World Book Day: A Late Response

Article by Chris Hyde

"A room without books is like a body without a soul". — Marcus Tullius Cicero 

World Book Day may have come and gone but we feel it's always important to highlight the importance of books and storytelling.

Books are essential for learning. We learn how to read words from books of course. We also learn a multitude of different things whether it be fiction or non-fiction.

So I've compiled a list of great books that I consider to be essential reading.

How to Write for Television by William Smethurst

This was one of the first books I remember being encapsulated by. From an early age I have always been inspired by stories and upon receiving this book it helped me craft my talent. I learned so much from formatting and structure to characterisation, dialogue and even writing comedy. Although it does specify writing for television you can use the skills you develop to lend it to longer forms of storytelling. It is the most essential book I've ever read and the most recommended for learning the screenwriting craft.

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

World Book Day, 2007. I have my book token to exchange at the fair. I look around at my peers who had football annuals, Harry Potter and anything that had recently been published by Jacqueline Wilson (I'm aware of her Tracy Beaker character in TV form only). I wasn't a sporty child, neither was I especially interested in Harry Potter. But I do remember one book that caught my eye. It had a black and white cover, hand drawn image of a detective but with a skull for a face. I had heard of Pirates but never had I seen this. It was Skulduggery Pleasant, a book from Irish author Derek Landy. I remember reading it, finishing it and reading it again. Over and over. It was one of the only books I truly remember enjoying. Every page sprung out at me as if I was creating this world in my mind. I could vividly see the chapters playing out as scenes from a film.

It was one of the few fiction books that inspired me to write. In the years since I have collected every book in the series (currently at a staggering 14, beat that J.K!) and will continue to so I can support my favourite author. Hopefully one day I could turn his amazing work into a short film or even a TV Pilot. But until then I will continue to read his books with the same glee I had all those years ago.

SAS: Rogue Heroes by Ben McIntyre

This book is more of a recent favourite, and that's okay. We can all have books we discover and love. After watching the phenomenal SAS: Rogue Heroes series I wanted to learn more about the history and whether what was shown on screen really happened. I was amazed to believe it really did happen, most of it anyway. Not only that but the brave men who birthed the unit, saw it through it's most turbulent campaigns and lived to see it become recognised as one of the greatest military units in history are owed a lot for their service. Ben beautifully crafts this story using archived sources from the SAS and shines a light on those who may have gone unheard of in recent years.

This is a fantastic read for anyone interested in military history or who enjoys the thrills of guerrilla warfare.

Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor

This is a bit of an odd entry, but when I was a child I had to regularly visit the hospital for medical reasons. During my visits I would be allowed to go to the hospital shop, a relic of the past. There was a wonderful shop that had toys and books in. I remember picking up a book called Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers and having seen a few episodes of the TV series Red Dwarf by this point, was interested in this newly discovered book series. Given the adult nature of Red Dwarf, one would think that a novelised version would be unsuitable for a child. My mother thought nothing of it and bought it for me regardless of the consequences.

It is an incredibly well written piece of literature, yes it has it's adult themes and humour, I wouldn't advise allowing anyone under the age of 15 read it but if you love science fiction and comedy you'll definitely have a great time reading this!

The Definitive Guide to Screenwriting by Syd Field

In 2019, my mother in-law Julie bought me a book for Christmas. This was before she became my mother in-law and had bought me the book after learning about my dream to become a writer/director. It was such an important gift for me, not only was it practical and helped me over the next year gain a better and deeper understanding of writing (sorry How to Write for Television) but it was incredibly thoughtful and met my criteria for the perfect gift.

Syd Field is an excellent tutor and if you were to read any of the writing books on this list I'd advise giving this a go!

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The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Ah yes the book which inspired my name. As I say this I remember back to 2017 when I was going through the worst mental breakdown of my life. I felt as if I had lost all sense of self, my identity and to an extent (I'm aware it's not scientifically possible) my soul. I remember reading this book and feeling like a monster, much in the same way Jekyll viewed Hyde. I had changed my name to break my connection with my father as we had grown estranged from one another in those last few years. I wanted to make a little joke to myself, one that only me and a few who knew me would understand. So I had changed my surname to Hyde after reading the book.

Some might call it strange, like the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde itself. But the book had gotten me through a rough time in my life.

Creating Character Arcs by K.M Weiland

During lockdown I wanted to learn how to perfect my characters. I'd watch videos on writing characters and one book kept coming up again and again. Creating Character Arcs is one of (if not) the best books to learn the intricate nature of character arcs. You learn from the author K.M Weiland providing comparisons to movies like Jurassic Park and Star Wars which really helps when trying to figure out how your character fits into the examples.

This is a crucial book to help write great characters and I definitely advise anyone wanting to learn more to go out to your local library or second hand book store (there are some great second hand book sites online too) and get a copy of Creating Character Arcs and before you know it you'll be writing great characters in no time!

The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Now I'll admit I cheated with this entry. I had "read" this book in audio form. Okay I listened to an audio book! It's still the same right? Anyway, I had been a fan of Douglas Adams from his time as writer on Doctor Who during the 70's. He had written some great stories for the show and I was inspired to learn more about his other work. I have seen the film version with Martin Freeman ages ago. So I began to listen. It's a fantastic story, with thrilling twists, great characters and some impeccable comedy.

The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker

Another writing book, this one focuses on plots and how in pretty much every story there are seven basic plots. This is a fascinating read which dives deeper into the basic tenets of story plots. A good beginners guide to storytelling for anyone who'd like to learn.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I couldn't leave one of the greatest British writers of all time could I? Yes I absolutely love A Christmas Carol, it's one of the best novels of all time. It's got everything you need from a Christmas story and proves a valuable lesson to just be kind and treat people fairly and with respect. Something we take for granted nowadays.

What are we reading now? Well as we are working on bringing a new series out (hopefully starting this year) we have been diving into the world of myths, legends and folklore.

Our current reading list is as follows:

Le Morte D'Arthur by Thomas Mallory

Myths and Legends of Britain and Ireland by Richard Jones

The History of The Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth

Celtic Mythology by Ward Rutherford

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If you would like to support us you can by going to www.keziahhydemedia.com/donate and for as little as £2 per month you can help build our platform and grow our team. You also get exclusive benefits for your small contribution from bonus features to a private forum. Just click the link to get started.

Keziah Hyde Media is a non-profit, independent media organisation. We don't display ads on our site and strive to make our media accessible to everyone. But it's only sustainable with your help.