Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Everything I Ever Learned in Life, I Learned from Books

There are many books out there to help improve our writing or story skills.  So, here is a list of those I refer to and have helped me.

1.Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain
         Writers swear by this book for a good reason, it's  a great book.

2. Creating Character Emotions by Ann Hood
         Helps thing of emotion in writer's sensibilities. 

3. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne and King
        Even Julianne MacLean recommended this one in her workshop at the NJ conference.

4. Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon
       I discovered this one months ago but I like the way it helps divide the issues writers face when dealing with revisions.

5. Goal, Motivation, Conflict by Debra Dixon
       A writer's classic and must have

6. The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine, MD 
      You might be a female and think you know why we do stuff we do but this book deals with the different stages of our lives.  And now I have an understanding of women I never did.

7. The Male Brain by Louann Brizendine, MD
  Ditto only with men.  Ahh, the simple creatures the heroine or hero just can't help but love.

8. You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation by Deborah Tannen
     We all have to write the opposite sex dialogue so this helps the words sound much more "Real".  And recommended by NY Times bestseller Caridad Pineiro.

9. Love Signals by David Givens, PHD
      The body language of love or as the log line states, "A practical field guide to the body language of Courtship."

10. Roget's International Thesaurus  
       Has every conceivable word for heat, desire and anything else you needed to find.  Keep it close. 

If you have a book or two or three you wish to share, please do.  Happy writing into the New Year.

9 comments:

Paisley Kirkpatrick said...

Great list, Mageela, I have a couple to add:

Dictionary Flip by Barbara Ann Kipfer - for when you know what you want to say but can't think of the word.

The Synonym Finder by J. I. Rodale

Debra Dixon's GMC is as dynamic as she is. I've read it three times and counting. :)

Joan Leacott said...

Good list, Mageela. I'll add:

The Joy of Writing Sex: A Guide for Fiction Writers by Elizabeth Benedict.

Yes, it's about what goes in and what goes out. But, not like THAT! It makes you think about the story your characters bring to the scene and how that story is altered when the heavy breathing is over.

Mona Risk said...

Thank, thank you, thank you. These are what I needed. Mageela, I will look into:
1-You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation by Deborah Tannen
2-Roget's International Thesaurus
Paisley, I heard about the Dictioanry Flip. I badly need this one.
Joan, no wonder you write such great love scenes. Here I thought it was through good experience. LOL

Lee Lopez said...

Happy New Year, can't add to this list, since I've read all these books.

Sheila Tenold said...

I'm glad to see some titles I haven't read yet! A good assignment for the new year.
Thank you!

Unknown said...

Paisley, the flip dictionary is a great one. I have it very near. I'll be picking the synonym finder.

Joan, I never heard of the joy of writing sex and thanks for sharing. I'll be plopping down money for that one.

Angela said...

There are some listed here that I haven't heard of...thanks for sharing.

Josie said...

Mageela,
This is a helpful list to spur on my writing for the New Year. Stephen King's "On Writing" is a must-read, also.

Jill James said...

Great list. I keep meaning to get GMC. I can't live without my Flip Dictionary by Barbara Ann Kipfer. Not quite a thesaurus or a dictionary but something in between. It has sections like ship parts, what flowers symbolize, types of murder, musical instuments. I love it.