Elana Roth’s book recommendations

Caren Johnson Literary agent Elana Roth made good on her promise to recommend great craft books for us. Here are some of her favorites:

• Narrative Design by Madison Smartt Bell
• The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing by Alice LaPlante
• Story by Robert McKee (this is a screenwriting one, but good)
• Plot and Structure, by James Scott Bell
• On Writing by Stephen King (he is just a must-read no matter what…I prefer his essays and non-fiction actually)

Both of Don Maass’s books are worth picking up:

• Writing the Breakout Novel
• Building the Career Novelist

And Syd Fields’ screenwriting DVD is a favorite of my client, Pam. (Martha’s note: I think it’s this one.)