How to Not Suck at Writing (48 books)

Listopia > How to Not Suck at Writing

A list of great books on the craft of writing.

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1	The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. 4.18 avg rating — 87,645 ratings score: 398, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King (Goodreads Author) 4.34 avg rating — 322,877 ratings score: 199, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardner 4.10 avg rating — 3,149 ratings score: 198, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Plot Fiction like the Masters by Terry Richard Bazes (Goodreads Author) 4.18 avg rating — 33 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Writing Course: Teaching the Time-Efficient Principles of Planning and Writing a Book by Hayley Paige (Goodreads Author) 4.70 avg rating — 10 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Elements of Active Prose by Tahlia Newland (Goodreads Author) 4.37 avg rating — 35 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings by Diana Pavlac Glyer (Goodreads Author) 4.28 avg rating — 1,392 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	How to Write Fiction: Tools and Techniques by E.E. Doc Murdock (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Author for Life or for a Living?: How to Stay Sane & Alive when Everything & Everyone Brings you Down: Manifesto for Real Writers by Cristina G. (Goodreads Author) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 7 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Title to Come by Kevin E. Spall (Goodreads Author) 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Influential Author: How and Why to Write, Publish, and Sell Nonfiction Books That Matter (2nd Edition) by Gregory V. Diehl (Goodreads Author) 4.54 avg rating — 114 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Ten Steps to Journaling: How to Start a Journal or Diary by A.C. Zito (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 4 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr 4.05 avg rating — 8,502 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Cosmic Playbook for Writers: 30 Vital Mini Meditations to Boost Your Creativity, Resilience & Passion by P.K. Davies (Goodreads Author) 4.88 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Inspired Guide to Writing the Short Story: Lessons and Workbook for Students and Educators by Christina Soares Heffner it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	How to Write Funny Characters by Scott Dikkers (Goodreads Author) 4.29 avg rating — 106 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Write for Life: Creative Tools for Every Writer by Julia Cameron 3.96 avg rating — 1,154 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Into the Woods: A Five Act Journey Into Story by John Yorke 4.18 avg rating — 4,586 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	The Transitive Vampire: A Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager and the Doomed by Karen Elizabeth Gordon 4.10 avg rating — 1,564 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	The Grammar Daily: 365 Quick Tips for Successful Writing from Grammar Girl by Mignon Fogarty (Goodreads Author) 4.70 avg rating — 53 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Story and Structure: A complete guide by Leon Conrad (Goodreads Author) 4.96 avg rating — 113 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	"I Give You My Body . . .": How I Write Sex Scenes by Diana Gabaldon (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 1,859 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Million Dollar Outlines by David Farland (Goodreads Author) 4.16 avg rating — 846 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose by Constance Hale (Goodreads Author) 3.94 avg rating — 2,381 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Style is the Rocket: and Other Essays on Writing by Tom Simon 4.33 avg rating — 15 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne 4.25 avg rating — 7,178 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Death Carries a Camcorder: Essays on fantasy writing by Tom Simon 4.32 avg rating — 19 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Write Your Novel From the Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between by James Scott Bell (Goodreads Author) 4.20 avg rating — 2,945 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Writing Down the Dragon: and Other Essays on the Tolkien Method and the Craft of Fantasy by Tom Simon 4.46 avg rating — 37 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser 4.24 avg rating — 31,278 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Pursuit of Perfection: And How It Harms Writers by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Goodreads Author) 4.26 avg rating — 208 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Wrede on Writing: Tips, Hints, and Opinions on Writing by Patricia C. Wrede (Goodreads Author) 4.19 avg rating — 174 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints by Nancy Kress (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 2,224 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Write Like the Masters: Emulating the Best of Hemingway, Faulkner, Salinger, and Others by William Cane (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 163 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	Studies in Words by C.S. Lewis 4.19 avg rating — 513 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You by Ray Bradbury 4.08 avg rating — 21,682 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	A Rhetoric of Irony (Phoenix Books) by Wayne C. Booth 3.88 avg rating — 90 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	The Rhetoric of Fiction by Wayne C. Booth really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,298 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	Take Joy: The Writers Guide To Loving The Craft by Jane Yolen (Goodreads Author) 4.06 avg rating — 532 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Characters & Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card 4.04 avg rating — 4,731 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers by John Gardner 3.99 avg rating — 6,350 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Nancy Kress (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2,515 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider Advice for Taking Your Fiction to the Next Level by Donald Maass 4.08 avg rating — 4,095 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty 3.83 avg rating — 7,307 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	Creating Characters: How to Build Story People by Dwight V. Swain 3.92 avg rating — 243 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love by Rachel Aaron (Goodreads Author) 4.19 avg rating — 4,684 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Revision (Writer's Workshop) by Kit Reed 3.88 avg rating — 24 ratings score: 78, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	Understanding Conflict (And What It Really Means) (Skill Builders Series, #2) by Janice Hardy (Goodreads Author) 4.33 avg rating — 181 ratings score: 77, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars