They say writers should be readers. And boy, have I got that covered! Today, I thought I’d share three of my top writing books. These are good ones to have on your shelf as they explain the basics for any beginning writer.
- Writer Mama by Christina Katz
As a mom writer, at the top of my list is Writer Mama by Christina Katz. I love the size and shape of her book. It is full of information on how to get started writing small pieces around raising a family. She covers how to get guidelines, how to know if a magazine accepts freelance articles, how to word query letters, etc. An excellent first book on writing for any writer, parent or not.
2. Writer to Writer by Bodie & Brock Thoene
Another favorite from my early days is Writer to Writer by Bodie & Brock Thoene. This was my first writing book I bought. The Thoenes covered all the basics, from query letters to manuscript formatting, to approaching editors, etc.
3. The Writer’s Little Helper: Everything You Need to Know to Write Better and Get Published by James V Smith, Jr.
A book that I love to look through because it is so colorful is Smith’s The Writer’s Little Helper: Everything You Need to Know to Write Better and Get Published. This is such a delight to look at, with the bright colors and graphics. It’s even better that it’s written on a topic I love-writing. Very specific information on topics like scene pacing, character development, dialogue, all the things needed to write a great book. And each chapter is short and you can easily skip around or go back and forth. A pure delight.
I have several others, but thought I’d share these for now.
What are your favorite books on writing? Share with us!
~~Michelle
Paddle Creek Writers 
I like anything by James Scott Bell. He is witty, succinct, and knowledgeable—just what I wish my writing could be!
Bev.