Lately, I've grown to enjoy listening to the podcasts from the old veteran wrestlers like Ric Flair and Steve Austin. Not only does it provide a look at storytelling from another medium, it gives me a view on how the pros look at their craft. The old guys are constantly recommending matches for fans and up-and-coming wrestlers to watch, not just from an enjoyment standpoint, but with an eye on specific storytelling technique and mechanics displayed in the match.
This got me to thinking. It is common advice for a writer to read widely in their genres. However, I don't often see recommendations driven by technique. "Look at this book by this author and watch how he does this." Writing instruction on the web tends to be heavy on technique and formula, but sparse on execution and example.
So, if you're trying to help a fellow writer, what books would you recommend as examples of technique?
For example:
Neil Gaiman's The Sandman comics for framing stories and how to use story-in-a-story.
C. L. Moore, "Shambleau" for how to create characters using contrast.
I have seen Toni Weisskopf over at Baen recommend Georgette Meyer to anyone thinking of writing a romance. You can see this influence in Bujold's Vorkosigan saga.
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