A friend asked for my list of the ultimate writing books of all time and, trust me, I've read dozens. Here is my list of the cream of the crop:
First, many of us need permission to write. We ask ourselves the question, what right do I have to share my writings with others? In order of importance:
- Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, by Madeleine L'Engle
- On Writing, by Stephen King (Warning: Contains strong language)
- Zen in the Art of Writing, by Ray Bradbury
- If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit, by Brenda Ueland
- The Deluxe Transitive Vampire: A Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager and the Doomed, by Karen Elizabeth Gordon
- The New Well Tempered Sentence: A Punctuation Handbook for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed, by Karen Elizabeth Gordon
- Plot (Elements of Fiction Writing), by Ansen Dibell
- Characters and Viewpoint (Elements of Fiction Writing), by Orson Scott Card
- Dialogue: A Socratic Dialogue on the Art of Writing Dialogue in Fiction (Elements of Fiction Writing), by Lewis Turco
- How to Write a *** Good Novel: A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling, by James N. Frey
- Revision: A Creative Approach to Writing and Rewriting Fiction, by David Michael Kaplan
