Books About Writing

Some authors swear by them. Others loudly brag the'd never touch one with a ten-foot pole. Who's right?

I belong to Writers Digest Book Club. I just sent in an order. A book for me to help with an upcoming novel (Silence, the final book in the Echoes Series) where I tread unfamiliar waters. A book for my 13-year old about writing horror. (Watch out, Stephen King.) And a calendar about grammar for my 17-year old who, I think, is a budding linguist.

My favorite non-reference book for writers is Between the Lines. It deals with the subtle nuances in a story. The little things which separate pulp fiction from literature. I read a few pages at a time and always come back wit a little more writing wisdom than I had before.

Maybe you don't need books. That's fine. I don't think Will Shakespeare ordered a single volume to make his plays read smoother. But maybe you do. And that's fine too.

One thing I love about writing. Few rules. Lots of room to roam.