IT'S ALL ABOUT . . . WRITING RESOURCES PART 2

by Melissa Stoller


In the blog post, Writing Resources Part 1, I highlighted books about the writing process and about living a creative life. I refer to those books often as I brainstorm ideas, write, and revise. In part two, I’m showcasing books that will help with technical points as you craft your stories. 
 
CHILDREN’S WRITER’S WORD BOOK, 2nd edition, by Alijandra Mogilner & Tayopa Mogilner – I keep this book on my desk and use it whenever I need to find a word relating to children of a certain grade, or find a synonym. 
 
THE EMOTION THESAURUS: A WRITER’S GUIDE TO CHARACTER EXPRESSION, Second Edition, by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi – this book offers suggestions for finding words that express emotion beyond the standard words that writers might first land upon. There are also other books in this series, such as words describing positive and negative traits. This also sits on my desk when I’m drafting.
 
THESAURUS OF THE SENSES: A TOOL FOR WRITERS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND WORD LOVERS, by Linda Hart – another great resource, broken into categories “See,” “Hear,” “Touch,” “Taste,” and “Smell.”
 
THE DESCRIBER’S DICTIONARY: A TREASURY OF TERMS & LITERARY QUOTATIONS, by David Grambs & Ellen S. Levine – I often turn to the quotations to read great writing, and I refer to the list of terms to find the precise words to use when I’m composing. 
 
THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, by Strunk and White – No writer’s reference library is complete without this timeless book (I still use my old edition, it’s probably time to update!). Here’s a sample of a few well-stated rules: “Revise and rewrite,” Do not overwrite,” and “Do not overstate.” Priceless. 
 
 
I hope these books are helpful as you create your stories!
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BIO:
 
Melissa Stoller is the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Book One: Return to Coney Island and Book Two:The Liberty Bell Train Ride (Clear Fork Publishing, 2017 and 2019); and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush and Ready, Set, GOrilla! (Clear Fork, 2018). Upcoming picture books include Return of the Magic Paintbrush and Sadie’s Shabbat Stories (Clear Fork, 2019). She is also the co-author of The Parent-Child Book Club: Connecting With Your Kids Through Reading (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009). Melissa is an Assistant and Blogger for the Children’s Book Academy, a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge, a Moderator for The Debut Picture Book Study Group, and a volunteer with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators/MetroNY. Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer and editor, and early childhood educator. Additionally, she is a member of the Board of Trustees at The Hewitt School and at Temple Shaaray Tefila. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and one puppy. 
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CONNECT:  
 
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