The Top Ten Books Every Fiction Writer Should Own

Search Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble and you'll find hundreds of books about how to write fiction and how to sell what you've written. I've scanned many over the years, even bought a bunch, but there are very few that I find myself going back to again and again. Here's a cross section of what I've found to be among the best.

1. The Art of Fiction by John Gardner

This book, while meant for beginning writers, contains insights that even experienced ones may find helpful. Among other valuable tidbits, Gardner offers good insight into plot structure and fictional time versus real time. Although it was written some thirty years ago, the advice is still current.

2. Bird By Bird by Anne LaMott

Every time I feel stuck, I pull out this little book. Anne LaMott, telling the story of how she came to writing, is human, funny, and most of all, gives me a good kick in the pants to stop taking myself so seriously and simply get writing.

3. On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft by Stephen King

This memoir is about how Stephen King got started writing, how he nearly quit writing, and how he got over his drug problems and kept writing. For instance, did you know that King was so high at the time that he doesn't remember writing Cujo?" Many writers have written books about how to write and this one, as well as LaMott's, are real standouts.

4. An Exceptionally Good Dictionary

And no, the on-line versions, for me at least, don't cut it. There's something visceral and writerly about taking down a weighty tome and flipping through the pages. Plus, as you might have already discovered, it's dangerous to rely simply on your word processor's spelling and grammar check. They're notoriously negligent.

5. Portrait of The Artist As A Young Man by James Joyce