Dear Alex,I know that beginning writers should read how-to books for instruction, and I’ve bought several, but I can’t seem to finish any of them. The more I read them, the worse I feel about my writing. Am I reading the wrong books? Or am I just not a how-to book kind of person?-Lenora
Hi Lenora!
As a writer of craft books for writers, and as someone who has read and reviewed over 200 how-to books, I honestly believe that there is a useful book out there for every writer. However, not all craft books are the same.
Back in the pre-internet 90s, most craft books for writers were published by just a few houses, and most of them were written by working professional authors or by people with MFAs and teaching experience. The books were either soup-to-nuts writing instruction or zeroed in on one tiny slice of the overall writing craft. The tone was positive, filled with examples, and meant to get you back to the keyboard with new tools and tricks to incorporate into your own work. I still own some of these older books and consider them among the most useful books on my shelf.
However, a different kind of how-to book has crept into the marketplace. Slowly at first, and now in a flood. These books are written by cranky people who are sick and tired of seeing authors make mistakes and by golly, they are going to set those authors straight. Some are written by agents, some by entrepreneurs, and some by college professors. These aren’t how-to books in any sense of the word. They are rants. These books are filled with bad examples, and the authors caution readers to never, ever do these things.
It’s no wonder that your self-esteem is crushed after reading one of these books. These books aren’t just useless. They actively harm writers. They do it by taking away your agency. If all you ever hear is what you’re doing wrong without ever being taught what to do right, how can you succeed?
Writers who buy how-to books are serious about the craft. They are investing time and money trying to improve. They don’t deserve that kind of dressing-down.
So what’s a writer to do? For starters, I’d advise getting rid of any book that’s not serving you. Trust me. It’s not you, It’s them. When shopping for new books, read the first chapter before you buy. Is the author complaining, or teaching? Flip through and look for examples. Are they examples of something done wrong, or something done right? Is the overall tone bitchy or empowering?
Finally, trust your gut. You’re already doing that, Lenora! You identified the books on your shelves as toxic. Your writerly instincts seem to be on-point. It’s those same instincts that will lead you to better how-to books. Or, perhaps—for now—no how-to books at all.
Keep writing. You’re doing great.Alex K.
Alex Kourvo is a freelance editor and the author of The Big-Picture Revision Checklist, a book that shows you how to revise your novel the easy way.
