I'm going to finish reading it before I revise my short story. After reading the chapter, "Come Right In: First Sentences, First Paragraphs," I finally understood what another writer in my local critique group was saying about my latest short story. She hadn't said it in the same terms, but what she'd identified later on in the story is a narrative hook that should've come at the beginning.
It's better on a pragmatic level than King's much-touted combo memoir and writing advice book On Wrting: A Memoir of the Craft.
The ones that I think would improve anyone's writing to the publishable level are the following. Don't even bother with any other books until you've internalized all of the techniques in these ones.
Stein On Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies
I'm going to finish reading it before I revise my short story. After reading the chapter, "Come Right In: First Sentences, First Paragraphs," I finally understood what another writer in my local critique group was saying about my latest short story. She hadn't said it in the same terms, but what she'd identified later on in the story is a narrative hook that should've come at the beginning.
It's better on a pragmatic level than King's much-touted combo memoir and writing advice book On Wrting: A Memoir of the Craft.
The ones that I think would improve anyone's writing to the publishable level are the following. Don't even bother with any other books until you've internalized all of the techniques in these ones.
* Stein On Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies
* Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print
* How to Write a Movie in 21 Days
* The Elements of Style
What are your best books on writing?