Books About Writing and The Creative Process
by Jenners • 11/14/2008 • B Titles, Book Recommendations, I Titles, K Authors, L Authors, Non-Fiction, O Titles, U Authors, Writing • 5 Comments
My secret dream has always been to be a writer–probably because I love to read so much! It can be a daunting task, and it helps to have a patient and understanding guide. Here are three books that I feel are warm, engaging and accessible guides to becoming a writer. They are as much about creativity and life as writing so they are great reads even if you have no intention of being a writer. It is interesting to get an “inside view” of a writer’s mind and see how they do it–especially one as prolific and popular as Stephen King. (Even if you don’t like Stephen King, you’ll enjoy this book.
- Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
- On Writing by Stephen King
- If You Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit by Brenda Ueland
A little more information on each book…
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
This is a “warts and all” guide to a writer’s life by one of my favorite authors. Lamott shares her realities as a writer and writing instructor, with a down-to-earth style that makes you feel like you can write too. The title is a reference to the advice her writer father gave to his son when he was struggling with a book report about birds: “Just take it bird by bird.” And it is that kind of succinct and realistic advice you’ll find here. And as the title says, the lessons aren’t just about writing…they are about living too.
On Writing by Stephen King
When an author as prolific as Stephen King writes a book about writing, it is worth listening to. You don’t have to like King’s books to enjoy this one, however. What you’ll find is the genesis and development of King as a writer, an inside glimpse into an author’s reality, and extremely practical information and guidance on becoming a writer yourself. Great stuff by a brilliant and often underrated author.
If You Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit by Brenda Ueland
This is a book that all writers – professional and amateurs – should keep and revisit every once in a while. Ueland is like a really supportive and generous friend who coaches you in finding the writer within you and letting go of the fears and insecurities that are holding you back. Like the other books on writing, it is not just about writing but being an authentic and creative person. At the heart of the book is the simple edict: A writer must write. It doesn’t get any simpler (or harder) than that!
I remember finding some good advice in Lawrence Block’s “Telling Lies for Fun and Profit” —about fiction writing. It is a compilation of articles Block wrote for a writing magazine. Each one is a lesson in itself, independent of the other articles. The book can be read cover to cover or one can choose chapters at random. I read it about 15 years ago, and now that I am thinking about it, I shall read it again —hope my library has a copy.
Bird by Bird is one of my favorite books on writing. I usually recommend it to my adult memoir-writing students –but I do warn them that it contains a lot of explicit language. What I especially like is that Lamott shows that once a manuscript is accepted for publication, fame and fortune are not guaranteed and sometimes the offer is even withdrawn. This convinces me that one needs to write because one must, not because one expects to be on the best selling list.
I got the book by Brenda Ueland in the mail the other day. I’m loving it! Thanks for the recommendation.
Thanks for giving me the link to this post. I have Bird by Bird and it’s a great book on writing and life. The Steven King book has been on my to-read list for a while now, but I’ve not heard of the other book. I’ll have to find a copy and read it.
I also like Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg. And Chapter After Chapter and Page After Page by Heather Sellers.
Well, I liked “Teaching a Stone To Talk,” which is Annie Dillard, but it was a dog’s age ago and not really a “how to write” book, but more or less relevant.
And, I freaking ADORE “The Art of Fiction” by David Lodge. Again, hardly how-to, but very germaine to somebody interesting in the nuts and bolts of how writing works. I’ve read it like ten times.