© Belinda Witzenhausen Originally published on Suite101.com May 25, 2007

There are a ton of really great writing books on the market today however there are five books that are great resources to those just starting out.

These books have most areas of writing covered ranging from business to inspiration, along with a good dictionary and thesaurus, they are all you will need to get started and can be found online or at your nearest bookstore.

The Elements of Style – 4th Edition

William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
Publisher: Longman
ISBN-13: 9780205309023

This is a must-have on every writer’s bookshelf. The Elements of Style is a classic that was first published in 1959 and is still widely used today. This book leads you through rules of grammar, principles of composition and also includes a section outlining the words most commonly misspelled. This is a book that you will use as a regular resource for years to come and is ideal for a beginning writer to a seasoned writing veteran.

The Writer’s Market 2007

Robert Lee Brewer, Editor

Publisher: Writers Digest Books

Revised August 4, 2006

ISBN-13: 978-1582974279

This annual book is for those who wish to break into publishing. The Writers Market has resources to thousands of agents, publishers and markets that can get you on your way. This book also offers great advice concerning how to write a book proposal as well as successful query letters, how to establish a freelance business and how to become a marketable writer.

Writing Tools – 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer,

Roy Peter Clark,

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Copyright: September 1, 2006

ISBN-13: 978-0316014984

Although just published last September, this book is definitely a book every writer should have. Poynter Institute Vice President Roy Peter Clark offers advice to those who are either beginners or established writers. Clark’s book is divided into 50 sections or “tools” which every writer should utilize. Each section lists strategies for incorporating the material covered in each section into your daily writing. This book covers everything from grammar to useful habits such as drafting a mission statement for your work.

Although this book covers some of the information that is available in The Elements of Style, it goes further by offering advice on character development, plotting, and the importance of creating a support group as well as being a great companion book.

The Writer’s Idea Book

Jack Heffron,

Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books

Copyright: May 2000

ISBN-13: 978-0898798739

Every writer encounters some form of writer’s block that may impair his or her writing projects. The Writer’s Idea Book is designed to get you past those blocks and enable the creative process to become a little easier.

In this book, Jack Heffron offers over 400 prompts to enhance your writing. Each section also offers sage advice on the creative process itself with chapters devoted to everything from “Enemies to Creativity” to “Leading a Creative Life”. This book will definitely teach you how to generate useable ideas for your projects and advise you on what you need to do to utilize them while writing.

The Right to Write – An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life

Julia Cameron

Publisher: Tarcher

Copyright: December 27, 1999

ISBN-13: 978-1585420094

The Right to Write gives you the tools to make the most of your creative drive. This book is composed of over 40 brief personal essays and exercises also known as “invitations” that are an endless source of inspiration. In The Right to Write, Cameron teaches you valuable tools to tackle problems such as procrastination, insecurity, lack of writing space and a lack of time. Cameron’s advice is valuable to anyone who has felt overwhelmed by the act of writing and helps you to break it down into pieces that are more manageable. This book is a favourite of many writers and will be a book you can revisit anytime you are in need of a dose of inspiration.

A library containing these five books is an investment in your writing life.

Read more: http://resourcesforwriters.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_writers_library#ixzz0K9OuoyHc&C

…a sentence! Come prepare!
The Merchant of Venice

We all can’t do what David Wroblewski did when he set out to write The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: a novel and go back to graduate school to study under Richard Russo when we decide to get creative. Most of us have many pressing day-to-day demands which paint our writing and creative ventures into a corner.

Maybe we get a half-hour before bed or a few minutes during a break at work to focus on our writing and the eventual distribution of our words. That’s why I wanted to speak with you about the writing community and The Writer’s Market. An annual directory of all things publishing, The Writer’s Market does exactly what it sets out to do – it tells you where and how to sell what you write.

Familiarizing yourself with the community of writers and opportunities available for those who have sought this form of expression can only ultimately be to your advantage. The Writer’s Market lists off contact information for most major contests and publications that accept submissions. Using the resources available, you can start to network with others in the industry. Making contacts who share your passion can save you time and money in the long run.

Along the same lines, there are hundreds, if not thousands of growing communities of writers online. Community members share new projects with one another and receive priceless feedback regarding everything from story structure to character development. Members can just as easily host a release party or participate in a book signing as well.

As artists, writers sometimes feel inclined to re-invent the wheel, learning everything the hard-way in a grass-roots marketing campaign. Getting in contact with the community that can help you appropriately focus your resources will not only help you develop as a writer, but as your own publicist as well.

The words expressly are “a pound of flesh.”
|The Merchant of Venice