13 Books Every Pantser And Discovery Writer Should Read
No. 13 Is The Holy Book Of The Pantsers
Author Note:
I am going on a break from 31st July (Sun) to 15th August (Mon). I need to rest and recharge my creative batteries before I jump into the August cohort of Ship 30 for 30.
You can read about it, in detail, here.
1
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
This book will help you understand the role of Fear in your life and how to show it its rightful place.
2, 3 & 4
The Austin Kleon Trilogy
Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon will help you understand that no work of art is original. Building your foundation on the shoulders of the by-gone titans, your favourite writers and role models, is okay.
Show Your Work by Austin Kleon will motivate you to put your work into the public and fulfil your creative soul.
Keep Going by Austin Kleon will show you why you should and how you could sustain a life-long love affair with your writing craft.
5
Becoming A Writer by Dorothea Brande
Dorothea is like that grandmother who doesn't mince her words.
Becoming a writer, according to her, requires commitment, self-discipline and consistent and persistent practice.
In this espresso shot of a book, she explains how one can do that.
6 & 7
The War Of Art & Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield
The War Of Art will introduce you to Resistance, the villain in your way to Writer victory, and what you should do to defeat it.
Turning Pro will make you understand that if you are serious about being a writer, you must take your writing commitment seriously, like a professional.
You might also want to keep an eye out for Pressfield's new book, Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants To Be. The title is worth a curious visit.
8
The Writer's Process By Anne Janzer
This book explains the science behind the Art of Writing.
It made me realise that being a writer is a 2-part job - one of the writer and one of the editor. Once you separate the two, writing becomes fun.
9
The Artist's Way By Julia Cameron
By the time we become adults, our creative soul has been choked unconscious by our society and circumstances.
This book will help you bring your creative soul back to life.
10
Writing Down The Bones by Natalie Goldberg
This book provides gentle encouragement you need to take the leap of faith into writing.
Another book by the same author you might want to look for is The True Secret Of Writing. I haven't read it yet, but I know it will be a gem.
11
Bird By Bird By Anne Lamott
This one is one of the wittiest, most entertaining, insightful, helpful and close-to-reality writing books I have ever read.
12
You Are A Writer by Jeff Goins
The moral of this book is that you ARE a writer, so just act like one and get writing, for God's sake.
13
Writing Into The Dark By Dean Wesley Smith
This book is what I consider to be the HOLY BOOK OF THE PANSTERS.
If out of these 13 books, you'll read only one, make it this one.
In Writing Into The Dark, Smith not only explains why pantsing is the way to write but also gives you historical proof of it.
Then he explains how you can go about it by sharing his process.
It gave me the validation that it's okay to be a Pantser/Discovery writer and how it could be more fun than being Plotter.
This book single-handedly kickstarted my novel writing journey.
