What’s the best writing how-to book you’ve ever read?
What’s that? You don’t believe in them? Move along please. Thank you.
I’ve read a leaning tower of them since I began writing almost six years ago. Some I’ve found really useful, some less so, but all of them have had something to offer.
If you like how-to books, you’ll no doubt have your favourites, as do I. Without doubt this year my favourite has been Make a Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time, by Jordan E. Rosenfeld. Once in a while a book comes along that really makes a difference, and this – for me – is one such book.
Rosenfeld breaks the book up into four major sections:
- Architecture of a Scene
- The Core Elements and the Scene
- Scene Types
- Other Scene Considerations
Right from the first chapter I knew I was holding in my hands a book that was going to help me to prepare for writing my novel, and I haven’t been disappointed. It has affected not only my writing, but my reading, too.
More details available here:
http://www.amazon.com/Make-Scene-Crafting-Powerful-Story/dp/1582974799
If you’re like me and you’re making the change from writing short stories to writing a novel, add this to your list of wants for Christmas.
And feel free to share your own recommendations.
