How do, RMFW? Shannon Baker and Jess Lourey here again with the Lourey/Baker Double Booked Blog Tour redux. Between us, we’ve published over twenty books (S: I love saying that because I get the credit for the bulk of the publishing Jess has done.) Shannon’s latest is the second book in the Kate Fox mystery series, Dark Signal (Forge). Jess’s newest addition in her humorous Murder by the Month series is March of Crime (Midnight Ink). We hate to tras
h our reputations, but the honest-to-goodness truth is that we did not shoot from the womb knowing all there is to know about writing. (Jess here: but we did shoot from the womb with a full head of hair each, so picture that as you read.)
Almost everyone needs to learn their craft. Teachers earn an undergrad degree and have continuing education, accountants and lawyers get diplomas and study to pass extensive bar exams, doctors and veterinarians go to school ‘pert-n
ear forever. So why should anyone think great writers are born, not made?
There are any number of terrific workshops and conferences, online classes, MFA programs, not to mention the Colorado Gold Conference, where I learned so much. But today, we’re going to go the self-help route. What are the best writing books you know? (Book links point you to Indie Bound, because we love our indies!)
Shannon: Since I get to go first, I’m going to rattle off the low-hanging fruit of Best Writing Books Of All Time. Let’s start with the ever inspiring and practical, Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott, and Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg, and On Writing by Stephen King because they will speak to the writer in your heart and teach you to translate your passion to the page.
Jess: You stole the best ones! Fine. When it comes to plotting, I recommend A Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler. Also, although I hate writing short stories, I stumbled across Damon Knight’s Creating Short Fiction a few years ago and found the advice game-changing when it comes to structuring novels. Shannon, do you have plot and structure go-tos?
Shannon: Story Engineering, by Larry Brooks, Save the Cat by Blake Synder, and of course, Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel. All of these are loaded with step by step plans to get you from the opening sentence, through the sagging middle, and cruising to the exciting cli
max. I recently picked up Hallie Ephron’s Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel. This book lays it all out, with exercises and downloadable worksheets.
Jess: I couldn’t agree more about Hallie’s book. It’s worth its weight in royalties. Shannon, we’ve both listed a few different books that have taught us to deepen our craft, but if you had to pick a single one, above all others, what would it be?
Shannon: My true writer’s Bible, the book that taught
me the most basic terms, structure, detail, logic, and by far, the driest book on writing I’ve ever read is Techniques of the Selling Writer, by Dwight Swain. This book was published in 1981, and believe me when I say it will teach you how to write a novel. You have to add the creative and color, because ol’ Dwight won’t provide it on the pages of this book. But, hands down, if you could read only one how-to write book, this would be my choice.
Jess: I’ve never read that one and now I must. I personally don’t have a single Writer’s Bible, but the last couple books, I find myself returning again and again to The Emo
tion Thesaurus so I don’t keep reusing the same old words to describe fear, terror, shame, etc. Love that book!
Shannon: This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are more books I’d shout my praises for if we had the space, but that’s what the comments are for, right? I do want to jump on the rooftop with my megaphone for this addition to the cannon of great writing books. Jess Lourey’s newest classic Rewrite Your Life. I promise, this book will take you to your deepest soul so you can write your truest stories.
Jess: Thank you. J I’m proud of that one.
Okay, this is where you help out your writing comrades by telling us your favorite writing books. We are each giving away three books on the Double-Booked Tour. Each comment you make on our tour will net you a better chance at winning, so comment now, comment often.
September 2 Mysterious Musings
September 5 Janice Hardy
September 7 The Creative Penn
September 9 Write to Done
September 12 Wicked Cozy Writers
September 20 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Blog
September 21 There’s a Dead Guy in the Living Room
September 23 Femmes Fatales
September 24 Writer Unboxed
September 25 Dru’s Book Musings
September 27 Do Some Damage
October 3 Terry Ambrose
October 12 Jungle Red Writers
Jess Lourey (rhymes with “dowry”) is best known for her critically-acclaimed Murder-by-Month mysteries, which have earned multiple starred reviews from Library Journal and Booklist, the latter calling her writing “a splendid mix of humor and suspense.” S
he is a tenured professor of creative writing and sociology, a recipient of The Loft’s Excellence in Teaching fellowship, a regular Psychology Today blogger, and a sought-after workshop leader and keynote speaker who delivered the 201
6 “Rewrite Your Life” TEDx Talk. March of Crime, the 11th book in her humorous mystery series, releases September 2017. You can find out more at www.jessicalourey.com
Shannon Baker is the author of the Kate Fox mystery series (Tor/Forge). Set in the isolated cattle country of the Nebraska Sandhills, Kirkus says, “Baker serves up a ballsy heroine, a colorful backdrop, and a surprising ending.” She also writes the Nora Abbott mystery series (Midnight Ink), featuring Hopi Indian mysticism and environmental issues. Shannon makes her home in Tucson where she enjoys cocktails by the pool, breathtaking sunsets, a crazy
Weimeraner, and killing people (in the pages of her books). She was
voted Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer’s 2014 and 2017 Writer of the Year. Visit Shannon at www.Shannon-Baker.com
The one I relied on the most when I was getting “started” (i.e., writing my first 5 books) was “Self Editing for Fiction Writers” by Browne and King. It was also on the top 10 list of every author I took workshops from at conferences.
Thanks for the suggestion, Terry. I haven’t come across that one.
What a dynamic duo! You ladies rock! I preferred Jack Bickham, an enthusiastic student of Swain, because of Bickham’s more reader-friendly writing style. HIs classic Scene and Structure release is concise, with many real hands-on, good examples. Wishing you two a superb tour!!
I have that one! It was a Writer’s Digest release, right? Thanks for the suggestion.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Janet, and for your kind words!
Great post, thank you! I’m a junkie for craft books. The most recent ones I read (both of which blew me away with how helpful they were) are Writing the Intimate Character by Jordan Rosenfeld and Writing Deep Scenes by Rosenfeld and Martha Alderson. Highly recommend! Next I’m planning to read Make a Scene, also by Rosenfeld (because she just gets me).
Thanks, Rachel. Both of those look great. I’m trying to figure out how to write compelling characters like Ove and Katniss. These sound like they could be helpful.
I found Chris Roerden’s award-winning books on self-editing very helpful: Don’t Murder Your Mystery and Don’t Sabotage Your Submission.
So many books, so little time!
I can recommend Stuart Horwitz’ Blueprint Your Bestseller. His method of figuring out what your book is about and building it is quite unique. And I love that it is self-referencing: by the end he is using the book itself as an example.
I was having a write-in with another author today, who attended CO Gold and Stuart’s workshops and she bought his book. She said his method sounded great.
Thanks for the recommendation, Dani, and everyone else here!
Thank you to everyone who has stopped by and commented! All who have commented above will be entered to win one of six free books to be given away. Every comment on the blog tour is a chance to win: http://jessicalourey.com/events/lourey-baker-double-booked-blog-tour-ii, and comments can be left at any of those stops through October 12.