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Fiction-writing books are like any other how-to book: there are good and bad. The bad ones are easy to spot: they are the ones that say "this is how you write a book"!

That's because there are as many ways to write a book as there are authors! Each of us has our own unique way of working. A good book recognises that fact: it details some alternative approaches, and gives guidelines rather than strict rules. Find a book like that, and it's well worth investing in.

For instance, I've seen many books and websites which explain, in great detail, how to write a novel plan, prepare character analyses, draw up character arcs, and even work out where your chapters will end. If that methodical approach appeals to you, then a book which gives you the forms to fill in and the questions to ask will be invaluable. There are many writers who work like that, including J K Rowling.

But if you're a writer like me, the book would be useless. I write to find out what happens next - if I knew the end of the novel when I started, I wouldn't be motivated to write it! In my enthusiasm to write, I often write only key scenes, and have to go back later to fill in the blanks.

Many writers work like me. What we need is advice on editing: how to go back over the story and enrich it by adding descriptions and depth, and fix continuity errors. Sometimes, we just need to be reassured that working this way is OK! Especially those extreme writers who write out of sequence - another legitimate approach.

Other books which can be valuable are those which give advice on writing technique, such as POV (point of view), use of adverbs, grammar etc. You don't want to get bogged down in these things, but they are important. Study them, and you may be surprised how much of it stays in the back of your mind when you're writing - and your work will improve accordingly.

Finally, if you are writing for a specific genre such as Romance, science fiction, horror etc, then books about that genre can be very valuable. As well as covering the particular writing style needed, they will usually give you an idea of suitable subjects and may also include information on publishers and forums.

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