The five miracle books you never thought about
I’m an avid reader. I love flipping page by page to see what a story reveals to me next. Books remind me of early morning coffee, and passion. Without books my lust of storytelling like snow melts before the sun. We have to have books. They create movies, Broadway shows, and video games all express to us worlds unseen. The smell, the pain, and the written language that creates imagery in the back of our eyelids like dreams from books creates imagination.
Here are my five miracle books for you as a writer to a writer
1. The Elements of Story by Francis Flaherty
I first came across this book in one my college courses. But like every college student I threw it in the back of my closet and never dug through it. I never opened a page of this tiny book full of miracles for a writer. It took being out of college before my hands graced the covers of this gem among my collection.
The book is a meager two hundred and seventy four paged piece of worth it. Its written to help writers learn how to form better non-fiction books or articles. But I’m finding the juicy pieces of the book hold true even for fiction writers.
“Keep exploring your subject. The more you look, the more you see.” — Chapter nine, Flaherty
Just when you think your book is done. You could re-read it and find pieces of detail missing or parts that give too much in your story. This book is a must have miracle that we need because its full of the advice we need. Not the advice we want. If you haven’t already picked it up. I suggest you dig your claws into this, and not put it down till your eyes are fluttering shut in the wee hours of the morning.
2. The view from the cheapseats- Neil Gaiman
Wandering a bookstore I noticed a captivating title. “The view from the cheapseats” stood out because the design had an empty theater on the front cover with Neil Gaiman. I gabbed that book off the shelf so fast, and I have not regretted the choice since.
If you want a new perspective on the joys, and pains on creating authentic writing. Neil Gaiman is second best to Stephen King at it. But I do put his book first for a reason. The compilation is just already published articles, or essays that he wrote compiled into a book. But they are like gold underneath fools gold. At first, you are thinking this book won’t produce much worth. But you find the gold written as you read.
“We have an obligation to make things beautiful, to not leave the world uglier than we found it.”
― Neil Gaiman, The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction
Along the written path of this book you will find your heart for literature ripping open with a soul that screams I need to read this again.
3. Stephen King — On Writing
I have always had this fear of picking up this commonly read piece of literature. Its too mainstream. Swarmed with writers reading it because everyone else is. Not because they have a searing desire to learn more about their own craft. This book is another assignment from college that I threw it into my closet without hesitation. I recently went back to it to float through the short book.
I discovered why the book has found itself on every writer’s bookshelf with good reason. Stephen relates his writing experiences to his life. Its evoking, provocative, and full of drinkable language that sinks into our brain. His quotes are everywhere.
“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Brutal honesty is Stephen’s game. This is why it finds itself on my list as third. We need brutality in the writing world which is why The Game of Thrones is so popular.
4. The practice of Creative Writing- Heather Sellers
A simple book but simplicity can beat complexity on any day. I’m re-reading this book for a third time because it is fast, and enticing as its filled with exerts from stories, poems, and comics that you won’t find in another collection.
I breeze through the pages of this book but its such an airy and good read that you forget about time. Unlike the others, This book is littered with prose teaching, and not prose experience. There is a difference apparently.
“…writing is making a mess, and then working and reworking to create a beautiful piece.”
― Heather Sellers, The Practice of Creative Writing: A Guide for Students
5. Pay it forward- Hide Catherine Ryan
This a quick, short , and oddly intriguing read. A movie has been made after the fiction book became a hit. But the book itself tells a tale of a boy who goes around doing deeds with only one favor in return. For that person to return the favor back. If you haven’t read it take some to sift through it.
“In a world like this, you pay it forward, ’cause more than likely you didn’t deserve it when you got it the first time.”
― Mindy McGinnis, In a Handful of Dust
In writing context, this is my top five books that everyone needs to read. If they wish to improve their writing, or gather a better sense of their craft. I’m still learning, and I am no expert. But I assure you these books are worth the read.
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