Based off of the screenwriting book, Save the Cat!, this book uses the same "beat sheet" but gears it specifically towards novelists.
A fresh and insightful technique of story telling that focuses on the characters' emotional and moral growth and how that will drive the plot forward.
King's first book after being hit by a van in 1999 starts out highlighting events in his life that lead to him being the author he is today, followed by tools every writer should have in their "toolbox".
Learn how to take your readers on an emotional journey that mirrors the characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs.
A nice guide for new writers looking to learn the basic building blocks of what makes a "good" story.
A workbook of writing exercises based off of Maass's writing workshops. It also includes dissections of actual "breakout novels" to help writers learn to analyze stories like a writer.
Provides a detailed map of how an editor recognizes when something isn't working in a story, and then provides the tools to find a solution.
An easy-to-navigate tool for efficiently expressing a character's emotions through body language, action cues, etc
An actor's perspective on 'character' and ways to apply acting techniques in your writing.
An oldie, but a goodie. This book is a great tool when it's time to do fine-tuning and tighten prose.
Not a how-to, but more of an inside look of the life of a writer. This book contains essays penned by Annie Dillard describing the ups and downs that inevitably come with her profession.
Down-to-earth writing advice from Anne Lamott's own journey as a writer. It's a book full of wisdom, vulnerability, and humor.
A quick but impactful read on cultivating creativity. This book is broken up into 10 sections describing different principles to help with your creative process.
A book full of inspiration and empowerment to live the creative life you've always dreamed of.
Learn to develop your senses and powers of observation to uncover the rich, evocative words that accurately portray your mind's images.
Campbell outlines the Hero's Journey, as well as explores the Cosmogonic Cycles, the mythic pattern of world creation and destruction.
Aaron discusses the methods she uses to write up 10,000 words a day.
A book by two professional editors to teach writers the techniques of the editing trade that turn promising manuscripts into published novels and short stories.
A creative guide to language construction for sci-fi and fantasy fans, writers, game creators, and language lovers.
Incite in how to better create characters that reflect the diverse world we live in.
An innovative guide that energizes and motivates, while providing practical information on plotting, structure, characterization, worldbuilding, and point-of-view.