Whether writing a middle grade, young adult or a novel for adults, the crucial elements are the same – characterization, dialogue, plot, setting and theme.

In the writing novel world, there are two general types of writers – the Jumpers (I don’t know where I’m going yet, but I love the excitement of coming fresh to computer everyday) and the Planners (I love outlines, character charts and plot charts). Both are perfectly fine, you just need to discover which approach works for you. I hope you find some helpful information here, no matter which type of writer you are. Better yet, try both approaches and see where that leads you.

Here are some books that I’ve found especially helpful.

The Art and Craft of Storytelling; A comprehensive guide to classic writing techniques, Nancy Lamb, Writer’s Digest, 2008.

Between the Lines; Master the subtle elements of fiction writing, Jessica Page Morrell, Writer’s Digest Books, 2006.

Chapter after Chapter, Heather Sellers, Writer’s Digest, 2004.

The First Five Pages, Noah Lukeman, Simon & Schuster, 2000.

How Fiction Works, Oakley Hall, Story Press, 2001.

Novel Metamorphosis; Uncommon ways to revise, Darcy Pattison, Mims House, Little Rock, Arkansas, 2008.

Page after Page, Heather Sellers, Writer’s Digest Books, 2006.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Renni Brown and Dave King, HarperCollins, 1993.

The Scene Book; A Primer for the fiction writer, Sandra Scofield, Penguin Books, 2007.

*Write Away; One novelist’s approach to fiction and the writing life, Elizabeth George, HarperCollins, 2004.

The Writer’s Journey; Mythic structure for writers, Christopher Vogler, Michael Wiese Productions, 2nd Edition, 1998.

The Writer’s Portable Mentor; A guide to art, craft and the writing life, Priscilla Long, Wallingford Press, 2010.

*Elizabeth George was a writing teacher for many years. While I am not a devoted fan of her mysteries, I find her book Write Away one of the best craft books for creating a novel, step by step, with the use of outlines and character charts.