I broke my toe recently and didn’t feel much like walking for a few days. To avoid wasting the down time, I decided to read several books I’d seen recommended for writers (some specifically for fiction writers) in a variety of articles. Each book is an author’s way forward to ignite their creative process.
Author Advice Titles
I’d like to recommend some of the titles here. A few are for beginning writers, some are helpful for writers at any level. Some are good for getting you in creative mode but are not books you’ll refer back to. Since they are worth reading as sparks to action, get them from your local library. If your library doesn’t have them, recommend them for purchase–that will support the author and the book will check out frequently–a win-win. (Having worked in libraries for many years, I’m certain that the library will also benefit. They’ll love the checkout stats.)
Steal Like an Artist
Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work! both by Austin Kleon: These little square books have a semi-graphic format–about half of the pages contain quotes, line drawings, and simple hand-drawn flowcharts. They’re quick reads with straightforward advice about how to feed your creativity as well as reminders to share your work and to acknowledge the work of others who’ve helped you. Fast and fun, these are good books to check out from your local library no matter whether you are just beginning or have several publications to your credit. They will also entice you to go online and sign up for Kleon’s newsletter.
The ten chapters in Steal Like an Artist are:
Steal Like an Artist
Don’t Wait Until You Know Who You are to Get Started
Write the Book You Want to Read
Use Your Hands
Side Projects and Hobbies are Important
The Secret: Do Good Work and Share It with People
Geography is No Longer Our Master
Be Nice (The World is a Small Town)
Be Boring (It’s the Only Way to Get Work Done)
Creativity is Subtraction
Show Your Work!
The ten chapters in Show Your Work! are:
You Don’t Have to be a Genius
Think Process, Not Product
Share Something Small Every Day
Open Up Your Cabinet of Curiosities
Tell Good Stories
Teach What You Know
Don’t Turn into Human Spam
Learn to Take a Punch
Sell Out
Stick Around
For the beginning writer, the explanation of why obscurity is good when starting out, why it’s a bad idea to accrue debt, and why it’s a good idea to partner with someone who values what you value are particularly helpful. For those further on the path, the section reminding you that you don’t have to choose between or among your creative passions feels like a bit of grace. For all writers, the quick hints about social media–how to behave and why not to allow the feedback to control your emotional life are great reminders.
Welcome to the Writer’s Life
Welcome to the Writer’s Life: How to Design Your Writing Craft, Writing Business, Writing Practice, and Reading Practice by Paulette Perchach: Why, yes, there is a bit of everything here. Though the foreword indicates this is a book for both beginning and long-practicing writers, it really is for those who are starting their author journeys. From how to find time to get your writing done, to having the right tools to capture creative ideas, to organizing and improving your work while coming to terms with rejection, the beginning writer will find useful information about every aspect of the writing life. Suggestions for ‘experiments’ and writing exercises are interspersed throughout the chapters. Because there are so many useful exercises, beginning writers would do well to buy the book and keep it handy. The one thing it lacks as a reference is an index, but looking back at the chapter titles in the table of contents will get you close.
Contagious
Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger: This is a good book for an author who is soon to publish a book and wants to know how to get the word out without being obnoxious. Berger discusses research on why things go viral. Contagious highlights specific techniques to help information spread. I was surprised by what causes people to discuss products. Berger breaks contagion down into social currency, triggers, emotion (keep it positive, folks!), public perception and observability, practical value, and stories (unforgettable stories travel fast and far). Since Contagious is about any product, I recommend checking it out from the library. At a few hundred pages, it’s a moderately quick read. A few ideas may strike you as particularly valuable, and there’s a good index to search back for what you want to remember. If you are an author who is looking to ‘brand’ yourself, this book will be useful. However, for those looking for a reference book on the entire business aspect of being a writing, you would do well to follow Jane Friedman’s social media links and to buy her book The Business of Writing, which I discussed in a newspaper article. It deserves it’s own discussion, so I’ll post on this blog next week.
Writing 21st Century Fiction
Writing 21st Century Fiction: High-Impact Techniques for Exceptional Storytelling by Donald Maass: Donald Maass is a literary agent who is famous in his own right because his agency successfully represents some very big names. Clearly, he knows what works in a story and what doesn’t. In this book, hge argues that traditional genre labels are pretty useless because combining what is best about literary fiction (good writing) and commercial fiction (great stories) creates the ‘high-impact’ fiction that readers crave. Maass uses many novels as examples; it’s likely that you’ve read some of them. Chapters on including impactful events and memorable settings as well as creating ‘standout’ characters (use quirks, special abilities, unexpected actions, selfless focus, and serene perspective) will jumpstart your creative process. This is a book to buy as it has many exercises at the end of chapters as well as good ideas for revision. You’ll refer to things again and again. Thankfully, the index is quite useful.
Damn Fine Story
Damn Fine Story: Mastering the Tools of a Powerful Narrative by Chuck Wendig: If colorful language doesn’t bother you, you’re going to enjoy this irreverent guide to fiction writing. (If it does, this is not the book for you.) Wendig’s approach differs from other books of writing advice in that it is solely about the “art and the craft of storytelling.” He includes six rules for telling a great story, some of them refining or correcting rules you’ve heard before (and found too general to be useful) such as ‘write what you know.’ For examples of good stories, Wendig uses blockbuster movies as well as books because everyone has seen them and knows the storylines (think “Star Wars” and “Die Hard”). There are many exercises interspersed throughout the book as well as a list of fifty storytelling tips in an appendix, and the best index of all the books mentioned above. (The terms are obvious ones you will want to look up.) Add to this the fact that the book contains a lot of good advice given through funny, quirky and memorable examples, and you have a book that you’ll want to purchase. Or you can be lucky and receive it as a birthday present, just as I did. (Thanks, Linda!)
And another aside–Why not ask? In fact, why not ask for any of these books–people are always trying to figure out what to buy for you. You know they are. Plus, you don’t want another scarf that doesn’t match any of your clothes.
Other Suggestions for Igniting Creative Process
Here are some other blog posts about creative process: Stoking the Creative Fire; Writing Prompts from The Buried Giant; Tim Winton’s Breath
We all need either some advice or a kick in the pants periodically. You’ll find these books useful for both.