Favorite writing books, blogs, podcasts? So many to choose from!

First, a few classics:

  1. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is what helped me turn off my internal critic and editor so I could write, freely, every single day.
  2. On Writing by Stephen King is a refreshingly honest look inside the life, practice, and experiences of one of our most prolific writers. It includes tons of straightforward advice about what works and what doesn’t.
  3. Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. This one still feels a little hack-y to me as I don’t really believe in formulas for writing. Still, there are a lot of good nuggets and the approach is referenced so frequently, it’s useful to be familiar with.

Inspiration from the Greats:

  1. In this interview with Current News, Ira Glass of This American Life talks about the gap between one’s tastes and one’s ability in a way that gives me courage to continue writing even when I’m thoroughly disappointed with the level of my craft.
  2. In her TED talk, Elizabeth Gilbert talks about artists/writers as the portal for creative muses that want to get their stories out. It’s another way of reducing the heavy sense of responsibility that sometimes paralyzes writers as they’re trying to work.

Podcasts and Interviews:

  1. Lainey Cameron’s The Best of Women’s Fiction interview series is a great way to hear about the craft and publishing journeys of some of the hottest new voices in Women’s Fiction.
  2. The New Yorker: Fiction podcast is a wonderful portal through which you’ll hear short stories read and discussed by some of the most talented writers in the business. It’s an incredible way to learn about what works (and doesn’t) in the context of short stories.
  3. In her Thoughts from a Page podcast, Cindy Burnett interviews authors and other individuals in the publishing industry about the latest and greatest books and trends in the industry. 

Final hat tip goes to Courtney Maum’s Before and After the Book Deal for the most useful advice on the business side of things you’ll be dealing with along the way.

What writing books/blogs/podcasts do you recommend?

Author: Ehsaneh

Ehsaneh Sadr is an Iranian-American novelist and activist with a PhD in International Relations. She has worked, in various capacities, on campaigns related to Palestinian human rights, Iranian sanctions, access to credit for rural villagers, and safe spaces for children in crisis. She currently works with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition to create the cultural and infrastructure changes needed to support a shift away from carbon-based modes of transportation. Ehsaneh currently lives in Northern California with her husband and two children but also considers Washington DC, Salt Lake City, and Tehran to be home.

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