Resources that have helped the Japanese in me

Face it, writing a kanji over and over doesn't work.

Well... at least for me.

I need a story behind the Kanji and consistency in what each of the symbols mean.

In my early days I started with the Heisig books.

Remembering the Kanji, Vol. 1: A Complete Course on How Not to Forget the Meaning and Writing of Japanese Characters by James W. Heisig changed my life.

As did Vol. 2.

Now there's a Vol. 3.

They're split up if I remember correctly in how to write them and read them. I have since moved on to my go-to book:

A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters by Kenneth G. Henshall. The explanations here suit me more. There is a history of the kanji in here, while I sometimes felt the Heisig could be bland. I look up all words in here first. These days I can even remember what each of the radicals mean and not have to consult the book as often.

These are good Kanji starter books and I was able to be consistent with the meanings I gave to each of the radicals. Sure I have to make some meanings up sometimes, but for the most part these books help you get the ball rolling.

If you want something more elementary, I recommend Kanji Pict-o-graphix by Michael Rowley. I bought this first because a friend recommended it and it was too simple for me.