Hey everyone! Just thought I'd post a few of the books I've found over the years that have been extremely helpful to me. Maybe they'll help you too.
The Character Naming Sourcebook by Sherrylin Kenyon (a Writer's Digest book) This book is so cool! It's full of names and their meanings from almost every culture. In the back there's an index by name and also a reverse lookup index where you can find names by their meanings. I've gotten a lot of interesting ones from this book.
179 Ways to Save a Novel by Peter Selgin This book is good if you're looking for specific help with a specific issue, and it covers a lot of them: everything from style to substance to writer's block!
Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular by L. Rust Hills Despite it's title, this book helps a lot with novels too. It is very entertainingly written by an experienced editor. If you need help with making your stories more exciting, this is your book.
Sometimes the Magic Works by Terry Brooks Terry Brooks has written many successful fantasy series, and he has some plain good advice for writing them. I really related to his desire to tell a good story.
Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art by Madeleine L'Engle This is one of the best books I have ever read, let alone a book about writing. If you're looking for inspiration, or feeling like you're not good enough, or wondering whether faith and art can really get along, please read this book!
Well, I guess that's all for now. Hope it helps somebody.
