Resources for Writers & Editors
Writing Craft & Style
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Stephen King
Part memoir and part master class, this book offers invaluable insight into the discipline, experiences and daily habits that shape a writer’s life.
The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition
William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
A concise and timeless guide to clear, effective writing. An essential reference for grammar, usage, composition and style.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
Lynne Truss
A witty and highly readable exploration of punctuation, demonstrating how a misplaced comma, apostrophe, colon, or semicolon can completely change the meaning of a sentence.
Copyediting & Editorial Practice
The Copyeditor’s Handbook, Fourth Edition
Amy Einsohn and Marilyn Schwartz
A comprehensive professional guide to contemporary copyediting, including editorial roles, manuscript preparation, on-screen editing, usage, ethics, accessibility, and communication with authors and publishers. The fourth edition was published by University of California Press in 2019.
Erika Buky, Marilyn Schwartz, and Amy Einsohn
The practical companion to The Copyeditor’s Handbook, featuring increasingly challenging exercises, detailed answer keys, and real-world practice designed to strengthen editorial judgment.
The Copyeditor’s Workbook
Style, Grammar & Language
The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th Edition
The University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff
The authoritative reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, publishers, researchers, and designers, covering grammar, usage, punctuation, manuscript preparation, citation, and publishing practices. The current eighteenth edition is available both in print and through the official online subscription.
Garner’s Modern English Usage, Fifth Edition
Bryan A. Garner
An extensive and engaging guide to modern English grammar, word choice, syntax, style, pronunciation, and disputed usage, supported by thousands of examples and entries.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
A continuously updated online dictionary offering definitions, pronunciations, usage guidance, word histories, synonyms, and related language resources.
Copyright, Permissions & Publishing Law
The Copyright Permission & Libel Handbook
A practical foundational guide to copyright permissions, fair use, public-domain material, releases, and libel considerations. Because publishing law continues to evolve, readers should also consult current guidance from the U.S. Copyright Office or a qualified attorney.
Lloyd J. Jassin and Steven C. Schechter
The U.S. Copyright Office provides current information specifically for writers, including copyright ownership, registration, infringement, and fair-use considerations.
AI is a great tool for research, editing and offering suggestions. BUT when in doubt, I still turn to my bookshelf for guidance. There are a plethora of AI tools, and the landscape is changing every second of every day, so I encourage you to be thoughtful, honest and ethically aware when you choose your AI tools and apply them to your writing. Sure, AI can write your book for you, but it won’t be copyrightable, so essentially you’ll be donating your work back to the ether from whence it came!