I first started writing because I was inspired by the books I read, but my first novelette was a far cry from the rich, suspenseful books that I’d read.
While I had a few reader instincts on the way a story works, I didn’t have much concrete, in-depth knowledge of structure, character, or worldbuilding.
So I set out to learn. I read books and blog posts on different parts of writing and the writing life. I joined a community and began observing what I was learning in the novels I read.
And my writing improved.
But there are so many writing resources out there. How do you choose which ones to learn from?
And once you do, how do you ensure that you’re actually growing from what you’ve learned and not walking away unchanged?
Thankfully, you don’t have to figure this out on your own. In this post, we’ll explore specific writing resources used by successful authors like Sarah Mackenzie, C. J. Milacci, and S. D. Smith. We’ll discover the reasons they like them so much as well as the ways you can use them to your maximum advantage.
Writing Resource Type 1: Books on Writing
Books on writing are great because they can dive deep into all the nooks and crannies of a specific skill or aspect of writing, giving you both a large picture and a detailed tour of that skill.
There are a lot of books on writing craft out there, but here are a few preferred by entrepreneur and self-help author Sarah Mackenzie and YA adventure author C. J. Milacci.
The Story Equation by Susan May Warren
This book explains how one amazing question can unlock your entire story. Through this one question, you can build the external and internal journey of your characters, create a theme, build story and scene tension, create the character change journey and even pitch and market your story.
C.J. Milacci uses lots of books on writing, but this is one of her favorites for brainstorming and outlining.
You can click here to check out The Story Equation by Susan May Warren.
How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson
This book explores and explains the Snowflake Method–ten battle-tested steps to jump-start your creativity and help you quickly map out your story. You’ll discover how to organize your creativity to design a truly successful novel.
This is another of C. J. Milacci’s favorite books for brainstorming and outlining.
How to Grow Your Small Business by Donald Miller
Sarah Mackenzie is a big fan of Donald Miller’s new entrepreneurial book. Here’s what she says:
[This is] probably the best business book I’ve ever read. He uses this metaphor of an airplane to describe the different kinds of every business. Whether you have a writing business, a plumbing business, a candy shop, a bookstore, or an online business, all businesses have the same core parts.
The cockpit, he says, is leadership, the wings are your products, the left and right engines are sales and marketing, and then your body is your team or your staff or whoever you have to help you–an assistant or just even the people who are actually doing the work.
In the book, he takes you through each part of the airplane, talking about how to make sure that you’re spending enough time in each area to keep the airplane in the air.
You can click here to check out How to Grow Your Small Business by Donald Miller.
Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell
Award-winning author James Scott Bell offers techniques, diagrams, and models to help you create a believable and memorable plot. Filled with plot examples from popular novels, comprehensive checklists, and practical hands-on guidance, Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure gives you the skills you need to approach plot and structure like an experienced pro.
You can click here to check out Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. It’s one of C. J. Milacci’s favorites!
3 Ways to Take Advantage of Books on Writing
1. Find one that’s relevant for you. You probably already have an inkling of what you need to work on. Whether it’s dialogue, suspense, or theme, there’s a book that will provide you with what you need. Don’t read a book on editing if you haven’t outlined yet. Stick with something that you don’t need to wait to implement.
2. Take notes. Books are long, but notes help you to quickly organize and find the important points. In addition, writing down what you’re learning helps you to remember it better.
3. Deliberately implement the book. It’s easy to read and then forget, but you won’t improve that way. Review your notes and take conscious steps to carry out the new skills you’ve learned.
Writing Resource Type 2: Podcasts
Podcasts are great for the times when your hands or feet are busy, but your mind is not. Whether you’re folding laundry, running around the neighborhood, or even brushing your teeth, pop in those earbuds for a regular dose of respected writing advice.
The Novel Marketing Podcast
Novel Marketing is a weekly podcast that helps writers build a platform, sell more books, and change the world with writing worth talking about. Hosted by Thomas Umstaddt Jr., a popular book marketing expert, this is a great resource for writers about platform and technology. It’s also one of C. J. Millacci’s favorites!
