Recs if you like Damn Fine Story: Mastering the Tools of a Powerful Narrative...

I've read a lot of books about writing, and most of them didn't help me become a better writer. a lot of books about writing are ... unhelpful, actually.

so here is a list of only the most practical books I've read about writing. (note: this isn't to say other books I've read about writing aren't good and enjoyable and worth reading, just that they aren't the type you can read and immediately apply and do a better job of being a writer as a result!)

Are you trying to write 50,000 words of a novel in November? Previously known as National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) which has been disbanded, this is a yearly challenge to get though creative brains going! Here are some writing craft books to help you out.

Books on writing (some general advice, some genre-focused, some reference books) so you can "get good at writing, scrub."