Self-Editing for Fiction Writers - Book Review

As an aspiring writer, I occasionally read book on how to improve my work. This one was suggested to me by a co-worker and it is fabulous. Authors Renni Browne and Dave King go into detail about the major mistakes novice writers tend to make. These are things they, as editors, often ask their clients to change before a novel is ready for publication. Each section has numerous examples through which they explain what's wrong and how to fix it. The chapters all end with point form notes of things to look for in your own writing and exercises to practice what you (hopefully) learned.

The Table of Contents is as follows:
1. Show and Tell
2. Characterization and Exposition
3. Point of View
4. Proportion
5. Dialogue Mechanics
6. See How it Sounds
7. Interior Monologue
8. Easy Beats (points of action between lines of dialogue)
9. Breaking up is Easy to Do (paragraphing)
10. Once is Usually Enough (avoiding unnecessary repetition)
11. Sophistication
12. Voice

I found the earlier chapters the most useful (perhaps this is a commentary as to where my writing currently stands). I would highly recommend Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to edit yourself into print for anyone who wants to become a better writer.

The Author's Guide to Building an Online Platform

By: Stephanie Chandler

This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn how to promote their book using the internet. The book begins by explaining what a platform is and why having one - several months before your book comes out - is important. It is filled with lots of good advice from maximizing your hits on Amazon to planning a virtual book tour and has a large listing of online resources. Designed to answer questions both for self-published authors and those who have found a home at a publishing house, Stephanie Chandler includes author interviews to show how various techniques have succeeded or failed for others. She also includes templates to follow in creating your media press release and other important documents.

You can visit her website at: www.stephaniechandler.com

The Writer Behind the Words - Dara Girard

Subtitled, "Steps to Success in the Writing Life", Girard's book is a wake up call to people who think writing is a breeze, and an encouragement for those who know it isn't. If you're interested in getting into writing, I'd suggest this as a book that shows you the reality of the writing life. To give you an example, she lists six hard truths you have to understand if you want to be successful:
It doesn't get easier, Someone will always be better than you, Talent isn't what you think it is, You'll want to quit, You'll get criticism and There are no guarantees. The book also has tips on how to encourage yourself when the going gets tough (or when the rejection letters start arriving). The book ends on a positive note not to give up on your dream.

Sometimes the Magic Works - Terry Brooks

This is a great book if you're half way though a manuscript and starting to wonder if all the time and effort you're putting into writing are worth it. Half biographical, half instructional, the book is completly uplifting. It also reminds you that publication is as much about luck as it is about skill and makes you long for that time when editors actually had the time to, well, edit books.

Pros: lots of interesting anecdotes that illustrate the ups and downs of the publishing industry and encourage you to try regardless of your chances

Cons: not as much advice on writing as I personally would have liked, but an easier read than a lot of other guides out there

Writer's Resource Reading List

Again, I thought I'd do something different this month so instead of listing SF and fantasy books, I'm putting down some books you might want to read if your plan is to write SF or fantasy. This is by no means a comprehensive list. You can find shelves full of useful grammar books, thesauri, dictionaries and writer's guides. Here's just a sampling of what's out there. The ones with stars are books I've personally read and highly recommend.

The art of writing:
Elements of Style - William Strunk
Grammatically Correct: The Writer's Essential Guide to Punctuation, Spelling, Style, Usage and Grammar - Anne Stilman
The Borzoi Handbook for Writers - Frederick Crews & Sandra Schor
99 Ways to Tell a Story - Matt Madden
* 100 Things Every Writer Needs to Know - Scott Edelson
Author 101 - Rick Frishman & Robyn Freedman Spizman
The Frugal Editor - Carolyn Howard-Johnson

SF/Fantasy writing guides:
* How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy - Orson Scott Card
The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy: Alchemy with Words - Devin Park & Tom Dullemond, Ed.
The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy: Opus Magus - Tee Morris & Valerie Griswold Ford, Ed.
The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy: Author's Grimoire - Valerie Griswold Ford & Lei Zhao, Ed.
The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction: First Contact - David Law & Darin Park
Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy - Analog & Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction - Lisa Tuttle
Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy - Crawford Kilian
Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference - Writer's Digest
Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy Television - Joe Nazzaro
Writing the Fantasy Film - Sable Jak

On getting representation and being published:
* 2009 Writer's Market - Robert Brewer
Writer's Guide to Quieries, Pitches & Proposals - Moira Allen
How to Write Attention-grabbing Query & Cover Letters - John Wood
How to Get a Literary Agent - Michael Larsen
* How to Be Your Own Literary Agent - Richard Curtis
Be Your Own Literary Agent - Martin Levin
Calling All Authors - Valerie Connelly
Get Published!: Professionally, Affordably, Fast - Susan Driscoll
Contracts Companion for Writers - Tonya Evans-Walls
Copyright Companion for Writers - Tonya Evans-Walls

Encouragement / Enlightenment:
* Sometimes the Magic Works - Terry Brooks
On Writing - Stephen King
* The Writer Behind the Words - Dara Girard
L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest short story collections - these books are great. Not only do you get to see some winning stories, professional authors write essays about various aspects of the writing business.