Writing is a skill that can be learned and improved upon. Whether you're an aspiring writer or a seasoned professional, there is always something more to learn. One way to improve your writing skills is by reading books on writing.
In this article, we will share some of the best books on writing that can help you become a better writer.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot."
Stephen King is one of the most successful writers of our time and his book, On Writing, is a must-read for any aspiring writer. Part memoir and part writing guide, On Writing contains both personal experiences and insights on the craft of writing. King discusses everything from his early struggles as a writer to his approach to storytelling and character development in such a down-to-earth manner that it's refreshing to read.
On Writing is a book that will inspire you to keep writing, even on days when you feel like giving up.
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
"Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts."
The Elements of Style is a classic guide to writing that has been used by writers for over 100 years. The book is concise and easy to read, and it covers everything from grammar and punctuation to style and tone.
The advice in this book is timeless and will help you improve your writing no matter what type of writing you do.
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
"Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere."
Bird by Bird is a book that is both funny and insightful. Anne Lamott shares her personal experiences as a writer and gives practical advice on how to overcome writer's block and other obstacles.
Bird by Bird is a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their writing skills and overcome the challenges of writing.
Upgrade your creative brain in 3 minutes or less by joining our free newsletter, Insights.
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
"We are all creative, but by the time we are three of four years old, someone has knocked the creativity out of us. Some people shut up the kids who start to tell stories. Kids dance in their cribs, but someone will insist they sit still. By the time the creative people are ten or twelve, they want to be like everyone else."
The Artist's Way is a self-help book that provides a 12-week course on unlocking your creativity. Cameron encourages writers to explore their creativity through a series of exercises and activities that help them develop their artistic skills.
A great resource for anyone who wants to develop their creativity and overcome creative blocks.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
"You can measure your worth by your dedication to your path, not by your successes or failures."
Big Magic is a book that encourages writers to embrace their creativity and pursue their passions without fear.
Gilbert provides insights into the creative process and shares personal anecdotes about her own creative journey.
This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to live a more creative and fulfilling life.
The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby
"The best stories are those that are both surprising and inevitable."
The Anatomy of Story is a comprehensive guide to storytelling that provides writers with a step-by-step approach to developing their stories.
Truby emphasizes the importance of structure and character development, and provides practical advice on how to create compelling and memorable stories. This book is a great resource for anyone who wants to improve their storytelling skills.
Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark
"When it comes to the most forceful or powerful idea, you want to distill that idea to its essentials and let it shine in the sentence. Readers tend to skim past longer sentences, and you don't want your best thought to be lost in between extra words."
Writing Tools is a practical guide to writing that provides writers with 55 strategies to improve their writing skills. Clark covers everything from grammar and punctuation to style and voice, and provides examples from great writers to illustrate his points.
This book is a great resource for anyone who wants to improve their writing skills and develop their own unique voice.
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
"One of the things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now."
The Writing Life provides a unique perspective on the creative process. Dillard shares her personal experiences as a writer and gives readers a glimpse into the daily life of a writer, and she discusses everything from the joys of writing to the struggles of writer's block.
The Writing Life is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the creative process and develop their own writing practice.
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
"The artist must be like that Marine. He has to know how to be miserable. He has to love being miserable. He has to take pride in being more miserable than any soldier or swabbie or jet jockey. Because this is war, baby. And war is hell."
The War of Art addresses the challenges of creative work and provides practical advice on how to overcome them. Pressfield discusses the concept of resistance and how it prevents us from pursuing our creative passions. He provides strategies for overcoming resistance and developing powerful writing habits.
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
"Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open."
In Writing Down the Bones, Natalie Goldberg shares practical exercises and insights that help writers develop their writing skills and find their unique voice. Goldberg's writing style is engaging and inspiring, which makes this book a quick read.
Writing Down the Bones is a must-read for anyone who wants to develop their writing practice and find their creative voice.
Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury
"If you want to write, if you want to create, you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent rambling. You must write every single day of your life. You must read dreadful dumb books and glorious books, and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head, vulgar one moment, brilliant the next. You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads."
Zen in the Art of Writing is an exploration into the creative process and the importance of finding joy in writing. Bradbury shares his personal experiences and provides practical advice on how to develop a writing practice that is both fulfilling and productive.
