'Bird by Bird' by Anne Lamott is highly recommended. It provides practical advice and inspiration for novel writing. It covers topics like dealing with writer's block and developing characters.
Writing novels and scripts requires a certain amount of literary knowledge and artistic skills. For details, you can refer to the following suggestions:
1. Learning writing skills and rhetorical devices such as description, metaphor, and comparison can be learned through reading literary classics, writing textbooks, online articles, and other channels.
2. Understand the structure of the story, including the beginning, middle, and end, as well as the content and function of each chapter. He could refer to various story collections, novels, and movie scripts.
3. Study the characters and plots to determine the theme and emotional elements of the story and come up with a suitable plot and character development route. You can refer to the plots and character design books of various novels, movies, and TV series.
4. Practice writing and constantly revise and improve your work. You can practice by writing a diary, a novel, or a script, and seek feedback and suggestions from others.
As for what books to read, they could choose books based on their interests and needs, such as novels, scripts, literature, psychology, and other types of books. He could start reading simple books and gradually improve his writing skills.
One great option is 'The Art of Romance Writing' by Julia Quinn. It covers everything from character development to crafting steamy scenes. It also provides exercises to enhance your writing skills.
I'd recommend 'Bird by Bird' by Anne Lamott. It provides a down-to-earth and inspiring approach to the writing process, including novel writing. It covers topics like getting started, dealing with writer's block, and developing characters.