About the Library
This is by no means a comprehensive list of resources. It does not equally represent various opinions. It is not meant to. It is just my library, and it has resources that can be helpful.
Disclaimer: The fact that a work is here in my library does
not mean that I agree with all opinions expressed therein. I do not have control over these resources, unless they have been created by myself. Many of these books are here because they are thought-provoking and can give you a different perspective on the art of storytelling, whether or not I agree with everything in them.
How it Works
Below, you will find resources available online or in print. Online resources may or may not be from the Writing.Com community. Print resources contain popnotes that give you additional information you may want to use in order to find them, such as copyright information and publisher. Items with popnotes have bold, dotted blue lines underneath them, like
this. * HUG! * from Mariah  |
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To read a popnote, float your mouse over the underlined word(s), and it should appear. If you have difficulty accessing any item (print or online), please let me know, and I will help you. Please also inform me about broken/invalid links or changed content that may influence my desire to keep the item in my library.
Some books are available in print or in eBook form. When that is the case, I have given information to access both forms of the book.
The Bookshelves
Thinking about Writing
Tree and Leaf | Edition without Mythopoeia (only "On Fairy-Stories" and "Leaf by Niggle"): copyright 1964 by George Allen & Unwin Ltd.. Edition containing all three pieces: copyright 1988 by The Tolkien Trust and published by Houghton Mifflin Company. |
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, by J.R.R. Tolkien (available with or without the poem
Mythopoeia)
"On Fairy-Stories" (essay) Tolkien discusses the merits of and defends fairy-stories.
"Leaf by Niggle" (short story) A symbolic story about a "small" painter, Niggle, who lives in a very strict country.
"Mythopoeia" (poem) Philomythus defends myth and fantasy; addressed to Misomythus.
Of This and Other Worlds | Copyright 1982 by the Trustees of the Estate of C.S. Lewis, published by Collins Publishers. |
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, by C. S. Lewis. (Essays marked with a red leaf
are also available in
Of Other Worlds | Copyright 1966 by C. S. Lewis Pte Ltd. |
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, which also contains stories.)
"On Stories" (essay) Story is much more than just characters and plot and such. Danger is only one cause of excitement from a good story.
"The Novels of Charles Williams" (essay) Three types of fiction: the Probable, the Marvelous, and, like Williams' works, a mix of the two.
"A Tribute to E. R. Eddison" (essay) Lewis says Eddison's writing is art, and it gives him a sense of having opened a new door.
"On Three Ways of Writing for Children" (essay) A description of two good and one bad way of writing for children.
"Sometimes Fairy Stories May Say Best What's to be Said" (essay) Lewis writes about the value of fairy stories.
"On Juvenile Tastes" (essay) Why children's taste in literature varies.
"It All Began with a Picture..." (essay) Lewis describes the origin of
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
"On Science Fiction" (essay) A discussion of various forms of science fiction, their merits, and their limits.
"A Reply to Professor Haldane" (essay) A rejoiner to Professor Haldane's article criticizing Lewis's science fiction trilogy.
"The Hobbit" (essay) Lewis's review of his friend Tolkien's book of that title.
"Tolkien's
The Lord of the Rings" (essay) A combination of two reviews Lewis wrote about Tolkien's trilogy.
"A Panegyric for Dorothy L. Sayers" (essay) In celebration of her life, Lewis speaks of her writing views and her works.
"The Mythopoeic Gift of Rider Haggard" (essay) Lewis's review of Morton Cohen's biography of Haggard.
"George Orwell" (essay) Lewis explains why he prefers Orwell's
Animal Farm to
1984.
"The Death of Words" (essay) Lewis muses on the changing meaning of words.
"The Parthenon and the Optative" (essay) Professor Lewis discusses two ways of teaching literature used in his day.
"Period Criticism" (essay) Why a desire to be up-to-date can be taken too far.
"Different Tastes in Literature" (essay) Lewis explains that higher art causes joy where the lower causes only enjoyment.
"On Criticism" (essay) Lewis writes about what he has learned, as a critic, from the criticism of his own writing.
"Unreal Estates" (essay) An informal conversation about science fiction between Lewis, Kingsley Amis, and Brian Aldiss.
