October 20 is the National Day on Writing, a celebration of all sorts of writing from grocery lists and memos to odes and sprawling epics. It is also a fun day for those of us who delight in the possibilities of a blank page. In the mood to take up the pen or hammer away at your keyboard? The Lititz Public Library is the perfect place to find inspiration.
For Kids:
“Kids Write! Fantasy, Sci Fi, Mystery, Autobiography, Adventure & More!” by Rebecca Olien.
Many writing prompts for different story genres and crafts for creating unique books and story props make this an artistic, hands-on approach to writing.
“Writing Radar: Using Your Journal to Snoop Out and Craft Great Stories” by Jack Gantos.
This is a fun introduction to crafting stories with outrageous adventures woven throughout that includes early writing experiments from when the author was a child.
“Writer to Writer: From Think to Ink” by Gail Carson Levine.
Kind, encouraging, and insightful, this book is a chockful of prompts and exercises for writing fiction and also includes some chapters on writing poetry.
For Adults:
“Letters to a Young Writer” by Colum McCann.
Fifty-two concise yet powerful essays offer sound advice for writers of all ages. McCann deftly describes the writing life with great empathy and energy, focusing on the emotional rather than technical side of writing.
“On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” by Stephen King.
Not only does King share experiences from his youth that shaped him into the writer he is today, but he also gives sound, in-depth advice regarding the craft and editing in what has become a widely-recommended work for writers.
“The Healthy Writer: Reduce Your Pain, Improve Your Health, and Build a Writing Career for the Long-Term” by Joanna Penn and Dr. Euan Lawson.
Writing can be cathartic, but in excess, it can be painful—depending on how you go about it. This book covers a wide variety of health topics both physical and psychological and offers helpful advice on how to make changes in writing habits for the better.
“Words Are My Matter: Writings About Life and Books, 2000-2016” by Ursula K. Le Guin.
Dozens of book reviews and thoughtful essays make for a diverse collection by a prolific writer. Of particular interest are the journal entries at the end recounting a week spent at a writer’s retreat.
“Elements of Fiction” by Walter Mosley.
This is not your standard how-to guide, but is instead a philosophical approach that plunges deep into the elements of story in hopes of making your writing rise to new levels.
“Your Life is a Book: How to Craft & Publish Your Memoir” by Brenda Peterson & Sarah Jane Freyman.
This informative book offers valuable advice for more than just memoir writers, from creating the ideal writing space to the ins and outs of editing. Also has writing prompts and tips on publishing dispersed throughout.
“Write Away: One Novelist’s Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life” by Elizabeth George.
The author of the Inspector Lynley mysteries shares her methodical and disciplined approach to writing novels that includes narrative examples and excerpts from her personal writing journals to show that even best-selling authors struggle.
“Daily Rituals: How Artists Work” by Mason Currey.
Explore the habits of 161 writers, artists, scientists, composers and other thinkers and see how varied the creative process can be, from Maya Angelou’s aversion to writing at home to Ernest Hemingway’s fondness of writing in mornings… while standing up.
Kathryn Raynor
October 16, 2019