiction, slipstream, and many sf/f/h authors. Peppered with interviews with many "cutting edge" authors from the turn of the millenium, and good writing prompts at the end of each chapter, this book could be useful for a writing course as well as one's own self-improvement." (Michael Arnzen, Ph.D.)

• Olson, Gary A. and Lynn Worsham, ed., Critical Intellectuals on Writing, 2003.
  • From the Publisher: "Writing is central to the work of all intellectuals, yet any given scholar's relationship to writing is a uniquely personal one. Gary A. Olson and Lynn Worsham bring together some of the world's leading scholars from a variety of disciplines to examine how they conceive of their own relationship to writing and to the work of being a critical intellectual. Using excerpts from interviews, originally published in JAC, each scholar's thoughts are revealed about writing habits, how writing relates to intellectual work, and the politics of intellectual work." Included are excerpts of interviews with the following: Gloria Anzaldua, Mary Field Belenky, Homi Bhabha, Judith Butler, Noam Chomsky, Donald Davidson, Jacques Derrida, Michael Eric Dyson, Stanley Fish, Paulo Freire, Clifford Geertz, Henry Giroux, Stuart Hall, Donna Haraway, Sandra Harding, bell hooks, Luce Irigaray, Ernesto Laclau, Jean-Francois Lyotard, J. Hillis Miller, Chantal Mouffe, Avital Ronell, Richard Rorty, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Jane Tompkins, Stephen Toulmin, and Slavoj Zizek.

• Orr, Alice. No more rejections : 50 secrets to writing a manuscript that sells, 2004.
  • From the Publisher: "You'll discover that this fresh approach to writing fiction offers the advice you need to get your work published. From writing the story to writing the sales pitch, you'll find a wealth of information for improving your story and getting it sold! With the invaluable hints found inside No More Rejections, you'll learn to write a manuscript that sells. Award-winning author, former literary agent and editor Alice Orr explains the 50 most common reasons an agent or editor rejects a manuscript and how you can avoid these pitfalls using examples from actual manuscript submissions. Orr combines lessons on craft with lessons on marketing to create a series of tips and techniques to help you think about your book's marketability while you write it. From exploring a salable story idea and creating believable characters to writing opening sentences and crafting the triumphant ending, you'll discover the knowledge and advice you need to get your story sold."

• Pressfield, Steven, The War of Art
  • "I've found it very inspirational, not only for the process of writing itself, but especially for the process of getting up in the morning and dragging my sorry carcass over to the computer day after day to begin writing in the first place..." (Michael Curtis Ford)

• Rhodes, Richard, How to Write

• Schneider, Pat. Writing Alone and with Others, Oxford University Press, 2003.
  • From the Publisher: "For more than a quarter of a century, Pat Schneider has helped writers find and liberate their true voices. She has taught all kinds -- the award winning, the struggling, and those who have been silenced by poverty and hardship. Her innovative methods have worked in classrooms from elementary to graduate level, in jail cells and public housing projects, in convents and seminaries, in youth at-risk programs, and with groups of the terminally ill. Now, Schneider's acclaimed methods are available in a single, well-organized, and highly readable volume. The first part of the book guides the reader through the perils of the solitary writing life: fear, writer's block, and the bad habits of the internal critic. In the second section, Schneider describes the Amherst Writers and Artists workshop method, widely used across the U.S. and abroad. Chapters on fiction and poetry address matters of technique and point to further resources, while more than a hundred writing exercises offer specific ways to jumpstart the blocked and stretch the rut-stuck."

  • Library Journal: "Drawing on her many years of working with writers and would-be writers in workshops, Schneider has authored a useful and comprehensive text for the creative writer seeking to find his or her own voice and authority. Starting with the need to overcome the fear, anxiety, and nagging of the relentless self-critic within us, Schneider provides some practical exercises to get the writing process started (again) and to avoid the pitfalls of internal and external criticism. Citing the experience of the hundreds of writers she has read and worked with, Schneider counsels writers to privilege their own writing despite the distractions they face, to keep a writing journal, and to participate in a writing community with other writers. More than motivational or purely experiential, this very sensible yet practical text provides scores of proven exercises to help encourage the writer in each of us."

