Everyone has their favorites. This is a list I've compiled over time from various sources.

1. “Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular" by Rust Hills

2. “Story Logic and the Craft of Fiction” by Catherine Brady

3. “From Where You Dream” by Robert Olen Butler

4. "How Fiction Works” by James Wood

5. "Reading Like a Writer” by Francine Prose

I call this my psychology of writing book. The author, Bruce Holland Rogers, seemed to hit on every issue I've faced as a writer with practical workarounds — from getting started to the hazards of rejection to creating heart-sufficient goals.