My last book recommendation was not for beginners; I recommended it for people who were at least intermediate to advanced. If you were disappointed because you wanted something to start with, then this book is for you!

This year you write your novel, by Walter Mosley, is a great first book to start with if you’ve never read anything on the craft. It covers all the basics, very briefly (sometimes too briefly, but you have to start somewhere, right?) and succinctly gives you a great idea of what you should work on for each step in the process.

If you’ve never read another book on the craft, this is the one to start with; even if you’ve read a few but have never managed to complete a novel, it will be of great help, at least in helping you identifying the areas where you might need help.