• Stafford, Kim. The Muses among us : eloquent listening and other pleasures of the writer's craft, 2003.
  • From the Publisher: "The Muses Among Us is an inviting, encouraging book for writers at any stage of their development. In a series of first-person letters, essays, manifestos, and notes to the reader, Kim Stafford shows what might happen at the creative boundary he calls "what we almost know." On the boundary's far side is our story, our poem, our song. On this side are the resonant hunches, griefs, secrets, and confusions from which our writing will emerge. Guiding us from such glimmerings through to a finished piece are a wealth of experiments, assignments, and tricks of the trade that Stafford has perfected over thirty years of classes, workshops, and other gatherings of writers. Informing The Muses Among Us are Stafford's own convictions about writing -- principles to which he returns again and again. We must, Stafford says, honor the fragments, utterances, and half-discovered truths voiced around us, for their speakers are the prophets to whom writers are scribes. Such filaments of wisdom, either by themselves or alloyed with others, give rise to our poems, stories, and essays. In addition, as Stafford writes, "all pleasure in writing begins with a sense of abundance -- rich knowledge and boundless curiosity." By recommending ways for students to seek beyond the self for material, Stafford demystifies the process of writing and claims for it a Whitmanesque quality of participation and community."

• Staw, Jane Ann. Unstuck : a supportive and practical guide to working through writer's block, 2003.
  • From the Publisher: "Poet, author, and writing coach Jane Anne Staw uncovers the reasons we get blocked - from practical to emotional, and many in between - and offers powerful ways to get writing again. Based on her experiences working with writers as well as her own struggle with writer's block, Staw provides comfort and encouragement, along with effective strategies for working through this common yet vexing problem."

• Strunk, William and E.B. White, The Elements of Style, fourth edition, Allyn and Bacon, 2000, 1979.
  • This book needs no introduction. It's the winner and still champ. The single most consulted book on the art of good, clear writing ever written." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Turchi, Peter and Andrea Barrett, ed.; with an introduction by Richard Russo, The story behind the story : 26 writers and how they work., 2004.
  • Publisher's Weekly: "Fledgling writers wonder how the pros get the job done, where they find their inspiration and how they can tap into those creative wells. This rich anthology, which offers shrewd insight into writers' approaches - thereby sating our desires for their secrets while validating our own eccentric quirks - reassures all lovers of good writing that there is no one correct way to craft a good tale. The contributors, all recent faculty members at the Warren Wilson Program for Writers in Swannanoa, N.C., offer model short stories followed by informal mini-essays on how they came to fruition. Antonya Nelson credits the seedling of "Strike Anywhere" to a student; Jim Shepard owes much of the title story from his new collection, Love and Hydrogen, to a flurry of research; while Tracey Daugherty cagily tips his hat to both imagination and autobiography, admitting only of his story, "City Codes," "it's all true except for the parts I made up." Writers' experiences couldn't be more different, with Robert Cohen "cackling" his way through the feverish high-speed ride of composing "The Varieties of Romantic Experience," while Ehud Havazelet took years to pen "Pillar of Fire." By sharing their stories as well as their struggles, their risk-taking and rule-breaking (Charles Baxter claims to have "violated most of the narrative norms" he tries to instill in his own students), these authors remind us that writing is a messy, fascinating and highly individualized process. This collection is a treasure trove of literary encouragement and wisdom."

• Vogler, Christopher, The Writer's Journey (see Murdock)
  • "A view of Campbell's hero's journey structured for writers." (Matt Buchman)

• Welty, Eudora, The Eye of the Story, Random House, 1978.
  • "All the essays in the section "On Writing" are interesting and thought-provoking. Modern Library has also placed Eudora Welty's "On Writing" section from The Eye of the Story in its own little volume called, not surprisingly, On Writing." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Welty, Eudora, One Writer's Beginnings, Harvard University Press, 1984.
  • "Three autobiographical essays, but each one makes a point about how she became a writer of fiction and about fiction writing in general." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Willard, Nancy, Telling Time: Angels, Ancestors and Stories, Harcourt Brace & Co., 1993.
  • "Another shot of adrenaline for persons who have outgrown Bradbury. Wonderful reading, wonderful advice, fun and enchanting, which is what this business of telling stories and writing fiction is all about." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Zinsser, William. Writing about your Life : a Journey into the Past, 2004.
  • From the Publisher: "In this inspiring new book, William Zinsser -author of the classic best-selling guide, On Writing Well - tells you how to write about the people and places in your life. His method is to take you on a memoir of his own, a journey full of surprises that roams across Africa, Asia and the South Seas, and describes such remembered pleasures as working for the legendary New York Herald Tribune, teaching at Yale, and appearing in a Woody Allen movie. Along the way he explains the technical decisions that went into telling these and other stories from his past."

