the delphic expanse

Each book probably doesn't need its own thread, so I figured I start a universal one.

I just finished reading a fantastic little book that was recommended to me. It's a bible for writers as far as I'm concerned:

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. & E.B. White

Everything you need to know about proper grammar, punctuation, proper use of words and several notes on developing your style is packed into this tiny little thing. I will be referencing this book for the rest of my writing days!

Any other book recs for writers?

Sin and Syntax It teaches you the rules so you can artfully break them.

A book.. and online, yay!

Thesaurus.com

The older I get, the more I need it!

Generally, I don't like books where writers write about writing, but an exception is: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

From the Elements of Writing Fiction series: Characters & Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card.

This is not a book. Although it has been. (And probably is, if the Thesaurus of Phrases is the same thing.)

The Six Main Classes of Words

When I was a kid, I was so taken with words and etymology that I would read the dictionary and the thesaurus. Sad, I know.

But my grandmother got me a set of my own, and included with that was a book of phrases, which absolutely fascinated me. The link above is the closest I can come to it -- probably the same thing, but I, like Samuel T. Cogley, like the feel of a book in my hand. There's nothing like it for browsing for curiosity.

Anyway, take a look.

I'm adding On Writing by Stephen King to my list of "must-haves." I'm not a fan of horror, but I will say that Stephen King is a very skilled writer.