Here are five books that I read when I started to write seriously. They are all superb in their own way. I won’t say that these books saved my life, but they might have saved my writing. 

Narrative Structure

Saves The Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

Saves The Cat details fourteen story beats common to the majority of narratives, and illustrates their use through some much loved modern novels. I needed to start somewhere in my writing, so I started here.

The notion of running a story from catalyst up to midpoint and through to finale was new to me, and reading Save The Cat prevented Softening becoming a ball of homogeneous narrative mud. I got an immediate appreciation for story structure, and now I see it everywhere; in the books I’m reading, in the films I’m watching, and in the life I’m living. Following the Save The Cat beats transformed my nascent novel and revolutionised my female lead. Out went the shy mousey character, and in came the passionate workaholic with anger issues; much more interesting. My story sprung to life. 

The author, Jessica Brody, asserts that every book will have these story beats. I’m not 100% sure about that – I can think of a number of books that don’t stick to this formulae. But I think that all genre books have this narrative structure, and most literary fiction do too. It’s fun to spot the story beats when you are reading, and really interesting when you can’t find them.

Honourable Mentions

Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland

Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes

Save The Cat isn’t the only way to structure a narrative. There are other patterns which work too, all based on the three act structure: a strong inciting incident, a midpoint turn and a finale. Here are a few more books on story structure that I’ve read, enjoyed and recommend.

Writing Craft

The Elements Of Style by Strunk, White and Kalman

The Elements Of Style is a classic style guide. It was originally written by William Strunk Jr in 1918 and enlarged and revised by EB White in 1959. It’s stood the test of time. Elements is short, punchy and gives solid advice for writing clean, precise prose. 

To write a novel I needed a story to tell, and the ability to tell it. Save The Cat helped me with the former, and The Elements Of Style helped me with the latter. Elements is a keeper, and when I’ve finished it, I’m going to flip it over and start it reading it all over again. I particularly recommend the illustrated version – by Strunk, White and Kalman. The paintings are absolutely gorgeous and gives me another reason to flick through this fine book – should I need another reason. Which I don’t.

Authorial Advice

On Writing by Stephen King

On Writing is Stephen King’s book on the writer’s craft. It’s divided into two sections; his memoir of being a young writer and subsequent breakthrough, and his specific advice to writers everywhere. 

On Writing is recommended time after time, all through the writing community. Within minutes of deciding that I was going to write a novel, I’d heard about this book. Stephen King is a hugely successful three draft writer, so when he tells me to cut ten percent of my first draft, I’m listening. And when he is recounts some hideous medical procedure he had as a child, I’m also listening, and this time I’m squirming. Full disclosure – I’m not a horror fan, and I don’t actually like his novels (sorry Stephen), but I love this book, and, for the first time, I appreciate what a fine writer he is. The man can just tell a story.

One final recommend is to get the audio book. Stephen King narrates, and I find authors reading their own work compelling, especially when it’s as personal as this. I liked this book so much that I bought the hardback too – just to have it and touch it occasionally.

Honorable Mentions

On Writers and Writing by Margaret Atwood.

This is another book that is best consumed as audio. Margaret Atwood narrates and you really appreciate what a dark heart she has – in a good way.

Reference

The Emotional Thesaurus: A Writers Guide to Character Expression by Becca Pulgisi and Angela Ackerman

The Emotional Thesaurus does what it says on the tin. It details over one hundred emotional states with prompts for internal states, physical signs, effects of suppression, escalation and deescalations. It ranges from acceptance to worthlessness, by way of dread, longing and schadenfreude. Now I can impress my friends by emanating dozens of finely tuned emotions at them. They’ll love it.

I write romantic fiction, and emotional states are my bread and butter. I often know what my characters are feeling, but the exact emotion eludes me. That’s when it’s time to browse the emotional thesaurus. And it’s not only sweet characters who wear their emotions on their sleeves that need it. Even the most icy character in the most hardcore science fiction story has an emotion in them somewhere, and will benefit from a flick through this book. 

Honorable mentions

Urban Setting Thesaurus by Becca Pulgisi and Angela Ackerman

The Emotional Thesaurus is one of a series of reference books from these authors. I’ve also bought The Urban Setting Thesaurus which I’m also finding extremely useful, and I’m tempted for the Rural Setting one too.

Inspiration 

The Art of Fiction by David Lodge

The Art of Fiction is a series of essays, written by David Lodge, a novelist and English Literature lecturer. Each essay focusses on a particular literary technique through the lens of a well-known book. There are fifty essays, including Unreliable Narrator (Remains of the Days), Time Shifting (Prime of Miss Jean Brodie), and The Stream of Consciousness (Mrs Dalloway). I’m unlikely to read some of these books (I find stream of consciousness novels unreadable) but it’s a pleasure to read about them. This book didn’t tell me how to write a novel, it’s not an instruction manual. It did immerse me in the long tradition of novel writing and I felt part of it. 

The Art of Fiction is the opposite of On Writing by Stephen King – I’ve never once heard anyone recommend it. It could be because this book is a few years old now, or perhaps David Lodge is a little bit out of fashion. Regardless, this book is lovely. 

Honorable Mentions

Author, Author! by David Lodge.

David Lodge is one of my favourite authors and I could recommend any of his books but I’ll restrict myself to just one. Author Author! is a fictionalised retelling of a period in Henry James’s life when he experimented with becoming a playwright. A wonderful book and another opportunity to be inspired by literature and story-telling.

Photo by Elin Melaas on Unsplash