misc.writing R e c o m m e n d e d R e a d i n g L i s t
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Last modified: 29 July 2002
As writers, we've all read some books about writing. Some of us have probably read too many -- even reading books about writing to procrastinate writing. For novice writers, this list should help you decide which books might help you along your way and possibly avoid wasting time with a loser. For you old hands, this list should help you pick a book to read while putting off rewriting your draft (you do have your draft finished, don't you?) of your earth-shattering, best-selling, blockbuster novel.
At first the list included reviews of only books, but there are so many other resources available to writers that the list now includes reviews of writing-related periodicals, market lists, Internet sites, and software.
In general, I use a bibliographic format for the list entries. Where possible, I have included some information that is not generally found in bibliographies -- ISBN, binding, price -- but is useful if you are trying to find or buy the listed work.
In association with Amazon.com, you can purchase books directly from the HTML version of the list by clicking on the books' ISBNs. The prices listed are in US dollars unless otherwise noted. (These are the list prices, you will often pay 20-30% less through Amazon.com.)
The general entry format looks like this:
Author, First Name. Title of Author's Book. Nth ed. City: Publisher, Year. ISBN 0-000-00000-0, binding, pages, price.
An example from the list:
Curtis, Richard. How to be Your Own Literary Agent. Revised and expanded ed. Boston: Hougised and expanded ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1996. ISBN 0-395-71819-8, trade paperback, 257 pp., $13.95.
Book entries include their binding method and size:
Magazine entries are followed by ISSN, the last known mailing address, and subscription rates.
One or more reviews follows each entry's bibliographic information. When the author of the review is known, I have listed the author's name and e-mail address following the review. (At the author's request, I will withhold either the e-mail address, or name, or both.)
I have grouped the subject areas together into logical sets. As I receive more reviews, I may subdivide some of the sections. Within each section, the entries appear in alphabetical order by the author's last name, when the author is known, and by editor or title otherwise.
Anyone who has read a book, magazine, or other work (including internet resources and software) about writing or the writing industry may submit a review to the list. You do not have to be a regular (or even occasional) reader of misc.writing to submit.
Please mail submissions directly to me at <jeffress@xmission.com>. Reviews should be concise and state the specific benefits and failings of the work. In your submission include all the bibliographic information listed in section 1.2. Especially important are the physical details of the book. I can look up most bibliographic details from the Library of Congress database, but I can't tell physical size, the price, or the number of pages. Indicate the category where you feel the entry belongs -- you've read the work so you know where it fits best. Please indicate if you do not want your name or e-mail address posted with your review.
Feel free to submit reviews of works that already appear in the RRL, especially if you have a dissenting opinion. Where additional reviews add new material or information about an entry, I will include the new entry.
Some entries have a one-line review that says almost nothing useful: "One of the best books in the genre. A really good read." Please send me new, expanded reviews for these entries.
Sometimes I receive lengthy reviews. In this case I silently condense the review and give the author full credit for the entry. I will also make small editorial changes to keep the style of the entries consistent.
No one will love every book. What works for one author may be detrimental to another. By including a variety of opinions, I hope to make it easier for you to choose a book that fits your needs. If there is a real bomb of a book, I hope to steer readers away from that title, rather than not give any direction through silence.
If you find errors in the list or know any of the missing details about an entry, please let me know. There have been several list maintainers and information may have been accidentally excluded or changed.
If you are the author of an entry and your address changes, let me know and I wur address changes, let me know and I will update your bylines. And if you are the author of an entry and it has not been attributed to you, please let me know.
If you read a review and have a dissenting opinion, please write a concise counter review or rebuttal. I will make every effort to give a complete listing of the various viewpoints. See sections 1.2 and 1.4 for information about submitting a review.
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©1996 - 2002 Terry L Jeffress