Writing is hard work. There’s so much to plot, plan, and imagine. I am all too familiar with the dreaded blank page and the details that feel impossible to weave into a story. But there are resources out there to help you reach your writing goals and aspirations. Here is my comprehensive list of books that can help you become the writer you want to be!
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
This book is not just for writers: it’s geared towards any creative in the arts and serves as a lifestyle guide. The Artist’s Way is divided into a 12-week program. Each week you read a chapter and get to do exercises/writing prompts. Painful stereotypes are placed upon artists, and much of the book is about unlearning these unhealthy thoughts.
The exercises help you get into a headspace for inspiration and creation. Cameron takes a spiritual approach to creativity and extensively writes on artistic “flow.” I took away so many insightful ideas from this book. You can get a lot out of it without fully adhering to the structure too.
Julia Cameron is a poet, playwright, and novelist among many other things. She has dedicated her career to helping unblock thousands of artists. Her latest work is Living the Artist’s Way a follow-up to the first book. This one reveals a fourth new tool to enhance your creativity.
Writing With Emotion, Tension & Conflict by Cheryl St. John
This is the perfect crash course on novel writing. A novel is such a complex piece of work, and St. John lays it out in an easy-to-digest way. She teaches you about conflict and motivation and how they drive the story along. There’s advice on backstories, plot, as well as effective character arcs. While The Artists Way deals heavily with the imagination side of a writer’s job, this book contains the nuts and bolts of practicing your craft.
Cheryl St. John is an award-winning romance author with over fifty published books. If you found this guide helpful, you can also check out another book she worked on called Creating Characters.
The Faith of a Writer by Joyce Carol Oates
Let’s face it: sometimes writers need a little bit of faith to get them through. And no one’s more qualified to tell us about it than the renowned Joyce Carol Oates. In this book, Oates incorporates some of her own experiences with writing. She includes a letter to young writers, a writer’s reading guide, and how to turn failure into fuel. Oates claims that talent isn’t enough to become a good writer. You have to be able to hone your craft. Hopefully, that reassures you on the down days when you feel like your writing is less than desirable. Anybody can succeed with practice.
Joyce Carol Oates is a Pulitzer finalist and National Book Award Winner. She is a respected short story, poetry, and nonfiction writer. In addition, she was a Creative Writing professor at Princeton University for over three decades.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
On Writing is a lovely mix of memoir and writing guidance, wrapped up by the brilliant horror novelist Stephen King. King describes his childhood and his path into the writing world. Fans of his books will love hearing the inspiration behind certain stories, and there are real tidbits of information to help you through your own journey. He encourages you to write solely to your ideal reader because you can’t please everyone and you shouldn’t try to.
Stephen King, dubbed the “King of Horror” has written over 65 novels, the most recent being Holly, a story about a private investigator set during the pandemic. He has won many prestigious awards including the National Medal of Arts and the Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
You can get to that word count. You can fix those plot holes. Even if you can’t see them, you have an army of writers rooting you on. You’re not in this alone, so wield that pen proudly.
Need a writing community to keep you motivated? Enjoy this guide on how to find one.
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