Our Summary First published in 1949, this dense, sometimes impenetrable, and somewhat controversial book on comparative mythology takes a tour through world folklore to tease out common themes and archetypes. What I learned From It What George Lucas was thinking when he wrote Star Wars. If you want to understand Hollywood’s obsession with this mode…

Our Summary Lists character traits to help you generate different types of characters and how these traits might manifest. Useful in conjunction with The Positive Trait Thesaurus. What I learned From It Helped me to write characters with more depth and think of a wider range of character types for my books. Claire G

Our Summary Lists character traits to help you generate different types of characters and how these traits might manifest. Useful in conjunction with The Negative Trait Thesaurus by the same authors. What I learned From It Helped me to write characters with more depth and think of a wider range of character types for my…

Our Summary A great one to dip in and out of if you find yourself repeating yourself in terms of showing-not-telling emotions. Gives lots of examples. What I learned From It Ideas to avoid repetition and alternative ways to say the same things if emotional reactions are repeated through the story. Claire G

Our Summary A breakdown of types of conflicts for your story and potential fall-outs for characters. Useful for sparking your imagination early in the creative process or if you feel that the stakes aren’t high enough when you’re writing. What I learned From It It opened my mind to different ideas and consequences. Claire G

Our Summary An oft-quoted reference for screenwriting, this book delves deep into story as a metaphor for life. McKee’s analysis of film structure is hugely insightful for novelists. He explores genre, character, theme and exposition in terms that are clear and thought-provoking. Beyond a ‘how to’ guide, this is a reference book that deserves its…

Our Summary With examples from bestsellers as well as from students’ drafts, Stein offers detailed sections on characterization, dialogue, pacing, flashbacks, trimming away flabby wording, the so-called “triage” method of revision, using the techniques of fiction to enliven nonfiction, and more. What I learned From It I got this in audio and it is like…

Our Summary Various children’s authors talk about craft and how they became professional authors. What I learned From It That it was possible to be a writer without being a god. It is a cherished book that sparked the possibility of being a writer for me. Trey

Our Summary Not a writing book per say, but an invaluable text for writers. That is, it’s dictionary structure means you can flick to a section and read about a specific body part you want to write about and read authentic body language positions/movements, etc. for each character. For example, you might might want to…

Our Summary How different blurbs work in different genres from an insider in the business (Willder is a Penguin books blurb writer). Lots of great examples in each genre in terms of what does and doesn’t work and why. Willder argues every word matters in a blurb, and so each has to count. Thus, she…