We all need help once in a while. Some of us more than others (yes, I mean me). Below are some tools I rely on to the point of I can’t sit down to write unless they’re with arms reach:
A Writer’s Reference by Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-writers-reference-diana-hacker/1127607270?ean=9781319057442 This book is a little pricey – I stole mine from my son after he graduated from college – but worth the cost. It covers the minutia of every type of writing you can think of. Simple questions like ‘Should I use affect or effect here’ (yes, that was a legitimate question I had) are answered in this book. For someone who didn’t pay attention to any of the grammar lessons in school, this book has been a life saver. Search you kid’s bedroom, maybe they have one you can ‘borrow’.
The Creative Writers Toolbelt by Andrew J Chamberlain, now a book as well as a Podcast https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-creative-writers-toolbelt-handbook-mr-andrew-j-chamberlain/1127103945?ean=9781976168406 or https://open.spotify.com/show/7qTGcex2YmBJ6ZKN5gZs3R?si=EekSmjlbTpu4tq1S5EsV6w I started listening to the podcast while working from home and quickly had to stop because I kept interrupting the old day job to take notes. The first time around I binged listened – during non-work hours – for about two weeks and now I replay them slowly, to really absorb the information and advice from other authors, agents, editors etc. Andrew’s show has a great mix of creative writing lessons and interviews with a wide variety of people in the industry. You’ll learn about everything from using the five senses to create depth to your scene to how to approach an agent at a convention. I’m on the third replay now. Side Note: Andrew has stopped putting out new podcasts but he plans to leave the old episodes out there.
Creating Characters from The Editors of the Writer’s Digest https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/creating-characters-writers-digest/1135184246?ean=9781599638768 This book has everything you never knew you needed to know about building real, relatable and memorable characters. And some stuff on what not to do with your characters if you want the world to love them as much as you do.