Yes, but there must be balance. If you spend too long reading and not getting words on the page, you’ll never finish that novel.

I have more than sixty (yes 60) books teaching me how to write, and that’s without including ones specifically focused on writing a screenplay, writing poetry, writing a memoir. All sixty books are about writing a novel. I ought to be an expert…

It’s difficult to know what type of ‘how to’ book to recommend. Some writers like something practical, whereas others prefer more theoretical/academic tomes, or sometimes you might be searching for inspiration and tips. Making a short list was a challenging but here goes. I begin with books giving inspiration, move through those aimed at keeping you going and end with polishing your completed rough draft.

Here are ten books I recommend every writer to read

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth Gilbert also wrote Eat Pray Love. If you haven’t already watched Elizabeth on Ted Talks you’re missing out. Big Magic is all about creativity and how ideas work. Courage, permission, persistence and trust. This book will become your personal life coach and inspire you to write.

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

This book introduced me to writing as practice, a meditative Zen Buddhist exercise to be done every day. Natalie says, ‘write a little every day, fill a notebook each month’. It’s about writing as stream of consciousness, uninhibited, subtracting the rules, letting go. This concept is perfect as you approach Nanowrimo. Personal reflection rather than action packed, but enjoyable to read, and inspiration at whatever stage in your writing journey.

A Novel in a Year by Louise Doughty

You may know Louise Doughty – she wrote Apple Tree Yard, a highly successful BBC one series. I heard about Louise’s idea to write a novel in a year when I stumbled across her weekly column in the Daily Telegraph. I was working full time and it was helpful to divide the process of writing a novel into weekly tasks. Each week provides a short inspirational article, followed by an activity or practical exercise. By week 18 you’re really thinking about your plot, developing characters and managing your writing time. Spoiler alert – you won’t finish your novel by the end of the year, but I like the idea of breaking things down into manageable bite-sized chunks.

Wannabe a Writer? by Jane Wenham-Jones

This is a very funny, readable and chatty book full of practical tips and advice:

• How to write when there’s no time
• Planning on a wallpaper roll
• The tedious bits – punctuation and grammar
• Writing as revenge
• Avoiding writers bottom
• What to wear at your launch party

Hooked by Les Edgerton

My son bought me this. It explains how to write fiction that grabs the reader from page one. I love the concept, but the book is about so much more than just openings, taking you through inciting incidents, set up, foreshadowing, backstory, introducing characters, transitions, view from the agents’ chair. A pocket-sized bible for the novelist. Very readable and full of examples from book and film. I strongly recommend.

What If? by Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter

This is such a useful ‘dip-in’ book. I pull it from my bookcase, open anywhere and I’m immediately sucked in. 83 short chapters covering so many suggestions and exercises, it seems to cover everything. Opening it at random I find – ‘speech flavour, sounding real’ – making character voice sound genuine; ‘the inner life of characters’ – respecting your characters’ imagination; ‘changing your life’ – how to convert your own (boring) life experiences into fantastic ideas for stories. Indispensable.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

I have had this book recommended to me so many times. This book is a delight to read as it tells a story. It’s about approaching writing one step at a time, ‘bird by bird’. Anne addresses the shitty first draft, false starts, ‘how do you know when it’s done?’ Timeless.

On Writing by Stephen King

Stephen King is the master. How could I not include this book? Part biography and part ‘how to’. Another great read packed with useful tips and advice. ‘If you want to be a writer, read a lot and write a lot’. The writer’s toolkit, storytelling, dialogue, revising your work and much more.

Into the Woods by John Yorke

This is a serious and challenging book about how stories work and why we tell them. Three-act and five-act structures, scenes, showing and telling, characterization and dialogue are examined through the screen. Aimed at script writing, this book delivers lessons that can also be applied when writing a novel.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

This book is not placed last because I rate it last. It is last because it’s a useful read once you have a rough draft of your novel complete. So, this book would be perfect for after Nanowrimo when you need to knock your 50k into better shape. It covers how to turn your manuscript into a publishable book. There are chapters on show and tell, dialogue, point of view, interior monologue, writers voice… Lots of examples of good and bad versions. You can become your own editor.

I hope you enjoy these books. Which writing books would you recommend?

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So how are those New Year Resolutions going?

I’m not really a huge fan. You know how it goes: you start off so well, dead keen, then three days in and you’ve missed a few… before you know it, you’re writing the whole year off as a failure. But perhaps there are some resolutions you can make that won’t leave you feeling bad about yourself:

Call yourself a writer?

Yes, why not? Start calling yourself a writer instead of apologizing: ‘I’m trying to write a book, a poem, a short story…’ If you call yourself a writer, then you’ll begin to believe it. ‘I am a writer, and this year I’m aiming for a greater social media presence through my blog and articles.’

