Books like The kick-ass writer by Chuck Wendig

FBI futurist Hannah Stander follows a chilling trail from a deadwoman soaked by engineered ants to a billionaire’s secret lab on Kolohe Atoll, where sinister genetic research threatens everyone involved.

Elizabeth George draws on years of teaching and her own publishing experience to offer clear, practical guidance on the creative process of fiction writing in this engaging handbook.

Walter Mosley’s practical guide urges writers to overcome hesitation, offering daily‑regimen advice, voice‑selection strategies and tips for drafting and revising a novel in a year.

A practical guide by screenwriter Robert McKee that dissects dialogue construction for fiction and screenwriting, covering definition, common mistakes, corrective techniques, and design strategies.

A practical guide to infusing fiction with emotion, tension, and conflict, offering clear advice and inspiring insights from a seasoned writer.

Learn how to let your story guide you rather than a rigid outline, with step‑by‑step guidance on core narrative ingredients and techniques used by master storytellers.

A practical guide for writers, listing thirty detailed scenarios that help shape each character’s personality by forcing authors to answer how their characters would act.

Katherine Anne Porter called courage "the first essential" for a writer. "I have to talk myself into bravery with every sentence," agreed Cynthia Ozick, "sometimes every syllable." E. B. White said he admired anyone who "has the guts to write anything at all."An author who has taught writing for more than thirty years, Ralph Keyes assures readers that anxiety is felt by writers at every level and can be harnessed to produce honest and disciplined work., Keyes offers specifics on how to make the best use of writers' workshops and conferences and how to handle criticism of works in progress; he also exposes the most common "false fear busters" (needing new equipment, a better setting, a new agent). Throughout, he includes the comments of many accomplished writers--Pat Conroy, Amy Tan, Rita Dove, Isabel Allende, and others--on how they transcended their own anxieties to produce great works.

A practical handbook that teaches writers the core elements of fiction—characterization, plot, pacing, and theme—while also covering revision, marketing, and professional tools like cover and query letters.

"Every writer knows that as rewarding as the creative process is, it can often be a bumpy road. Have hope and keep at it! Designed to kick-start creativity, this handsome handbook from the executive director of National Novel Writing Month gathers a wide range of insights and advice for writers at any stage of their career. From tips about how to finally start that story to helpful ideas about what to do when the words just aren't quite coming out right, Pep Talks for Writers provides motivation, encouragement, and helpful exercises for writers of all stripes"--