Writing Resources

Favourite Books on Writing

Writing Fiction – A Guide to Narrative Craft  (Janet Burroway)

A good primer, effectively covering the fundamentals.

The Art of Fiction – Notes on Craft For Young Writers  (John Gardner)

Another book of fundamentals, a bit more wide-ranging, providing a few interesting side notes.

Self-Editing For Fiction Writers  (Renni Browne and Dave King)

Written from the point of view of editors.

Aspect of the Novel  (E.M. Forster)

A higher level examination of the anatomy of the novel.  Every other book on writing refers to this one.  A collection of lectures that Forster delivered at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1927.

How Fiction Works  (James Wood)

A guide to the inner machinery of the novel from one of the most respected literary critics.  Published in 2008.

 

Webpages and Websites

In his A Few Memos To Myself  Steven Heighton lists advice to young and aspiring writers.

http://www.stevenheighton.com/posts.html#AFewMemosToMyself

Favourites:

iv Allow yourself to enjoy it. Squash the temptation to accentuate, poeticize, wallow in the difficulties of the writing life, which are probably not much worse than the particular difficulties of other professions and trades. Take a tradesman’s practical approach to your development: quietly apprentice yourself to language and the craft, then start filling up your toolbox, item by item, year after year.

v Ignore Byron who wrote that “We of the Craft are all crazy.” He was largely right, of course; ignore him anyway. To romanticize The Writer as pursued by furies, enthused by Muses, beset by demons—this is nothing but professional self-importance and self-pity. Writers have no monopoly on poverty, humiliation, self-doubt, or aggressive inner demons. Close your door and get on with it.

 

Advice On Novel Writing  (Crawford Kilian)

http://www.steampunk.com/sfch/writing/ckilian/#16

Novel writing basics by Canadian novelist and longtime educator (now retired), Crawford Kilian.

 

Useful Links:

The Writer’s Union of Canada – http://www.writersunion.ca/index.asp

The Canadian Author’s Association – http://www.canauthors.org/

Kingston Art’s Council – http://www.artskingston.com/

Humber School Creative Writing Program – http://www.humber.ca/program/12231

Independent Author’s Guild – http://www.independentauthorsguild.com/index.htm