Books on Writing

I consider myself a natural-born writer, but I still had to refine my talent by studying a number of books on writing. Every book I studied on the subject taught me something, but four books particularly impressed me: 1) The Elements of Style, by William Strunk and E.B White; 2) The Art of Fiction, by Ayn Rand; 3) The Art of Non-Fiction, by Ayn Rand; and 4) Stein on Writing, by Sol Stein.
 
The Elements of Style is an ageless classic on writing, and a great starting book for aspiring writers. Rand’s two books on writing are chock-full of original insights into the craft of composing powerful prose. And Stein on Writing is simply the best overall book on writing I’ve encountered. It’s loaded with tips and information that even veteran writers will find useful.
 
I hardly consider myself a “finished writer,” and I see big improvement between my first book, Beyond the Power of Now and my second, Electrical Christianity. Relative to fiction, I’m a newbie, but I like to think that my inherent talent and creativity compensate for my lack of experience. I began my writing career late in life, and I’ll probably continue to improve over the next several years… until senility overtakes me or the Powers that Be decide to silence me because of my strident opposition to their fascist tyranny. (Note: my criticism of the State will escalate in my future writings.)