Litopia Writers’ Reading List 2024
Peter Cox, founder of Litopia
I asked our members a simple question.
Which books have had the most profound impact on your development as a writer?
Here’s what they told me. A glorious cornucopia of more than forty definitive titles that ought to be on your reading list.
And note: if you buy them all (why not?) it will still be cheaper than taking one average-priced commercial writing course.
We’ve all enjoyed putting this list together, and we hope you get as much out of it as we have.
Peter Cox
Into The Woods: How Stories Work And Why We Tell Them by John Yorke
Our Summary
A structural guide to storytelling, plotting, punch, flow step by step
What I learned From It
Although such a step by step guide seems a bit prescriptive and in theory has the potential to limit the creative flow, I found that following the principles helped prevent a story from being a shapeless mass and made it take shape and form. A bit like a block of marble being turned into Michelangelo's David (although perhaps my results have been less classically terrific). Or a diving board: a structure from which to soar.
AliG
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Developing A Written Voice by Dona J Hickey
Our Summary
This dense work focuses on a directed attitude towards developing Voice. From conversational to formal, snarky to respectful, it's all about word choice and the way that language will both sound and convey meaning. The same words with the same meaning can nevertheless be ordered in different ways with a difference in the way they are perceived, the it is this that comprises 'voice'. Replete with concrete examples and pertinent exercises, this book is hard to find but well worth the search.
What I learned From It
All writers have a voice, but not all work at developing it - or even possess a framework for it. This book provides a framework and it's a book I will continue working through for years to come.
Dan Payne
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The Positive Trait Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman And Becca Puglisi
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 books.
Claire G
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