Common advice for writers is to read, read, and read more. Read voraciously. Read widely. You need to know your genre inside and out in order to write it well. I completely agree.
It’s one of the reasons I read like it’s my job. Because it is part of my job.
Both editors and writers should have an in-depth knowledge of the kinds of books they are working on. This helps us understand reader expectations. We should be reading the classics to understand the genres’ history, the most popular recent books in the genres we write and edit, and books that have pushed at the boundaries of those genres.
We also need to develop and maintain a current understanding of the writing craft — the how and why of storytelling.
I’m constantly spending time with writing craft books. It helps me stay on top of how writers are currently thinking about storytelling. It also helps me find new ways of explaining complex aspects of storytelling to authors.
Below are some of the writing craft books I recommend for both writers and developmental editors.
A number of these books provide “universal” advice about story that is specific to certain types of stories, and not actually universal. I’ve included these books here anyway because I’ve found them helpful for understanding those specific types of stories. I recommend taking any “universal” advice with a grain of salt.
Recommended Books
Books on Genres, Formats, and Target Readerships
- Fast Draft Your Memoir by Rachel Herron — great writing craft tips specific to memoir and good advice on the writing process
- How to Outline a Cozy Mystery by Sara Rosett — a workbook that will help you understand cozy mystery expectations from content to specific beats
- Making Comics by Scott McCloud — a really fun and brilliant book about creating comics written in comic-book format
- Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes — a great breakdown of beats expected in romance novels
- The Magic Words: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults by Cheryl Klein — an all-around solid book about writing fiction, focusing on middle grade and young adult novels
- Writing Interactive Fiction by Deb Potter — a very concise book covering the basics of interactive fiction books with branching storylines
Books on Story Structure and Building Blocks
- Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses — contains a great overview of kishōtenketsu story structure.
- Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland — a clear, concise, and very prescriptive exploration of character arcs.
- Meander, Spiral, Explode: Design and Pattern in Narrative by Jane Alison — strategies for moving beyond the dramatic arc
- Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody — solid insight into some options for blockbuster-style plotting (which is just one of many ways to plot)
- Scene & Structure by Jack Bickham — clear instructions on how to use the scene/sequel and stimulus/response structures in novel writing
- The Heroine’s Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture by Gail Carriger — a comparison of the hero’s journey and the heroine’s journey packed full of solid writing advice
- The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know by Shawn Coyne — an introduction to story structure
Books on Prose Craft
- Fixing Your Character and Point of View Problems by Janice Hardy — a good breakdown of character and POV considerations, and how to identify and “fix” them
- Fixing Your Setting and Description Problems by Janice Hardy — an explanation of setting and description considerations, and how to identify and “fix” them
- Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King — practical advice on how to write and revise your prose
- Understanding Show, Don’t Tell: (And Really Getting It) by Janice Hardy — an in-depth look at what “show don’t tell” really means, and how to apply it to prose
- Wired for Story by Lisa Cron — the why behind common writing advice
Books on Inclusive Storytelling
- Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses — an insightful discussion on decentralizing Western expectations in story and writing workshops to reach readers and writers with diverse backgrounds
- Salt & Sage Books’ Incomplete Writing Guides — books on how to write asexual, autistic, and Black characters, and fat positivity
- The Conscious Style Guide by Karen Yin — a great book about inclusive language and representation
- Writing an Identity Not Your Own by Alex Temblador — a wonderfully thorough guide on writing marginalized characters in a conscientious and inclusive way
- Writing the Other by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward — a good introduction to the concept of writing outside of one’s own experiences
Check out my Inclusive Storytelling Resource List for more.
Want to see what else I’m reading or just chat about books? Let’s connect on Goodreads!
Interested in learning more about how to revise your novel? Check out my course the DIY Developmental Edit!