Writers and Their Books

As with any profession, a writer must always refresh, recharge, and revisit nuances of honing his writing skills. It’s not enough to take a class or two, write a bit, and then assume he understands everything there is to creating stories. Nor is it enough to read a blog or two, attend seminars at a writing conference, or just read.

My many bookshelves house as many books about writing as they do novels I’ve collected. I consider writing part of lifelong learning. I’ve read every instructional topic from cover to cover, sometimes more than once, just as anyone would reread a favorite book.

My collection covers scenes, characterization, plot, point of view, themes, dialogue, description, emotion, conflict, tension, forensics, murder, weapons, eras, mysteries, thrillers—you name it, I have abundant resources. Although some books overlap topics, I always find fresh perspectives and details to add to the mix.

Just when I thought I could not improve on this collection, I happened to browse through titles of new books on writing and couldn’t resist adding a couple to my library. I asked myself, “Do I really need another writing book? Haven’t I read it all?” 

The book descriptions intrigued me—Cheryl St. John’s Writing with Emotion, Tension, & Conflict and Plot Perfect by Paula Munier. I had to have them. In fact, they promised to improve seasoned writers’ skills, as well as help beginners. Since emotion and tension are the key to any fiction, how could I go wrong? The book on plots and layering stories offered to teach writers how to build unforgettable stories scene by scene. Who doesn’t want to write unforgettable stories?

It took me all of one minute to have those books ordered and an email confirmation announcing they’d arrive in five business days. They arrived in three.

Although I am not in the habit of critiquing books, I have now turned these two excellent writing resources into my writing bibles and refuse to leave home without them. I highlighted pertinent tips in each one, created files and a notebook with all the goodies they offered for quick perusal, and keep it near my keyboard. I would recommend them to every writer. 

I can tell applying their techniques and advice has already improved the novel I am currently editing, building twists and turns, emotion, tension, and conflict. I wish I had had these books sooner to spice up my stories and take them to the next level.