Basic Books for Writers

Reading is an integral part of becoming a writer.  I advocate constant alert reading--that is noticing new items, differences from similar products, and differences from previous versions.  And I do mean read everything, not just  your writing format or genre.  Also read cereal boxes, food can lables, the front matter in phone books, letters to the editor -- keep your powers of observation sharpened and your evaluative skills at the ready.

Speaking of books, though, the Online Universities website suggests that all writers should have a grounding in literature. The basics it recommends:

• A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway: Published posthumously, this book details the time Hemingway spent in Paris along with other literary greats, like Fitzgerald, as well as insights into the psyche of the artist himself. 

• Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce: This fictional account of the life of Joyce is not only a good read but an interesting insight into the events that shaped the life of one of the world’s most acclaimed authors. 

• Poetics by Aristotle: This ancient Greek text is all about constructing the perfect tragic drama, but offers invaluable insights into the essentials of any genre of writing. 

• Walden by Henry David Thoreau: Check out this book to learn what it means to disconnect from society and focus on nature. Thoreau’s lessons on simplicity can be applied to the art of writing as well, where less can often say more.

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