So You Wanna Write a Book?
For anyone who has ever thought, "I want to write a book!" This list gathers craft and creativity-focused guides to help you build your skills, refine your process, and keep your imagination alive!
created by acidicchaos
last updated February, 2026
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If you are open to it, I would love to hear what book you are working on/want to work on! For 2026, I'm putting a pause on the fantasy project I have been toying with for the last 3 ish years to focus on a Greek myth inspired dark romantasy!
If you have any recommendations for what I should add to the list, leave them below!
Might I suggest a more poetry-focused one by Mary Oliver (link here)? Every writer would benefit from learning at least a little bit about meter and rhythm!
A Greek myth inspired dark romantasy sounds super cool! I'm working on a poetry collection, as well as playing around with longer-form fiction just to improve my writing abilities.
You are a genius! Yes, added!!
I desperately want to get into poetry (so I may have been stalking your posts on the poetry quest haha)!!
Your bio tells me that you and I would absolutely analyze poetry the same way---perhaps I will see you in the readalong👀
I'm working on a sapphic forbidden romance between an Amish woman and her English driver! 😬🤩
Ooooooh that sounds juicy!!!
I have: • a coming of age/ queerplatonic love story where two best friends figure out their relationship with eachother, their future and place in the world • a historical (upper ya) queer romance between two academic rivals forced together who realize the other might not be what they seem • a mithological historical fantasy about six runaway (older) teens cursed by a god in retaliation for the killing of one of his priests, who must complete an impossible quest through 2nd century Italy in hopes of breaking the curse and saving their own lives
These all sound amazing!! I don't think I have read anything set in the 2nd century!
Thank you! I chose it because it was a period of relative peace in the Roman Empire while it was close to its peak, very much multiethnic (Italians to this day have the most diverse genetic pool in Europe because of it!!) and where so many different religions coexisted in the same area. I always loved books where gods living more or less amongst the humans but also wanted to capture a world where everything that’s believed in exists, and how different characters with different faiths and views on religion percieve the world and what happens to them: one character is Christian, another doesn’t believe in gods and thinks they’re just stories, other two were raised with the Roman and Etruscan religion, another believes in Celtic gods, and the last one was raised to believe in many different deities from different cults, etc. this means you find Roman gods like Mercury alongside Vanth (Etruscan psychopomp) and Mithras (indo-Iranian god who was revered in a mysteric cult)! I’ve been doing SO MUCH research since I started working on it and it kinda made me realize that’s what I want to work with, so I’m studying anthropology and religious history in hopes of maybe someday doing it as a job. I’m very interested in the complexities and richness of the early Roman Empire as a multiethnic and multireligious society!
I love that so much! I love studying religious history - my fantasy novel that I'm setting down for now involves me creating multiple religions all existing simultaneously and the main characters journey as navigated through the world with the different religions. I'll keep my eye out for the books you're reading, but if you have any specific religious history book recs I would love to hear them!
I’m studying this at uni so I don’t really know, I could make a list with the books I’ve read so far if it helps? Right now I’m reading a great one but it’s a collection of essays on the history of Mediterranean religions from the Bronze Age to Christianity but it’s from the ‘80s and doesn’t even have a barcode 😭 I found it in an old bookstore and it’s in Italian so I don’t even know if it would be available in your country…
I, unfortunately, am the stereotypical American who only understands English. Don't go out of your way to make a list unless you want to! I can always stalk your library hahah
i made a shelf for them if you want to have a look! it was a long time coming anyway ahaha
Yayayay! I'm excited!
Fantastic list! I'm always looking for books about writing and any I haven't touched on here have been highly recommended. My current project I'm working(ish) on is something I haven't figured out a pitch for yet but the vibe I'm going for is a fantasy "are they lovers?" "WORSE" situation with a side of political intrigue.
My suggestion might not fit the idea you have for this list (feel free to push back if needed) but it's Never Say You Can't Survive by Charlie Jane Anders. It definitely has elements of a memoir, but I found it to be very useful both in writing during Difficult Times™ as well as for its actual writing tips.
Thank you! Added!! That seems VERY relevant to me!
Political fantasy is my favorite and I am SAT and ready to hear more about the "are they lovers?" "Worse!" any time you want to talk about it, because that sounds delicious!!
I'm glad! Will give an update when I have a proper pitch sorted LOL