  • Publisher's Weekly: "Zinsser looks back on his own years of professional writing, glossing selections from his past articles with advice for would-be memoirists. He begins with impressionistic sketches of his WWII experiences as a young army private in North Africa and Italy. Next he details his 13-year career at the New York Herald Tribune, where he wrote drama and movie features. He draws humorously and self-effacingly on his impromptu role as an extra for Woody Allen in Stardust Memories. With quietly witty insights into academic life, Zinsser charts years spent teaching at Yale while writing freelance for magazines such as Look. An account of his service as an editor at the Book-of-the-Month Club includes a history of that venerable institution. Finally Zinsser brings us up-to-date with his recent rebirth as a public pianist. To follow one's heart is Zinsser's most enduring piece of advice. In writing he recommends dwelling on "small, self-contained incidents" and making use of anecdotes and vivid memories. When discussing capturing places in print, he comments usefully on the changing trends of the travel genre (increased political correctness). Zinsser is warmly appreciative of other well-known memoirists and their organizational methods, admiring in particular Thoreau, Frank McCourt, Mary Karr and Annie Dillard. While his frank, affirmative and encouraging style will help anyone embarking on writing their own life story, his book will be especially useful to those of his own generation."

  • Library Journal: "There has been no shortage in recent years of how-to manuals for aspiring memoirists. Zinsser understands that the best way to learn any craft is by observing and emulating its masters. For the 1987 book Inventing the Truth, he collected a series of autobiographical lectures by Annie Dillard, Russell Baker, and others. In his current book he adds extensive commentary to the examples he has chosen. An important difference is that the excerpts here are all by the same writer: Zinsser himself. With politically correct hindsight, he condemns the early travel writing he presents here as racist and dishonest, but the other pieces are offered as illustrations of proper autobiographical style. The book is essentially a memoir punctuated by the author's comments on his own technique, with the line between commentary and memoir frequently blurred. For more practical instruction and diverse examples, consider Judith Barrington's Writing the Memoir (2d ed.) or Tristine Rainer's Your Life as Story. Recommended more for background reading on Zinsser than as how-to."

• Zuckerman, Albert, Writing the Blockbuster Novel
  • "Although it's not genre specific, it does offer some insights that can be adapted to any genre." (Dean Wolvert)

On Writing - Genre-Specific

• Asimov, Isaac, Martin Greenberg and Ansen Dibell. Cosmic Critiques: How & Why Ten Science Fiction Stories Work. Cincinnati, OH: Writers Digest Books, 1990.

• Bova Ben. The Craft of Writing Science Fiction That Sells, Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1994.

• Braunbeck, Gary. Fear in a Handful of Dust
  • "An interesting combination of memoir and how-to book by a Bram Stoker Award-winning author and short story master. Braunbeck's memoir is more horror genre-specific than King's _On Writing_, drawing on his close reading of many examples from film and fiction to explore the emotional realism at the core of horror fiction, and to advocate a departure from overly conventional representations of horror icons and gore for gore's sake. Despite typos in the early version of the book that I've reviewed, I recommend this title for horror writers, particularly those who delve in the short form. But be prepared for some disturbing confessions and heartbreaking reflections by the author." (Michael Arnzen, Ph.D.)

• Bretner, Reginald, ed. The Craft of Science Fiction: A Symposium on Writing Science Fiction and Science Fantasy. New York, NY: Harper & Row, 1976.

• Budrys, Algis, Writing to the Point, Unifont, 1994.
  • "Brief, clear and essential essays on short story writing, including 'Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy,' the single best essay on the subject I've read so far." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Card, Orson Scott. How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, Writer's Digest Books, 2001.
  • "A must read for creative writers in the genre. Card's book is important for writers looking to locate their fiction in the speculative genres with precision. His lengthy attempt at defining the genre, his overview of world building, and his structuralist discussion of what he terms the 'M.I.C.E. quotient' (milieu, idea, character, event) is invaluable to those writing genre novels and stories becase it isolates what it is that distinguishes the technique of the genre author from others. Also recommended: Card's Character and Viewpoint, one of the best books available on POV for writers of any genre." (Michael Arnzen, Ph.D.)

