5 Excellent Books for the Beginning Novelist

If you are a young person--- or an older person--- thinking about a career writing novels, there are hundreds of books on the bookshelves beckoning to you, claiming to help you learn to write good novels. Most of these books will just take up space on your bookshelf. Here are a few worth reading more than once.

1. 'No Plot, No Problem!' by Chris Baty is written by the founder of the annual event National Novel Writing Month. In this event, people attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Not, perhaps, the way to produce the highest quality fiction for most of us. But this book includes a week by week account of the novel writing process, including the probable timing of the highs and lows of your noveling effort. It also offers good advice for ridding yourself of your 'inner editor', that critical voice in your mind that has so far kept you from writing.

This is a helpful book because it is based on real world writing experience, not only that of author Chris Baty but the shared experience of other participants of National Novel Writing Month. It provides very useful techniques for writers at all levels.

2. 'Writing the Novel from Plot to Print' by well-known mystery writer Lawrence Block is such a useful book that when I lost my copy, I bought a new one. It gives the would-be novelist a step by step guide to the writing process from the first idea through the sale of your novel to a publisher.

The reason that this book is such a gem comes in part from the fact that Lawrence Block is an actual working writer whose books have sold very well, and he has consulted with other such writers. Too many books on writing seem to be written by English teachers who have never had success writing their own fiction. In addition, Block seems to have a teaching talent that is not very common in writers, and really breaks down the novel writing process into steps that are relatively easy to follow.

3. 'Teach Yourself Writing Crime and Suspense Fiction' by Lesley Grant-Adamson is a very useful book even for those who want to write in other genres besides crime and suspense fiction. It's an actual writing course with writing exercises at the end of each chapter that will help you construct your novel.Unlike the other books mention, this one was written in England and so gives more of an international perspective.

4. 'Writing for the Soul' by Jerry B. Jenkins, author of the 'Left Behind' series, is not a step-by-step instruction book for writing a novel as are the books mentioned above. But still it contains a great deal of practical advice for the young writer, based on the author's experience writing over a hundred books.

It also contains autobiographical information about the author and his life as a writer. This too fills a need for the aspiring novelist. It really helps to see what the life of a real, working writer is like. And while Jenkins writes for the Christian fiction market, he seems to be much more broadminded than the evangelical stereotype and so this book would be comfortable reading for those of many faiths.

5. 'On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft' by Stephen King, is indeed a memoir rather than a how-to-write book which seemed to be what was originally intended. But along the life path of this bestselling author the reader can still pick up useful hints on the writing life. And, after all, it's Stephen King. Any hint of useful information from this mega-mecha-bestseller-a-saurus will be lapped up eagerly by any aspiring novelist.

The book is long on amusing anecdotes about King's childhood and young adult years but also does include useful information on revising and other aspects of the writing game.. He also gives a list of suggested reading that includes some very worthwhile books.

There are many more books on writing available that are actually of use to the beginning writer. After you've finished these five, you will better be able to pick out other books on writing that are winners rather than the ones that will give you nothing useful, or at worst, mislead you.

References:

Baty, Chris - 'No Plot, No Problem!'

Block, Lawrence - 'Writing the Novel from Plot to Print'

Grant-Adamson, Lesley - 'Teach Yourself Writing Crime and Suspense Fiction'

Jenkins, Jerry B. - 'Writing for the Soul'

King, Stephen - 'On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft'