The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life by Noah T. Lukeman
From the literary agent and author of the bestselling "The First Five Pages" comes a groundbreaking new book on plot development.

Letters to a Fiction Writer by Frederick Busch
A collection of inspiring letters from some of our most renowned and respected fiction writers on the craft of writing and the writing life. Contributors include Lee K. Abbott, Charles Baxter, Ray Bradbury, Raymond Carver, Shelby Foote, John Gardner, Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike, Tobias Wolff, and Flannery O'Connor, among others.

How to Grow a Novel: The Most Common Mistakes Writers Make and How to Overcome Them by Sol Stein
Popular writing instructor, veteran editor, and bestselling novelist Sol Stein delivers the concrete, expert, dead-on advice writers crave. Sol Stein is one of the most popular writing instructors in America, teaching through well-attended workshops, featured appearances at writers' conferences, software for writers, on-line columns, and ongoing sales of his first guide, Stein on Writing. How to Grow a Novel is a workshop in book form. With examples, anecdotes, and a rolled-up-sleeves approach, Stein reveals the secrets of technique and craft every novelist must master.

The Spooky Art: Thoughts on Writing by Norman Mailer
In his latest outing, Mailer takes on a range of subjects with his signature candor, exploring, among other topics, the attractions and limitations of nonfiction, the pressing need for work habits, the pitfalls of early success, and the dire business of coping with bad reviews. But perhaps the most entertaining moments are those in which he takes on his fellow writers, living and dead.

The Art of Fiction: A Guide for Writers and Readers by Ayn Rand; Tore Boeckmann; Leonard Peikoff
In 1958, Ayn Rand, already the world-famous author of such bestselling books as Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, gave a private series of extemporaneous lectures in her own living room on the art of fiction. Tore Boeckmann and Leonard Peikoff for the first time now bring readers the edited transcript of these exciting personal statements. The Art of Fiction offers invaluable lessons, in which Rand analyzes the four essential elements of fiction: theme, plot, characterization, and style. She demonstrates her ideas by dissecting her best-known works, as well as those of other famous authors, such as Thomas Wolfe, Sinclair Lewis, and Victor Hugo. An historic accomplishment, this compendium will be a unique and fascinating resource for both writers and readers of fiction.

The Stuff of Fiction: Advice on Craft by Douglas Bauer
The Stuff of Fiction is a collection of lively essays by esteemed novelist Douglas Bauer on the tools of the fiction writer's craft. Based on his popular lectures as a core faculty member in the Bennington Writing Seminars, individual chapters examine the components of successful stories, from creating the first sentence to crafting a fitting ending. Bauer's primary focus is on three critical elements of fiction writing: dialogue, character, and dramatic event. He sees dialogue as an overheard conversation that has an inherent intimacy and power that should not be squandered by the writer. He discusses the challenge of creating characters that are psychologically complex, both flawed and sympathetic. He cautions new writers against overloading their stories with highly dramatic events--or avoiding them altogether.

Novel & Short Story Writer's Market: 1,900+ Places to Get Your Fiction Into Print by Anne Bowling; Vanessa Lyman
Inside this handbook, fiction writers will find completely updated market entries for book publishers, magazines, literary agents, contests and script houses, plus brand new information on e-publishers, including interviews with industry experts, editors of e-magazines and more.

Novel Verdicts: A Guide to Courtroom Fiction by Jon L. Breen
Himself a writer of mystery novels and short stories, Breen (English, Rio Hondo College, Whittier, California) updates and expands his 1984 bibliography with annotations of he novels simple listed before, and with new novels published through 1997. For each of the 790 works, he includes standard bibliographic data, a code for how much actually takes place in court (most are B for brief), outlines the plot, and evaluates the book as a whole and the trial scenes in particular. The arrangement is alphabetical by author; indexes are by subject/title/author, cause of action, and geographical jurisdiction.

Fiction Writer's Brainstormer by James V. Smith, Jr.
A right-brain reference for fiction writers, screenwriters, copy writers, and others, this book covers a wide variety of techniques to stimulate creative flow. The author supplies provocative brain teasers and provides information on polishing drafts into professional, salable works.

Novel Verdicts: A Guide to Courtroom Fiction by Jon L. Breen
Himself a writer of mystery novels and short stories, Breen (English, Rio Hondo College, Whittier, California) updates and expands his 1984 bibliography with annotations of he novels simple listed before, and with new novels published through 1997. For each of the 790 works, he includes standard bibliographic data, a code for how much actually takes place in court (most are B for brief), outlines the plot, and evaluates the book as a whole and the trial scenes in particular. The arrangement is alphabetical by author; indexes are by subject/title/author, cause of action, and geographical jurisdiction.

Narrative Design: Working with Imagination, Craft, and Form by Madison Smartt Bell
With clarity, verve, and the sure instincts of a good teacher, Madison Smartt Bell offers a roll-up-your-sleeves approach to writing in this much-needed book. Focusing on the big picture as well as the crucial details, Bell examines twelve stories by both established writers (including Peter Taylor, Mary Gaitskill, and Carolyn Chute) and his own former students. A story's use of time, plot, character, and other elements of fiction are analyzed, and readers are challenged to see each story's flaws and strengths. Careful endnotes bring attention to the ways in which various writers use language. Bell urges writers to develop the habit of thinking about form and finding the form that best suits their subject matter and style. His direct and practical advice allows writers to find their own voice and imagination.

