Please Note: The links on this page are affiliate links for books on writing I’ve found helpful on the journey. If you find this website/course helpful, please consider buying through my links. Full disclosure here.
To Plot a Story
To Write a Story
To Edit a Story
To Publish a Story
To Market a Story
To Plan a Story
Where Do You Get Your Ideas? by Fred White
Struggle to find worthy ideas for writing a story? Learn to grab them and develop them.
Writing the Natural Way by Gabriele Rico, Ph.D.
This book is a great beginning guide to mindmapping and freeing your muse to feed you your best ideas.
Writing on Both Sides of the Brain by Henriette Anne Klauser
Another very helpful approach to the concept of mindmapping. Express yourself fluently and confidently.
Return to Top
To Plot a Story
Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell
A book explaining story structure that makes sense to me as a half-plotter, half-pantser author.
Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson
This is hands-down the best over-all writing book for beginners. Clear and thorough.
GMC: The Building Blocks of Good Fiction by Debra Dixon
This slim book was a game changer for me. This is (almost) all the plotting I need before starting to write a story.
Return to Top
To Write a Story
Characters, Emotion, & Viewpoint by Nancy Kress
Very helpful book on all aspects of characters: building them, giving them a unique twist on life, and portraying them.
Beginnings, Middles, & Ends by Nancy Kress
If you want to learn how to catch the reader from the first sentence, paragraph, and page, this is the book for you.
The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman
This book gives a literary agent’s perspective on how you can help your manuscript escape the rejection pile.
Dialogue by Gloria Klempton
If you struggle with writing creative dialogue that drives each scene forward, this book will be sure to help.
Return to Top
To Edit a Story
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne & Dave King
Two professional editors give writers the tools to edit their own work, turning a manuscript from promising to publishable.
Revision and Self-Editing for Publication by James Scott Bell
Here are self-editing techniques as taught by an author and instructor, taking the intimidation out of the process.
To Publish a Story
Write. Publish. Repeat. by Johnny Truant and Sean Platt
The no-luck-required guide to self-publishing success by two who have walked the path and made their own luck.
To Market a Story
Platform by Michael Hyatt
A practical guide on building a platform in the 21st century from the former CEO of a major publishing house.
Advanced Book Marketing by EJ Thornton
How will interested readers find your book if they don’t know your name or your book title? It’s called inbound marketing.
Sell Your Book Like Wildfire by Rob Eagar
A marketing pro shows authors how to focus their promotional efforts on tasks that will get their book noticed.
