We all know that the best way to become a better writer is to simply write! But, there are also books out there that have valuable advice and recommendations that can help you develop your writing skills. In fact there are tons of these "writer advice books" that cover the shelves of bookstores! The difficulty lies in sorting through which ones are from credible sources and which ones are not? I am hoping to help with that task!
My first suggestion to all beginning writers, has also been widely recommended by authors, agents, and publishers alike. Bird by Bird (Some Instructions on Writing and Life) by Anne Lamott is a helpful beginning book. In this book, you will find an honest account of the frustrations and celebrations that a career in writing can bring. The greatest lesson I learned from reading Bird by Bird was that to be a writer you have to treat writing as a profession. In life, you don't just go to work when you feel the whelm to, you have to show up for the hours you are contracted to, or you loose your job! If writers took their writing this serious think of what they could accomplish. Until I read this book, I was treating my writing as a hobby. I now keep records of how many hours I spend writing and researching and my writing goals. This has kept me accountable to my writing and made my writing much better!
Everyone of us take something different from the books we read. I would love to hear what you learn from this book!
4 Comments on Writer's Resources #1, last added: 3/3/2010
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Cool. I haven't read this book. Another to add to my list. :)
When it comes to treating writing as a job, I strongly recommend reading Dean Wesley Smith's blog. He's currently writing about a lot of myths about writing and publishing that can seriously derail a writing career. One of his repeated points is that running the numbers is an eye-opener. A manuscript page averages 250 words. A 90,000 word manuscript has 360 pages. If you can write 250 words a day, every day, that's a novel a year. And writing 250 words shouldn't take more than 15-30 minutes unless you're really, really slow. (And that probably means you're letting your inner critic have too much say.)
500 words a day? That's a novel every six months. A thousand words a day? Three months. A slightly higher page count per day and you still pound out a novel in these same time spans with weekends off! But you have to apply your butt to the chair and write....
GREAT!!! I have never seen it broken down like this! That is so helpful!!!
Bird by Bird is awesome! Great for any form of writing.
Nice post, and nice to internet meet you.