McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Writing Reference: What's on your bookshelf?
RobJN:
Do any of ya'll collect/use reference materials?
The missus and I -- both writers -- have two shelves full of various writing reference materials: from time period, to plot/structure, crime references, to the occasional writing lifestyle book.
We've got most (if not all) of the "Elements of Fiction Writing" series from Writer's Digest Books, some of the "Science Fiction Writing Series."
Do any of you use these? If not, what do you use? Can you suggest other good reference materials? I'm not looking for a specific genre, really. I haven't bought a 'writing book' in what feels like an age, and wonder if there is anything out recently that would be a good reference, or even just a good "read."
Starbeam:
I won't be home for about 45 min, but I think I remember most of the stuff I have. I only have a partial shelf, though partly cause I have a tiny room and can't afford most referency type things. But I have Stephen King's On Writing, a how-to for Science Fiction by Orson Scott Card, vampire encyclopedia, werewolf encyclopedia, a mythical creatures thing, a book of Roman-Arthurian myths or something like that, a reference sorta thing for medieval/fantasy information, and specific to the WiP are the Bible and Other Bible(Gnostics, Apocrypha, Quran, etc). Oh, and a behind the science for CSI, Zombie CSI type thing, and Stiffed(about corpses).
There was a link posted somewhere or other on here about a how to kinda thing, I think Reader's Digest, that JB mentioned during a Q&A or somethink, that I want to get. And I'm looking for Kindle equivalents to what I do have so that I can take the reference stuff I'd need with me when I travel without having to lug a lot of very heavy books around.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
Three different editions of "Paradise Lost" and two of Dante, Gustaf Davidson's Dictionary of Angels, some largish history references, 1-3 Enoch, Death and Life of Great American Cities, Designing Freedom, Cities and the Wealth of Nations, there used to be a Guns, Germs and Steel there but I gave it to someone and have not got round to replacing it, and a couple of other things I forget off the top of my head.
BobForPresident:
Trauma: A Writer's Guide to Injuries has been invaluable.
LizW65:
-The first two volumes of the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang (haven't been able to find #3 yet)
-A number of outdated forensic manuals from the 1930's thru 1950's
-Penal Law and Criminal Code for 1936
-Dining With Rector, a guide to Manhattan restaurants from the late 1930's
-Several "oral history" type books about Manhattan in the 1940's
-old street maps from that era
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