“How to Write a Book” Book Recs

Most people come to the library to read books, but did you know it’s also a great place to write them?

First and foremost, libraries provide a wonderfully inspiring environment to sit down and write. And if you’re like me and you end up with pages and pages of notes, some of the big tables are really nice to spread all papers out on.

It’s also nice to have access to research material if you’re writing anything to do with history or non-fiction. I don’t know about you, but something about a physical book makes the information stick in my head better, so I find it helpful to have access to just about every topic I could possibly want. Plus, when I’m browsing for one book, I see other similar titles around it that might also have information I’m interested in that I didn’t know about before.

There are also groups who meet at the library. I participated in a ‘Write In’ for National Novel Writing Month a few years ago, which is where writers come, chat for a little bit, and then work on our writing projects. (National Novel Writing Month, often called NaNoWriMo, is a challenge to write fifty thousand words in November). I still regularly keep in contact with the friends I made when I participated! Meeting with other writers is always helpful, both because they might have advice to help me out of a writer’s block, and because every now and then I need to talk with someone who understands what it’s like to try and write a book.

Libraries may occasionally host writing workshops, too. This last month, the Lawrence branch welcomed published author Judy Salcewicz for a discussion about the logistics of writing and submitting work for publication. And starting in May, West Windsor will be hosting teen workshops with a local author twice a month!

And we can’t forget the most important writing resource of all: books about writing that can all be found within the library catalog! Here are a few of my favorites:

Wonderbook by Jeff Vandermeer

This is a great book for worldbuilding. It really digs into the behind-the-scenes facts writers need to know before they even sit down to write their books. It is also beautifully illustrated - it’s worth checking out just to stare at the artwork, to be honest.

Several Short Sentences about Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg

My go-to craft book for writing killer sentences. I reread it every few years to refresh my memory and always seem to find something new and inspiring. My personal copy at home is half-covered in highlighter.

Save the Cat! Writes a novel by Jessica Brody

I will be honest, I have not personally read this one yet. It’s sitting on my To-Be-Read shelf. But, I have heard a lot of great reviews about this book, and it’s one of the most highly recommended craft books I hear about. It’s part of a whole series of different genres, such as screenplays and Young Adult books.

On Writing by Stephen King

This one is also still sitting on my To-Be-Read shelf, as it’s another highly recommended craft book. And come on, it’s Stephen King. This author almost has his own section in bookstores - he clearly knows what he’s doing.

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

This last book is a new one I learned about, and it’s been incredibly helpful in broadening my character’s emotional range. My first drafts are full of characters smiling, nodding, shrugging, and sighing, but this book helps me find other meaningful ways to express those same emotions without repeating the same words and phrases a million times. It’s really elevated my writing and I can’t recommend it enough.

- by Lydia, Administration Office