You can click here to check out The Novel Marketing Podcast.
You Are a Storyteller Podcast
In the award-winning podcast, You Are a Storyteller, Brian McDonald discusses the elements that make for a good story with executive creative director Jesse Bryan. Watch and listen as they talk through the nuance of structure, stress the importance of the armature (or theme), analyze classic films, and cover useful storytelling concepts like “the dark night of the soul.”
J.C. Smith says:
This guy says that a story has an armature, similar to the spine in your body. If you took the spine out, everything would fall apart. Whenever I write a story I try to think about what the armature of the story is, and usually that’s like a thesis or a core statement that sort of defines what I’m trying to say.
So finding that armature has been super helpful to pinpoint what I’m trying to communicate to the world at the center of the story. Then when I’m lost, I think about how I can communicate that message to the world, and it gets me back on track for the story.
You can click here to check out the You Are a Storyteller Podcast.
The Creative Penn Podcast
This podcast is hosted by Joanna Penn, an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller, dark fantasy, crime, and memoir author. Podcast episodes are posted every Monday and include interviews, inspiration and information on writing and the business of being an author. This is one of C. J. Millacci’s favorites!
You can click here to check out The Creative Penn Podcast
3 Ways to Take Advantage of Podcasts on Writing
1. Find one or two go-to podcasts. Click a few of the links listed in this article and find one that works for you. Then, when you have the time for an episode, you’ll already know which ones you’re interested in.
2. Fill the mindless moments. Instead of zoning out during chores, listen and learn.
3. Note the gold nuggets. C. J. Milacci says, “If I come across something I find beneficial, I’ll jot it down or make a reminder to myself if I’m away from my computer, and then find a way to incorporate that thing into my writing.”
Writing Resource Type 3: Conferences
Conferences and retreats for writers are a way to dive deep into the learning and community side of the writing life. You’ll likely spend all day talking about writing, learning about writing, and actually writing–with other writers!
Not only are conferences a great way to grow and re-motivate yourself, but they also present special opportunities, like pitching your work to an agent, or even just meeting writing friends in person.
Vision Christian Writers Conference
This annual conference provides worship, fellowship, and excellent workshops. It brings together a vibrant community focused on writing for God’s glory and is one of Tricia Goyer’s favorites.
Young Writer Retreat
This is a retreat designed specifically to refuel the writing well of young writers. Every year, The Young Writer’s Workshop (that’s us!) offers a week of writing sessions with other serious young writers, presentations from successful authors, and fun activities.
You can click here to check out the Young Writer Retreat.
3 Ways to Take Advantage of Conferences
1. Hang out with friends. Tricia Goyer says, “I love just friendships that are built. I go to dinner with [my friends] or meet them for coffee and it’s fun to see them in person. . . . [S]ometimes I’ll do writer retreats with friends and we help brainstorm each other’s books. Some of them are books now that I’ve seen the bookshelf and I’m like, I came up with that title, or I came up with that idea. It’s so fun.”
2. Learn! Even though she’s already a prolific author, Tricia Goyer says, “I still love going to workshops. I just like hearing how other people do stuff and different strategies for things. Just again, learning. Just always learning. . . . Anytime you can get other people, advice, and information, it’s really good.”
3. Pitch. Conferences are special because they provide the opportunity to talk to industry professionals in person, real-time. If you’re ready for publication, consider signing up for a meeting with an editor or agent.
Writing Resource Type 4: Online Sites
In this internet age, you have more resources at your fingertips than you’re probably aware of. Besides the other virtual resources we’ve covered, here are a few special favorites of Tricia Goyer and Shelby Abbott.
Onestopforwriters.com
Tricia Goyer says that this fantastic resource “has an emotional thesaurus that tells you how people act for an emotion you plug in. Like for anger, it will say furrowed brows or fisted hands. It also has a scene dictionary that gives you ideas for the setting. Say I have a scene in a barnyard. I’ll put in “barnyard,” and it says you’ll find hay, you’ll find animals, etc.”
You can click here to check out onestopforwriters.com.
