Block, Lawrence Telling Lies for Fun & Profit. An entertaining nuts-and-bolts book on fiction technique, one of the best. Dialogue section is excellent, particularly helpful on the technique of ellipsis.
Browne, Renni, and Dave King, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. Selected by the Los Angeles Times as one of six "indispensable" books for writers. Useful for writers of biography, memoirs, journalism, etc. as well as fiction. Hands-on exercises, quizzes, tests.
Conrad, Barnaby, The Complete Guide to Writing Fiction. Inspiring, helpful essays on theory and technique by the director of the Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference and a wide range of well-known fiction craftsmen—from Elmore Leonard to Eudora Welty.
Drury, John, Creating Poetry. Thoughtful, knowledgeable, practical advice that helps writers see with the poet’s eye. Useful exercises.
Field, Syd, The Screenwriter’s Workbook. The best hands-on guide we’ve found, by a veteran who knows his subject and knows how to teach it.
Gardner, John, The Art of Fiction. Fiction technique and theory--useful, despite the subtitle, for veteran fiction writers as well as novices.
Maass, Donald: Writing the Breakout Novel. A breakout novel is one that rises out of its category—such as literary fiction, mystery, romance, or thriller—and hits the bestseller lists. Maass explains the elements that all breakout novels share and shows readers how to use these elements to write a novel that has a good chance of succeeding in a crowded marketplace.
Stein, Sol, Stein on Writing. Perhaps the best book ever written on the overall craft of fiction. Straightforward, practical, easily absorbed. How to Grow a Novel. Anecdotal guide to the most common pitfalls in writing a novel and how to avoid them; good tips on honing craft.
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