Got a novel or short story (or two or ten or a hundred) inside you? Over the past 25 years, 15 of those as a published fiction writer, I've read and collected almost every book on writing fiction that's been published in the US. The following are the books that I return to time after time, and are essential for any writer no matter where they are in their career.

• Techniques of the Selling Writer, Dwight V. Swain, c. 1965  (paperback, University of Oklahoma Press, ISBN 0-8061-1191-7) With a curmudgeonly style and the soul of a true story teller, Swain covers every aspect of writing craft from word choice to how to prepare a manuscript like a pro. Somewhat outdated in regards to submissions, and there's no mention of e-publishing or the Internet, but his advice on character, conflict and structure are timeless.
• Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider advice for taking your fiction to the next level, Donald Maass, c. 2001 (paperback, Writer's Digest Books, ISBN 1-58297-182-x). Author and literary agent, Maass, cares about writing and story. On every page he urges the writer--no matter where in their career--to work harder, write better, and tell a story that makes the world sit up and take notice.
• Bird by Bird, Some instructions on writing and life, Anne Lamott, c. 1994 (hardcover, Pantheon, ISBN 0-679-43520-4). Funny, wise, sometimes sad, but always brilliant, Lamott speaks plainly about what it means to be a writer. This is a terrific book for anybody, even if they aren't writing fiction, but are looking for inspiration in their everyday lives.
• The Writer's Journey, Mythic structure for Storytellers and Screenwriters, Christopher Vogler, c. 1992 (Paperback, A Michael Wiess Productions Book, ISBN 0-941188-13-2). Vogler has taken the work of Joseph Campbell and applied it to how modern day fiction and movies use mythic structure in plotting. This is an essential book for anyone trying to master the fine art of plotting and is seeking to learn more about the achetypes of characters and conflict.
• The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And how to avoid them), Jack M. Bickham, c. 1992 (hardback, Writer's Digest Books, ISBN 0-89879-503-6). Short, sweet and to the point, Bickham discusses all aspects of story craft and the pitfalls associated with them. The chapter on scene structure alone is worth the price of the book.
• Story, Substance: Structure, style, and the principles of screenwriting; Award-winning methods from Hollywood's master of the craft, Robert McKee, c. 1997 (hardcover, ReganBooks, Harper Collins, ISBN 0-06-039168-5). This is based on the workshops McKee gives to screenwriters--his students are renowned for their blockbuster movies. Every fiction writer should read and believe what McKee has to say about story, plot, character and conflict.