THE 5 BEST BOOKS FOR ASPIRING WRITERS
All Good Writing has these essentials: Mastery of Language and a Lively Imagination — Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo
I am many things in life — I’ve been a Supermarket and Department Store Sales Clerk. A food server for two well known fast food chains. An Avon Dealer and every part-time imaginable networking jobs I could find. Growing up with a single parent and struggling to make both ends mean seems becoming a writer is not in my horizon.
“There is no money in writing”, my mom would say as if what I was planning to do with the rest of my life is downright appalling. So I set it aside taking up journalism in college and I ended up taking a secretarial course, but hate every minute of it.
I kept coming back to my pen and notebook. Deep down, I wanted pursue my dream or die trying (well the latter might be too overboard).
Years later, a dash of miracle and determination, I was lucky enough to get a writing mentor who was genuinely interested helping me out and through him — my writing improved. But that is not a guarantee that I’m going to be published. I learn the hard way and may rejections later. However, that didn’t stop me.
To learn more or transform my writing to something else, I must learn the from other well known writers and their processes.
THE DIY APPROACH ON WRITING
For those who can’t afford writing workshops or classes. Books are one way of learning such craft. Ever since, I read “Salem’s Lot” by Stephen King, I was amazed by his style of writing as it scared me so much that I have trouble sleeping at night. I really wanted to know what makes him one of the best horror writers of the decade.
1. ON WRITING by Stephen King
The first half of the book is about how the great horror master started while the second half deals his writing process. He stated (page 139) “Good Writing consist of mastering the fundamentals: vocabulary, grammar, the elements of style.
“You have to read widely, constantly refining your own work as you do so.” (page 142).
Mr. King writes every day and starts on a project non-stop. He likes to get 10 pages a day consist of 2,000 words. Whew!
2. WRITING DOWN THE BONES
FREEING THE WRITER WITHIN by Natalie Goldberg
“Writers end up writing about their obsessions. Things that hunt them; things they can’t forget; stories they carry on their buddies waiting to be released.”
Her book is timeless and indispensable. The kind of book, you need it beside you when ever you need a burst of inspiration to keep you going.
Ms. Goldberg can’t emphasize enough the tools of the trade — -the notebook. She also advocates the use of a tape recorder to voice out your thoughts.
Since this was published in 1986, in the absence of a tape recorder. Using a voice recorder APP will suffice as most devices have already a pre-installed or there are lots of free for downloads found in Google Play and Apple Store.
From her, I learn that experimentation is the key or what ever works for us like a writing on drawing/sketching pad instead of an ordinary notebook. The show-don’t- tell method
3. BIRD BY BIRD
SOME INSTRUCTIONS ON WRITING AND LIFE by Anne Lamott
The book was divided into 4 parts, but while she discusses about plot, dialogue, it was perfectionism she stated that can ruin your writing (page 28). She also suggested using index cards to jot down your ideas and that we should always bring it with us where ever we go. Placing pens/pencils all over your house so it’s readily available for those moments that an idea might sprang up and you need to write something right away.
She stated that writing is a solitary existence, we should enrich our writing by talking with other people — -to take a break from our work.
4. CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE WRITER’S SOUL
Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Bud Garner
A compilation of different views and experiences a writer has to go through. This book compilation took 3 years to write. Knowing their creative journeys, struggles and inner turmoil when faced with a blank page all in the name of producing the best written work to inspire future generations whether it is a screenplay, a novel, poetry etc.;
One story that stands out from this book is the “Writer’s Song” when a victim of sexual abuse channeled her innermost thoughts and feelings by writing it down as way of coping her emotional baggage.
Another very inspiration story “Alex Haley –A Writer”, the author of “Roots” that years later was adapted to a made-for-TV movie series. This particular story is narrated by someone who knew him well and how he was a fantastic storyteller way before Mr. Haley has penned his Pulitzer Prize winning novel.
5. THE EVERYTHING CREATIVE WRITING BOOK
This is the perfect go-to manual for anything about writing. Treat this like the equivalent of a Swiss army knife as it covers the researching, planning, organizing stages. How to write a screenplay, setting up a blog, on when to use a Rhetorical Devices to spice up your writing. The different poetry forms and even how to overcome Writer’s Block.
What ever stages you are in your writing career — -these books are a must read and a perfect guides that will certainly help you become better wordsmiths.
