On Writing & Publishing (page 3)

Writer’s Book Shelf: An annotated book list for writers

As a kid, I’d sit and read the encyclopedia just for fun or link my way through a thesaurus to find new words. Here are some of the books on my writer’s book shelf.

Inspiration for Writing

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg. Boston: Shambhala Publications Inc, 1986.

Goldberg’s insightful Zen approach to writing.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. New York: Scribner, 2000.

A look into the life and skills of Stephen King and how he views his craft.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.

Down-to-earth advice on writing and publishing that she shares with her students, and now us.

Walking on Water by Madeline L’Engle. WaterBrook Press, Colorado Springs, CO, 2001.

L’Engle shares her incarnational view of faith and art. A short book that speaks volumes to the Christian writer.

Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Bud Gardner. Deerfield Beach, FLA: Health Communications, Inc., 2000.

Received another rejection? Why not read of the struggles that other writers have overcome and the joys that they find in the act of writing.

Living Your Life Out Loud by Salli Raspberry and Padi Selwyn. New York: Pocket Books, 1995.

Out of Print, but worth searching the library for this book if you are in need of a boost to your creativity. Includes writing prompts and exercises.

Audiobooks

These are great for commuting time or traveling to interviews.

A conversation on The Writing Life - Julia Cameron and Natalie Goldberg, ISBN 1-56455-725-1

Great dialog on the craft between two very talented women.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life - Anne Lamott, ISBN 1-57270-016-5

This book is even better when you hear Lamott read it. I consumed this one in one car trip.

Word by Word - Anne Lamott, ISBN 1-880717-37-9

Writing instruction with a touch of wit and humor.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within - Natalie Goldberg, ISBN 1-56455-668-9

I liked the book so much, I bought the audiobook, too. Goldberg includes her decade later comments on the book, including what she’d say now.

Grammar Smart - Julian Fleisher, ISBN 0-517-59545-1

The How-to’s

Creating Web Pages All-In-One Desk Reference for Dummies by Emily Vander Verr, Doug Lowe, Eric Ray, Deborah Ray, Damon Dean, Camille McCue, Emily Weadock, Joyce Nielson, Mariva Aviram, Stephen Lockwood, and Madhu Siddalingaiah. New Yok: Hungry Minds, Inc, 2002.

I started using this reference as I’ve attempted to make sense of all that goes into constructing a website. A resource like this is useful even if you have a webmaster. You need to know what they are talking about.

How to Write a Book Proposal by Michael Larsen. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s Digest Books, 1997.

You have a great idea for a book, but don’t stop there. Research the market, develop a plan and craft your proposal to get that contract.

1001 Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer. Fairfield, Iowa: Open Horizons, 1998.

This book has so many great ideas for marketing! I’m working my way through every one of them.

Writer’s Digest Guide to Manuscript Formats by Dian Dincin Buchman and Seli Groves. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writers Digest Books, 1987.

How to format everything from articles to screenplays. Includes a sample of forms you’ll need to conduct your writing business, e.g., copyright, submission and telephone logs. Out of print, but I recently found a copy in our local library.

Writing Articles From the Heart: How to Write and Sell Your Life Experiences by Marjorie Holmes. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writers Digest Books, 2000

I have the 1993 hardcover version. This was the book that prompted me to write my first personal essay and send it to a real live paying market. They bought the essay and that sold me on the book!

Writing for the Web by Crawford Kilian, Bellingham, WA: Self-Counsel Press, 1999.

Useful if you are constructing your own web pages, website or publishing your own e-zine.

References

The Word Detective by Evan Morris. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 2000.

Curious about the meaning and origin of "caught red-handed" or "wimp?" If you’re a writer who likes to play with words, this book will come in handy.

Kirsch’s Handbook of Publishing Law by Jonathan Kirsch. Venice, California: Acrobat Books, 1995.

A wealth of info on copyrights, contracts, and formats for legal documents that you’ll need if you enter the world of publishing.

The Chicago Manual of Style: Fourteenth Edition. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1993.

A must have if you plan on writing a non-fiction book and a handy resource for any kind of writing. It replaced my old college edition of Turabian.

The Larousse Desk Reference, edited by James Hughes. New York: Larousse Kingfisher Chambers Inc, 1995.

A handy one volume encyclopedia that includes info on science, history, art and culture, and people. My kids even use this for homework.

The New American Roget’s College Thesaurus in Dictionary Form. New York: The World Publishing Company, 1962.

With the cover falling off, this is the oldest and most used book on my shelf. If you’re going to write, get an easy to use thesaurus. Besides, they’re fun to read.

More On Writing & Publishing

• My writing journey
• Five tips for the novice
• Writers Market Info