Books! Information is Key

Books! Information is Key

Lynette Townsend

Hello friends!

Please excuse my absence. I was traveling and spent a wonderful two weeks in Italy with my family. But I'm home, my jet lag is gone (yay!), and I'm ready to write!

My Writing Beginning

Thinking back to the beginning of my writing for children, I realized I had a huge learning curve. I knew joining a writer's organization and finding a critique group were good steps, but I needed more. For me, whenever I need to know about any given subject, my first thought turns to books. Any excuse to visit the local bookstore, right? Yes!

Make A List

We all know it’s easy to get lost in a bookstore. There are so many choices. Head to the Reference section to find books on writing. Some bookstores even make it easier by having a Writing and Publishing section. But before you find your spot, you’ll want to make a list of the books you need.

Your List

There are many choices when it comes to writing books. Here’s a list to help you come up with your list:

  1. How-to books on writing for your genre, whether it be writing for children, or historical fiction for adults.
  2. Writing Prompt Books - excellent for times when you're struggling to write.
  3. A Thesaurus. Oh, how I love a good Thesaurus!
  4. A book on punctuation. This type of book always comes in handy no matter how solid we are with grammar and punctuation.
  5. If you love to write in rhyme, a rhyming dictionary.
  6. Books about the method of publishing you're choosing. If you decide to go the traditional publishing route or with self-publishing, there are many books to help you.

My List

Need a little help with your list? here are my favorite books for you to check out.

  • Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul. This is absolutely my favorite book. I had the pleasure of meeting Ann while attending a small seminar at her house on the subject. She's lovely and so knowledgeable.
  • The Magic Words - Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults by Cheryl B. Klein. This is an excellent book filled with all you need to get started.
  • 642 Things to Write About by The San Francisco Writer's Grotto. Not only is this book fun to look at on the outside, it's also super fun to work with. It will wake up anyone's muse!
  • Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus. This hefty book makes me feel like a writer!
  • The Best Punctuation Book, Period. by June Casagrande. I love this book. It's easy to understand and gives you helpful sentence examples.
  • How to Self-Publish a Children's Book by Yvonne Jones, also known as Eevi Jones. If you decide to choose the self-publishing route, Eevi will become your best friend! Her videos are on YouTube under Eevi Jones. She will answer all your questions about self-publishing and writing for children. You will feel Eevi rooting for you as you navigate the self-publishing waters.

     

I wish you good luck as you start building your writing library. ☺

See you next week!

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