Welcome to the Writing Gym!

Book	Author	Description
Zen in the Art of Writing	Ray Bradbury	This book focuses on the spiritual and emotional aspects of writing rather than any specific how-to. It's great to read for inspiration and direction. This is a must-have for any writer.
Bird by Bird	Anne Lamott	This book is an honest and amusing depiction of what it is to write--instead of what it is to be a writer. You will receive the two greatest pieces of advice in writing and in life from this book: allow yourself to write lousy first drafts, and break large works into smaller works.
Welcome to Hell	Tom Picirilli	Ever wish you could talk to a practicing writer and get the kind of information you'd expect from a friend telling you about the industry over a couple of beers? That is what this book is. Picirilli writes a compelling book full of advice and inspiration that is practical and immediately applicable to your writing. You set this book down thinking, "Okay, I'm on it. Let's go kick some ass!"
The 10% Solution	Ken Rand	YOU MUST OWN THIS BOOK. No, I don't get a royalty for saying that. This little book (readable in about thirty minutes, a testament to the writing style Rand espouses) will do more to improve your writing than any other book. No, it doesn't contain the secrets for great writing. But it encapsulates some of the problems you might not realize you're having.
Creating Short Fiction	Damon Knight	This book is an effective gathering of all the basics of short story writing. You can save a lot of trial and error by reading this book.
On Writing : A Memoir of the Craft	Stephen King	This books is surprisingly frank, direct, and down-to-earth coming from a millionaire writer. King hasn't forgotten the tribulations of writing in the trenches, and his advice is superb.
The Art of Fiction	John Gardner	This book is the equivalent of a good college creative writing course. You can save yourself some money and get a good education by buying this book, and DOING THE EXERCISES. That's the key. Gardner has excellent practical advice and exercises that help you focus your writing.
Fiction Writer's Workshop	Josip Novakovich	This book of writing exercises and advice is essentially a written version of the Writing Gym. The descriptions of the elements of writing fiction are succinct and accurate; the exercises help you refine your skill. This book will help you, but you have to commit to doing the exercises.
The Deluxe Transitive Vampire	Karen Elizabeth Gordon	This is a good grammar book for people who are partially literate in grammar but want to know more. It's written in an entertaining style that makes you want to understand the concepts. If you're grammar-phobic, this book will help.
The Art of Styling Sentences	Marie L. Waddell, et al	This book has a number of suggestions and formats for adding variety to your sentences. If you find yourself slipping into a pattern, this book can help you find a way to break that pattern with something new and fresh.
The Elements of Style	Strunk and White	Of course, you need this book. Some say it's old-fashioned, and I suppose it may be. You're not going to find a more compact text on the common issues with grammar and style. The philosophy in the book will help you as well.

Web Sites

These are other good Web sites where you can find advice, market information, and inspiration.

Site	Description
Speculations	Speculations is a community of writers who offer advice and support to one another at their Web site. You'll find lots of practical advice here.
Science Fiction Writers of America	The writing advice on this site is very valuable. The articles are well-written and cover your most frequent questions about the craft and business.
Horror Writers Association	There are plenty of useful articles on this site, mostly dedicated to the craft and business of dark fiction.
Market List	This is a well-done site with market listings. Unfortunately, it's not updated frequently.
Ralan's Webstravaganza	This site has up-to-date market listings sorted by the payment they offer. Very handy, but no substitute for actually reading the magazines to which you want to submit.
Locus Online	You should almost certainly subscribe to the magazine to keep up-to-date about the industry, but the Web site has lots of good information as well.
Submitting to the Black Hole	This site tracks markets by how long they take to respond. This is handy for deciding which markets you want to mail your work to, or how long you should wait until sending a query letter.