Give yourself permission to be distracted

Instead of complaining you don’t have time for writing, try reducing time spent on things that take you away from it. Is it watching TV? Be more selective about what you watch. Is it your Facebook or WhatsApp habit? FocusMe allows you to limit your sessions to a couple of catch up’s a day, rather than dropping in every few minutes. Don’t go ‘cold turkey’. Instead, give yourself permission for these habits, just don’t let them take control. And if you can’t write, then read more. Reading is always good – it’s all research.

Be kind to yourself

Your ‘self’ needs nurturing. Take yourself off somewhere: go for a walk; go sit in a café, ride a bus, and listen to what’s going on around you. Listen and observe – ‘stop and smell the roses’. How about taking Julia Cameron’s advice in ‘The Artists Way’ and take yourself off (alone) on an artist’s date: visit an art gallery; a museum; a NT property; a library…
Don’t beat yourself up if you have a bad day and not a word gets written. Start the next day afresh. And give yourself little rewards, i.e. if I write for an hour, I can have a cuppa and one of those chocolate biscuits still hanging around after Christmas…

Aim for rejection

A good writer friend shared this with me. Instead of aiming to get things published, then beating yourself up when you don’t, aim for a certain number of rejections for the year. Aim for one rejection a month and submit that poem, article, short story anyway. We all learn from our mistakes and you will develop a thicker skin ready for those harsh reviews that will come once you do get published.

Make targets not resolutions

Make a list of targets for the year. I love checklists. There is nothing quite as rewarding as ticking things off on a list. So, if like me you started 2017 with a cold rather than a list of resolutions, it’s not too late. Start that list now. Set yourself SMART targets – simple, measureable, attainable, relevant, time focused, and enjoying checking them off.
Article on New Year Resolutions? CHECK.

Suzi Bamblett

About the author

Suzi Bamblett is in the final stages of her MA in Creative Writing at Brighton University. Her two YA fiction novels are soon to be published as e books: The Changeling and Pearl Seekers, and she is working on two further novels: The Travelling Philanthropist – a time slip novel, and Prescient Spirit – a gothic psychological thriller. Suzi writes short stories and poetry, and has published in Brighton University Anthologies – Small Worlds (2014) and Reflections (2015). Inspired by Suzi? – Find more on her blog broodleroo and also read this article from Suzi.

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I can’t write in all this clutter

Clutter can be physical and/or psychological. It may feel like it is impossible to write if your desk is untidy. Your eyes travel further – around the room, the whole house, and before you know it the morning has gone. Even if you do tidy your desk, vacuum, load the dishwasher… there’s still the small matter of your cluttered brain telling you to walk the dog, pick up some shopping, pay a bill. Devise a schedule incorporating those ‘must do’ chores and writing time, allowing you guilt free blocks of time to get words on the page.

I can’t write unless…

For some writers, conditions have to be just right. You may need complete quiet – you can’t work if there are other people distracting you. Music might help – but don’t get distracted downloading tracks or reorganising your music library. Be organised and have your playlist sorted in advance. Or perhaps you just need a change of scene? Take yourself off to the library or your favourite coffee bar, where the buzz of conversation around you becomes white noise – you might even overhear a snippet of conversation you can incorporate into your latest work.

I can’t write until…

One method of procrastination that cunningly conceals itself as part of the writing process is ‘perfecting your technique’. Before you can write that masterpiece you need to know how to create believable characters, add tension or plot your novel. These skills can be developed by reading books, magazines and blogs on writing and/or attending writing courses. But be careful, this strategy is also great for ‘pretending to write’ – you can while away hours, days, weeks, even years…

However, the number one culprit of procrastination in my eyes is RESEARCH. Here you can justify just about any activity other than putting words on the page – googling characters names, locations and settings, historical events and dates, how to use a piece of equipment, your nom de plume – just in case you do get around to publishing. Use writing sessions for doing just that – getting words on the page. You can note down anything requiring research and do it later.

I can’t write – I’m just rubbish

Let’s not forget our critical friend, the self-editor. Sitting on your shoulder, having elbowed your muse out of the way, he whispers in your ear that everything you’ve written is completely rubbish. It all needs rewriting and you find you’ve gone over and over the same 500 words. Give yourself permission to write a first draft that isn’t that great – you can edit later. FocusMe can help by setting short blocks of time for you to sprint and ignore that critical voice. Try just moving forward without self-editing and send procrastination packing.

Did I forget something? Tell me in the comments below, what excuses do you find not to sit down and focus on writing?

About the author

Suzi Bamblett is in the final stages of her MA in Creative Writing at Brighton University. Her two YA fiction novels are soon to be published as e books: The Changeling and Pearl Seekers, and she is working on two further novels: The Travelling Philanthropist – a time slip novel, and Prescient Spirit – a gothic psychological thriller. Suzi writes short stories and poetry, and has published in Brighton University Anthologies – Small Worlds (2014) and Reflections (2015). Inspired by Suzi? – Find more on her blog broodleroo.

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