1. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King
What's not to love about this book? A memoir of his childhood and early years as a developing writer (and plenty of horror story seeds are planted there, from being locked in closets by psychotic babysitters to playing in junkyards). The story of how he sold his first book, Carrie, is a lesson in persistence and how-to-write-most-anywhere. The book is also a nuts-and-bolts instructional guide, touching on all that should be in a writer's "toolbox": vocabulary, grammar, style, even a section on revising and editing. My favorite running theme, though, is his straight-up love for telling stories, even assuring me that " ...plumbers in space is not such a bad setup for a story." No wonder I love this guy. And no wonder this is my go-to book for feeling jazzed up about any writing project.
2. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott
The book that convinced me I didn't need to write it perfectly the first time around. I still struggle with that lesson, and turn to Lamott to remind me that
"...clutter and mess show us that life is being lived. Tidiness makes me think of held breath, of suspended animation. Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist's true friend."
Lamott also brings home the lessons of dividing large tasks into small ones, of achieving tiny goals, and of bringing honesty to the page. When I'm feeling like I'll never succeed as a writer, this is the book I turn to.
3. Hole in My Life, by Jack Gantos
Not a book about writing as a craft, but an inspiring autobiographic account of the author's misguided teenage years as a drug smuggler. While incarcerated for his crimes, Gantos never gave up on his love of reading and writing nor his dream of becoming a professional writer. He even kept a hidden journal of all his prison experiences, using an old prison library copy of Crime and Punishment as his notebook. Once out of prison, Gantos had to make a tough decision: dig up his buried cache of illegal drugs and sell them or leave the drug trade behind and pursue a writing career.
Gantos's story sets off bells in my head every time I read it. No, I've never sold illegal substances or been sentenced to prison. But how many holes in my life have I poked open? How many years have I not pursued my writing goals because I let other distractions get in the way? This is the book that brings me back to my writing priorities.