  • "One of the clearest, most logical books on writing I've ever seen period, much less specific to the genre. Simple (but not dumbed-down) explanations of story structure (what Card calls the MICE quotient -- milieu, idea, character, event), point of view, exposition, and other basics, along with more nebulous stuff like where to dredge up ideas and how to turn a spouse or relative into a useful critic for your work. Great for rereading periodically as a refresher and motivator. I've had to fight friends to get my copy back after they tried to 'forget' they had it." (N.K. Jemisin)

• Castle, Mort, ed. Writing Horror, Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1997.

• Costello, Matthew J. How to Write Science Fiction. New York: Marlowe, 1995.

• de Camp, L. Sprague and Catherine Crook deCamp. Science Fiction Handbook, Revised. How to Write and Sell Imaginative Stories. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1975.

• Doctorow, Cory and Schroeder, Karl. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Science Fiction. New York: Alpha Books, 2000, ISBN: 0028639189. (Amazon link)
  • "Filled with good advice, easy to read, humourous, etc. And written by two successful science fiction writers." (Sandra Kasturi)

  • "I second the recommendation, even though I don't usually like to purchase many books proudly proclaiming I must be an idiot, since I'm buying it. :) In this case, the book is very useful." (Tiffany Jonas)

• Dozois, Gardner et al., eds. Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy, New York: St Martin's Press, 1993.

• Evans, Christopher. Writing Science Fiction. New York: St Martin's Press, 1988.

• Gerrold, David. Worlds of Wonder: How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 2001.

• Gillett, Stephen L. World-Building. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writers Digest Books, 1996.

• Grafton, Sue, ed., The Writer's Handbook Guide to Crime Writing, 2003.
  • The Barnes & Noble Review: "Sue Grafton and co-editors Jan Burke and Barry Zeman cover everything it takes to write a successful mystery, from preparation to specialties. The ingredients for brewing up an unforgettable plot and compelling characters, choosing a point of view, infallible structure, dialogue that works, and rippling pacing, are served up here in a host of contributions from some of the most respected writers in the genre.The book is itself a journey through some still-uncharted territory -- the great mystery of the writer's art. It serves as a superb guide -- with shared anecdotes regarding both successful and failed attempts at various techniques -- by writers who have managed to find their niche and triumph in the genre. In the section entitled "In Search of the Novel," George C. Chesbro sums it up by recognizing "one of the greatest thrills a fiction writer can experience: discovery." The art of discovery is the true journey of writing mysteries."

  • Library Journal: "Like many Writer's Digest publications, this work serves as an excellent resource for the published and the would-be author. Editor Grafton, herself the successful author of the Kinsey Milhone series, orchestrates the contributions of many distinguished detective/mystery writers, including Tony Hillerman, Lawrence Block, and Ed Hock. This how-to book differs from other Writer's Digest books in that the articles move sequentially through the process from preparation to publication. The specialties section focuses on mysteries for young people and short story mysteries. A good choice for both public libraries' and writers' book shelves."

• Harding, Lee. Ursula K. LeGuin's Science Fiction Writing Workshop: The Altered I. New York, NY: Berkeley, 1978.

• Jones, Diana Wynne. The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. New York: DAW, 1997.

• Kenworthy, Christopher. Writing Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, 1997.

• Lefanu, Sarah. Writing Fantasy Fiction. London: A & C Black, 1996.

• Longyear, Barry B. Science Fiction Writer's Workshop I. San Bernardono, Ca.: Owlswick Press, 1983.
  • "Out of print, but still available from the publisher. Even if you're not interested in writing science fiction, the opening chapters are pertinent to the writing of any short fiction." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Nolan, William F. How to Write Horror Fiction. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1990.

• Ochoa, George and Osier, Jeffrey. The Writer's Guide to Creating a Science Fiction Universe. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writers Digest Books, 1993.

• Park, Darin and Dullemond, Tom. The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy
  • "The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy offers something for writers of all levels, providing advice and detailed instruction for creating a believable fantasy world. The novice author will find the book invaluable for its sage advice, while already published fantasy authors will find the book enjoyable for its well written style and wealth of reference material. Advice on world building, religions, food, fighting & weaponry, and much more, will help transform the mundane into an epic fantasy story." (Publisher's promo material)

• The Science Fiction Writers of America. Writing and Selling Science Fiction. Cincinnati, OH: Writers Digest Books, 1982.

