The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell

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I've read countless books on the craft, but James Scott Bell's are permanently a part of my library. Writers, you need to get your hands on this book! Here's my official review:

The thing I love most about The Art of War for Writers is that every writer, from newbie to seasoned professional, can glean from its pages. You can pick it up at different stops on your journey and learn something new. It inspires even as it spurs you on in your writing career. And that’s really the focus of this book—how to develop a career in writing. Says Bell, “The writer must understand the essentials of success for a long-term writing career, and count the cost accordingly.” What does that take? How do you overcome the obstacles along the way? The book’s short, meaty chapters share real answers to these questions and more. And while there’s certainly some how-to advice on the craft within its pages, Bell has already covered craft techniques in his two noteworthy books Plot & Structure and Revision & Self Editing. The Art of War for Writers is more a battle plan on how to beat the enemies we all face in our writing pursuits. Let’s face it—writing is a fight. But in The Art of War we’re shown that with the proper attitude and tactics we can be victorious. That’s something every writer needs to hear.

You can pick up a copy at Amazon.com here. It'll be a ten spot well spent!

Writer to Writer

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When I first started to learn the craft of writing I devoured every writing how-to book I could find. I learned so much in those first few years. But after awhile I had trouble keeping my perspective as a Christian author. Reading the now out-of-print Writer to Writer by Bodie & Brock Thoene helped me get it back.

Last night I pulled this worn book off my shelf, and was again encouraged by nuggets like this:

Has God put the desire to write in your heart? Have you honestly analyzed your motives and the level of your commitment? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you should, in fact you must, write!

But wait a minute, you say. I never made a bargain with God to become a writer. I've never traveled in foreign countries, or hobnobbed with famous people, or been recognized as an expert at anything! What can I possibly write about that anyone would want to read?

Notice how cleverly Satan moves in to interfere with your desire to write when it becomes a desire to serve God? Almost the instant you decide that you want to follow God's leading into writing for publication, the devil is right there whispering in your ear that you'd be wasting your time.

Satan isn't called the father of lies for nothing, you know. He wants you to think you have nothing of value to offer because you haven't had unique experiences or training. Baloney! Listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11:

To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

See? You have a unique perspective! No one has the combination of gifts of the Spirit in the same proportion that you do. No one! What's more, God has been leading you through experiences and circumstances that contribute to you being you and no one else. No one has all your memories. Even identical twins have some experiences they haven't shared.

If God is calling you to be a writer, then He will lead you from this point on. And you will soon discover that He has known all along that you'd have this desire and has been building into your life a whole set of unique events from which you'll be able to draw your own one-of-a-kind perspective.

Wow. I find this very encouraging! I hope you do, too. If you're interested in owning your own copy of Writer to Writer, it is available used at Amazon here. The submission and market info is dated, but the stories and encouragement are not.

The Fire In Fiction by Donald Maass

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The other month I saw an ad in Writer's Digest magazine for The Fire In Fiction: Passion, Purpose and Techniques to Make Your Novel Great by Donald Maass. Having read Maass's previous (and stellar) writing how-to book Writing the Break-Out Novel, I was immediately intrigued.
Hot off the press, The Fire In Fiction is now available! I wish I had a copy of this book in hand right now as I write my third novel, but I hopefully will soon.

Here's some info I found to whet your whistle at the Writer's Digest website:

About the Book

We’ve all read them: novels by our favorite authors that disappoint. Uninspired and lifeless, we wonder what happened. Was the author in a hurry? Did she have a bad year? Has he lost interest altogether?

Something similar is true of a great many unpublished manuscripts. They are okay stories that never take flight. They are unoriginal. They don’t grip the imagination, let alone the heart. They merit only a shrug and a polite dismissal by agents and editors. It’s almost as if the author is afraid to truly commit to the story.

It doesn’t have to be that way. In The Fire in the Fiction, successful literary agent and author Donald Maass shows you not only how to infuse your story with deep conviction and fiery passion, but how to do it over and over again. The book features:

• Techniques for capturing a special time and place, creating characters whose lives matter, nailing multiple-impact plot turns, making the supernatural real, infusing issues into fiction, and more.
• Story-enriching exercises at the end of every chapter to show you how apply the practical tools just covered to your own work.
• Rich examples drawn from contemporary novels as diverse as The Lake House, Water for Elephants, and Jennifer Government to illustrate how various techniques work in actual stories.

Plus, Maass introduces an original technique that any novelist can use any time, in any scene, in any novel, even on the most uninspired day … to take the most powerful experiences from your personal life and turn those experiences directly into powerful fiction.

Want to read an excerpt? Click here to learn:

• Why strong secondary characters are so important
• Tips for making sure that a character’s special-ness stems from his or her impact on the protagonist
• How to figure out which secondary characters deserve an elevated status