1)The Nighttime Novelist: Finish Your Novel in Your Spare Time by Joseph Bates This book takes you through the story arc process and explains what you need to do to formulate characters and structure. There are only a few writing samples, which is why I liked it.
2)On Writing by Stephen King This is an inspirational memoir from a great writer with fantastic advice.
3)Wonderbook by Jeff Vandermeer A gorgeous manual on how to write, especially for fantasists, but anyone can use it. Full of illustrations and diagrams and imagination.
4)The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler Mythic structure for writers. Basically, the Hero's Journey in detailed, helpful description.
5)Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt I couldn't write a book in a month, but this book pretty much charts how to write a novel in detailed steps.
6)Bullies, Bastards, and Bitches by Jessica Page Morrell Need a hand with that antagonist you're creating? This book explains how to build a villain worthy of a hero.
7)Characters and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card Excellent advice on how to construct a character with depth and originality.
8)Thanks, But This Isn't For Us by Jessica Page Morrell This book warns writers what to avoid when writing, the common pitfalls and boring bits. It also explains how to correct these problems.
9)Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Another fantastic memoir, a guide on how to write and manage a writer's life.
10)Torn wings and Faux Pas/The New Well-Tempered Sentence by Karen Elizabeth Gordon Two excellent and fun books on the mechanics of writing. Lots of whimsical and entertaining examples.