The Key: How to Write Damn Good Fiction Using the Power of Myth by Raymond Obstfeld; Franz Neumann
Myths, says James N. Frey, are the basis of all storytelling, and their structures and motifs are as powerful for contemporary writers as they were for Homer. In "The Key, novelist and fiction-writing coach Frey applies his popular "Damn Good" approach to Joseph Campbell's insights into the universal structure of myths, providing a practical guide for fiction writers and screenwriters who want to shape their ideas into a powerful mythic story.

Write & Sell Your Novel: The Fiction Writer's Guide to Writing for Publication by Marina Oliver
If you want to write a novel, the second edition of this popular handbook is the guide you need. Step by step it shows you how to get started, how to create compelling characters, plots and subplots, and whose viewpoint to tell your story from. There are tips on how to prepare your work for submission, who to send it to and an overview of the whole publishing process. Don't start writing without it! Marina Oliver has published over 30 novels, historical and contemporary, and lectures widely on writing.

Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes by Raymond Obstfeld
Shows how to create specific types of scenes -- action scenes, comic scenes, sex scenes and more -- then reveals how to link these scenes to form powerful novels.

The Novelist's Notebook by Laurie Henry
Laurie Henry nurtures writers throught the long and sometimes lonely task of writing a novel. Her 115 imaginative journal activities offer ways to approach every stage of the process from creating characters to shaping the story, from exploring themes ro revising and polishing. She helps writers develop a schedule, conduct research, benefit from bad days, even think of a title.

Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes by Raymond Obstfeld
Shows how to create specific types of scenes -- action scenes, comic scenes, sex scenes and more -- then reveals how to link these scenes to form powerful novels.

Narrative Design: Working with Imagination, Craft, and Form by Madison Smartt Bell
With clarity, verve, and the sure instincts of a good teacher, Madison Smartt Bell offers a roll-up-your-sleeves approach to writing in this much-needed book. Focusing on the big picture as well as the crucial details, Bell examines twelve stories by both established writers (including Peter Taylor, Mary Gaitskill, and Carolyn Chute) and his own former students. A story's use of time, plot, character, and other elements of fiction are analyzed, and readers are challenged to see each story's flaws and strengths. Careful endnotes bring attention to the ways in which various writers use language. Bell urges writers to develop the habit of thinking about form and finding the form that best suits their subject matter and style. His direct and practical advice allows writers to find their own voice and imagination.

Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks at His Craft by David Morrell
A bestselling novelist provides insights and advice learned during 30 years of writing and selling novels--insider secrets that are sure to help writers achieve the next level of literary success.

Complete Handbook of Novel Writing: Everything You Need to Know about Creating & Selling Your Work by Meg Leder; Writer's Digest; Jack Heffron
The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing is a compilation of the best articles and interviews from Writer's Digest magazine, books and annuals. Aspiring authors will find articles on the craft, art and process of fiction writing from such well-known authors as Sue Grafton, Richard Russo, Janet Fitch, Octavia Butler and Terry Brooks. They'll also glean a wealth of knowledge and advice from interviews with Kurt Vonnegut, Margaret Atwood, John Updike, Terry McMillan, Joyce Carol Oates, Tom Clancy and more! It's a comprehensive fiction-writing guide that tackles everything from crafting a story and using descriptive language to breaking through writer's block and getting an agent.

Marriage of Minds: Collaborative Fiction Writing by Nikoo McGoldrick; James McGoldrick
Part how-to book, part relationship book, Marriage of Minds presents the strategies and techniques you need for creating successful collaborations and successful fiction.

The Spooky Art: Thoughts on Writing by Norman Mailer
Novel & Short Story Writer's Market 2003 by Anne Bowling (editor)
On Writing by Eudora Welty
Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on Writing by Margaret Eleanor Atwood
Careers for Your Characters : A Writers Guide to 99 Professions from Architect to Zookeeper by Raymond Obstfeld, Franz Neumann
The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life by Noah T. Lukeman
Immediate Fiction by Jerry Cleaver
The Complete Guide to Editing Your Fiction by Michael Seidman
45 Master Characters : Mythic Models for Creating Original Characters by Victoria Schmidt
Hooking the Reader: Opening Lines that Sell by Sharon Rendell-Smock
On Writing by Stephen King
Fiction Writer's Brainstormer by James V. Smith, Jr.
The Writer's Digest Sourcebook for Building Believable Characters by Marc Mucutcheon
Writer's Guide to Character Traits by Linda N. Edelstein
Description (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Monica Wood
Dialogue (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Lewis Turco
Plot (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Ansen Dibell
Setting (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Jack M. Bickham
Conflict, Action and Suspense (Elements of Fiction Writing) by William Noble
Building Better Plots by Robert Kernen
Creating Fiction by Julie Checkoway
The Writer's Tool Box: How to Write Fiction and Non-Fiction That Will Sell by Patrika Vaughn
Writing the Short Story by Jack M. Bickham
Writing Fiction Step by Step by Josip Novakovich
Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew by Ursula K. Le Guin
Story Starters: How to Jump-Start Your Imagination, Get Your Creative Juices Flowing, and Start Writing Your Story or Novel by Lou Willett Stanek
Dynamic Characters by Nancy Kress
Six Walks in the Fictional Woods by Umberto Eco
Telling Lies For Fun & Profit by Lawrence Block, Introduction by Sue Grafton