books to help you learn the craft...

Becoming A Writer by Dorthea Brande
This classic taught me that self-discipline is probably the most important thing any writer must have. Dorothea Brande will tell you how to train yourself to write. She also gives valuable advice that seems superstitious but is basic for every writer. For example, never talk about the book you are writing! Why not? Read this book to find out why.

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
This book has some brilliant practical exercises for starting to get your creativity flowing and your ideas down. My favourites are the 'morning pages' and 'the artist's date'. This book is a bit New-Agey but don't worry, your artistic right brain will love it. Plus Julia Cameron used to be married to film director James Cameron so there is some fun gossip thrown it, too.

Solutions for Writers by Sol Stein
If your creative right brain liked the previous book, then your logical left brain will love this one. After you've gathered together all those creative hippy ideas, Stein will help you frogmarch them into some semblance of order. You may not agree with everything he says but you know he's right. I especially like his Ten Commandments for Writers.

Word Painting by Rebecca McClannahan
The author shows you how to make your writing visual. But she doesn't stop there. She shows you how to bring in taste, smell, touch, music, emotion, colour. And she bases it all on the teaching of Aristotle. So Roman Mystery would-be writers have no excuse not to get it and diligently study its principles. A delicious book.

On Writing by Stephen King
This is an honest look into the mind and life of one of the most commercially successful authors alive. With liberal sprinklings of the F-word (be warned) King tells about himself and how he writes. Not many books on writing are laugh out loud good, especially when they include an account of the author being hit by a van. But this one is. Buy it. Read it. Learn from it.

The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories
Someone once said that there are only seven basic stories and that every story we tell is just a variation of one of these. This thick tome investigates that claim in a fascinating way. A wonderful book to get you thinking and to dip into now and then for inspiration. Oh and I basically agree with him!

Mortification edited by Robin Richardson
This is one of the funniest books I have ever read about the humiliating experiences a writer can have. Like travelling hundreds of miles to a book signing where nobody turns up. Or getting stage fright before a reading, hurrying to be sick and then being told your radio mike is still on. And it's full of delightful quotes, eg: 'A children's writer should, ideally, be a dedicated semi-lunatic.' (Joan Aiken said that!)

Writers' and Artist's Yearbook forward by Ian Rankin
It is almost impossible to get a publisher without getting an agent first. This book will help you get an agent. It has interesting articles, advice on how to get published, plus an up-to-date list of agents. It has every piece of information needed by an upcoming or established writer.

The Anatomy of Story by John Truby
John Truby is a Hollywood script doctor and screenwriter who has been teaching plot structure and genre for over twenty years. For all that time he has only been available on tape or live, but he has just published his first book, which distils all his wisdom and experience. I admire John Truby more than almost any other writer; he taught me almost all I know about plot structure. I highly recommend this book to all would-be writers.

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