FRIDAY FOUR: Writing Guides

We recently announced that it's almost time for NaNoWriMo, which means that aspriing novelists in their masses will be slaving away at keyboards all across the globe. So for this fortnight's Friday Four, here are some of the best writing guides out there to help NaNo challengers on their way.

No Plot, No Problem by Chris Baty

No Plot, No Problem (a 'low-stress, high-velocity guide to writing a novel in 30 days') is written by Chris Baty, the founder of the NaNoWriMo project. The book, specifically aimed at getting you through the month with a looming deadline, includes helpful information about managing your time, stop procrastinating and finally get down to writing that book, even if you ARE convinced that you're work in progress is utter rubbish. This is not necessarilly a guide to actually the novel - it's more of a motivational rulebook. And you know what? It works.

Will Write for Shoes by Cathy Yardley

This helpful writing guide by author Cathy Yardley is mainly geared towards chick lit writers. If you've ever fancied trying your hand at penning a chick lit novel but are having doubts, then this book is extremely handy. Each chapter details a different aspect of writing your book, with advice on characters, setting the scene and avoiding cliches. There's an FAQ by Cathy, and also plenty of addresses of agents and publishers who accept novels in this genre (however, the book is aimed at US readers/writers, so only US-based agents and companies are listed. Just a note to fellow Brits!) Will Write for Shoes is a fun read that's full of info to help you break into this specific genre.

See Jane Write by Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs

See Jane Write, a Girls' Guide to Writing Chick Lit, is another guide aimed at chick-lit writers, but also contains some handy advice for when it coes to penning that potential bestseller. Whereas it does cover a lot of what's mentioned in other writing guides, the tips, quotes and anecdotes from not only the authors but also from well-known writers such as Meg Cabot and Sophie Kinsella, make this book a fantastic guide. (Again, the publisher information is targeted at those in the United States.)

Wannabe a Writer? by Jane Wenham-Jones

Wannabe a Writer? by Jane Wenham-Jones is the perfect how-to book for aspiring novelists, covering everything from starting the novel to coping with rejection and dealing with book signings. The information provided by Jane in this book is not only fun, but also highly useful, with additional quotes by writers such as Kate Long, Kate Harrion, and Jilly Cooper (to name but a few). If you're thinking of starting a book and dream of becoming a bestseller, then definitely take a look at this.

Are there any writing guides that YOU swear by? Let us know!