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
Negotiating With The Dead by Margaret Atwood
Our Summary
A collection of essays by a renowned writer on aspects of writing theory and how she became a writer. Entertaining and informative especially if you are already an Atwood fan.
What I learned From It
This isn't a 'how to write' book - it is about 'writing' in a far more general sense. It gave me plenty of food for thought.
Liz Brown
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The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
Our Summary
This is Hollywood story consultant Vogler's distillation of Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces. That is, it's a book on comparative mythology turned into a writing manual about the "Hero's Journey".
What I learned From It
See description in previous post of Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces.
Rich.
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It Was The Best Of Sentences, It Was The Worst Of Sentences by June Casagrande
Our Summary
Gets into the line level of sentences and what order you need to put words so you can help a reader follow what you put down on paper (or computer). From phrases, clauses, subordination, long v short sentences tense, tense, prepositional phrases, danglers and much more. Perfect for reacquainting yourself with the nuts and bolts of grammar.
What I learned From It
I learnt how to consider what order words need to be in, and how writing them out of order confuses the reader. Now every sentence I construct considers the reader first.
RK Wallis
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