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This article is from the misc.writing Recommended Reading List FAQ, by Terry L Jeffress jeffress@xmission.com with numerous contributions by others.

2.2 Recommended Reading List: Writing Fiction part1

Bicknam, Jack. "Scene and Structure." Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's
Digest Books, 1993. ISBN 0-89879-906-6, hardcover, 168 pp.,
$12.00.

This is perhaps the best book in the "Elements of Fiction
Writing" series from Writer's Digest. It is a relatively
advanced book for the writer who has a pretty good handle on
the basic mechanics of plot, theme, style, etc. It describes
the basic mechanics of stimulus-internalization-response, how
that builds into scenes, how scenes build into chapters, how
to compile chapters into a book. It has a section on
specialized techniques for changing the pace, dealing with
multiple plot lines, interrupting scenes and more. This book
explains how to make a story hang together, and how to keep it
from falling apart. Although many writing books cover the same
general territory, "Scene and Structure" covers an area most
fail to mention. Strongly recommended.
-- Alexander von Thorn <alex@worldhouse.com>

Block, Lawrence. "Telling Lies for Fun and Profit: A Manual for
Fiction Writers." Sandia: 1990. ISBN 0-9440091-1-5. Out of
print.

I'm relatively new to writing and still consider myself to be
at most an advanced beginner, but the first book I read about
the craft of writing was "Telling Lies for Fun and Profit" by
Lawrence Block. For me, at least, the book was interesting and
enjoyable, and was the first to raise my awareness of certain
aspects of writing, such as the importance of choosing nouns
and verbs that put color into your writing rather than relying
on adjectives and adverbs. He also discusses issues such as
the pros and cons of using dialect and colloquialism in
character dialog.

A couple of elements show the book to be a bit dated, such as
his numerous references to using a typewriter, but the large
majority of the material here is unaffected by the passage of
a couple of decades. A more advanced writer may consider some
of the material self-evident, or arguable, but for me at least
it was a worthwhile read, good enough that at some point I'll
probably read Block's other books about writing.
-- Joe McCauley <jmccaul@ma.ultranet.com>

Block, Lawrence. "Writing the Novel: From Plot to Print."
Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1979. ISBN 0-89879-
208-8, trade paperback, 198 pp., $14.99.

Probably one of the most practical guides about writing that I
have seen. Block reflects on the solutions to problems that he
has experienced as well as referring to a survey he made of
twenty or more recognized authors. His approach is very down
to earth: set goals, read the type of fiction you want to
write (if you don't like to read it, how do you expect to be
able to write it?), diagram the structure of a novel in the
genre you want to write in, and above all write every day.
-- Terry L Jeffress <jeffress@xmission.com>

Burnett, Hallie. "On Writing the Short Story." HarperPerennial,
1983. ISBN 0-06-273174-2, trade paperback, $11.00

Burnett, Hallie and Whit. "Fiction Writer's Handbook."
HarperPerennial, 1993. ISBN 0-06-273169-6, trade paperback,
$12.00.

Hallie and Whit Burnett, as founding editors of "Story"
magazine (which has recently gone back into print as a
quarterly), published the first works of writers such as
Norman Mailer (who graces the first volume with a Preface), J.
D. Salinger, Joseph Heller, Truman Capote, and Tennessee
Williams. In these books, they bring their enormous experience
to bear in chapters that deal with both the creative process
and the craft of fiction.

Card, Orson Scott. "Character and Viewpoint." Cincinnati, Ohio:
Writer's Digest Books, 1988. ISBN 0-89879-307-6, hardcover,
182 pp., $15.99.

Well written and very helpful. One of the few writer's manuals
I could read all the way through in one sitting.

Cook, Marshall. "Freeing Your Creativity : A Writer's Guide."
Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1995. ISBN 0-89879-
664-4, trade paperback, $14.99.

Quite a good book; covers such topics as procrastination,
creative gathering etc. Not something that could be read in
one sitting, but worth a read none the less, although I would
suggest hunting through your local hunting through your local
library before buying.

Egri, Lajos. "The Art of Creative Writing." Citadel Press, 1965,
1995. ISBN 0-80650-200-2, softcover, $8.95.

Although Egri's books are written with a slightly dated style,
they go straight to the heart of what makes dramatic fiction
truthful and exciting. These are not books with formulas or
tips about writing, but rather, they analyze what it is that
makes a reader care about characters, what makes them
realistic, and how a compelling plot grows realistically from
them.

 

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