Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Bookshelf Makeover: Keeping Current

Does your bookshelf need a face lift? I know mine does.

We all have our favorite “How To” writing books on our shelves that we purchased years ago and still refer to on occasion. But there are many writing-skills books published each year by authors with new experiences, perspectives and ideas about how to be successful in our writing endeavors.

As writers, it’s important to keep informed not only about the writing and publishing industry in general, but also about the current resources for writers. Even if we have heard the same information from a different author, sometimes it takes the right thing said the right way by the right person at the right time to finally click in our head and put us on a new path toward reaching our writing goals. Keeping informed helps guide us toward better decisions in our writing and our writing careers.

To get a jump on what’s new, here are 10 books about writing due to come out within the next several months. They are available for preorder and will be published in both paperback and ebook formats.






Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction
Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd
Random House, January 2013

Lessons from a lifetime of writing and editing from Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Kidder and author Richard Todd. 
 


Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers
Mary Kole
Writers Digest Books, December 2012

Authored by literary agent and blogger Mary Kole.



Monkeys with Typewriters: How to Write and Read Better
Scarlett Thomas
Canongate UK, December 2012

Exploring how fiction works, this manual shows you how you can learn to understand it well enough to crack open any fictional narrative, and, if you like, start creating your own.



Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch: Let Verbs Power Your Writing
Constance Hale
W. W. Norton & Company, October 2012

A writing handbook that celebrates the infinite pizzazz of verbs.



Wired for Story: The Writer’s Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence
Lisa Cron
Ten Speed Press, July 2012

This guide reveals how writers can utilize cognitive storytelling strategies to craft stories that ignite readers’ brains and captivate them through each plot element.

Writing 21st Century Fiction: High Impact Techniques for Exceptional Storytelling in Modern Fiction
Donald Maass
Writers digest books, October 2012

Donald Maass heads the Donald Maass Literary Agency in New York City, which represents more than 150 novelists and sells more than 150 novels every year to publishers in America and overseas.

Where Do You Get Your Ideas?: A Writers Guide to Transforming Notions into Narratives
Fred White
Writers Digest Books, November 2012

Fred White is a professor of English at Santa Clara University, where he has been teaching courses in composition and literature since 1980.


The Arvon Book of Literary Non-Fiction Writing
Sally Cline
A&C Black, October 2012

The Arvon Book of Literary Non-Fiction Writing offers new insight into the critical impact and nature of this evolving genre, adding to the ongoing debate and offering valuable instruction to authors.

The Arvon Book of Crime Writing
Michelle Spring and Laurie R. King
A&C Black, October 2012

The Arvon Book of Crime Writing captures the essence of Arvon teaching into a practical handbook for writers, packed with tips and advice from leading novelists as well as reflections on the genre itself and practical instruction on great storytelling.

A Year of Writing Dangerously: 365 Days of Inspiration and Encouragement
Barbara Abercrombie
New World Library, June 2012

Barbara Abercrombie provides a delightfully varied cornucopia of inspiration — nuts-and-bolts solutions, hand-holding commiseration, and epiphany-fueling insights from fellow writers, including Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners and Abercrombie’s students who have gone from paralyzed to published.


So, get ready to discover new resources to add to your library. Consider getting ahead in the line by dusting off your bookshelf, sliding over the old favorites, and making space for the new.

Happy Browsing!




2 comments:

Kathy Cooney Dobbs said...

Bookshelf Makeover - what a fun, interesting topic ! I look forward to reading some of your book picks !

Jennifer Rova said...

I am always looking for new books on writing. It seems like there haven't been many good ones published lately. These look great. Thanks!