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Seattle Writes: Our Favorite Writing Books

Librarians at The Seattle Public Library created this list of our favorite books about the craft of writing. (September 2022)

The Seattle Public Library

20 items

  • "Celebrated speculative fiction writer Anders blends personal stories with practical genre fiction techniques in this ... manual for how 'to write your way out of hard times." -Publishers Weekly
    BookNew York : Tom Doherty Associates, 2021. — 808.02 An226N 2021
  • Refuse to Be Done

    How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts

    Bell, Matt, 1980-
    In a fresh approach to writing process, Bell suggests a three-draft model to novel completion, from tactics for the initial draft, to a second draft of outlining, modeling and rewriting, to a third draft of final revisions and polishing.
    BookNew York, NY : Soho Press, [2022] — 808.3 B4137R 2022
  • Murder Your Darlings

    and Other Gentle Writing Advice From Aristotle to Zinsser

    Clark, Roy Peter
    "Written in his usual easygoing, conversational, and encouraging style, [Clark's] latest is a compilation of writing advice from more than 50 of his favorite books about writing." - Kirkus
    BookNew York : Little, Brown Spark, 2020. — 808.042 C5494M 2020
  • "Mystery author George demonstrates her own cardinal virtues of writing--careful organization and meticulous attention to detail--in this skillful guide to creating a novel.... Writers looking for practical insights will find this book to…
    BookNew York : Viking, [2020] — 808.3 G2933M 2020
  • Goldberg looks to the practices of Zen mediation to provide guidance and direction for the writing process.
    BookBoston : Shambhala, 2010. — 808.02 G5646W 2010
  • "Karr delivers a thorough look at the writing process and the challenges inherent in telling one's story and accepting the subjective nature of memory." - Publishers Weekly
    BookNew York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2015] — 809.93592 K1486A 2015
  • On Writing

    a Memoir of the Craft

    King, Stephen, 1947-
    "Generous, lucid, and passionate, King offers lessons and encouragement to the beginning writer, along with a warts-and-all account of a less-than-carefree life." -Kirkus
    BookNew York : Scribner, 2020. — 813.54 K587K 2020
  • Bird by Bird

    Some Instructions on Writing and Life

    Lamott, Anne
    "Paragraph by paragraph, this humorous, insightful, no-nonsense approach will remind novices why they are writing: to tell the truth, to live from the heart, and to share their gift with others. A writer's guide that is bound to teach and…
    BookNew York : Anchor Books, 2019. — 808.02 L193B 2019
  • Steering the Craft

    a Twenty-first-century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story

    Le Guin, Ursula K., 1929-2018
    Award-winning speculative fiction writer Le Guin's guide focuses on more intermediate and advanced techniques, such as point of view and the sound and rhythm of language, including examples and exercises.
    BookBoston : Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. — 808.02 L5273S 2015
  • The Breakout Novelist

    How to Craft Novels That Stand Out and Sell

    Maass, Donald
    Experienced literary agent Maass provides examples, strategies, and writing exercises to create compelling fiction, covering topics such as character, setting, description, plot, theme, tension, suspense, and more.
    BookCincinnati, Onio : Writer's Digest Books, 2014, c2010. — 808.3 M112B 2015
  • What About the Baby?

    Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction

    McDermott, Alice
    In 14 essays, National Book Award winner McDermott dissects what makes a story worth reading, covering everything from the nitty-gritty of a good sentence to writer's block.
    BookNew York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021. — 814.54 M143W 2021
  • Story

    Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting

    McKee, Robert, 1941-
    A foundational examination of the structure of narrative writing. Other books in McKee's series include Dialogue; Character; and Action.
    BookNew York : ReganBooks, [1997] — 808.23 MCKEE 1997
  • “Multi-award-winner Mosley … best known for his "Easy Rawlins" mystery series, explores life with genre-defying mastery. With conversational bounce, this guide provides writers with methods and tips to find clarity and emotion.” – Library…
    BookNew York : Grove Press : Distributed by Publishers Group West [2019] — 808.3 M8539E 2019
  • "Novelist Quindlen maintains that everyone should write, no matter how informally, because "writing is power" and it connects us with ourselves and those we care about." - Library Journal
    BookNew York : Random House, [2022] — 808.02 Q43W 2022
  • Craft in the Real World

    Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping

    Salesses, Matthew
    “The world has changed, and the writing workshop must catch up. An essential addition to the bookshelf of anyone interested in creative writing, Salesses’ text provides a compassionate approach sure to bring a new generation of authentic…
    BookNew York : Catapult, [2021] — 808.3 Sa327C 2021
  • The Last Draft

    a Novelist's Guide to Revision

    Scofield, Sandra Jean, 1943-
    "Scofield provides a roadmap that includes how to read and deconstruct a finished manuscript critically, how to get to the heart of the story, and how to develop a plan and process for revision. This title stands out from the crowd of…
    BookNew York : Penguin Books, ©2017. — 808.3 Sco29L 2017
  • Wonderbook

    An Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction

    VanderMeer, Jeff
    “VanderMeer has done something new here. His guide hits all the topics a how-to book should cover... Where it differs is that VanderMeer aims to engage the imagination that is core to the work of [science fiction] and fantasy writers.” –…
    BookNew York : Abrams Image, 2018. — 808.3 V284W 2018
  • Based on “The Hero’s Journey” by Joseph Campbell, Vogler presents a step-by-step guide for storytelling structure.
    BookStudio City, CA : Michael Wiese Productions, [2007] — 808.23 V8681W 2007
  • Who Says?

    Mastering Point of View in Fiction

    Zeidner, Lisa
    "Poet and novelist Zeidner argues persuasively that point-of-view decisions 'are the very heart of fiction, more central and crucial than plot.' A thorough, practical guide for writers focused on the problem of point of view." - Kirkus
    BookNew York, N.Y. : W. W. Norton & Company, [2021] — 808.3926 Z34W 2021
  • Librarians at The Seattle Public Library present a selection of books, online resources, and Seattle Writes podcasts for writers ready to publish their work via either traditional publishing or self publishing.
    Web resource