For Writers

These books have been recommended by successful authors and / or have been helpful to me personally. I hope you enjoy building your library.

Writing Classes I Recommend:

How To Think Sideways – Holly Lisle

Would you like your writing to take off in directions that surprise even you?

With this self-paced course, “How To Think Sideways”, full-time author Holly Lisle can help you whip your muse into shape with proven techniques that will open the floodgates of your creativity.

Every writer has read a book and wondered how the author came up with that plot twist, seemingly from left field. With this course , Holly is not only going to stimulate your idea generation, but will show you how to do it on a deadline. She will also show you how to effectively plan your projects as well as walk you through the beginning, middle, and ending sections of your novel.

This course, delivered in weekly lessons, includes:

- Monthly video that covers the month’s main topic
- Weekly lessons with assignments
- Weekly technique demonstrations
- Monthly checklist of all steps to take
- A monthly Q&A made up of questions taken from the course forums
- Private workgroups (optional)
- Class discussion forum to interact with other students

Writers spend hundreds of dollars taking courses to learn more about their craft. At $47 a month, “How to Think Sideways” goes above and beyond, showing you how to make the most of your imagination.


Books on Craft:

Beginnings, Middles and Ends – Nancy Kress

Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint – Nancy Kress

Description & Setting - Ron Rozelle

Write Great Fiction: Dialogue – Gloria Kempton

The First Five Pages – Noah Lukeman

GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict - Debra Dixon

How to Grow a Novel - Sol Stein

Immediate Fiction – Jerry Cleaver

Plot & Structure - James Scott Bell

Sin & Syntax – Constance Hale

Stein on Writing – Sol Stein

Story – Robert McKee

Techniques of the Selling Writer - Dwight V. Swain

The Writer’s Journey – Christopher Vogler

Word Magic for Writers - Cindy Rogers

Word Painting – Rebecca McClanahan

Writing Dialogue – Tom Chiarella

Writing for Emotional Impact – Karl Iglesias

Writing the Breakout Novel – Donald Maass


Books on Writing Romance:

The Art of Romance Writing – Valerie Parv

How to Write Romances – Phyllis Taylor Pianka

Improve Your Romance Writing Skills – Geneviéve & Michael Montcombroux

On Writing Romance - Leigh Michaels

The Romance Writer’s Handbook - Rebecca Vinyeard

Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies - Leslie Wainger

Writing the Great American Romance Novel - Catherine Lanigan

Writing Romance – Vanessa Grant

Writing Romances – Edited by Rita Clay Estrada and Rita Gallagher

You Can Write a Romance - Rita Clay Estrada and Rita Gallagher


Books on Editing and Marketing:

Book Proposals That Sell – W. Terry Whalin

Revision & Self-Editing - James Scott Bell

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – Renni Brown and Dave King

The Sell Your Novel Took Kit – Elizabeth Lyon


Links for World Building / Magic / Fantasy:

30 Days of World Building – Stephanie Cottrell Bryant

Magical World Builder’s Guide – Stephanie Cottrell Bryant

Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions – SFWA

How Much of My World Do I Build? – Holly Lisle

Online World-Building Resources – SpecFicWorld

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