Seattle Writes: Our Favorite Writing BooksLike this list

20 items

• Never Say You Can't Survive

  Anders, Charlie Jane

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  "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

• Refuse to Be Done

  How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts

  Bell, Matt, 1980-

  Add Refuse to Be Done to your for later shelf

  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.

• Murder Your Darlings

  and Other Gentle Writing Advice From Aristotle to Zinsser

  Clark, Roy Peter

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  "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

• Mastering the Process

  From Idea to Novel

  George, Elizabeth, 1949-

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  "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 be of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Writing Down the Bones

  Goldberg, Natalie

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  Goldberg looks to the practices of Zen mediation to provide guidance and direction for the writing process.

• The Art of Memoir

  Karr, Mary

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  "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

• On Writing

  a Memoir of the Craft

  King, Stephen, 1947-

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  "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

• Bird by Bird

  Some Instructions on Writing and Life

  Lamott, Anne

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  "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 inspire…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Steering the Craft

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

  Le Guin, Ursula K., 1929-2018

  Add Steering the Craft to your for later shelf

  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.

• The Breakout Novelist

  How to Craft Novels That Stand Out and Sell

  Maass, Donald

  Add The Breakout Novelist to your for later shelf

  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.

• What About the Baby?

  Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction

  McDermott, Alice

  Add What About the Baby? to your for later shelf

  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.

• Story

  Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting

  McKee, Robert, 1941-

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  A foundational examination of the structure of narrative writing. Other books in McKee's series include Dialogue; Character; and Action.

• Elements of Fiction

  Mosley, Walter

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  “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 Journal

• Write for Your Life

  Quindlen, Anna

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  "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

• Craft in the Real World

  Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping

  Salesses, Matthew

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  “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 voices to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Last Draft

  a Novelist's Guide to Revision

  Scofield, Sandra Jean, 1943-

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  "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 others on the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Wonderbook

  An Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction

  VanderMeer, Jeff

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  “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.” – Library…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Writer's Journey

  Mythic Structure for Writers

  Vogler, Christopher, 1949-

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  Based on “The Hero’s Journey” by Joseph Campbell, Vogler presents a step-by-step guide for storytelling structure.

• Who Says?

  Mastering Point of View in Fiction

  Zeidner, Lisa

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  "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

• Seattle Writes: Publishing

  View on bibliocommons.com

  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.