Grammarly.com
“With the editing process I upload each chapter to Grammarly and it’ll check for spelling and punctuation because even if I read it 10 times, I’ll still miss things,” Tricia Goyer says. “One time I wrote ‘defiantly’ when it was supposed to be ‘definitely,’ and it caught that too. It does more than just spell check. It’ll sometimes say, “This word is too complex,” or, “Consider splitting this into two sentences,” if it’s too long of a sentence–that sort of thing. I use it all the time.”
You can click here to check out grammarly.com.
Thesaurus.com
Shelby Abbott fondly calls this site “a good friend.” It’s straightforward–plug in a word, be it verb, noun, adverb, or adjective, and it will pop out several synonyms. In case that perfect word is just on the tip of your tongue or even if you find yourself repeating the same word to often, the thesaurus is the resource for you.
You can click here to check out thesaurus.com.
3 Ways to Take Advantage of Online Sites
1. Inspiration. Onestopforwriters.com and many other websites are designed to give your creative juices a boost. Through online sites, you have access to everything form genre-specific name lists to scene prompts to character face-claim builders.
2. Mechanical tasks. Use online sites for tasks that are simple but tedious, like generating synonyms, counting words, proofreading, and more.
3. Fun. Are you a fan of character face claims? Writing playlists? Or even those silly writer’s memes that keep you going when it’s tough? Find or create your own with online sites designed for those kinds of things.
Miscellaneous Writing Resources
Here are some writing helps that you may not immediately think of as “resources,” but that are so important that some authors list them among their most favored.
Reading Widely
S.D. Smith is a huge supporter of reading to improve your writing. He says:
There’s no replacing reading. So read widely and be curious. If you want to be a good writer, you have to read good writing. That teaches you how to handle words and how to think about words. And so it becomes your native tongue. It helps both your mind to be able to sort of phrase things well and to think through logically, but also feeds your imagination.
And also read some of those wonderful works that inspire you and encourage you. And for me, it helps to be rooted in the Bible, because not only is it a true and faithful sort of account of reality, it has this invitation to be connected to the divine life and the coming kingdom of God. So to me, being rooted in the Scriptures, and spending a lot of time in the Bible growing up has been the best preparation for me as a storyteller.
So make sure that you’re eating well–that your imagination is infused and informed by truth, reality, beauty, and goodness. Think about a mom trying to feed her kids. If she never eats, she will be incapable of feeding her kids. And if you never feast imaginatively and intellectually, what you produce and offer other people will necessarily be impoverished.
So feast and then make meals for other people.
Shelby Abbot adds, “If you want to be a good writer, you have to be an avid reader,” and advises reading in many different genres.
But before you just pick up any book off the shelf, do some research. If the book is in your genre, does it exemplify the traits you aspire to put into your books? If it’s not in your genre, what does it bring to the table that yours might be missing?
Permit yourself to just appreciate the book, and now and then, pay attention to the writing style, the structure, and the unique facets of the book, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction.
Mechanics of Story Structure
K.M. Weiland, story structure expert and full-on plotter, says:
Understanding the mechanics of story theory has always been the keystone for me. The principles of story structure, character arc, and theme fascinate me in their own right, and I write about them as much as I implement them in my fiction! But, of course, the reason they are so fascinating as theories is because of their practical applicability.
Understanding these concepts has completely changed how I create my own stories. I understand them now, from the inside out, which means they are much easier to plan and troubleshoot, at least on a technical level.
Structure is key to a great story. If you’re a fiction writer, you’ll find that structure provides a sturdy frame to your story. There are several different types of story structure templates, so explore different kinds. Find what resonates best with you and follow it before you break it.
Editors
Even the best authors have editors. An author needs an editor to advise them, correct them, and even teach them. Chuck Black, author of several popular Christian fantasy series, knows how true this is.
A valuable learning resource for me was working with my editors. It helped me to look at what they were looking for and to adapt and adjust my writing on the next round so that there would be less editing. I would see what they would pick out, and then the next time I’d write, I’d make sure that my writing would be such that they couldn’t find that mistake in my manuscripts anymore.