• Scithers, George H., Darrell Schweitzer and John M. Ford. On Writing Science Fction (The Editors Strike Back). Philadelphia, PA: Owlswick Press, 1981.

• Scott, Melissa. Conceiving the Heavens: Creating the Science Fiction Novel. London: Heinemann, 1997.

• Shaw, Bob. How to Write Science Fiction. London: Allison and Busby, 1993.

• Stableford, Brian. The Way to Write Science Fiction. : Elm Tree Books, 1989.

• Stableford, Brian. Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy. London: Teach Yourself Books, 1998.

• Tuttle, Lisa. Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction. London: A & C Black, 2001.

• Williamson, J. N., ed. How to Write Tales of Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 2001.

• Wilson, Robin. Those Who Can: A Science Fiction Reader. New York, NY: St. Martin's, 1996.

On Publishing

• Anderson Allen, Moira. Writing.com : Creative Internet strategies to advance your writing career, 2003.
  • From the Publisher: "This practical guide is an invaluable tool for all writers aiming to develop, or enhance, a successful writing career. writing.com lays out a comprehensive plan for negotiating the wealth of new information and opportunity by harnessing the Internet's tremendous power for business expansion, skill refinement, promotion, and so much more."

  • From The Critics: "Writing.com is a prime example of exhaustive research and first class writing." (Sarah Cummins - Writers Exchange.com)

• Curtis, Richard, Beyond the Bestseller: A Literary Agent Takes You Inside Publishing, Plume Books, 1986.
  • "More than a little dated now, but still a good place to start if you want to understand how the publishing world works." (Richard Chwedyk)

• Deval, Jacqueline. Publicize your book! : an insider's guide to getting your book the attention it deserves, 2003.
  • Publisher's Weekly: "Everyone in the publishing industry, and many not, have heard the stories - of authors who spend a year or more writing a book only to see it sink into oblivion when the publisher releases it with no fanfare; of authors left out in the cold when their editors are gone before pub date. Then there are the flip stories: of authors, sometimes self-published, who manage their own publicity campaigns or supplement their publishing house's and sell thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of copies. To avoid the former and promote the latter, Deval (Reckless Appetites), publisher of Hearst Books and former director of publicity for William Morrow, Doubleday, Villard and Book-of-the-Month Club, has written this book, easily the most incisive and expert guide to book publicity ever. Deval covers every conceivable aspect of generating and participating in book publicity, from creating press materials to engaging in a publicity tour, from getting on Oprah to marketing on the Internet, from conducting media interviews to hiring a freelance publicist and much more. And she gives advice that's applicable to both veterans and novices, authors with publishing houses backing them and those who are self-published. Her approach is direct and no-nonsense yet congenial, with the hard information enlivened by scores upon scores of anecdotes (including a most tantalizing section on so-called authors from hell). With all this information, plus an extensive resource section, this is the book for authors who want to expand publicity for their books, and there's not a publishing professional who won't learn something new and useful from it as well."

  • From the Publisher: About the Author: "Jacqueline Deval is publisher of Hearst Books. As director of publicity for publishing houses, including William Morrow, Villard, and Doubleday, as well as Book-of-the-Month Club, she has created campaigns for hundreds of authors of fiction and nonfiction, including Chris Anderson, Isaac Asimov, Margaret Atwood, Lawrence Block, Tony Brown, Stephen J. Cannell, Wilt Chamberlain, John Feinstein, Bill Geist, Martin Gilbert, Nikki Giovanni, David Halberstam, Faye Kellerman, Dennis Lehane, Sidney Sheldon, and Alexandra Stoddard. This indispensible guide from a book-publicity insider offers everything authors need to know to assist their publishers in publicizing, marketing, and promoting their books. From working alongside professional publicists on campaigns and marketing plans to innovative ways authors can generate their own publicity, it provides essential information for the first time author or the seasoned professional, including:
    • Effective networking
    • Defining your target readership
    • Developing a press kit
    • Creating pitches for talk shows
    • Getting newspaper and magazine coverage
    • Marketing on the Internet and in other outlets
    • Preparing for interviews and touring
    • Setting up bookstore appearances and signings
    • Hiring an independent publicist"

• Spinrad, Norman. Staying Alive: A Writer's Guide. Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA: Donning Company, 1983.
  • "Although the outside of this book implies it is a general purpose writing book, the content is specific to the Science Fiction field. This is not a book about the process of writing, but deals in detail with the business aspect of getting publishing and making a living as a writer." (Lewis Murphy)

