Summer Reading for Writers (plus a #FlashbackFriday: Episode 269)

06/23/23 • 30 min

Two years ago, Jennie Nash and I (this is KJ) got into a debate about what was the best, most helpful book for a writer’s bookshelf. Almost instantly we realized that we couldn’t choose just one (although if we could, I suspect it’s Save the Cat Writes a Novel for me and Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit for Jennie, but even as I write that I’m having second thoughts in favor of Big Magic but I’m just SO ANNOYED with her right now because of the whole take-back-my-book thing) and, yeah.

Anyway. It’s summer reading time, and to my summer reading list I’ve added a few books about writing, starting with Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: A Way of Being and, yes. Twyla Tharp’s book (it’s taken me this long to get over my resistance but JENNIE IS ALWAYS RIGHT about these things) and adding, for a practical note, Save the Cat Strikes Back by Blake Snyder and The Trope Thesaurus from Jennifer Hilt. (Want my non-professional summer reading list? Subscribe to #AmReading.)

If you’re looking to add to your own professional summer reading, you can’t do better than going back to the series of summer episodes that Jennie and I recorded as a result of that first debate. They’re all listed and linked below, along with the books we discussed, and I’m putting the first of them (Episode 269) here—in which we debate, yes, Big Magic versus The Creative Habit.

Since then, Jennie’s published two Blueprint for a Book books: one each for fiction and nonfiction and, coming later this summer, memoir. They’re all EXCELLENT and highly recommended as well.

Working Bookshelf Episodes:

Inspiration (Big Magic versus The Creative Habit)

Plotting (Save the Cat Writes a Novel versus The Situation and the Story)

Productivity (Productivity with Deep Work versus From 2K to 10K)

Up Your Game (The Practice versus The Bestseller Code)

When You're Stuck (The War of Art versus Dear Writer You Need to Quit)

Getting Published (The Essential Guide to Getting Published versus

Since then, Jennie’s published two Blueprint for a Book books: one each for fiction and nonfiction and, coming later this summer, memoir. They’re all EXCELLENT and highly recommended as well.

Working Bookshelf Episodes:

Inspiration (Big Magic versus The Creative Habit)

Plotting (Save the Cat Writes a Novel versus The Situation and the Story)

Productivity (Productivity with Deep Work versus From 2K to 10K)

Up Your Game (The Practice versus The Bestseller Code)

When You're Stuck (The War of Art versus Dear Writer You Need to Quit)

Getting Published (The Essential Guide to Getting Published versus

Previous Episode

Satire: writing just below "over-the-top" with Jane Roper Episode 364

The book is The Society of Shame and one of the many, many ways you can tell it’s satire is that it keeps making people who don’t get it mad. Satire is fiction, hopped up on humor and then amped up by all the things that seem like they couldn't quite happen and yet you know they might. (Another commonality of good satire? The most outrageous bits are often the ones that come straight from the headlines.

The author is Jane Roper, who is also the author of a memoir, Double Time: How I Survived–and Mostly Thrived–Through the First Three Years of Mothering Twins, another novel, Eden Lake, numerous personal essays and humor pieces, and a very eclectic Substack, Jane’s Calamity.

She MAY be the first graduate of the famous Iowa Writer’s Workshop to appear on the pod, and we talk about that, as well as the parenting memoir ghetto. But mostly we’re focused on satire—what it is, how it’s really playing with fire, and why it still needs heart.

A few other satires mentioned:

Dietland, Sarai Walker

The Startup Wife, Tahmima Anam

#AmReading

Jane: The One, Julia Argy

Daughters of Nantucket, Julie Gerstenblatt

KJ: Ms. Demeanor, Elinor Lipman

Find Jane on Instagram - @writerjaneroper

If you love a good writing retreat—especially one that comes with good solid coaching and the chance to meet others who are working on similar projects—here’s one to check out. This fall, three Author Accelerator certified book coaches are offering Mainely Memoir, a retreat for women writers in historic Biddeford, Maine, held over three days in the gorgeous Maine woods in September, with one-on-one coaching both before and after the retreat. It’s the perfect opportunity to give yourself the gift of time and focus so that you can make real progress on your memoir this year. Find out more at www.mainelymemoir.com

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Next Episode

How to Start a Novel (and keep going) Episode 365

I did a call with a writer this week who really is just getting started, with a few short stories finished and dreams of the future, and after we talked at probably unnecessary length about the fundamental truth that writing is hard and you have to actually DO it, not just think about it and plan for it, so annoying, she asked me how I start a new project*.

This episode is my answer, pretty much—because I’ve just done exactly that. My first outline document for the book I’m working on is dated 2/15; I opened a scrivener doc in March, there were 3 chapters in early April and I’m heading to the finish line on the first draft as I write (which would be quite fast for me so please do note that it’s a very very very first draft).

So I have just started. Here’s how.

And here are links to last year’s Blueprint for a Book series, in which Jennie Nash and I talked about all the stages of starting all the things:

Find Your Why: Blueprint for a Book Step 1

What's Your Point? Blueprint for a Book Step 2

Who Will Read My Book? Know Your Market: Blueprint for a Book Step 3

Your Jacket Copy is Your Promise to the Reader: Blueprint for a Book Step 4

There Must Be Change: Blueprint for a Book Step 5

What's the Structure of Your Narrative? Blueprint for a Book Step 6

How to Drive that Narrative Forward: Blueprint for a Book Step 7

One Outline to Rule Them All (Even if You Hate Outlining): Blueprint for a Book Step 8

But Does this Book Work? Blueprint for a Book Step 9

How to Go From Planning a Book to Writing One: Blueprint for a Book Step 10

And—starting next week—a whole summer series on getting the IDEA, refining it, testing it, poking it and revising it. You’re gonna love it.

*And then she asked how to get an agent because... we are who we are, and everyone asks that!

LINKS

The Idea: The Seven Elements of a Viable Story for Screen, Stage or Fiction, Erik Bork

Save the Cat Writes a Novel, Jessica Brody

Blueprint for a Book, Jennie Nash

#AmWriting Prewriting Episode 178 #WriteFaster

Rachael Herron’s How Do You Write Podcast episode 376 with David Ellis

Do you get KJ’s Box of Chocolates email—for erratic doses of books and enthusiasms? If not, what are you waiting for?

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe