There are many resources out there for writers, each looking at a different aspect of writing. Some will go into the nitty-gritty about how to structure a story or build a character. Others will go into narrative voice and points of view. And of course, you have the countless number of resources about punctuation and grammar.

Then you have all the genre specific materials that you might pick up along the way. For me, these include books about weaponry, criminal investigations, herbology, and, probably the most odd edition on my shelf, improvised munitions (complete with actual, functional recipes—thank you, U.S. Army).

If you're anything like me, most of the writing resources you have sitting on your shelf are books that you refer to occasionally. They're useful to have, but they aren't something that are an instant GO-TO for most things you write. Perhaps you've read them through cover to cover once, but they tend to sit on the shelf collecting dust.

But, there will be those books that you just can't do without. You love them so much that you seem to have accumulated multiple copies of them along the way. They are books that are so well loved that your paper copies (if you have paper copies of them) have little tabs added everywhere, marking important pages that you keep going back to. Or the electronic copies are annotated to the point of exhaustion.

And if someone asks to borrow that book... NO WAY! Get your own.

The following list of books is like that for me. These books are volumes that live within arms reach of my desk. For a few of them, I have both paper and digital formats, that way I can always have them with me when I'm writing. Regardless of the fiction genre you write, these books are beyond valuable.

(For the sake of openness and honesty, I don't get anything from promoting the books on this list. Sure, I have affiliate accounts to some of the bookstores for which I provide links, but that's it.)

Books for Show, Not Tell

Many fiction writers will be familiar with the mantra of show, don't tell. It's all about structuring the narrative in such a way that the reader gets to experience the story, rather than being told the story. Even if it's in the smallest of measures, there will be moments of show within your stories.

For me, there will be something that I'm trying to show, like an emotion, but I tend to either resort to using the same action over and over, or I struggle to think of other actions that might be signs of the same thing.

Well, never fear. The perfect resource exists.

The Thesaurus Series by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi comprises of books that contain lists relating to certain topics. Some of the items on the lists will contradict one another, but that's the joy of it. While one set of actions would actually suit one character or setting, another set works better for a different character or setting.

I have paper copies AND digital copies of the full set. Even when I'm in drafting mode of my own stories, I pull that book out multiple times a day and flick through to the particular emotion and run through that list. And when I'm editing client's work, I use it to help with different actions. My paper copies live within arm's reach of my computer. And the digital copies are connected to reading apps on my phone, my computer, and my kindle. That way I know I always have them with me when I'm out and about.

I can't recommend this book enough. It is the number one book that always seems to find the list of recommendations to other writers. (Hint: The digital copy of The Emotion Thesaurus (2nd Edition) is cross-linked to the other emotions, helping with the escalating and deescalating emotions.)

Copies of The Rural Setting Thesaurus, The Urban Setting Thesaurus, and The Emotion Amplifiers Thesaurus also sit lovingly on my desk, but it's The Emotion Thesaurus that I really can't be without.

If you don't believe me as to how useful these books are, just go and look at the sample pages. You won't regret it.

Can't Spell or Just Need Another Word

Do you rely on the red squiggly line? Do you look at a word that you know is spelled correctly, but no matter what it just looks wrong?

Are you told that you need to vary your verbs? Do you have a list of words that you seem to favor, so need suggestions on what else you can use?

Regardless of the genre, writers benefit greatly from having a dictionary AND a thesaurus on hand. But not all dictionaries or the thesauruses are created equal. Not only do you have UK vs US English differences, but there are other regional difference, AND sometimes the collection of words presented in the books is just not enough.

I strongly believe that ALL writers should have a dictionary and a thesaurus, but which ones?

For US English: Merriam-Webster

If you are writing in US English, targeting a US market, then you will want an American dictionary. The one that is most commonly used by editors is Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition. There is a companion thesaurus to this, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus, 2nd Edition.

I have both of these books within arm's reach for when I'm writing and editing. Saying that, it is actually the online version that I tend to turn to most often, as it is actually more up-to-date with more modern words that have yet to make it into the print versions of dictionaries. I have the app installed on my phone too, for when I'm out and about and unable to access the internet via my laptop.

For UK English: Oxford English

If you are writing for a UK market, you will want a copy of Oxford English Dictionary. However, be careful as to which one you actually buy. There are so many versions of Oxford English out there that one can go batty.

