#162. Book Recs: 5 Books Every Aspiring Writer Needs To Read

Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

One of the questions I get asked by a lot of aspiring authors is, “What books should I read to learn how to start writing a novel?” I get asked this question so often that I decided to turn my answer into a podcast episode!
Tune in to this episode to hear my take on the 5 best writing books that have had the biggest impact on me and the authors I work with. I’ll share what the books are, why I like them, and what kind of writer they’d be best for.
In other words, you’ll hear me talk about:

• [02:03] My favorite book for character creation—one that helps you dig deep into your character’s backstory to understand who they are and how they’ll show up on the page
• [05:28] The first book that really made things click for me, including things like how to write a well-structured scene and the importance of genre
• [08:23] One of the best books on plotting a novel that includes beat-by-beat breakdowns of ten different stories—yep, I’m talking about Save the Cat!
• [10:53] The only book I know of that breaks down an entire story on a scene-by-scene basis and shows you how every single part of the story works
• [15:09] A book that really changed the way I think about a story’s midpoint—not only what a midpoint is, but why it’s so important to the overall narrative

If you’re looking for another craft book to add to your TBR pile (that can also make you a better writer), you’re going to love this episode!
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🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Savannah Gilbo on Instagram
• Story Genius by Lisa Cron
• The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne
• Save the Cat! Writes A Novel by Jessica Brody
• Write Your Novel From The Middle by James Scott Bell
• The Story Grid Masterwork Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by Savannah Gilbo

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👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Chapters

1. Strategies for Writing a Novel (00:00:00)

2. Plotting Techniques for Writing a Novel (00:09:24)

3. Craft Book Recommendations for Writers (00:17:19)