To celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas from now through Epiphany and to advocate for the idea of reading books to support New Year projects, resolutions, and goals, I’m writing a series of posts with themed book lists for various popular resolutions. So far…
Day 1: Be More Fit
Day 2: Be Happier
Day 3: Be a Better Cook
Day 4: Be Smarter about Money
Day 5: Be More Purposeful and Get Things Done
Day 6: Be More Creative
Day 7: Be a Better Reader
Writing books! There are so many books about writing that it’s hard to make a list because there are just too many to choose from. I’m going to make it easier by listing what I read last year and what I intend to read in the next few months.
- Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder
- The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
- 45 Master Characters by Victoria Lynn Schmidt (it’s a book about characters, but there is a chapter about the feminine and masculine journeys that worked very well for me)
The theme for my reading about writing in early 2014 is emotion. How do I make my writing have a greater impact and effect on my readers? I have three books in my To Be Read stack on this topic. I’ve started all of them (I can tell by the post-it notes sticking out all over the place), but this year, I’m going to finish them. The first two were recommended by Alison Hawke of Quantum Tea, a local friend from the great NaNoWriMo community we have in St. Louis.
- Wired for Story: The Writer’s Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers form the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron
- The Comic Toolbox: How to be Funny Even if You’re Not by John Vorhaus
- Writing for Emotional Impact: Advanced dramatic techniques to attract, engage, and fascinate the reader from beginning to end by Karl Iglesias
What books have helped you become a better writer?
If you’re reading books to improve your writing in the new year (or for other goals, projects, and resolutions), join us at The New Year’s Resolution Reading Challenge!
