Hey everyone,
I’m not looking for beginner “how to write a sentence” type books, but for ones that actually improve storytelling, structure, voice, and overall craft. I already write fairly often, but I feel stuck in the “technically fine but not engaging” stage.
I’d love recommendations for books that go deeper into:
- developing a unique voice
- building emotional resonance in stories
- creating flow and rhythm in prose
- understanding what makes writing good rather than just correct
Any books that really changed the way you think about writing or storytelling? Fiction or non-fiction, doesn’t matter.
Thanks in advance!
by jordirob
6 Comments
Honestly past the technical stuff you really need to just read a lot, read broadly, and pay attention while reading to what does and doesn’t work.
I consider Underland by Robert Macfarlane ‘poetic non-fictional prose’. And I think Richard Powers is one of the best story builders.
* Malazan Book of the Fallen — Steven Erikson
* The Lord of the Rings — JRR Tolkien
* The Second Apocalypse — R Scott Bakker
* JR by William Gaddis
* Anything written by William Faulkner or Edgar Allan Poe
Stephen King is very good at making simple yet effective hooks in his writing. He’s also pretty good at pacing his stories. I would check him out for how to make a story feel like you want to see what happens next in a traditional cliff hanger style.
Another author you also may want to check out is Cormac McCarthy. His writing breaks a lot of traditional writing rules, and while I think he is an exception to a lot of those rules, he’s a good example of just how much creativity and depth you can find in writing that you won’t find elsewhere.
You might’ve already done.. Maybe worth looking into a class, there’s free stuff on Coursera.. or maybe a writing group in your area..
Another commenter mentioned reading widely and often which I agree with 100%
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
On Writing by Stephen King