Writing books is so much fun, but it can also be a daunting task, especially when you first start. When I first started writing novels, I put together a small collection of books to reference to help keep me on track and give myself the best chance at success. These books have remained essential to my writing process, and recently I have added a few more to the pile. If you are new to writing or just looking for some excellent writing craft and career books, here is a list of five books that every writer should have on hand.

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

Based on the script writing book called Save the Cat!, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is a book written for novel writers. It breaks down plot, structure, pacing, character needs and wants, and much more. Even now that I am more comfortable structuring books on my own, I still reference this book when I hit a roadblock or need some inspiration during my plotting phase. If you are new to novel structures and storytelling, this book is a must-have!

The Emotions Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi

The Emotions Thesaurus saved me when I first started learning to create characters and express emotions in writing. This book offers suggestions for writing emotional struggles that help add depth to your characters and provides various ways to describe those emotions via body language. This book is still something I reference when I come up blank while describing emotional body language, and it is a great resource to have around.

The Conflict Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi

Just like The Emotions Thesaurus, The Conflict Thesaurus is an excellent resource for those moments when you just come up blank. I use this one mostly when I am plotting books and building characters. It helps me a lot to go through the suggestions while I am plotting novels and characters to see if anything stands out, and it helps ensure my characters’ motivations are on point. It is a great tool, and I highly recommend this book for new writers.

Fight Write: How to Write Believable Fight Scenes by Carla Hoch

A new addition to my writing reference book stack, Fight Write is an epic guide to writing fight scenes. Written by martial artist Clara Hoch, this book is the first in her two-book series on how to weave realistic fight scenes and battles into your stories. After attending one of Carla’s talks at the Realm Makers conference last year, I knew I had to get this book, and I have not been disappointed. If you have fight scenes in your books, I highly recommend this book!

Fight Write Round Two: Crafting Chaos, Combat, and Crime by Carla Hoch

This second installment on how to write fight scenes goes even deeper, with details on using chaos in storytelling, building combat scenes, and writing about crime. This book adds to Carla Hoch’s first book with more epic and realistic details in this high-stakes element of writing and is an excellent addition to every writer’s craft reference material.

Happy Writing

I keep these books next to my desk at all times and regularly reference them while plotting and writing novels. If you are just getting started on your first novel or are a seasoned pro looking for great reference material, these books would make great additions to your library! Happy writing!