Books for Authors

[JamesSavik]

The Little, Brown Compact Handbook, 3rd Edition

 

Jane Aaron, Longman Press 1998.

 

The Little, Brown Compact Handbook is exactly what it says it is: a comprehensive handbook of writing, grammar, style, conventions and citation guidelines from the MLA, APA and the Chicago Manual of Style.

 

It is a useful reference for any author with special interests to grad students who have to write dissertations or research papers.

 

This book is divided into 8 major sections:

 

I. The Writing Process

II. Clarity and Style

III. Sentence Parts and Patterns

IV. Punctuation

V. Conventions of Form and Appearance

VI. Research & Documentation

VII.Special Types of Writing

 

Glossary of Usage and Index

 

The only problem that I have with this book is its price: $50 at Amazon or more at you local store. I got my copy at a second hand book store but my copy is the older 3rd edition.

 

 

>>>Little, Brown Compact Handbook @ Amazon

 

The Oxford Essential Writer's Reference

 

Berkley Press, 2005.

 

This is an excellent writer's reference that is current and more relevant to the task of creative writing than the Little, Brown Handbook. Its focus is more on langauge usage form.

 

The text is divided into 19 sections:

 

I. Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling and Usagr Guides

II. A List of the Most commonly Used Foreign Words and Phrases

III. 100 Tricky Usage Problems

IV. 100 Rare 50 Cent Words and their Meaning

V. 125 Synonym Studies

VI. Proofreaders Marks and their Meaning

VII. Common Citation Styles

VIII. A List of Cliches to Avoid

IX. A List of Common Rhetorical Devices, Poetic Meters, and Form

X. A Quick Guide to all the plays of Shakespeare

XI. A Timeline of Great Work of English Literature

XII. Biblical Quotes, Characters and Books of the Bible

XIII. Major Mythological Characters

XIV. A List of Great Print Resources that can be Found at Most Libraries

XV. A List of Writer's Advocacy Orginazations

XVI. How to Copyright Your Work

XVII. A Commonsense Guide to Manuscript Formats

XVIII. great Websites for Writers

XIX. Forms of Address for Letter Writing

 

This paperback retails for 6.99.

 

 

 

>>>Oxford Writer's Reference

[JamesSavik]

Dynamic Characters by Nancy Kress

 

Writer's Digest Books, 1998.

 

100 years ago, Henry James stated that Character is plot. Well, this is hard to dispute. Indeed some characters have become household words.

 

How do you write characters that are appealing, capture the imagination or that readers just simply like? Nancy Kress attempts to anwer this question with her book and does a reasonably good job of it.

 

She divides her book into three major divisions and addresses the details of characterization.

 

A. Creating Strong and Believable Characters: the Externals

 

1. Choosing Descriptive Details

2. What's In a Name?

3. The Role of Setting in Character Creation

4. Using the World of Work to Enhance Characterization

5. Characterization Through Dialogue

6. Making Dialogue Read naturally

7. Pruning Character Descriptions to a Managable Number

8. Basing Characters on Real People

 

B. Creating Believable Characters: the Internals

 

9. Using personal thought to characterize

10. Making Clear What, When and How your character is thinking

11. How to avoid letting your assumptions torpedo characterization

12. How to use dreams and newscasts to enhance characterization

13. How to make your villians as readable os your heroes

14. How to create an unsympathetic protagonist without driving your readers away

15. A system for filing in your character details

 

C. Character and Plot

 

16. How to start anywhere and arrive at plot

17. When conflict leads to violence

18. How point of view begins with character and leads to plot

19. Secondary characters and plot construction

20. How to make characters change

21. An example of how character, change and plot intertwine

22. Basing plots on real events

23. Using old plots in new ways

24. The connections between characters: plot and theme

25. Characters and the writer

 

Is this book useful? Yes. It got me thinking about how I was doing things and how I was already doing some of the things she was discussing. Some of the concepts are intutive and if you are decent writer, you are already doing them. Kress shows you what you are doing and adds a trick or two to your toolbox.

 

>>> Dynamic Characters

[JamesSavik]

45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Characters

by Victoria Lynn Schmidt

 

I'm not sure that I buy Ms. Schmidt's theory of archetypes. It sounds a lot more like standard character stereotypes 101. Is this book useful? Maybe, however I don't give it high marks.

 

Good characters don't really fill any one of MS. Schmidt's 45 something profiles. They are a composite of several. If this book is useful for anything, it makes you think about the complexities of various personalities.

 

I did NOT buy MS. Schmidt's Theories about "the feminine and masculine journey's". I would call them the formulas for mediocrity.

