• Mastering the Process: From Idea to Novel by Elizabeth George (2020)
• Writing 21st Century Fiction: High Impact Techniques for Exceptional Storytelling by Donald Maass (2012)
• Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider Advice for Taking Your Fiction to the Next Level by Donald Maass (2002)
• 205 Things You Should Know About Writing by Chuck Wendig (2011) (Kindle only, adult language)
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (1995)
• Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules by Steven James (2014)
• Between the Lines: Master the Subtle Elements of Fiction Writing by Jessica Page Morrell (2006)
• The First Five Pages: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile by Noah Lukeman (2005)
• The First 50 Pages: Engage Agents, Editors and Readers, and Set Your Novel Up for Success by Jeff Gerke (2011)
• The Scene Book: A Primer for the Fiction Writer by Sandra Scofield (2007)
• The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot by Charles Baxter (2007)
• A Writer’s Guide to Active Setting by Mary Buckham (2015)

• Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book on Novel Writing You’ll Ever Need by Jessica Brody (2018)
• Structuring Your Novel: Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story by K.M. Weiland (2013)
• Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) by Lisa Cron (2016)
• Plot Your Novel From the Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between by James Scott Bell (2014)
• Writing the Heart of Your Story by C.S. Lakin (2014)
• Story Engineering: Mastering the Six Core Competencies of Successful Writing by Larry Brooks (2011)
• Plotman to the Rescue: A Troubleshooting Guide to Fixing Your Toughest Plot Problems by James Scott Bell (2019)
• Layer Your Novel: The Innovative Method for Plotting Your Scenes by C.S. Lakin (2017)

• Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland (2016)
• The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Psychological Trauma by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi (2017)
• Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors by Brandilyn Collins (2015)
• The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LeFever & Sue Viders (2013)
• Building Believable Characters by Marc McCutcheon (1996)
• Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery by Don Richard Riso (1996) (the main text is fairly interesting but the Appendix is especially helpful for writers)
• Creating Unforgettable Characters by Linda Seger (1990)

• Writing with Emotion, Tension and Conflict: Techniques for Crafting an Expressive and Compelling Novel by Cheryl St. John (2013)
• Mastering Suspense, Structure and Plot by Jane K. Cleland (2016)
• Mastering Plot Twists by Jane K. Cleland (2018)
• Elements of Fiction: Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell (2012)

• Intuitive Editing: A Creative and Practical Guide to Revising Your Writing by Tiffany Yates Martin (2020)
• The Last Draft: A Novelist’s Guide to Revision by Sandra Scofield (2017)
• Troubleshooting Your Novel: Essential Techniques for Identifying and Solving Manuscript Problems by Steven James (2016)
• Revision and Self-Editing for Publication: Techniques for Transforming Your First Draft into a Novel That Sells by James Scott Bell (2012)

• Light the Dark: Writers on Creativity, Inspiration, and the Artistic Process, Joe Fassler, editor (2017)
• The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron (1992)
• Writing on Both Sides of the Brain: Breakthrough Techniques for People Who Write by Henriette Anne Klauser (1987)
• Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg (1986 & rev. 2016)
• Writing the Natural Way: Turn the Task of Writing Into the Joy of Writing by Gabriele Lusser (1983)
• The Writing Life: Writers on How They Think and Write by Marie Arana, editor (2003)

• amwritingpodcast.com: Once a week, KJ Dell’Antonia, Jess Lahey and Sarina Bowen dive into a free-ranging discussion about all aspects of writing, publishing and promoting fiction and nonfiction. Fascinating guests add to the fun.
• helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com: K.M. Weiland’s website is a treasure trove of writing advice.
• jessicabrody.com: Jessica Brody’s blog and newsletter are always informative and engaging.
• LiveWriteThrive.com: C.S. Lakin’s website is full of timely and helpful writing advice.
• writershelpingwriters.net: Good content and a helpful list of recommended books on writing.
• diymfa.com: Lots of useful articles on writing and the writing life on this site.
• thecreativepenn: British author Joanna Penn provides a wealth of advice about writing, publishing and marketing your books.
• nybookeditors.com: Excellent source of guidelines about writing, editing and publishing your book.
• onestopforwriters.com: Lots of helpful tools and templates. They offer a free trial
• writerunboxed.com: Helpful blog and guest articles about writing and the business of writing.

• Jessica Brody’s courses from Udemy (udemy.com) are excellent. (Note: Udemy often offers discounts and sales.)
• Master Class (masterclass.com) offers several beautifully produced fiction courses with prominent writers like Margaret Atwood, David Sedaris, Joyce Carol Oates, Aaron Sorkin and Neil Gaiman.
• Jennie Nash’s Author Accelerator offers many well-organized and helpful courses, especially the “How to Revise a Novel” course and the shorter “Inside Outline” class. They also offer book coaching services.
• Jane Friedman’s blog and reasonably priced webinars on publication and promotion (at janefriedman.com) are excellent.
• Holly Lisle’s short inexpensive classes and her pricier “big classes” (at hollylisle.com) are engaging and thorough, especially “How to Write a Novel,” “How to Revise Your Novel” and “Thinking Sideways.”
• Gotham Writers Workshop (writingclasses.com) offers a wide range of online and in-person courses on all aspects of writing. It’s one of the oldest and best-known of online writing schools.
• Some bookstores and literary organizations offer online author readings and interviews. For example, check out the events schedule at the Book Passage bookstore (in San Francisco and Corte Madera, CA) and the Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C.

• Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum (2020). Highly informative and often hilarious.
• janefriedman.com: Jane Friedman is indefatigable in teaching writers about all aspects of the publishing industry, from query letters and synopses to choosing an agent and marketing your book. Her website and webinars are the best, and her book, The Business of Being a Writer, is equally helpful.
• queryshark.blogspot.com: For years, agent Janet Reid has examined and critiqued hundreds of query letters, and explained why they succeed or why they don’t. Invaluable.
• How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent by Noah Lukeman (2014) (helpful and free on Kindle)
• How to Write a Great Query Letter: Insider Tips and Techniques for Success by Noah Lukeman (2014) (free on Kindle)
• The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers by Betsy Lerner (2010) (a classic)

Best sources of information about literary agents:

• • publishersmarketplace.com: Pricey, but the most comprehensive source of information about agents and deals in the industry.
  • duotrope.com: Duotrope is an excellent source of information about small publishers and literary magazines. Lots of information about larger literary agencies, too.
  • querytracker.net: Query Tracker is a good free source of information and helps writers track their submissions.
  • pw.org/literary_agents: Poets & Writers magazine has a smaller but free database of literary agents.
  • manuscriptwishlist.com (and on Twitter: #MSWL): Agents explain what they’re looking for right now. (free)