tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post8360997858307019813..comments2023-10-31T10:59:03.023-04:00Comments on INKSPOT Crime Fiction Blog | A Place for Mystery, Mayhem, Writing and Life: 10+ Favorite Writing BooksLinda O. Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-60325917896421924032012-03-15T23:45:33.190-04:002012-03-15T23:45:33.190-04:00Another odd but good one is Save The Cat. It'...Another odd but good one is Save The Cat. It's about screenwriting, but incredibly useful.Linda Hullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05000205452994198448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-1377203899575899542012-03-14T11:27:42.515-04:002012-03-14T11:27:42.515-04:00We've read so many of the same books. I LOVE r...We've read so many of the same books. I LOVE reading books on how to write. I would also throw Sol Stein's book, "Stein on Writing" into the mix, too. That book really opened my eyes. And lol regarding the James Frey book. I met him once. What a cantankerous man! He really raked my writing over the coals, which hurt, but it was probably THE incident that made me work harder and harder. And I read "Bird by Bird" just for the heck of it now, as I just enjoy her voice so much. <br />Great post!RkLewishttp://needlecity.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-67884582790467429422012-03-13T18:12:47.622-04:002012-03-13T18:12:47.622-04:00David, I've heard good things about Block'...David, I've heard good things about Block's writing books but haven't ever read one. You've inspired me!<br /><br />Shannon, that's hilarious about Alice Orr -- makes me want to meet her.<br /><br />Beth, another friend recommended How to Write a Damn Good Novel just last week!Cricket McRaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786996969148417569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-34873362509777328882012-03-13T17:38:19.676-04:002012-03-13T17:38:19.676-04:00You missed my favorite, an oldie but goodie: How t...You missed my favorite, an oldie but goodie: How to Write a Damn Good Novel by James N. Frey.<br /><br />http://www.amazon.com/Write-Damn-Novel-Step---Step/dp/0312010443/Beth Groundwaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13999372882748655834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-49991097447432549132012-03-13T14:41:46.063-04:002012-03-13T14:41:46.063-04:00I love all of these I've read and want to read...I love all of these I've read and want to read those I haven't read yet. When I first started writing I went to a Rocky Mt. Fiction Writer's con and Alice Orr was there. What a perfectly wonderful curmudgeon. I didn't know she had a book.Shannon Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10540336783142324746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-15021675183277971522012-03-13T12:54:29.127-04:002012-03-13T12:54:29.127-04:00I like those books, or the ones of them I've r...I like those books, or the ones of them I've read, especially Dillard and Lamott, but the one that helped me the most, pulled me from despair, and helped me turn a mess of paragraphs into something that looked like a finished novel was Lawrence Block's ______ (fill in the blank). Choose from Writing the Novel, Spider Spin Me a Web, Telling Lies for Fun and Profit, The Liar's Bible. They are all very similar, iterations on a theme, but the advice is simple, straight forward and non-esoteric. When someone confesses they "want to be a writer",<br />as my niece recently did to her parents' profound mortification, I gave her Telling Lies. (Block even has advice for that: Take two aspirins, lie down in a dark room and wait for the feeling to pass. If it persists, you probably ought to write a novel).David Hansardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-44232576122585498772012-03-13T12:53:47.967-04:002012-03-13T12:53:47.967-04:00Kathleen, sometimes I just like to dip into anothe...Kathleen, sometimes I just like to dip into another writer's brain. ;)<br /><br />Robin, I'm adding your suggestions to my list.<br /><br />Keith, I love Lisa's Spellman books, but it's too late for me to follow her advice now!Cricket McRaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786996969148417569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-64233300072354931802012-03-13T12:27:54.664-04:002012-03-13T12:27:54.664-04:00Hmm. I just moderated a panel of writers that inc...Hmm. I just moderated a panel of writers that included the witty and talented Lisa Lutz. Here's her position: "The first rule of writing is that there are no rules. I have never read a book on writing, nor do I intend to." You can read more on wny not here: http://goo.gl/bdf7Q.Keith Raffelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02926077627965529183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-11833825332475166702012-03-13T11:54:32.007-04:002012-03-13T11:54:32.007-04:00I've read many of those on your list, but some...I've read many of those on your list, but some are new to me. My two favorites are <i>Creativity Rules!</i> by John Vorhaus and <i>Techniques of the Selling Writer</i> by Dwight V. Swain.Robin Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16373722202559066388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-14911804067370424092012-03-13T10:45:24.004-04:002012-03-13T10:45:24.004-04:00Wow, Cricket, I'm chagrined to see so many tit...Wow, Cricket, I'm chagrined to see so many titles I haven't looked at. Yet. I too find it helpful to dip back into helpful how-to books from time to time. Always something new to discover! Thanks for sharing.Kathleen Ernsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009876100214388898noreply@blogger.com