I love craft books. I collect them. I love reading different philosophies on writing craft. I also find them very inspirational. When I’m developing a new story, I’ve got John Truby’s 22 Steps in hand. When I’m revising for word choice, I review Mary Oliver’s Poetry Handbook. When I’m looking at story construction, Robert McKee is whispering in the back of my mind. There’s a craft book to help you with everything!
Slowly, I’ve been amassing a master list of my favorite craft books. You’ll find it below in it’s current form. I also promise to update the list as new craft gems cross my desk. In the meantime … happy crafting everyone! Books are listed alphabetically (not by preference) in each section.
Generally Awesome (On Writing Fiction):
- From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction
by Robert Olen Butler
- Aspects Of The Novel
by E.M. Forster
- The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller
by John Truby
- Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway
- The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers
by John Gardner
Inspiration:
Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
by David Bayels and Ted Orland
- On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
by Stephen King
- Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
by Anne Lammot
If You’re New To Writing:
- What’s Your Story?
by Marion Dane Bauer
- Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly
by Gail Carson Levine
- The Writer’s Guide to Crafting Stories for Children
by Nancy Lamb
If You’re Looking For More Advanced Books on Writing Craft:
- Alone With All That Could Happen: Rethinking Conventional Wisdom about the Craft of Fiction
by David Jauss
- Words Overflown By Stars: Creative Writing Instruction And Insight From The Vermont College MFA Program
Edited by David Jauss
Plot, Story Structure, and Screenwriting:
- The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master
by Martha Alderson
- Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach
by Paul Guilino
- Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting
by Robert McKee
- Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need
by Blake Snyder
- The Hero with a Thousand Faces
by Joeseph Campbell
- The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler
Character Development:
- How to Write Dazzling Dialogue by James Scott Bell
- Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets A Novelist Can Learn From Actors
by Brandilyn Colllins
- Respect for Acting
by Uta Hagen
Poetry and Language Development:
- A Poetry Handbook
by Mary Oliver
- Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them
by Francine Prose
- The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression
by Angela Ackerman
Editing and Revision:
- Second Sight: An Editor’s Talks on Writing, Revising, and Publishing Books for Children and Young Adults
by Cheryl B. Klein
- Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print
by Renni Browne and Dave King
- Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook
by Donald Mass
Creativity and Imagination:
- Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction
by Jeff VanderMeer
- The Artist’s Way
by Julia Cameron
- Imagine: How Creativity Works
by John Lehrer
Creating Good Habits:
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
by Stephen Covey
- The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM)
by Hal Elrod
- Making a Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers
by Carolyn See
- The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life
by Twyla Tharp
Writing Romance:
- Writing New Adult Fiction
by Deborah Halverson
- Writing the Romantic Comedy
by Billy Mernit
- On Writing Romance: How to Craft a Novel That Sells
by Leigh Michaels
Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction:
- Writing Monsters: How to Craft Believably Terrifying Creatures to Enhance Your Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction
by Philip Athans
- How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy
by Orson Scott Card
- Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction: How to Create Out-of-This-World Novels and Short Stories
by Orson Scott Card, Philip Athans, and Jay Lake
- World-Building (Science Fiction Writing)
by Stephen L. Gillett
- Storyworld First: Creating a Unique Fantasy World for Your Novel
by Jill Williamson
- The Writer’s Complete Fantasy Reference
by Writer’s Digest
Writing For Children and Young Adults:
- Second Sight: An Editor’s Talks on Writing, Revising, and Publishing Books for Children and Young Adults
By Cheryl B. Klein
- Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers
by Mary Kole
- The Writer’s Guide to Crafting Stories for Children
by Nancy Lamb
- Writing with Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children’s Books
by Uri Shulevitz
- Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication
by Anne Whitford Paul
Writing Fight Scenes:
- Writing Fight Scenes by Rayne Hall
- The Writer’s Guide to Weapons: A Practical Reference for Using Firearms and Knives in Fiction
by Benjamin Sobieck
Book Marketing and Self Publishing:
- Book Launch: How to Write, Market & Publish Your First Bestseller in Three Months
By Chandler Bolt
- Build Your Author Platform: The New Rules: A Literary Agent’s Guide to Growing Your Audience in 14 Steps by Carol Jelen and Michael McCallister
- What To Do Before Your Book Launch
by M.J. Rose and Randy Susan Meyers
- Reader Magnets: Build Your Author Platform and Sell more Books on Kindle
By Nick Stephenson
What are your favorite writing craft books? Please share them in the comments!
This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on these links and making a purchase, you’ll be supporting our writing community, my blog, and the creation of future content. Yay, more content! This list was last updated 01/02/2016
Tags: Craft Books
Great list!
I came across Mark Forsyth’s Elements of Eloquence this year and it’s been a fantastic inspiration in terms of focusing on crafting beautiful prose. His own writing is lovely, entertaining, and funny. Highly recommended! I blogged about it at:
https://ayearwithmona.wordpress.com/2015/10/22/the-elements-of-eloquence/
I especially love this line: “Shakespeare got better because he learnt. Now some people will tell you that great writing cannot be learnt. Such people should be hit repeatedly on the nose until they promise not to talk nonsense anymore.”
I’ll have to check these out Matt!
STEERING THE CRAFT by Ursula Le Guin
I always enjoy reading what you have written and I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I admire you. Thank you for all you do!
Stacy Piper
Author
Sugar Bugz, They Live On Your Teeth
Thank you Stacy! I appreciate you taking the time to say hi!
Great list! I’d also add:
Prose: Syn & Syntax, Constance Hale
Editing: Forest For the Trees, Betsy Lerner
New Writers: Making a Literary Life, Carolyn See
Just Open a Vein William Brohaugh, Fiction is Folks Michael Peck, on writing fiction Lawrence Block.