While researching for books on writing, I found pages and pages of titles of top rated books using Google search. There are many sites detailing the "Top Ten Best Books for Writers." I saw similarities among the lists so I decided to do my own "Top Ten Books for Writers" based on these lists. I would never presume to tell writers which books are the best. But I can tell you the ten books that kept appearing in dozens of lists. I did not include any reference books such as dictionaries, thesauruses (thesauri is also correct I learned) or books on specific topics like screenwriting or poetry.
In order of most frequently appearing titles starting with the most often listed book:
1. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
2. On Writing Well by William Zinser
3. On Writing by Stephen King
4. Zen and The Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury
5. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
6. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
7. The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
8. If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland
9. Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark
10. Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose
Is your favorite book not among these titles? Please use the comment section to share the book(s) you have found most helpful. I had not read the number one book, Bird by Bird, so I bought it. With the exception of some unnecessary expletives, I thought Ms. Lamott's book to be informative in a story telling way which was unique and enjoyable. She has a good sense of humor and uses it well to illustrate her points.
Post je objavljen 20.10.2010. u 10:36 sati.