Top 3 Books on Crafting Stories (KaLyn)

One aspect of being a writer is reading a lot of non-fiction. While I love to learn, I don't like to spend time reading boring books. So engaging or short and easy to read non-fiction books are like gifts.

With that in mind, here are my top three-ish books on the craft of writing.

1) Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder

This book transformed my approach to plotting. I use it in the initial planning phase and during the editing process to ensure stories are hitting the plot points at the right time. It's sort, sweet, and easy to follow - even if you skim read it.

Be sure to check out Jami Gold's handy excel spreadsheet based on the approach outlined in this book.

2) The Emotional Thesaurus Series by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
If you struggle with telling or conveying the right balance of emotions, check out these books. They are the quintessential emotional reference guides for writers. I can't say enough wonderful things about them. They are always close by when I'm writing.

Oh, and don't skip over the beginning chapters in these books! They're packed with helpful tips.

3) Anything by K.M. Weiland

Every book of K.M. Weiland's on the craft of writing, that I've read so far, has been easy to read and helpful. Her books on Outlining and Character Arcs provide a lot of detail and insight without a lot of extra padding. 

What are your favorite books on writing?