Bird by Bird – by Anne Lamott
This book is a great starting point for new writers. The book comes across as both comedic and educational. There are many great tips such as the chapter dedicated to “Index Cards,” which translates to we Millenials as “the notes app on the I-Phone,” but you get the point. Other chapters include “Dialogue,”Shitty First Drafts,” and topics such as “Jealousy.” She gives advice on how to handle the success of others, as well as the inevitable letdowns any writer is bound to encounter. It is a short book, a quick read, and an unintimidating way for those new to the craft to dive right in.
On Writing – by Stephen King
Stephen King’s book “On Writing,” gives some background on the author himself and some tips on the craft of writing itself. Knowing Stephen King’s background is helpful in understanding rejection. He didn’t wake up one day, sit down and write a novel that everyone (including himself) loved. In fact, he hated that first novel and threw it away. The point is, that this novel helps a writer to understand that rejection doesn’t mean it is time to give up (or at least that’s the most important thing I learned from the book). Rejection is inevitable, for everyone, even the King of Suspense.