I’ve had about six different editors. Every editor has taught me something new and different that I wouldn’t have learned from anywhere else. I’m still in charge of the creative part of the writing, but I gleaned important knowledge on the delivery and certain aspects of what a publisher is looking for. I learned how to handle change in point of view within a story smoothly, how to write dialogue better, and how to write in a more active voice. I picked up those kinds of skills from my editors.
Working with an editor can be exciting, nerve-wracking, and even frustrating. It’s important to be both humble and confident. It’s also important to do your research! For more about the different types of editors you might need, you can click here.
Various Nonfiction Works
For Solomon Schmidt, the best writing resources are the ones that he uses for research on his historical kids series, History Bites.
There have been all different ones because my History Bites series covers so many different historical topics. They’re encyclopedias, biographies, sometimes internet resources, and articles like the ones from Encyclopedia Britannica.
Right now, I’m working on a big biography, and the resources I find helpful are primary resources. That’s letters, and interviews with people who knew the person I’m writing about or who were at the events that my subject was part of.
If you’re a nonfiction writer, you know how important your sources are. Remember that there are many different kinds of sources, as Solomon mentioned.
Check Out the Authors Who Recommended These Resources
Behind all great writers are great resources. But behind all of the resources here were writers who recommended them! You can check them out below.
C.J. Milacci writes stories for teens and young adults with heart-pounding action and hope. As a referee, she’s always relearning the hard lesson that it’s impossible to make everyone happy, and she’s discovered that stories can be found anywhere, even on a lacrosse field. She’s passionate about crafting stories of good overcoming evil, finding hope in the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances, and true acceptance.
Sarah Mackenzie is the author of nonfiction books for adults and picture books for families to read aloud. She’s also the host of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, which has been downloaded over 12 million times in more than 160 countries. She makes her home in the Northwest with her husband and their 6 kids. Get Sarah’s favorite read-aloud book recommendations here.
J.C. Smith is a seventeen-year-old student, author, musician, and visual artist. When he’s not creating or collaborating on stories, Josiah enjoys soccer, music, Sun Chips, and the study and practice of filmmaking. He lives in Grandview, West Virginia, with his parents and three siblings.
Tricia Goyer writes out of her passion for God and her love for family and others. The author of more than 80 books, she writes both historical fiction and nonfiction related to family and parenting.
Shelby Abbot is an author, radio/podcast host (Real Life Loading…), campus minister, and conference speaker on staff with FamilyLife, a ministry of Cru. He has one dog, a sizable sneaker collection, and a rather impressive vinyl LP record compilation. He and his family live just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
S.D.. Smith is the author of The Green Ember Series, a million-selling adventure saga featuring heroic #RabbitsWithSwords. His newest novel, co-authored with his sixteen-year-old son, is a thrilling fantasy called Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key. Smith’s stories are captivating readers across the globe who are hungry for “new stories with an old soul.”
K.M. Weiland is the award-winning and internationally published author of acclaimed writing guides such as Structuring Your Novel, Creating Character Arcs, and Writing Archetypal Character Arcs. She writes historical and speculative fiction and mentors authors on her award-winning website, Helping Writers Become Authors.
Chuck Black, a former F-16 fighter pilot, is the author of twenty-one novels, including The Kingdom Series, The Knights of Arrethtrae, the Wars of the Realm, The Starlore Legacy, and Call to Arms. Chuck’s passion is to inspire youth to follow Christ while equipping parents, pastors, and youth leaders to do the same.
When he was twelve, Solomon Schmidt was inspired to write a book about U.S. history for children that would get them interested in the people and events that shaped America. This book became U.S. History Bites, which now has seven other books in the series. When he is not researching and writing, Solomon enjoys spending time with his family and friends, playing tennis, and participating in Civil Air Patrol.
Your Next Steps
As you have seen, resources for writers abound, from books and podcasts on writing to conferences to online sites and others.
If something mentioned here caught your eye, check it out. Click the respective link and find out more. You might just find a new favorite writing resource!
But regardless of which resources you turn to, the most important thing is to be intentional about them. Find ways to implement them and grow through them.
If you’re still looking for writing resources, we have a huge list of our favorites already compiled. You can check it out below.
