Books for Writers on the Cheap
Finding Writing Books in Second Hand Book Stores and the Internet
Used books for writers may be a little dog-earned and there might even be notes along the side of the pages from previous owners. And while many of them were written before the Internet made research so much easier, what is written on those pages can be as timely as the ones in stores that only sell new books. Writing is writing is writing, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein, and how to do it never seems to change. Some older books are better than others and have remained viable during the ensuing years.
Books for Writers that have Stood the Test of Time
For example, Getting the Words Right: How to Revise, Edit & Rewrite by Theodore A. Rees Cheney is one of those as he teaches the writer three basic revision techniques: reduction, rearranging and rewording. In the book, the writer will learn how to express ideas clearly by trimming weak or extra words, make smooth transitions between paragraphs and develop editing skills with step-by-step guidance. You can buy it on Amazon.com for 11 cents for a good used copy or $6.95 for new one. Original price was $12.95.
Raymond Hull, the co-author of The Peter Principal, also wrote How to Write “How-To” Books & Articles: Cash in on Your Hobbies, Interests, and Activities by Letting Others in on What You Know. This book even includes exercises that show how to turn ideas into saleable manuscripts. It’s for sale at one penny for a used copy and $3.00 for a new one in mint condition. The original price was $12.95.
When Leonard L. Knott wrote Writing After Fifty in 1985, it was priced at $12.95 but today’s cost is from one cent to $1.61 for a used copy. It covers writing nostalgia articles, travel writing, book, movie and theater reviews among other topics for those wanting to start a writing career after retirement.
The Hardest Part: Techniques for Effective Non-Fiction by Thomas Fensch shows the writer how to use twenty-six different techniques for leads and examples and guidelines for each type, twelve way to end any article effectively, and five no-fail transitions from sub-topic to sub-topic. The used price is $1.98 and new ones are still available at $15.95.
Connie Emerson’s The 30-Minute Writer: How to Write and Sell Short Pieces includes advice for personal essays, humor, opinion pieces, reviews, anecdotes and miniprofiles. It can be purchased used for one cent and $4 for a new copy. The original cost was $17.95.
Writing to Inspire: A Guide to Writing and Publishing for the Expanding Religious Market by William Gentz and Lee Roddy provides information on every type of inspirational writing from hymns/songs, fiction and poetry to biographies, news articles and columns.
Browsing through your local used book store may turn up many other bargain books for writers. When buying books on the cheap on the Internet, keep in mind that when purchasing on-line, a charge of $3.99 is also often added for shipping regardless of the price of the book if the whole order does not come to $25.00 or more.
Sources:
Amazon.com
Bookfinder.com
