Recommended Books for Beginning Writers

Being a good writer means you have to be a reader. Here are the top 5 books I've enjoyed during my writing journey!

1. The Only World Building Workbook You'll Ever Need, by T.M. Holladay:

   • World building is a crucial part of the fantasy genre. Whether you're creating a world from scratch or implementing new aspects into our real world, you'll need to make a list of everything you change. This book can help organize that!

   • Categories include: economy, history, politics, family structures, diversity, language, education, and so much more!

   • With this book, you're able to see your world in a whole new light and make the writing process easier.

2. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, by Jessica Brody:

   • This book is a classic must-have for any author. It walks you through plotting a book, complete with 15 "beats" or moments that must happen in your story.

   • You will also learn about themes, characters and their problems, and determining exactly what kind of genre your book is!

   • This book is perfect to help you create the bones of your story.

3. The Emotion Thesaurus, by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi:

   • If you've ever been in the middle of writing an emotional scene and have trouble coming up with a character's reactions, this book is for you! There are more than 100 emotions in here, and each one is listed with a physical signal, internal sensation, mental responses, and more.

   • This book is perfect to help you create realistic emotions for the character, and make the reader feel them, too.

4. Master Lists for Writers, by Bryn Donovan:

   • This book is great for inspiration. It discusses ideas for descriptions, plots, action scenes, dialogue, character names, character traits, and even motivation!

   • If you need an in-depth book about certain aspects of writing, this is a great go-to!

5. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Renni Browne and Dave King:

   • Editing is a topic that divides authors. You either love it or hate it. Regardless of your opinion, editing is a necessary evil.

   • This book reviews the following topics: The Art of Show and Tell, Characterization, Point of View, Dialogue, Voice, and more.

   • When the writing is all done, this book will be a reliable source to understand your next steps!