Some of Melanie Jennings's favorite books on writing:

Writers on Writing: Collected Essays from the New York Times

Wild Mind, Natalie Goldberg

Poets & Writers magazine (in general)

If You Want to Write, Brenda Ueland

On Becoming a Novelist, John Gardner

The Courage to Write, Ralph Keyes

Surviving a Writerþs Life, Suzanne Lipsett

Zen in the Art of Writing, Ray Bradbury

Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott

On Writing, Stephen King

Read Melanie Jennings's Reviews of New York Times Bestsellers

On Writing Books
by Melanie Jennings, Ph.D.
Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved

On Writing Books will explore the brilliant (and sometimes tarnished) advice put forth in writing books. As a writer, what can you learn from these books? Are they for beginners or can folks with years of writing experience find something between the covers as well?

Writing rituals. We all have them. I’d bet that anyone who’s ever sat down to write anything–business plan, office memo, or the Great American Novel–has some little thing she must do before putting pen to paper or fingertips to keyboard. I’ve heard these rituals can include something as benign as getting a cup of tea or circling the desk twice, to something as punishing as scrubbing every wall in the house (seriously) or balancing one’s checkbook. Bottom line, every writer has his ritual. Mine? Well, it’s writing books–books about writing that famous writers have written. I have an addiction to them when I’m writing, that is, actively engaged with my novel or a short story, sticking to a regular writing schedule. (I’m not one who writes every day and I go through long periods where I write very little fiction–during those times, I don’t look twice at a book on writing. There’s too much else to read!) Under my most ideal writing circumstances (read out of paying work), I wake up, write for a few hours, and then dive into writing-book-reading for a few more hours. For me, they are a sustaining tonic, something I need to keep the faith alive as I trudge blindly through the emotionally and mentally taxing process of writing a novel. They are my personal writing group, full only of encouragement.

Please recommend to me your favorite books on writing:
MelanieJennings@WritersMonthly.com