My Heart is Booked Blog

It’s not often that I write about non-fiction, but this is a list of books I’ve been compiling for a couple years to aid me in my fiction writing. Let me begin by stating that I am an amateur writer in every sense of the word. I have never been published. I did not study writing in college. I am not affiliated with the publishing industry other than being an avid consumer of its products. That being said, these are books that I, an aspiring author, have found to provide the most assistance on my journey.

I am a fiction writer and this list best pertains to those following a similar path. However, some of these resources could be valuable to the non-fiction crowd as well.

I’ve narrowed my selections to 3 categories:

• Writing Your Book (grammar, style, plotting, etc.)
• Building Your Social Media Platform
• Querying

I regret that my list is lacking books that shed light on the publishing process including independent and self-publishing avenues. If you have any suggestions for books on these topics, please leave your recommendations in the comments.

Writing Your Book

Save the Cat: Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody is perhaps the most widely recognized book on plotting. Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, Brody has transformed the original Save the Cat screenwriting methodology into an easy to follow structural guide that will take your plot to the next level. A straight forward 15 step process complete with examples from popular culture makes this the perfect read to get your novel (back) on track. I also have an excellent plotting workbook that follows the Save the Cat structure that I got from Second Star Books. I highly recommend it if you are a visual person or like to mark up your books (it comes with a laminated “beat sheet” that you can write on again and again).

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr and E.B. White is a pocket-sized guide that has been on every writing major’s textbook list for over 100 years. The edition I have is the fourth edition. Full of gentle reminders about grammar usage and tips for creating ideal sentence structure, this is sure to be an invaluable tool to both fiction and non-fiction writers.

The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences by Sacha Black is a new (released in 2020) book designed to help you develop your craft by refining sentence formation. There is also an Anatomy of Prose workbook available that provides various exercises and prompts to help enforce the lessons contained within. This is 1 of 3 books (plus workbooks) Black published in a Better Writers Series. While I’ve chosen to include only this one on my list, the other 2 are worth checking out. You can even buy the whole set including workbooks for Kindle under $40.

Building Your Social Media Platform

Build Your Author Platform: The New Rules: A Literary Agent’s Guide to Growing Your Audience in 14 Steps by Carole Jelen and Michael McCallister is admittedly a little old (2014), but many of the concepts remain the same and can be applied to your current social media platforms. It is not completely unheard of for an author to get signed with absolutely no social media presence. However, those instances are few and far between. Nowadays, agents and publishers like to see that an author already has a devoted following or fan base. I’m sure it makes their marketing jobs a whole lot easier. At this point in time, in our tech-centered society, it just makes sense to make yourself as visible as possible and this book gives you several tips and tricks to navigate everything from Facebook to Podcasts to Blogs and more. It is specifically geared toward writers and even gives helpful hints for how to connect with readers and other writers on various platforms.

Blogging for Writers by Robin Houghton is exactly what it sounds like: a guide to blogging for writers. Not only does this tackle the basics of how to start a blog, along with various hosting options, but it also provides ideas for formatting, content, and sharing to help make your blog stand out to readers, agents, and publishers. I recommend this, even for established bloggers, if you’re looking to make the switch from reader-focused to writer-focused content.

Querying

The First Five Pages: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile by Noah Lukeman is the first book you should turn to when you’ve completed your manuscript and (think) you’re ready to start querying. For anyone who doesn’t know, querying is when you reach out to literary agents to find representation. The submission process various by individual, but most will ask to see only the first chapter or less of your manuscript. This means that you have only a few pages to convince that agent that you are worthy of representing. This book has everything you need to make sure that those first five pages are successful. Quite possibly the deepest you will delve into so few words, this book will guide you through voice, composition, style, tense, dialogue, and grammar; everything you need to make a great first impression.

Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, 28th edition: Who They Are, What They Want, How to Win Them Over. How anyone manages to query successfully without this book is beyond me. Herman’s Guide is updated and republished every year to reflect the ever-changing nature of the publishing industry. In it, you will find indispensable advice and strategies for querying including how to write a great pitch and where to find professional independent editors. It also includes a list of hundreds of active literary agents, what they want, and how they want it, so that you know exactly what to submit and which agents are your best chance at getting signed.

Those are the 7 books that I have found most helpful as an amateur writer. I know a few of these books are dated, but their content is still relevant.

Are any of you writers? Do you have any books to share on writing or the publishing process? Please feel free to drop your recommendations in the comments below.