I can’t give you my list of best books on writing without also including those books written for self published authors. 

When I wrote my memoir I did not want to wait months for traditional publishers to accept or reject my book. I couldn’t wait. The memoir was a healing tool for me. My Mother had just passed away and she was the reason the book was born. So as part of my healing, I felt that the memoir had to be out there. I wanted to share my story with someone, with the world… with others like me that were grieving. I wanted to immortalized my parents by telling their stories, my story as a child, and the family dynamic that I always treasured. It was and is unique. At least, it is special to me and my siblings.

I wrote a book. Now what? I was clueless! But, as a writer, I am also a voracious reader and began to read anything that would educate me on the publishing process. I needed an editor. I needed a cover designer. I needed to learn to format my book. What did that even mean? I had to reach out to bloggers, reviewers, and media. The thought was overwhelming but the answers were out there… the pioneers of independent publishing. Here are the four books for self published writers that I read and read and then read some more:

• Write. Publish. Repeat. By Truant, Platt, & Wright
• Let’s Get Digital by David Gaughran
• Self-editing for Fiction Writers by Annie Dillard
• How to Make a Living with Your Writing by Joanna Penn

Those were my go-to’s, in addition to searching the internet and watching YouTube. Later, my library expanded and I read other books more niche. That’s it! That is all I needed to get started. Four books. I was not alone. And over the last few years some things have changed and thankfully, David Gaughran updated and revised “Let’s Get Digital” which I referenced a lot since I have the worst memory and some days I am a blank slate. More on that issue another time!
​

I came across an aspiring memoirist the other day and he really got me thinking about what helped me write my first published book, which happened to be a memoir. He had a lot of questions and felt lost. He did not know where to begin. I know the feeling! Well, this brings me to what I wanted to write about on my blog today…Books on writing. There are so many great books available on the craft of writing. Some are inspirational, others are technical— meaning grammar and the not so fun parts of writing a book. Here is my list of the books I wish I had recommended to that aspiring memoirist:

• On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
• The Writing Life: Writers on How They Think and Work by Marie Arana
• How I got Published by White and Lindsay
• Your First Novel by Rittenberg and Whitcomb
• Consider This by Chuck Palahnuik
• Woe Is I by Patricia T. O’Conner
• Robert’s Rules of Writing by Robert Masello

I own and have read all of these amazing books and refer to them often. At times I need a little pick-me-up from a successful author, other times I wrestle with the placement of a comma! And these books have helped me along the way— my writing companions that sit on shelves behind my desk. My other companion, is  my Maltipoo, Remi. He lays down underneath my desk, by my feet.