Book stack by Marcus Coates
Blog No. 30
By Marcus Coates, @homeinriyadh, 19th October 2024
Hashtags: #writersroom, #writerslife, #marcuscoates, #mcmindfulcontent, #creativewriting, #lifestylechoices, #writingcommunity, #nonfictionliterature #bookstochangeyourlife
Introduction
For a craft professional, such as a carpenter, using the right tools is fundamental to the quality of the work delivered. Some tools are indispensable, such as a tape measure, saw, and level, but also specialist tools — and rarely used — such as a dogleg reamer or stork beak pliers, are often acquired to meet specific tasks. For the writer, the same applies: essential items could include a computer, notepad and pen; however, over time, other items — or sourcebooks — are acquired to meet writing needs.
In the following three sections, I have listed ten books that I believe are useful in any writer’s toolkit. Part one lists the ten toolkit books and the authors' names, part two summarizes the content, and part three distils the book into its core usefulness and acts as a checklist.
Part 1: ten essentials for a writer’s toolkit
Here are my top ten recommendations:
Part 2: book, author and summary
Before reading on, and to avoid being prescriptive, I’d like to point out that each of these books represents a helpful tool or reference and could, therefore, be replaced with a similar book within that category. For example, item 1 could be swapped out for any number of excellent books on plot structuring, item 3 could be replaced with another grammar usage reference, item 4 is one of several style guides on the market, item 8 is a published drama that could be replaced with any other drama or screenplay that describes stage direction and dialogue, and for item 10, there are many great histories of literature available for inspiration. These ten categories represent the ones I own and return to from time to time to gain inspiration, research a technical term, clarify a usage point or help me develop a deeper understanding of the craft of writing.
Part 3: Core usefulness
Having summarized the content of each book, I have distilled my usage to one bullet point. In this way, when I’m looking to keep myself in the workflow, I can look at this checklist and decide what writing tool will keep me in the writing zone. Some of these tools I use regularly, such as Swan’s Practical English Usage and The Economist Style Guide, and others, such as Watt’s The Rise of the Novel, are there for reflective reading and to remind me that literature is an ever-adapting craft.
Final Reflection
The main point of the toolkit is to assist in developing a writer’s mindset and building confidence by knowing that the right tools exist to help write a great novel.
I hope you found this blog interesting. Before departing, I’d like to know what books you have in your writer’s toolkit or what non-fiction books you’d recommend. Please add to the comments section.
www.mc-mindful-content.com (Click the link to access the web page and navigate to resources and articles by tabs. Enjoy!
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