 

 

I. Getting Started

1. What are Archetypes and Why should Writers use Them?

2. How to Use the Archetypes

 

II. Creating Female heroes and Villains

3. Aphrodite: the Seductive Muse and the Femme Fatale

4. Artemis: the Amazon and the Gorgon

5. Athena: the Father's Daughter and the Backstabber

6. Demeter: the Nurturer and the Over-controlling Mother

7. Hera: The Matriarch and the Scorned Woman

8. Hestia: the Mystic and the Betrayer

9. Isis: The Female Messiah and the Destroyer

10. Persephone: The Maiden and the Troubled Teen

 

III.Creating Male Hero's and Villains

11. Apollo: the Businessman and the Traitor

12. Ares: the Protector and the Gladiator

13. Hades: the Recluse and the Warlock

14. Hermes: the Fool and the Derelict

15. Dionysus: the Women's man and the Seducer

16. Osiris: the Male Messiah and the Punisher

17. Poseidon: the Artist and the Abuser

18. Zeus: the King and the Dictator

 

IV. Creating Supporting Characters

19. Introduction to Supporting Characters

20. Friends

21. Rivals

22. Symbols

 

V. The Feminine and Masculine Journey

23. Introduction to the Archetypal Journey

24. Plotting the Feminine Journey

25. Plotting the Masculine Journey

 

 

My Rating: ** 1/2

 

[JamesSavik]

Story Structure Architect

 

Victoria Lynn Schmidt

 

Within these pages you will find 5 dramatic thought-lines, 6 conflict types, 21 genres, 11 master plot structures, 55 master dramatic situations, and several research guidelines.

 

-from p. 4

 

What is it with Ms. Schmidt? Like a Teutonic master librarian cataloger, she is hell bound to organize, categorize, bend, fold, staple and mutilate the entirety of dramatic fiction.

 

How useful is this book? Frankly, as useful as you want to make it. There is good stuff in this book. It is not going to blueprint your plot for you but it does give you tools to build your own.

 

One thing that I resist is the formula. Sure- there are formulas that work. Clancy has one. So does Spielberg and they are fantastically successful. However, if you read enough of these books by formula, you can see the x, y and z of it all. Thankfully, while this book could be used to construct a literary formula, it is more useful as a reference.

 

Part 1: Drafting a Plan

How to Use This Book

The 5 Dramatic Thoughtlines

The 6 Conflicts

The 21 Genres

Part 2: Building the Structure

How to use the 11 Master Structures

The Roller Coaster

The Replay

Fate

The Parallel

The Episodic

The Melodrama

Romance

The Journey

Interactive

Metafiction

The Slice of Life

Part 3: Adding Stories

Introducing the 55 Dramatic Situations

Supplication & Benefaction

Deliverance & Sojourn

Vengeance for a crime & Rehabilitation

Vengeance taken for kindred upon kindred and Appearance of a new kinsman

Flight & Pursuit

Di aster & Miracle

Falling Prey to cruelty & Becoming Fortunate

Revolt & Support

Daring Enterprise & the Healing Journey

Abduction & Reunion

Enigma & Invention

Obtaining & Letting go

Enmity of kinsmen & Hero of kinsmen

Competition and Concession

Adultery & Fidelity

Madness & Genius

Imprudence & Caution

Crimes of love and Sacrifice for Love

Slaying of a Loved One & Conviction

Self-sacrifice & Self-preservation

Discovery of dishonor & discovery of honor

Obstacles to Love & Unconditional Love

Conflict with a God & Supernatural Occurrence

Mistaken Judgment & Intuitive Judgment

Remorse & Empathy

Loss of a loved one & Rescue of a loved one

Odd Couple & Fish out of Water

Part 4: Research

 

 

My rating: ***

[JamesSavik]

The Craft of Research 2nd edition

 

Booth, Colomb & Williams

 

Univ of Chicago, 2003.

 

ISBN# 0-226-06568-5

 

Uni of Chicago

 

Students are often asked to write a research paper in senior English. That exercise is usually not very enlightening. Form is emphasized, footnotes, the right number of reference cards, footnotes and other rubbish. The Form is taught but the point is missed.

 

How is research really done? How do you pose a research question? How do you design a research project? How do you decide is a topic is worth your time and effort? Is your research pure or applied? How has the advent of the Internet affected research, is that contribution positive or does it just muddy the waters? What is a reliable source? What do you do when reliable sources contradict each other?

 

Any student or professional researcher can benefit from the content of this book. Of course form is important but this book focuses on something the others miss: the function of research.

 

If you are looking for a manual of form and style, this ain't it. If you want to learn how to do research that is more than gather data in a large pile, then this is the book for you.

 

 

 

Table of Contents:

 

Part I Research, researchers and Readers

 

Chap. 1. Thinking in print: The uses of research, public and private

Chap. 2. Connecting with your Reader

 

Part II Asking Questions, Finding Answers

 

Chap. 3 From topics to questions

Chap. 4 From questions to problems

Chap. 5 From problems to sources

Chap. 6 Using Sources

 

Part III Making a claim and supporting it

 

Chap. 7 making good arguments

Chap. 8 Claims

Chap. 9 Reasons and Evidence

Chap. 10 Acknowledgments and responses

Chap. 11 Warrants

 

Part IV Preparing to draft, drafting and revising

 

Chap. 12 Planning and drafting

Chap. 13 Revising your organization and argument

Chap. 14 Introductions and conclusions

Chap. 15 Communicating evidence visually

Chap. 16 Revising style: telling your story clearly

 

Part V Some Last Considerations

[JamesSavik]

Writing Great Short Stories

 

Lucke, Margaret

 

McGraw-Hill, 1999.