Are All the Giants Dead? | Copyright 1975, published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. |
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, by Mary Norton. James, who prefers science fiction, and his writer friend, Mildred, visit The Land of Cockayne (a fairy tale world). A good book to read if you want new thoughts about writing and story.
Fire and Hemlock | Copyright 1985, published by Greenwillow Books. |
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, by Diana Wynne Jones. As Polly struggles to save Thomas Lynn, cellist, from his supernatural captivity, we are given many interesting insights to the nature of literature. (N.B. I get nightmares really easily, and this book gave me a really bad one--so I won't ever reread it. Not something I would recommend to anyone else who gets nightmares easily...)
The Arkadians | Copyright 1995 by Lloyd Alexander, published by Puffin Books. |
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, by Lloyd Alexander. Alexander dedicates this book, "For hopeful
storytellers and fond listeners." A young man who is fond of stories, a poet who has been transformed into a donkey, and a young woman who knows magic and the mysteries of the natural world travel together through Arkadia, learning much from each other. If you're wanting a new perspective on Greek myths (
or sometimes good and sometimes not so good storytelling advice from the poet N.B. Before you go taking too many story-telling tips from Fronto the poet, you may also want to read The Prydain Chronicles, or even just the first book in that series, The Book of Three, also by Lloyd Alexander. Pay attention to Fflewddur Fflam and his harp before you decide if you agree with Fronto or with Fflewddur's harp.  As for me, well, it depends on if I'm passing a story off as being true (Fflewddur's harp) or using true events as a story idea (Fronto's better advice). |
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), this is the book for you.
Sampler
Poetry
The Psalms 
(From the King James version of the Holy Bible, also available in print form.)
Resources
Free online spelling courses through BYU Independent Studies:
http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/courses/free.cfm (scroll down to "Spelling.")
Have writer's block? Short on ideas? Down on yourself? Stressed? In short, in need of inspiration?
Welcome to Inspiration Point!
Note: Writing is an art. As an art, there is no one-size-fits-all way to do it. Any suggestions given below are just that: suggestions. If they work for you, that's wonderful, and if not, well, feel free to try something else.
How Did [fill in the blank] Start?
Tolkien had the world of Middle Earth and his characters very well developed, with appendices and genealogies that he would share with his friends. We probably wouldn't have the story--except that C. S. Lewis insisted on one to go along with the world. Tolkien said that
The Lord of the Rings "was written to keep him [Lewis] quiet!" (See the preface of
On This and Other Worlds, by C. S. Lewis, p. 22.)
C. S. Lewis says his stories often began with an image. For
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, it was an image of "a Faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood" ("It All Began with a Picture," on p. 79 of
Of This and Other Worlds, by C. S. Lewis).
Things to Do
Do something else. Just take a break from writing. Perhaps if you give yourself a day or two off each week, you will be more relaxed and able to write better than if you force yourself to write every day.
Go for a walk or a hike. Observe. Look for details. Write about what you see. (Very relaxing! Ducks, by the way, are hilarious.)
Things to Read
"Goldfish," by A. A. Milne, found in his book,
Not That It Matters (also available in print; in the etext, search for the title of the essay). Milne discusses goldfish, including his suspicions on why we keep goldfish in the first place.
"The Way Down," by A. A. Milne, found in his book,
The Sunny Side (also available in print; in the etext, search for the title of the essay). We learn something of Milne's correspondence habits. Featuring his letterbox. Very delightful!
Project Nursery Rhymes Come visit my online collection of nursery rhymes (work-in-progress)!
Things to Watch
The Muppets: Ode to Joy Beaker performs Beethoven's "Ode to Joy."
Elderly Couple of 62 Years plays piano : A couple married 62 years gives an impromptu piano performance.
Swashbuckler (Mormon Ad) : A father and son rescue a princess.
Star Wars (John Williams is the Man) Medley : Moosebutter performs their medley of John Williams music with Star Wars lyrics.
Imagine That (with Ernie) : A Sesame Street clip in which Ernie sings about the things he imagines.
Things to Look At
Things to Listen To
Franz Liszt, etc. An internet radio station of Franz Liszt's music, and that of similar artists (classical piano).
Library 
Special thanks to C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien for the moment of inspiration that led to this Fortress as we know it now. Thanks, guys! You're awesome! 
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