Writing books that is. Or How-to books.
I must confess I've been a bit naughty again. And it's all Mulberry's fault. She recommended a book on her blog and that's all it took. To be fair to her I'd heard this book mentioned before, but this was in a workbook style so I felt like it was a message for me to do something. And I can't blame her for the second purchase. So, lo and behold, off I trundled to the Book Depository and bought
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder and
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass.
Now I'm sure that I'll like these books. Because I seem to like ALL of these books. Then I took a little wander through to my "office". You know I don't really have one, but it's the part of the house that's designated mine, with my old clanky computer, a filing cabinet and a bit of a bookcase.
And guess what I find. A treasure trove of how-to books. Some that I'd forgotten that I'd even purchased!
So what was in that store? Wait for it folks and take a deep breath.....
Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies Leslie Wainger
Revision and Self-Editing James Scott Bell
The Everything Guide to Writing the Romance Novel Christie Craig & Faye Hughes
The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes Jack Bickham
On Writing Stephen King
Hooked Les Edgerton
Solutions for Novelists Sol Stein
The Romance Writers Handbook Rebecca Vinyard
The Writers Journey Christopher Vogler
The Enneagram made Easy Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele
12 point guide to Writing Romance Kate Walker
The Romance Writers Phrase Book Jean Kent & Candace Shelton
How to Write Romances Phyllis Taylor Pianka
How to Write a Blockbuster Helen Corner & Lee Weatherly
Manuscript Makeover Elizabeth Lyon
Scene and Structure Jack Bickham
Goal, Motivation and Conflict Debra Dixon
Getting the Point J Hadden & E Hawksley
WOW!!
I really need to get out more. But to be honest some I've liked some more than others. And they're not all writing books, some are about editing, some about characters, and some about punctuation.
It's a weak defence - I know!
Most of all my favourite is still the one I bought first - Kate Walkers 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance. It's still the one I find most useful. And what's better, she's just released a new updated version. There are a number of websites currently offering copies as prizes, but I won't be telling you where they all are because I'll be entering them myself!!!!
There are others I've enjoyed like Leslie Wainger's Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies and, now don't laugh, The Romance Writers Phrase Book. It may be a little outdated, but it helped me write my very first story aimed at Mills and Boon. For my latest story I didn't use it at all, but I think that just shows me that I've finally made some headway and progressed.
So, what about you? Do you own any of these books? Do you have a secret stash somewhere? Which one do you like best? Or, dare you recommend something else to me? Remember - there may be repercussions!!!
