If You Want to Be a Writer, Read!
This week, as the final entry in this month’s series on Inspiration, I want to talk about the books that inspire me to write. They come in two forms: the fiction that inspired me to become a writer and that I still love to read; and nonfiction craft books that I go to again and again.
Fiction:
The Dark Is Rising – Susan Cooper (plus the other books in that series, but this is the one I first fell in love with). In fact, I even got sent to the principal’s office when I was caught reading it in class in 5th grade. Best part: I got to tell Susan Cooper this at an SCBWI conference years later. She laughed and said: “Good for you!”
The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings series. They’ve stood the test of time for me.
The Lymond Chronicles – Dorothy Dunnett. The writing skill in these books is still awe-inspiring. Character building and psychology; use of historical characters/setting/events/speech; point of view; sheer use of language – whew. It took multiple reads of all six books to get most of the story and references, and without the Dorothy Dunnett Companion you’d still miss many. I always feel like this series in particular never really found its place in the literature canon, but it has a passionate following.
Nonfiction:
Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind – Natalie Goldberg. These are still my favorites of her books. I love her conversational style and the short writing exercises are sure to inspire you to put pen to paper.
The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron. Not about writing per se but a course in how to live your best creative life. Principles and practices to return to again and again.
Bird By Bird – Anne Lamott. Gentle, wise, funny advice on writing.
Those are a few of mine. I’ve deliberately kept the lists short – the ones that instantly leap to mind when I think about needing some inspiration. Are there other works of fiction I’ve loved? Yes! Are there are craft books I turn to for guidance on specific issues? Of course! As soon as I post this I’ll probably think of a bunch of others I could list. Maybe I’ll do a Part II one day… because really, all kinds of books can be fuel for your writing. New ideas, new ways of using language, of telling stories, are all important for writing inspiration. Poetry is my go-to for imagery and language rhythm. Graphic novels help me visualize my story in a new way and focus on action and character. Nonfiction can teach me a lot about human nature. Pretty much any book on my shelf - or new ones I acquire - can be inspirational in some way.
What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments – I love checking out new books!
