Challenge Yourself to Learn from Masters

31-Day Ninja Writer Challenge 2019: Day Fifteen

Being a Ninja Writer means constantly working to improve your craft.

One way you can do that is by building a library of writing craft books. You can buy them new or head to your public library and borrow them. Or keep your eye on used bookstores and thrift stores. Fill up your Kindle. This isn’t about getting all these books at once.

Just pick one. Get it. Study it. Then move on.

It’s pretty damned amazing that you can learn from a Master like Stephen King or Anne Lamott or Ray Bradbury…all with a library card or the cost of a single book.

You are the boss of your writing. We’re going to talk more about that tomorrow, but for today, know that makes you a professional. Part of being a professional is studying and staying on top of your craft.

Here are some of the books that make up my personal writing craft library. Click the covers to find out more about each one. (If you’re starting from scratch and need to add just one book, I suggest On Writing. If you can add two more, Self-editing for Fiction Writers and The Writer’s Journey. Those three are my trifecta.)

​ASSIGNMENT FIFTEEN:

Come by Facebook and share your favorite writing craft book!

Download or buy a writing craft book today. At a thrift store, used on Amazon, in a bookstore. Whatever. Or choose one off your shelf that you either haven’t read or haven’t read in a while.

Start learning.

Read all of the challenges in this series here:

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Shaunta Grimes is a writer and teacher. She is an out-of-place Nevadan living in Northwestern PA with her husband, three superstar kids, two dementia patients, a good friend, Alfred the cat, and a yellow rescue dog named Maybelline Scout. She’s on Twitter @shauntagrimes and is the original Ninja Writer.