Resources

I’m proud (embarrassed?) to be the owner of more than a hundred writing reference books, which I’ve found a source of information, education, and inspiration. Some of my favorites are:

CRAFT OF WRITING:

Jack M. Bickham. THE 38 MOST COMMON FICTON WRITING MISTAKES (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM).

A concise guide for identifying and correcting easy-to-fix problems.

Renni Browne and Dave King. SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS.

Written by two editors who’ve worked for major publishing houses and edited best-selling authors. Concise explanations plus helpful exercises and checklists to apply the principles to your own writing make this book especially helpful. As one reviewer put it, “top editing advice from the pros.”

Debra Dixon. GOAL, MOTIVATION, & CONFLICT.

A classic covering three of the most important aspects of good fiction. Buy it through her publisher Gryphon Books (use the link on her website http://www.debradixon.com) to avoid paying a premium.

Barbara Ann Kipfor. FLIP DICTIONARY.

An amazing, huge reference that offers cues and clues to help you figure out the exact work you’re looking for. Also included are special listings related to a large variety of diverse subjects, such as Military Terms, Mythical and Legendary Characters, and Medical Terms.

Margie Lawson. EMPOWERING CHARACTERS’ EMOTIONS DEEP EDITING: THE EDITS SYSTEM, RHETORICAL DEVICES, AND MORE.

Margie provides useful techniques for how to “show” emotion as opposed to telling it and how to keep your writing fresh. She also uses a unique color-coded system to make sure nothing is missing in a scene (such as description and emotion, among other things). Her in-person and on-line seminars are supposed to be terrific but if, like me, you can’t fit one in (or don’t want to wait until one is offered to get her guidance), she sells her lecture packets on her website at www.margielawson.com.

Donald Maass, WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK.

Full of exercises to aimed at helping you rethink and strengthen almost all aspects of your novel. He also has a companion book for people who want more detailed instruction and/or hate workbooks.

Raymond Obstfeld. FICTION FIRST AID.

A fun format with concrete suggestions on how to diagnose problems with your manuscript and then remedy them.

Peter Rubie and Gary Provost. HOW TO TELL A STORY.

Concise and easy to follow instruction on how to tell a captivating story.

Blake Snyder, SAVE THE CAT.

It’s written for screenwriters, but has great advice for writing fiction that’s as compelling and fast-paced as a summer blockbuster movie.

CRIME REFERENCE:

John Boertlein, Ed. HOWDUNIT—HOW CRIMES ARE COMMITTED AND SOLVED.

Lee Lofland. POLICE PROCEDURE AND INVESTIGATION: A GUIDE FOR WRITERS.

D. P. Lyle, MD . FORENSICS FOR DUMMIES

FORENSICS AND FICTION

MURDER AND MAYHEM.

Entertaining as well as informative, all three are terrific resources as to crime scene investigation and medical questions.