Zen in the Art of Writing is a must-read for anyone who wants to develop their creativity and find joy in the writing process.
The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface by Donald Maass
"The best way to create a sense of emotional depth in a story is to show how the characters are changed by what happens to them."
The Emotional Craft of Fiction focuses on the emotional depth of writing. Maass explores how to create characters that resonate with readers and how to craft stories that evoke emotional responses.
The book is full of practical exercises and examples that help writers develop their emotional intelligence and storytelling skills.
The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase by Mark Forsyth
"We are drawn to words that are three syllables long or longer, and we remember them best."
The Elements of Eloquence is an exploration into the art of rhetoric and the power of language. Forsyth provides practical advice on how to use language to create powerful and memorable phrases.
The book is full of examples from great writers and speakers, and Forsyth's writing style is engaging and entertaining. A must-read for anyone who wants to improve their writing and speaking skills.
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
"Show, don't tell. Let your readers experience the story through the actions and thoughts of your characters."
A step-by-step guide to writing a novel, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel places a lot of emphasis on the importance of structure and character development and provides practical advice on how to create a compelling story.
This book is a great resource for anyone who wants to write a novel but doesn't know where to start.
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser
"Rewriting is the essence of writing well: it's where the game is won or lost."
On Writing Well is a classic guide to writing nonfiction that covers everything from style and tone to structure and revision. Zinsser's writing style is engaging and conversational, and he provides practical advice on how to write with clarity and precision.
On Writing Well is a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their nonfiction writing skills.
The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers
"Writing is not just a way of speaking; it is a way of thinking."
The Power of Myth explores the role of mythology in our lives and how it can inspire us as writers.
Campbell provides insights into the archetypes and themes that are common to all mythologies, and Moyers asks probing questions that help readers understand the importance of these myths.
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition
"Consistency is key in all aspects of writing, from spelling and capitalization to punctuation and formatting."
The Chicago Manual of Style is a comprehensive guide to writing that is used by writers, editors, and publishers around the world. It covers everything from grammar and punctuation to style and formatting, and it provides clear and concise guidelines for all types of writing.
A must-have for anyone who wants to write with clarity and precision, and it is an essential reference for anyone who works with the written word.
The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker
"To achieve clarity, we need to replace the Curse of Knowledge with the Curse of Empathy, imagining how readers who don’t know what we know will interpret what we write."
The Sense of Style is a modern guide to writing that emphasizes the importance of clarity and simplicity. Pinker provides practical advice on how to write with clarity and precision, and he discusses everything from grammar and punctuation to style and tone.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King
"Writing is rewriting. A writer must learn to deepen characters, trim writing, intensify scenes. To fall in love with the first draft to the point where one cannot change it is to greatly enhance the prospects of never publishing."
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers is a book that provides practical advice on how to edit your own writing. Browne and King cover everything from dialogue and point of view to pacing and voice, and they provide examples and exercises to help writers apply the lessons to their own work.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers is a great resource for anyone who wants to improve their self-editing skills and make their writing stronger.
The Kick-Ass Writer: 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience by Chuck Wendig
"At the end of the day, writing is about passion. It's about pouring your heart and soul onto the page and sharing it with the world. Embrace that passion and let it fuel your writing."
As the title implies, The Kick-Ass Writer contains 1001 tips on how to improve your writing and get published.
Wendig's writing style is irreverent and humorous, and he provides practical advice on everything from character development to marketing your book. All in akll, a great resource if you want to take your writing to the next level.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines by Thomas C. Foster
"There is no such thing as a wholly original work of literature – at least not one that’s any good. Every writer is sitting in the shadow of the writers who have come before, and every writer is sitting in the shade of his or her own previous works."
How to Read Literature Like a Professor is a book that provides insights into the art of reading and understanding literature.
Foster covers everything from symbolism and allegory to themes and motifs, and he provides practical advice on how to analyze and interpret works of literature.
A great resource for anyone who wants to develop their critical reading skills and gain a deeper understanding of literature.
Writing is hard work, and it requires dedication, patience, and a willingness to learn and grow, and it's only with the guidance of past authors and their invaluable insights that you can take your craft to new heights.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means we may make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
