Writerly Things

Just type “Writing Advice” into Amazon and you’ll be inundated with a bazillion books on “How to tell a story” or “How to get published.”  I haven’t read them all.  I have read a few.  Here are five I found particularly useful.

• Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass.  

  Don Maass is a successful literary agent with 30-odd years experience and the author of several books on writing and publishing.  This one does a good job of breaking down story elements and techniques, with lots of quoted examples from literature.

• The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler.

  Interrogates the classic Hero’s Journey concept, with special attention paid to the stages of the journey and character roles (e.g. the Hero, the Mentor, the Threshhold Guardian)

• On Writing by Stephen King.

  Part memoir, part writing advice.  Even if you’re not a fan, it’s an interesting autobiography from one of the most successful authors in the world.

• Violence: A Writer’s Guide by Rory A. Miller.
  If you write action, this is one to check out.  Written by a military Special Forces trainer, and published specifically for writers, Miller dispels romantic notions of cinematic action and presents an authentic viewpoint.  Each chapter ends with a writing exercise, several of which will “push your buttons.”  A fascinating read.

• The Kick-Ass Writer by Chuck Wendig.

  Chuck Wendig is an author, screenwriter, and game designer.  He’s also hilarious.  His writing advice book, which reads like it was written by Deadpool, is filled with single paragraph anecdotes on storytelling, publishing, and the author life.  For pure entertainment value, the Kick-Ass Writer is the most fun I’ve had with a how-to book.

Many podcasts feature interviews with authors, but my favorites are those hosted by authors and trade publishing industry professionals that talk business, craft, and career in equal measure.

• Writing Excuses with Howard Tayler, Mary Robinette Kowal, Erin Roberts, and DongWon Song.

  This long running podcast by industry professionals is one of the best for early-career writers.  Each episode is short (15 minutes, or so their tagline goes) and filled with sage advice.  Guest authors are common, the production is slick, and each episode ends with a homework assignment to help your development.

 Ye’ old Internet is filled with blogs and vids and websites detailing how to write good fiction.  A lot of it contradicts itself.  Here are a handful of sites I managed to glean something from.

• Writing Advice at www.Brentweeks.com

  Fantasy author Brent Weeks (one of my favorites) has a writing advice page on his author site that’s quite comprehensive.  He breaks things into sections with a question and answer format, and offers his thoughts on craft and publishing.  He also includes a number of useful tools and resources. 

• Neil Gaiman Teaches the Art of Storytelling at www.masterclass.com

  I don’t often prescribe to the online Masterclass thing.  It’s expensive, and most vids seem like mildly interesting celebrity videocasts verses actual classes.  I received Neil Gaiman’s storytelling Masterclass as a gift, and it’s terrific.  Besides being one of the greatest writers of our time, Neil Gaiman has one of those voices you could listen to all day (let’s hope he never decides to start a cult).  His presentation is clear, heartfelt, and his tutorials come with a PDF workbook.  If you have the cash, it’s a worthwhile investment.

• The Career Novelist, by Donald Maass, free PDF available at www.betterstorytelling.net

  A book by literary agent Donald Maass, this one an older publication from the nineties.  While some of the passages are now dated, much of the information remains relevant (pitching to an agent, for example).  It’s worth more than its price tag–zero dollars and zero cents.  Download the PDF free!

• Robert J Sawyer’s “On Writing” Columns 
  

  Canadian sci-fi author and instructor Robert J Sawyer has a nice list of teachings, tips, and craft advice on his website.  It’s worth checking out.