Spring Break Books to Up your Writing Game
Quick and fun books to energize your writing practice.
The prospect of spring break lies before me, an unbroken 10 days of time without work to get in the way. Of course I’m going to do some writing. But I can’t write 100% of the time. I’ve got travel plans and there’s always that hour or so on the plane when you can’t have your laptop out. Or maybe I want something to read by the pool, or in the ski lodge as the case may be. Whether you are headed somewhere warm, or burrowed at home for a staycation, here are some books to add to your bag this spring break.
List requirements: Quick and fun writing books to energize your writing practice.
2K to 10K - Rachel Aaron
Want to write fast? Like really, really fast? This extremely quick read is full of practical tips on making the most of limited writing time. breeze through the core knowlege in about an hour, or outline a whole series using her step-by-step instructions over a few days.
How to Write a Novel: An Anthology of 20 Craft Essays about Writing, None of Which Ever Mention Writing - Aaron Burch
Sometimes you want to read about writing without really reading about writing. This essay collection contains some real bangers on persistence, finding joy, and learning to let go of imperfections. The essays are on skateboarding, riding horses, gardening, delivering mail, shooting baskets, knitting, stitching, running, and many more things that aren’t writing, except in this context they are.
Revisionaries - Kristopher Jansma
Ready for some literary hot gos? This collection deep dives into the stories behind the unfinished manuscripts of 20 of the last century's greatest writers. It’s fast, it’s fun, and it’s encouraging to read that F. Scott Ftizgerald’s first drafts were a hot mess and that Octavia Butler fell down a research hole.
The Art of X-ray Reading - Roy Peter Clark
Want to work on your reading? This entertaining book by Murder Your Darlings author Roy Peter Clark walks you through how to read a novel like a writer, extracting the writing advice hidden in your favorite novels. Read it, then read your favorite writer like you never have before.
Gentle Writing Advice - Chuck Wendig
Need a pep talk? Are the horrors getting to you? (Aren't they getting to us all?) Let Chuck Wendig sit you down and lay down some gentle words of wisdom on being kind to yourself, letting your writing lead you back to creativity, and not letting yourself burn out.
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