From the book: “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft.” 19. Take Off Your Pants by Libbie Hawker words–100,000 words = very long nonfiction book / long novel. The Four-Hour Work Week falls in this range. Millions of new blog posts and other pieces of content hit the internet every single day. Ann Handley’s book is a must-have guide that shows content producers what it takes to stand out in a space where competition is fierce. With an accessible style, she takes on everything from how to write to grammar and usage to best practices. Perhaps my favorite part is Handley’s formula for creating content with a focus on empathizing with the reader and telling a great story. This isn’t just a how-to-write guide, it’ll also help you uncover what to write. 2 Write Tight: Say Exactly What You Mean with Precision and Power by William Brohaugh A perfect resource for visual learners, this illustrated edition of The Elements of Style has taken the classic style manual to a new, more accessible level but kept its main tenet intact: make every word tell. The written content by Strunk and White has long been referred to as an outline of the basic principles of style. Maira Kalman’s illustrations elevate the experience and make it a feast for both the mind and the eye. Niel Fiore, the author of The Now Habit, says, “There is one main reason why we procrastinate: It rewards us with temporary relief from stress.” If you’re constantly stressed about your unfinished book, you’ll end up breaking your schedule. Instead, plan for breaks ahead of time so you stay fresh: minute breaks, hour breaks, or even multiple day breaks. 18. Remove distractions

Making time to hear your child read isn’t just good for their reading. Seeing words in print helps them to understand the words, to spell them, and to see how grammar and punctuation are used to make meaning. From the book: “If we’re free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running away from it.” 25. Mouth Full of Blood by Toni MorrisonWriting for a real purpose can be a great way to fit in some practice. Writing cards, shopping lists, or letters or messages to relatives can be motivating real-life reasons for writing, and can show children how useful it is to be able to write well. They will also learn that we use different writing styles in different situations. But if you're ready to get into the weeds, here are 40 of our favorite writing books. Books about becoming a writer 1. On Writing by Stephen King And just a heads up: if you dream of authoring a bestselling book like I have and you're looking for a structured plan to guide you through the writing process, I have a special opportunity for you at the end of this post where I break the process down. Bird by Bird” is an essential part of any writer’s toolbox. In this work, Lamott shares herself and her craft with readers, including anecdotes that tie the pieces together into all-around great writing. If you need help finding your voice and passion, Lamott’s advice is sure to spark creativity. 3. “Writer’s Market” edited by Robert Lee Brewer use simple organisational devices (for example, headings and sub-headings) when writing non-fiction

Some days, it’s easy to write. Some days, it’s incredibly hard. The truth is: inspiration is merely a byproduct of your hard work. You can’t wait for inspiration. The Muse is really an out-of-work bum who won’t move until you do. Show her who’s boss and that you mean business. 17. Take frequent breaks In the final full week of the course, it’s all about thinking about your endings. How do you finish your story in a way that leaves the reader fully satisfied? Be sure to find out what handwriting style your child is learning at school. Consistency is key, so it is important not to correct something that you think is an error but that is actually part of the style your child is learning. In this post, I'll teach you the fundamental steps you need to write a book. I've worked hard to make this easy to digest and super practical, so you can start making progress. When you’re reading non-fiction, talk about the features that make it easy to read such as headings, a glossary or diagrams.Sometimes writers take themselves too seriously. By allowing us a glimpse of her own human foibles, Anne Lamott takes some of the sting out of the things that cause writers grief, from perfectionism to insomnia. And she does it all with her celebrated wit and self-deprecating humor. It’s like having a crazy writer aunt to commiserate with. And you’ll learn a thing or two in the process. 9 Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within Natalie Goldberg From the book: “A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” 9. Sin and Syntax by Constance Hale Continue to encourage your child to draw, colour, paint, and do crafting activities at home using a range of different materials. These activities all provide opportunities to develop control, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. As the bestselling author of five books, I can tell you without hesitation that the hardest part of a writer's job is sitting down to do the work. Books don’t just write themselves, after all. You have to invest everything you areinto creating an important piece of work. Consistency makes creativity easier. You need a daily deadline to do your work — that’s how you’ll finish writing a book. Feel free to take a day off, if you want, but schedule that ahead of time. Never let a deadline pass; don’t let yourself off the hook so easily. Setting a daily deadline and regular writing time will ensure that you don’t have to think about when you will write. When it’s time to write, it’s time to write. 4. Write in the same place every time

Here are two simple truths— writing skills can be taught, and all good writers are also readers. What better way to accomplish two things at once than to read books about writing? No matter what stage you’re at in your writing career, Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones will help you write more skillfully and creatively. With suggestions, encouragement, and valuable advice on the many aspects of the writing craft, Goldberg doesn’t shy away from making the crucial connection between writing and adding value to your life. Covering a range of topics including taking notes of your initial thoughts, listening, overcoming doubt, choosing where to write, and the selection of your verbs, this guide has plenty to say about the minute details of writing, but excels at exploring the author life. We all have to start somewhere. With writing a book, the first phase is made up of four parts: 1. Decide what the book is about Now, it's time to get down to business. Here, we are going to focus on the next three tips to help you get the book done: 5. Set a total word count Combining entertainment with intellectual pursuit, Pinker, a cognitive scientist and dictionary consultant, explores and rethinks language usage in the 21st century. With illustrative examples of both great and not-so-great linguistic constructions, Pinker breaks down the art of writing and gives a gentle but firm nudge in the right direction, towards coherent yet stylish prose. This is not a polemic on the decay of the English language, nor a recitation of pet peeves, but a thoughtful, challenging, and practical take on the science of communication.For years, writing teachers have assigned “ The Elements of Style” to their students to teach them about grammar, structural writing rules and the principles of composition. Brushing up on the basics from time to time is critical for continually developing your skills, and this book contains simple truths that every writer needs to know. 6. “The Associated Press Stylebook” by the Associated Press From the book: “Free yourself of your device, for at least certain hours of the day — or at the very least one hour. Learn to be alone, all alone, without people, and without a device that is turned on. Learn to experience the purity of that kind of concentration. Develop focus, learn to focus intently on one thing, uninterrupted, for a long time.” 39. Essayism by Brian Dillon Getting down to the nitty-gritty details, Eats, Shoots & Leaves is a no-mercy tool kit for authors looking to master punctuation. As a former editor, Truss makes a case for proper punctuation and why we still need it, using examples from literature, history, and neighborhood signs to showcase the hilarious and sometimes disastrous consequences of getting it wrong.