Favorite writing resources

What is my favorite writing craft book? This is the question for this month’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog. I actually have a few. I have several tried-and-true inspiration resources and then a few new ones that I’m checking out.

First, the ones that I rely on: Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, Stephen King On Writing and The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

There are some just for specific genres like writing a mystery novel (which I am attempting to do): Writing and Selling your Mystery Novel: How to Knock ’em Dead with Style, by Hallie Ephron and Writing Mysteries edited by Sue Grafton with chapters by Michael Connelly, Tess Gerritsen, Tony Hillerman, Sara Paretsky and more. For a spiritual kick in the pants, I enjoyed reading The Art of Spiritual Writing by Vinita Hampton Wright. And, if you like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books, you’ll enjoy the quickly read How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author, written by Evanovich and Ina Yalof.

Last but not least, there are a few that I wish to read: Word Painting, A Guide to Writing More Descriptively, by Rebecca McClanahan and How to Write a Mystery edited by Lee Child, a handbook from the Mystery Writers of America.

I like both books on the craft of writing and those that inspire you to keep writing, whether it be in a journal, as a memoir or just the sanity-keeping blog. What are some books that you have enjoyed or have found especially helpful in writing fiction or non-fiction, whichever the case may be?