Rachel’s Recommendations
Recommended Reads:
A Fantastic Look at What it Means to Be a Black Teen
I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reader copy of Nic Stone’s Dear Martin, because she and I share the same literary agent. And because I’d seen everyone posting about her fabulous book, I asked for one of my own. I was not disappointed. Dear Martin is a...
An Important Book for Understanding Police Brutality and the Black Life
I finally got around to reading The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas, a #1 New York Times bestselling teen book that is currently being filmed for the big screen. And the only word I can think to describe it is shattering. In The Hate U Give, Thomas tells the story of...
9 MG Books Kids Should Read On or Around Halloween
In honor of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to do something different and highlight some creepy books for kids. My boys love to read scary stories. I do, too, as long as they’re scary stories written for children; my imagination can’t handle adult scary stories....
Writing resources
On Story
- Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting, by Robert McKee
I know this is a screenwriting book, but it’s probably the most comprehensive book on storytelling. A great resource! Dense reading, but full of great information. - The Hero With a Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell
Another dense read, but Joseph Campbell is one of my favorite commentators on story and story structure. Every writer should read this one at least once. - The Power of Myth, by Joseph Campbell
This was actually a series of interviews Campbell did. It’s better to listen to the audio version or watch the DVD. He’s so passionate about story, and that’s contagious!
On Writing (general)
- Wired for Story, by Lisa Cron
Great book on the science of the brain and how to craft well-told stories that will appeal to the storytelling side of the brain. I got this book years ago but still pull it out every now and then to refresh my memory. - Steering the Craft, by Ursula Le Guin
This one’s not so much a technique kind of book as it is a book reminding writers of their obligation to their readers. Some of her ideas are a bit old-fashioned, but most of them are still valuable today. - The Fire in Fiction, by Donald Maass
Another great one on creating books that appeal to readers. Again, I always read these kinds with a grain of salt–because my goals are a bit different, but we all want readers, so I think we can always find value in the suggestions offered, even if we don’t become hardcore users of them.