15 Books Every Aspiring Novelist Should Read

National Novel Writing Month is something between a triple-dog-dare to the creatively inclined and a 30-day power hour of words. The challenge is simple: write a novel, and do it in 30 days. Sure, we're already halfway through the month, but it's never to late to start this project. And, if you prefer to do a little research before you roll up your sleeves and get to work, these books just may prompt you to put your pen to the page. And hey, if you write a novel in 32 days, that’s not so bad either. You’re not a writer until you’ve missed a deadline.