 

ISBN# 0-07-039077-0

 

Google Book Entry

 

Short stories are both the easiest and most difficult form to write. Unlike a novel, a short story can't wander around a point for 25,000 words. Every word must be chosen with care taking into consideration its purpose.

 

This book turns out to be an excellent starting place for a novice author. It is short, hits all of the requisite points and isn't pretentious. It also enjoys the great virtue of being inexpensive.

 

Table of Contents

 

I. Writing a Short Story

II. Characters- How to Create People Who Live & Breath on the Page

III. Conflict- How to Devise a Story That Readers Won't Want to put Down

IV. Plot & Structure- How to Shape Your Story and Keep it Moving

V. Setting & Atmosphere- How to Bring Readers into a Vivid World

VI. Narrative Voice- How to Develop Your Individual Voice as a Writer

 

The book also contains exercises and how to format your work for submission to publishers.

 

Writing Great Short Stories is a good book for beginners but experienced authors may find it too basic to be very useful.

[buttershots]

Thanks James,

 

Those are good to know.

 

- Kaiten

[JamesSavik]

Fill-in-the-Blank Plotting

 

Linda George

 

A Guide to Outlining a Novel

Using the Hero's Journey &

Three-Act Structure

 

ISBN 978-1-933987-03-3

 

Amazon Link

[JamesSavik]

Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript

 

Jack & Glenda Neff, Don Prues

 

A Visual Guide to preparing and presenting novels, articles & proposals, screenplays, short stories, etc

 

ISBN: 0-89879-921-X

 

Amazon Link

 

Note:

 

This book is somewhat dated as it was published in 1999. The formats are industry standard but different publishers have since issued electronic submission guidelines. You'll want to check with your publisher to comply with his preferred method of submission.

[JamesSavik]

A Dash of Style

 

Noah Lukeman

 

The art and mastery of punctuation

 

ISBN: 0-393-06087-X

 

Amazon Link

 

Note:

 

Noah Lukeman is a long-time editor for a major publishing house. His books offer invaluable insights if you are trying to break into print.

[JamesSavik]

Grammar Desk Reference

 

Gary Lutz & Diane Stevenson

 

(The Writers Digest)

 

ISBN: 1-58297-335-0

 

Amazon Link

 

Note:

 

This is a great desk reference for writers. It is in a ring binder and will sit flat on your desk.

[AnytaSunday]

Jamessavik, I hope you don't mind if I add a couple to this generally stellar list?

 

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers

 

Renni Browne & Dave King

 

HarperCollins

 

ISBN: 0-06-054569-0

 

Amazon link

 

 

This is a great book for any writer wanting to learn how to approach self-editing. Covers all the basics.

[AnytaSunday]

Manuscript Makeover

 

Elizabeth Lyon

 

Perigee (Penguin Group)

 

ISBN: 978-0-399-53395-2

 

Amazon link

 

 

Revision Techniques-- I feel this one goes slightly deeper into things than the previous book recommendation (although the one preceeding is better for beginners).

[AnytaSunday]

Sick of writing and writing and never really getting anywhere? Does it boggle your mind, because, let's be honest, you've done your damnest to hone your writing skills. You know the basics.

 

Then I'd recommend this book:

 

Writing the Breakout Novel

 

Donald Maass

 

Writer's Digest Books

 

ISBN 13: 978-1-58297-182-7

 

Amazon Link

 

The best writing book I've read yet.

 

Note: Some people have pointed out that the author of this book likes to talk about his work and the work of his clients a bit--Well, whatever, so he can self-promote--good for him. The advice in this guide though is top-notch, I wouldn't put it down for lack of modesty.

 

And Donald Maass really knows what he's talking about!

[JamesSavik]

Showing & Telling: Learn How to Show & When to Tell for Powerful & Balanced Writing

 

Laurie Alberts

 

Writers Digest Books

 

ISBN: 1-58297-705-4

 

Amazon Link

 

 

__________________________________________

 

 

Picked this up at Borders in Germantown, TN (suburb of Memphis). Looks interesting. I'll let you know if its good as soon as I read it.

 

-JS

[bigbear427]

Here's one I found, that is actually a fun read too, once you've finished with Strunk and White, that is...

 

"Spunk & Bite - A writer's guide to bold, contemporary style"

Authur Plotnik

ISBN 978-0-375-72227-1

 

There is a Kindle edition too.

 

Amazon Link

Edited January 23, 2011 by bigbear427

[ayeshazulfiqar]

Hi Guys! These all references so much informative for my content writing activities. Thanks for providing your information & resources.