Three of My Favorite Nonfiction Books

Over the past few years, I have read quite a few nonfiction books on the subject of writing. Some of them changed the way I write, and for those of you who are writers themselves, I thought I would share some of them with you.

The Story Equation

I got this book over a year ago, and it still sits on my shelf where I refer to it from time to time. It's actually the reason I learned how to plot and finish a story, and I still use the system introduced in this book for just about all my fiction.
This is a wonderful resource for anyone struggling with plotting, outlining, or characterization.
The best part is that it focuses on using your character to create the story, rather than the other way around. So, if you struggle with creating character-driven plots, this may be exactly what you need to figure it out.

Writer to Writer: From Think to Ink

I love the conversational way this book is laid out. Most of the information in this book actually stems from questions that were put forward on Gail Carson Levine's blog.

Because it answers questions from other writers, it is able to get to the heart of what we writers really want to know and give good actionable advice for these problems based on Gail Carson Levine's experience as a fiction writer.

The book covers a variety of topics, including inspiration, character creation, and your inner critic. Each chapter ends with one or more prompts to help you apply what you've learned, and have a little fun writing. (If you enjoy this book, you may also enjoy one of Gail Carson Levine's other books called Writing Magic.)

Real Artists Don't Starve

This is such a wonderful book for anyone struggling with doubts that their writings and creative works will never make a career.

While it focuses on creative work in general, the information applies to all creatives, including writers.

Throughout the books, Jeff Goins discusses where the myth of the starving artist came from, and compares the mindset and actions of an artist that starves to the one that thrives.

However, if you are expecting a book that will simply tell you that you can do anything, this is not the book for you. This book will challenge the way you think about art and the way you go about pursuing your art.

If you have writing books you love or want to recommend, let me know in the comments, I'm always looking for new things to read.

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