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Writing question: "Which writing books have influenced you most?"

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And by “writing books,” let’s say these:

* Screenwriting books
* Books specific to the craft of writing
* Books re creativity

22 thoughts on “Writing question: "Which writing books have influenced you most?"”

  1. Writing Movies – Gotham Writer's

    Advanced Screenwriting – Dr. Linda Seger

    Both excellent references, though Film History by Bordwell et al is the most in-depth.

  2. I hate to say it (because the title is so Ronco/infomerical-ish) but Vicki King's "How to Write a Movie in 21 Days," which I discovered well over a decade ago, made all this seem possible. She was the first to basically force that movie I was carrying around in my head onto the page.

    And while I never laid down a script in 21 days, I did pull one off in 38 so, y'know, can't complain.

  3. I have an entire bookshelf full of books on writing, and that doesn't even include all the writing books I've checked out from the library over the years, but now I am scratching my head as I try to figure out which one has influenced me the most.

    All that comes to mind is a book by Ben Bova called The Craft of Writing Science Fiction That Sells. I can distinctly recall throwing it across my apartment while cursing Mr. Bova. I can't recall the specifics, but I was going through a rough patch in a relationship and Ben Bova must have written something that struck me as sexist. I sat down at my computer and stayed up half the night typing. It inspired me, but not in the way the author intended.

  4. That's awesome Alisa!

    I've read a fair share of Bova's fiction and while some of it is worthwhile, a lot of it is simply the endless ramblings of a hard-s.f. blowhard. He's a frustrating author because he has some fascinating ideas but they are interlaced with some of the most tired and antiquated conventions of the genre.

    And yes, you'd be quite correct in you assessment that the man is an utterly sexist swine.

    Could be worse, though… try L. Ron Hubbard's fiction some time… sheesh!

  6. "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield. Helps you to understand the role of Resistance in keeping us from our work. His orientation is toward battle and warfare, but has great insights into the dedication and focus needed to do your work.

  7. "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield. This revealing work, focused on overcoming the resistance we feel when tackling any project, is a quick, concise read. It opened my eyes to the many faces of resistance and offered practical advise for getting your work done.

  8. "The Art of Dramatic Writing" by Lajos Egri

    "Writing Down the Bones" by Natalie Goldberg

    "The Writer's Journey" Christopher Vogler

    "Adventures in the Screen Trade" by William Goldman

    "Making a Good Script Great" by Linda Seger

  9. A book I just discovered that became a desk side reference almost immediately is Story Structure Architect: A Writer's Guide to Building Dramatic Situations and Compelling Characters by Victoria Lynn Schmidt. I’m a visual person, so the diagrams depicting 11 story structures within the three act framework is invaluable in helping me craft outlines and synopses.

    The other main reference I use is Dave Trottier’s Screenwriters Bible. It may not have the answer to every formatting question, but it can point you in the right direction when it doesn’t.

    Additionally, some books that continue to be influential are Blake Snyder’s Save The Cat, Karl Iglesias’ 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, Denny Martin Flinn’s How Not to Write a Screenplay: 101 Common Mistakes Most Screenwriters Make, Dan Decker’s Anatomy of a Screenplay and last but not least, Aristotle’s Poetics for Screenwriters.

  10. Secrets of Action Screenwriting by William Martell is still my all time favourite, closely followed by Blake Snyder's Save The Cat! Then a smattering of others like The Anatomy Of A Story by John Truby, The Sequence Approach by Paul Gulino, Screenwriting 434 by Lew Hunter, Crafty Screenwriting by Alex Epstein – I could go on, I have shelves full of them and I learn at least one new thing from every book, but those are my favourite reference books.

  12. I enjoyed a book called Worlds of Wonder: How to write science fiction and fantasy by David Gerrold.

  13. David Mamet's
    "On Directing Film"

    TONS of good stuff for writers
    in that book.

    Easy read and well worth it.

  15. These writing books have influenced E.C. Henry the most:

    1. "The Hollywood Standard: The Complete & Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style" by Christopher Riley:" BEST book on explaning shot headings, and description I ever read. ANY formatting questions I have that's the 1st place I go.

    2. "Writing the Romantic Comedy" by Billy Mernit. IF you ever wanna write a romatic comedy Billy's chapter 6 "Structing Conflict" is a MUST READ. After writing a romantic comedy draft I like to use that chapter to grade-out how I did.

    3. "Formattting & Submitting Your Manuscript" by Jack & Glenda Neff, Don Prues and the Editors fo Writer's Market:" GREAT resource for the blueprint for what to put in a query letter. It covers a gambit of letters and proper forms to use — and it has a section as pertains to screenplay scripts.

    Occasionally I'll read exerpts from Alex Epstein's "Crafty Screenwriting," "Making a Good Script Great" by Linda Seger, "Screenplay" by Syd Field. And "Writing for Emotional Impact" by Karl Iglesias.

    YES, Borders knows my credit card real well!

  17. the only screenwriting book i've read so far that's been of any help to me is The Anatomy Of A Story by John Truby.
    Anne Lammott's Bird by Bird had definitely helped my prose writing though, and it's wickedly funny.

  18. A lot of great books in this list.

    @sid.dantes: Bird by Bird is awesome. Anything by Annie Lamott is awesome.

    If I could add one: "Trust the Process," by Shaun McNiff. Wonderful reading about the creative process.

  19. Screenwriter's Bible, of course.
    Adventures In The Screen Trade and Which Lie Did I Tell?
    anything by Wm Goldman.
    Save the Cat kind of offended me, in that it says that my script, any script, in a particular genre is a checklist to be filled-in with appropriate bits of grammar.
    Right now, I'm reading Story by McKee. I wouldn't be reading it if I didn't think it'd help me. I'm starting a group in L.A. to go through it.

  20. Thanks for both your thoughts on bird by bird – I picked it up at the bookstore the other day and couldn't decide whether to get it or not. Will go back and buy it for sure now. :)

  22. The Billy Wilder interviews by Cameron Crowe = must read. Paul Gulino's book on sequencing. William Goldman's books and scripts. The 2 collections of the works of Preston Sturges. To new writers I suggest STORY, SCREENPLAY, SCREENPLAY BIBLE, ART OF DRAMATIC WRITING.

    Recently I've enjoyed Pressfield's THE WAR OF ART. Good for motivation.

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