Top Picks – Reference Books Every Writer Should Have

Stock your writer bookshelves now!

 

Some members of the Rose City Romance Writers, RCRW, recently came up with a list of books that every new writer, and some of the rest of us too, must have on their bookshelves.

 

The suggested books are listed in order by the author’s last name.

Showing & Telling by Laurie Alberts (Have this. I’d give it 3 star rank.)
http://amzn.com/1582977054

Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell    (Have this. I’d give it a ranking of 4)
http://amzn.com/B005ONL5AM

Elements of Fiction Writing – Scene & Structure by Jack Bickham
http://amzn.com/B00D0AH01E

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne & Dave King
http://amzn.comB003JB12YI


Break Into Fiction by Mary Buckham and Dianna Love
http://amzn.com/B0047DWNPG


Wired for Story by Lisa Cron
http://amzn.com/B005X0JTGI


GMC: Goal Motivation and Conflict by Debra Dixon (Have this. I ranked it 3 star)
http://amzn.com/0965437108


Hooked by Les Edgerton
http://amzn.com/B0033ZAVV2


Deep Story: Hollywood’s Secret Techniques for Writing Money Making Stories by Carol Hughes
http://amzn.com/B00B5WXRWU


On Writing by Stephen King
http://amzn.com/B000FC0SIM

Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint by Nancy Kress (Have this. I ranked it 3 stars)
http://amzn.com/1582973164


Dynamic Characters by Nancy Kress (Have this. I ranked it 3 stars)
http://amzn.com/1582973199


Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew by Ursula K. LeGuin
http://amzn.com/0933377460

Writing 21st Century Fiction by Donald Maas (Have this. Ranked 4 star)
http://amzn.com/B0098QHZBY

The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
http://amzn.com/B006TH2CYU

Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain
http://amzn.com/B0099P9UI0

The Chicago Manuel of Style By University of Chicago Press (Have this. I ranked it 5 stars)
http://amzn.com/0226104206


The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
http://amzn.com/193290736X

The Hero’s Two Journeys (DVD or CD, not a book) by Michael Hauge and Christopher Vogler
http://amzn.com/B002M3WWKO

Here are a few of my favorites, and yes, I do have all of these. I didn’t include the Amazon links.  You can easily do a search!

The 1811 Dictionary of Vulgar Tongue (My all time Favorite.)

Wicked Words by Hugh Rawson. 

English Through the Ages

Brewers Dictionary of Phrase & Fables

Names Through the Ages

 

Now, leave a comment. Tell me what books you absolutely must have on your writing shelf  and please do include anything the least bit related to Regency, Georgian, Victorian . . . you get the idea.