Gift Guide: Writing Craft Books:

If you are shopping for a writer this holiday season, one of the best gifts you can give them is a book on the craft of writing. Despite the lonely nature of writing, writers love to form strong communities and help each other out, and one way that experienced writers do this is through publishing craft books. As a writer myself, I love reading the advice of other writers, learning about their methods, and their lives as writers. There are dozens of books on this topic available, but here are twelve books that your writer would be happy to receive this holiday season.

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General Books On Writing

The books in this section offer advice or resources of a general nature that is suitable for writers of all kinds. These are a good place to start if the writer you are shopping for is just building their craft library and needs the essentials.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

No collection of writing craft books would be complete without mentioning Stephen King’s memoir, On Writing. Even if your author is not a horror writer, this book is full of advice on living life as a full-time writer. The book may be older, but Stephen King’s insights into writing are timeless. You may need to check if your writer already owns this one, but if they don’t, they will thank you.

The reissue is available on Amazon.

We’ve shared plenty of writing advice from Stephen King in the past because the legend always has so much insight that he can share.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

Bird by Bird is named after the advice Lammott’s father gave her older brother one night when he was struggling to write a report about birds – “just take it bird by bird.” I have only just begun reading this book myself, but it already reflects the advice that I like to follow when tackling big projects – one piece at a time. I am including it on this list because every search I do for great writing craft books includes this one. Like King’s book, it is part memoir, part writing manual, and a strong addition to any writer’s bookshelf.

Available on Amazon.

The Author Stuck List by Becca Syme

Sometimes writers get stuck. They struggle with what comes next, how to get their ideas onto the page, or suffer from full on writer’s block. This book, The Author Stuck List, is designed to help writers combat that stuck feeling. Divided up into six areas where authors often get stuck, this book covers a lot of situations. Along with this volume, the author, Becca Symes, has a whole series of other books that are great for writers and full of advice.

Buy The Author Stuck List.

 

A Good Baby Name Book

One of my biggest struggles as an author is naming my characters. That is why I spooked my husband one day by walking in with baby name books.  I like them because they give me inspiration for names beyond the same ones I keep recycling, and I can read up on the origins of each name so I can add extra meaning to some of my characters. The book pictured is just one example, as any detailed baby name book will do. Examples include:100,000+ Baby Names – Bruce Lansky, and The Name Book by Dorothy Astoria.

 

Just Write: Creating Unforgettable Fiction and a Rewarding Writing Life by James Scott Bell

James Scott Bell is a best-selling author and writing coach. This book is also aimed at writers who are stuck, not necessarily by writer’s block, but in their careers. Bell’s solution proclaims to be simple: “just write,” and with this book, he helps writers do just that.

Some of the more specific concepts that you’ll find in this one are:

”  • Brainstorm new concepts for your fiction and develop a believable premise.
• Create memorable characters that keep your readers coming back for more.
• Study classic & contemporary novels to improve your writing.
• Effectively market yourself as a writer.
• Manage your time to maintain peak efficiency.”

You can buy a copy here.

More Specific Craft Books

The books in this section are focused more on specific areas of writing that your writer might want to focus on. This was the hardest section to narrow down, but I believe that these books are solid additions to any collection of craft books. 

Fight Like a Girl by Aiki Flinthart

Fight scenes are something I feel like I am perpetually working on, and there are few books that take into account different body types. Not every fight is between trained, physically dominating men. Flinthart is a long-time martial artist and she uses that knowledge to discuss realistic fighting scenarios for writers. This book also has insights into fight scenes with men of different body types, too, not just female characters. Along with her other craft book, How to Get a Blackbelt in Writing, which takes everything she has learned in martial arts and how to apply it to writing, Flinthart’s writing advice is invaluable.

Buy it here.

Writing in the Dark by Tim Waggoner

If your author likes to write on the darker side of fiction, Tim Waggoner’s Writing in the Dark and its companion workbook, are the perfect gift for them. I have read through this book, and as a fledgling horror writer, I learned so much from it. Waggoner has written many novels and short stories, and he has filled this book with the wisdom he has learned from his career. 

If you’d like to know more about the author, you can read our Tim Waggoner Interview.

He’s also shared some of his advice on writing with us in the past that will help you get a better feel about what you can find in this book.

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression (Second Edition)

Naming a character is just the beginning; developing the character is the real work. The Emotion Thesaurus helps writers convey the emotions of their characters to their audience and goes beyond basic facial cues of smiling or nodding. This book discusses body language cues, thoughts, and how to show hidden feelings.

The second edition has been expanded to include 55 new entries and is available here.

 

The Art of the Short Story by Dana Gioia and R. S. Gwynn

Writing is not just novels. Many authors find success writing short stories, while others find them strangely intimidating. When I look for the best books on short story writing, this book is included on all of the lists. It is a bit older, having been published in 2005, but it contains stories from some of the world’s best short story writers. Along with the stories, it includes the writer’s commentary on their own fiction, making it a great hands-on tool for learning and a strong anthology.

You can buy a copy here.

The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker

There are so many books on structure that I could recommend for your writer such as The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell, or Save the Cat! By Blake Snyder, but I went with this one because it is about more than just structure. Booker posits that there are only seven basic themes that recur through fiction and examines them in detail. He also analyzes why we tell stories in the first place by looking at 5000 years of story-telling. This book will give your writer plenty to study in their writing journey.

Buy it here.

 

Inside Book Publishing by Angus Phillips and Giles Clark, 7th Edition

A lot of writers dream of getting published. Most of this list will help your writer improve your craft, but the final two I’ve included can help them get published. The 7th edition of Inside Book Publishing is scheduled for release on Monday, December 23, which is about as current as you can get for this 2024 holiday season. This book covers the main aspects of the publishing process and coverage of all sectors of the industry, including commercial fiction and even academic journals.

You can pre-order it here.

Successful Indie Author Series by Craig Martelle and L. J. Martin

My final recommendation for your author is actually a series of five books on becoming a successful indie author. Traditional publishing is not always the best route for everyone, and your author may be interested in self-publishing their work. We are long past the days when self-publishing was for people who could not get published, and a lot of authors find great success this way and enjoy taking charge of their career. This series can help them with that dream. Beginning with Become A Successful Indie Author, 3rd Edition, the entire series is available on Amazon.