This isn’t quite a HaBO request about a missing book – more like a request for guidance. T. wrote and asked:
Would it be possible to ask you and/or your readers
which books provide the best advice on how to write a romance novel? Or what
advice authors who are writing romance would offer?I’m curious and perhaps some of your other
readers are as well. There are so many how-to books out there and just a
brief page through at the local B&N made it clear that some of them were too
vague to be of use and others too limited (advice on writing erotica,
for instance, that a plethora of published romances prove isn’t such great
insight after all). What’s an insecure “I’d like training wheels” writer
wannabe to do?
I am betting that many folks here will suggest joining your local chapter of RWA, especially if that local chapter is a strong one. My biggest suggestion: read a lot of romance. Note what you like, note what you don’t, and figure out why for both.
But are there any writing how-to books that have rocked your world, both for writing romance, and for writing in general? I’m curious what your opinion might be.
Two of my favorites mentioned, but I”ll reiterate: Stephen King’s On Writing, and Francine Prose’s Reading like a writer. I took intro fiction class at the Literary Loft in Minneapolis and the Prose book was the text book.
Thank you all! What great recommendations. Some of the books I was already familiar with but there were new recommendations that I am looking forward to reading as well. And, yippee, it is NaNo time, so the game’s afoot. Wish me luck!