The best one for writers is probably the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. This one contains most words, with some added information, in a single volume, but it has none of the historical babble that you might find in the full 20-volume version of Oxford English.

(Dare I say it, the version that sits on my desk is The Oxford Minidictionary from 1988. I actually refer to my copies of Merriam-Webster more than Oxford English, but most of what I do is for the US market.)

For the Fiction Writer Wanting Stronger Verbs

For writers of fiction, there is another resource that will help you in your usage of stronger verbs. Activate is a thesaurus of verbs. That's it. There is nothing else in it. There is a small 22-page section at the front that explains what the added symbols mean for the various entries, but it's a doorstop of 743 pages filled with nothing but verbs.

It is NOT a dictionary. It is a true thesaurus. Look up one verb and you've got a list of synonyms and antonyms. The rest is up to you.

I have both the doorstop paperback version and the eBook version. (Hint: The digital version is hyperlinked between the different entries, making the eBook version highly user-friendly.)

Writers do need punctuation and grammar.

I will be the first to admit that punctuation and grammar can be the bane of a writer's existence. There are so many rules, and it's not just US English vs UK English. It changes from publishing house to publishing house. And country to country. Newspaper to newspaper. And sometimes there doesn't seem to be any rules at all.

It can do your head in, and trust me, many editors get bamboozled by some of the curve balls that the style guides throw our way.

Copyeditors will have likely have a copy of Chicago Manual of Style or New Hart's Rule (or equivalent). For most writers, these are overkill. However, there is a book about grammar and punctuation that was written for writers—and it's NOT boring.

Dreyer's English is specifically tailored to writers, explaining what the rules of grammar are, but at the same time showing you how to break all the rules and throw them out the window. (The example associated with ending a sentence in a proposition had me in laughing out loud.)

There are two editions of the book available: US English and UK English. The links provided on this site are for the US English edition.

Structure with notes is a thing.

As a developmental editor, a large portion of what I do is about story structure and plot elements. I have spent many years assimilating what information is out there on this topic. Some of it is... okay... while other resources are brilliant.

I am a fan of the resources developed by K.M. Weiland and Story Engineering by Larry Brooks, but I will gladly admit that these books are among those that sit on my shelf collecting dust. I pull them out occasionally when I'm trying to explain a concept to others and need something to help me, but I don't refer to these books in my everyday writing or my editing work.

However, Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder and Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody are different.

Both books talk about story expectations with a list of expected story elements depending on the type of story that you're telling. It is genre independent, and all fiction stories can be seen within the structures given in these books.

They also talk about the overall pacing associated with the three-act story structure, complete with percentage breakdowns and pictures.

For novelists, I recommend Jessica Brody's book, as this goes into more detail on how you might work with multiple POVs and other aspects of novel writing that you don't typically see in movies. However, the literary examples used can be obscure. The movie examples in the original Blake Snyder book actually made more sense to me, which is why both books are on this list.

I refer to Jessica Brody's book frequently within my editing (of both my personal stories and client work), checking notes and marked pages for elements of pacing and obligatory scenes. It's all about the developmental and structural aspects of the story.

Details are genre specific, but body trauma is the same in all humans.

The other books that I refer to all the time when writing are genre specific, except one: Body Trauma by David W. Page.

You might not go to the extremes that I do within my writing, but I have encountered many romance novels that have dealt with car accident victims. Stories of man vs nature might include frostbite or animal bites. Let's not forget sexual assault or battered wives. And on the more innocent scale, organ donors and hospital administration.

If your story touches on anything related to injury, even if it is just giving care to a recovering patient, then seriously consider this book. It is simple to read and nicely laid out. It gets to the meat of the information quickly, without lingering on all the gory details.

Other resources for writers

There are many books out there all talking about different things. Some are good and some are... not so good.

I maintain on this site a list of books that I would highly recommend to any writer. The list is comprised of those books and reference materials that I have found useful over the years.

The list is far from exhaustive. There are many books out there that other writers and editors highly recommend too. Some of those books haven't yet made the list, simply because I haven't had the time to read them. However, there are some books that I have read and honestly believe aren't good books for writers of all levels.

If your favorite writing book is missing from the list, drop me a line and I'll check it out when time allows.