• Warren, Lissa. The Savvy Author's Guide to Book Publicity : a comprehensive resource -- from building the buzz to pitching the press, 2004.
  • From the Publisher: "Here is an essential reference for writers - from the self-published to those published by major houses - written by a leading book publicist who pitches books to media every day of her working life. Tapping into her years publicizing such authors as pediatrician Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, poet Mary Oliver, and economist John Kenneth Galbraith, Da Capo Press Senior Director of Publicity Lissa Warren covers book promotion with a publicist, without a publicist, and when a publicist isn't getting results. Each chapter details what happens to a book once it's off press, and how authors can be helpful in the promotion process - or even spearhead it if need be - to get the coverage they deserve. Warren's advice is buttressed by her stories of authors - the enterprising, the shy, the well-prepared, and the novice - relating tours gone awry, best-sellers made and nearly made, and great and not-so-great author/publicist collaboration. Covers everything from how to write press material, targeting the right shows and publications, following up effectively with the media, and hiring people who can help ensure that every bookseller and consumer has a chance to hear an author's message loud and clear."

  • Publisher's Weekly: "An author's work doesn't end when a book is written-at least, not if the author wants the book to sell. Warren has learned this over the course of a career publicizing well-known and unknown authors, and she shares her wisdom in this practical, information-packed volume. Authors who aren't already in the publishing industry should read this just for the crash course in jargon it provides, but there's so much more. Warren covers all the topics authors might be wondering about, from publicity basics to working well with your publicist and creating buzz in the media, plus plenty of areas many authors might not consider, such as doing a "big-mouth" mailing of a book and what to wear for a TV interview. Simply reading this won't guarantee publicity for a book, but it will give authors an understanding of just how hard they have to work to accomplish that key element to a book's success: 'Get the customer to go to the store and buy it.'"

Background Research / Reference

• Bova, Ben and Lewis, Anthony R. Space Travel, Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1997.

• Brame, Gloria G., Brame, William D., Jacobs, Jon. Different Loving. ISBN 0-679-76956-0.
  • "Popular sociology/psychology book that gives a non-judgemental and non-sensationalist insight into the world of BDSM via interviews with people involved in the scene. I found it very helpful for understanding what people get out of BDSM, and what they put into it." (Jules Jones

The Editors of Writer's Digest Books, ed. The Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference, Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1998.

• Gunn, James E. The Science of Science-Fiction Writing. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press, 2000.

• Love, Brenda. Encyclopedia of Unusual Sexual Practices. ISBN 0-349-10676-2.
  • "Exactly what it says. :-) Non-judgemental, non-sensationalist descriptions of a wide variety of sexual practices, typically with explanations of what the practitioners find in the experience." (Jules Jones)

• Nahin, Paul R. Time Travel. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1997.

• Schmidt, Stanley. Aliens and Alien Societies. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1995.

• Sheffield, Charles. Borderlands of Science: How to Think Like a Scientist and Write Science Fiction. Riverdale, NY: Baen, 200.

Related Interest

• Ellison, Harlan. Medea: Harlan's World. New York, NY: Bantam, 1985.
  • "This book covers in detail a Science Fiction writing course taught by Harlan Ellison at UCLA in 1975. Mr. Ellison used a large number of notable genre writers to teach the course, and all their contributions are in the book, including the resulting stories." (Lewis Murphy)

Other

• Cornwell, Patricia. Hornet's Nest
  • "In the Top 3 of Worst Books I Have Ever Read. And I used to be a Cornwell fan. This "novel" is so execrable, I don't even know where to begin. But I do think it's required reading for all writers, just so they have a really good example of how NOT to write a book. The characters are cardboard, the plot is tedious, there's wandering point of view...and I mean WANDERING. You not only get the main characters' points of view (multiple POV is okay, but...), you get the POV of every single person in the book. Is it the guy crossing the street who never shows up again? You'll get his POV. Is it the bookstore clerk you meet for 2 seconds? You'll get his point of view. It's a big, giant, awful mess, and I'm apalled that any publisher would ever let this book be dumped into the arms of an unsuspecting public without some serious, serious editing. But, as I said, I think it's an invaluable tool for new writers, so they can see how not to do things." (Sandra Kasturi)

Other Booklists

• PenUltimate Productions: Resources for Writers