{"id":9699,"date":"2025-10-05T18:30:22","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T17:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/?p=9699"},"modified":"2025-10-05T18:59:56","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T17:59:56","slug":"are-there-any-books-on-writing-you-can-recommend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/are-there-any-books-on-writing-you-can-recommend\/","title":{"rendered":"Are there any books on writing you can recommend?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“People always talk about different writing books but I’m not sure which ones would be worth my time. There are just too many! What books would you recommend for someone who wants to improve their writing?”<\/em><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How-to guides are certainly a dime a dozen in writing circles. They all vary significantly in quality and usefulness, and far too many of them try to sell themselves with flashy promises that aren\u2019t realistically achievable. Can you write and publish a novel in 30 days? Sure. But should you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me personally, I find writing guides more inspirational than practical, because if I may speak freely for a moment, there simply is no substitute for doing. You\u2019ll learn more by simply sitting down to write than you ever will from a book telling you how to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But with that said, I do genuinely think there is a place for writing guides. The power of inspiration is not something that can be overstated. Sometimes all you need is a starting point, or someone to break the process down into realistically actionable parts to make the act of writing less overwhelming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What writing guides you\u2019ll find useful are also very personal. Having already gone into depth on Stephen King\u2019s On Writing<\/em><\/a> and Elmore Leonard\u2019s 10 Rules for Writing<\/a><\/em>, I\u2019ll pass on those for the sake of this answer (I\u2019ve linked the titles to their relevant articles), so the rest of this list will be books I\u2019ve found useful in various ways, whether they be practical, inspirational, or simply great primers for cultivating the best mindset for writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel<\/em> by Jessica Brody<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Save the Cat! Writes a Novel<\/a><\/em> is probably the best-known book on writing on this list. Jessica Brody has taken Blake Snyder\u2019s original screenwriting guide and adapted it specifically for novelists. The book breaks down the essential beats of successful storytelling, offering a clear framework that can help you successfully structure your narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where it really shines is in the way it demystifies the concept of plot. While there is no single way to structure a plot, if you find the concept overwhelming, or you have no idea where to start, then Jessica Brody is the perfect teacher. She makes it clear and easy to follow, so it won\u2019t feel anywhere near as overwhelming when you come to sit down and write.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What it does well:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n