Favorite Writing Craft Books

As a writer of fiction, I’ve had to navigate challenging differences between what it means to “write” in the long prose, or screenplay, or academic form. In each, the use of voice, word choices, “narration” (or exposition), showing vs. telling, and myriad other craft elements either smooths the ride for readers, or creates distractions we just don’t want. In studying the fiction form, and related methods offered by writing craft books, I’ve found some that have helped improve my writing tremendously.

Here are some of my favorite titles:

Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel by Jessica Brody — The Ultimate Guide to Writing a YA Bestseller

Screenplay by Syd Field — The Foundations of Screenwriting (for a great, simple breakdown of the three-act story structure—as applicable to books as to screenplays)

Creating Unforgettable Characters by Linda Seger — A Practical Guide to Character Development

The Plot Thickens by Noah Lukeman — 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life

The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman — A Writer’s Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile

The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass — How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface

Wired for Story by Lisa Cron — The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence