If you ask me what is the best way to become a better writer, I would say three things:
read, write, and read over write, in that order.
You are reading: Books on writing skills
The idea that reading books about writing will help you get better at homework seems a bit strange at first. but after you start writing every day, in a professional way, you will find that you will face some difficult problems that will haunt you every time you sit down to write.
The easiest way to overcome these problems and adopt a writing philosophy that makes you a more professional, resilient, and wise writer is to read the books on writing that have been published by the masters of the craft.
learn from the best and guess what? you will become the best writer you can be.
I love reading about writing because that’s how I’ve become a good writer over time, even though English isn’t my first language.
Because I have been blessed with the wisdom of so many great writers who have come before me, I want to share my top ten favorite books on writing so you can benefit as much as I have.
let’s get started.
10 writing books every writer should read
about typing
author: stephen king
A writing book from the world’s leading horror writer that will help you understand what it takes to write consistently, find your muse, and master your writing toolbox.
let me start by saying that i have never read a stephen king book.
if ever there was a bad stephen king fan, it’s me.
However, when I was faced with the idea of listening to his audiobook (narrated by the author himself), I decided to buy it and see what this bestselling author has to say about the craft. I really don’t know why I bought it; it just caught my attention.
To my delight, listening to this book was incredibly pleasurable; Mr. King did an excellent job of sharing her writing philosophy and her attitude towards it.
More importantly, his rather geeky voice conveyed the important parts of the book; the ones he clearly cared about.
One of the most important writing lessons I took was the idea of finding the muse (see quote below).
king also talks about grammar, sentence structure, adverbs (hint: he hates them), dialogue and conversation, drafting, and the art of writing.
I didn’t expect to learn as much as I did from your book. If you’ve read some of my articles on this site, you’ve probably seen that I quote it every other article. at writing is that good.
on writing has been a very influential book for me, and it’s one that any writer, regardless of whether you’re a fan of his or not, will benefit from reading.
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best writing quotes
where good ideas come from
how to wake up the muse
what to write about
Perfect For: Any type of writer (fiction or nonfiction) struggling to find their muse, wanting to know what it’s like to be a writer, and mastering writing skills. to get better at his job.
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the style elements
authors: william strunk jr. and e.b. white
a classic book on grammar, style and punctuation. if you feel like you need to improve any of those three aspects of your writing, then this book is a great start.
When I started writing as a professional content writer, I remember other writers kept mentioning the elements of style.
“what’s all the fuss about?” I thought to myself.
so I chose a copy. At 85 pages, it’s a short read.
But don’t let the size fool you. As concise as it is, you’ll learn so much from this book that you’ll feel like a different writer after reading it.
Originally Posted by william strunk jr. in 1918 (yes, over a hundred years ago!), and published in 1959 by e.b. white, this book is as useful today as it was in the analog days of writing.
The book begins with “the elementary rules of use”, where the authors explain some of the basic concepts of grammar and style such as:
- place a comma before a conjunction by introducing an independent clause (chapter #4)
- do not join independent clauses with a comma (chapter #5)
- use a script to establish a break or abrupt interruption and to announce a summary or long apposition (chapter #8)
if you read frequently and like to analyze what you read, i.e. if you’re a nerd like me, these rules are pretty basic.
The second section, “elementary principles of composition”, talks about more complex and advanced composition rules, such as:
- use active voice (chapter #14)
- omit unnecessary words (chapter #17)
- keep related words together (chapter #17) 20)
These rules are still fairly basic, but since they relate to composition style, they affect the way you write more strongly than the previous grammar rules in the first section.
Coming from a time when writing wasn’t as simple as opening a laptop and typing what you want knowing you can erase what you type in one go, the authors emphasize the importance of clarity.
The next two sections, “Some Form Issues” and “Commonly Misused Words and Expressions,” focus on specific parts of the writing toolbox.
In the first of the two aforementioned sections, the authors talk about how to use parentheses, hyphens, and references—all highly technical concepts but still useful for anyone who wants to know the “standard” way of using those writing elements.
In the second of the two, one of the longest in the book, the authors take a dictionary-like approach and discuss common homophones, homographs, and other commonly misused expressions. this section is intended to be used more as a reference point than a learning tool.
The final section, “an approach to style (with a list of reminders)” focuses on different writing style recommendations. I’ve found this section to be the most useful, as it focuses on the actual elements of the style.
The advice, while basic and obvious, is incredibly refreshing. Some of these “reminders” they mention include:
- do not overwrite
- avoid complicated words
- be clear
In a world where people often avoid studying grammar and style, this last section is the fastest and easiest way to improve both at the same time.
most books on writing, such as “on writing well” and mentioned below, are children of the elements of style; an extension, so to speak.
Time-honored as one of the 100 best and most influential books written in English since 1923, there’s no better book to start working on your writing skills than The Elements of Style. do yourself (and your readers) a favor and pick up a copy.
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best quotes from style elements
imitate other writers
do not overwrite
avoid complicated words
Perfect For: Anyone who wants to improve their writing without having to take a course or read a complex book on the subject.
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on writing well
author: william zinsser
another classic for writers who want to learn what it means to be a professional writer, how to find their own style and how to write with it.
following the elements of style, I’ve often seen writers recommend writing well as their favorite book on writing.
Bewildered as I was to see why it was being highly recommended, I bought it and read it. shortly after, I realized why he is so famous.
If I had to sum this book up in one sentence, I’d say it’s a book that teaches you the best ways to find your writing style, develop it, and then refine it.
I think the reason this book has been a classic for writers, as well as the elements of style, is that the author doesn’t get too philosophical or corny in his concepts, nor does he get too technical. in a way, it strikes the right balance between style and bird-for-bird elements (see below), which is what I like about it.
The book is divided into four sections:
- principles: where the author explains seven basic concepts for any writer to understand, including avoiding clutter and understanding style
- methods: where the author explains three key methods of writing, including how to begin and end a piece
- forms: where the author explains nine ways to structure different forms of writing, including nonfiction, biographies, and sports
- attitudes: where the author explains six different concepts around the psychology of writing
on writing well feels like a book that a friendly writing coach or teacher would write. The author, William Zinsser, goes through each of the 25 chapters as if giving you personal advice.
Reading the book feels like you’re being mentored by a wise and experienced writer. and you’ll be a much better writer because of it.
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See Also: 9 Great ESL Books for Teachers Looking to Improve Their Skills
how to attract an audience
Perfect For: Writers who want to learn the philosophy of writing, who want to discover their own style, and who want to improve the quality of their results.
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bird by bird
author: anne lamott
the most moving, poetic and psychological book I’ve ever read on writing.
All of the writing books mentioned on this list are amazing in their own right. Written by expert writers, they go over the many details of writing: grammar, style, narration, but any one of them takes the path that bird by bird chooses to walk.
I’ll be the first to tell you that I hate clichés, poetic phraseology for poetry’s sake, and silly sensibilities (think most self-help books). Bird to Bird doesn’t fall into any of these traps, but it manages to be poetic and sensitive without being too fragile to face the reality of writing.
The first part of the book is about the life of Anne Lamott, a relatively popular fiction writer, who happened to have a pretty interesting life.
Before I read bird by bird, I didn’t know who I was. but as in the writing (the first book mentioned here), the author manages to share enough of her life to illuminate the book’s story and thesis.
in the later stages of the book, mrs. Lamott establishes his philosophy of writing. why should you care to read the philosophy of this particular writer, you may ask? because it is elaborated with the detail and poetry of a fiction book without losing its essence.
The author explains what it takes to be a writer, what it means to be, and how to develop a narrative for a fictional book or story.
It’s hard to explain why this book is such a joy to read (in fact, I listened to it as an audiobook, another great experience read by the author herself), but it’s still a wonderful experience that will help you understand how you can overcome your own fears, doubts and pains of writing.
Intended primarily for fiction writers, the author spends some time explaining the different aspects of developing a plot, a story, and the characters in a story.
While I don’t read fiction and don’t plan on writing fiction any time soon, it’s still a must-read for any professional content writer.
Whether you want to write fiction or non-fiction, Bird by Bird provides a beautiful reading experience that will teach you what it takes to be a writer and how to find your demons.
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the best phrases of bird by bird
shitty first drafts
looking around
bird by bird
Perfect For: Writers who suffer from impostor syndrome, fear the blank page, or struggle to develop a first draft.
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writing tools
author: roy peter clark
an overview of the writing tools every writer should master.
I like to think of writing as an art made up of hundreds and hundreds of techniques, all intertwined. you can’t use one without, directly or indirectly, using another.
In addition, there is a blurred line between the actual grammatical rules and the stylistic concepts that mark a certain time. For example, the idea of writing colloquially is a relatively new concept, but there are no hard and fast rules that tell you to use that way of writing. you write colloquially because it’s what you’re used to.
mastering the art of writing words is difficult. you can’t really study it; you just need to practice it and let it mature. but if you don’t know what actual writing techniques you can use, then the whole process gets complicated. a catch-22, in fact.
writing tools is the first book I’ve read that addresses this dilemma. Roy Peter Clark, writer and famed writing coach, dissects 50 of the most common writing tools and explains them clearly so anyone can understand and use them.
The author does not discuss each tool abstractly; rather, it goes back and forth between theory and its application. such structure makes it not only easy to read and very attractive, but also much easier to understand.
Books on writing often become too technical and boring for the average reader. Clark instead takes a more hands-on approach that I enjoyed throughout the book.
some of the tools it analyzes include:
- use of adverbs
- use of inflections
- rhythm of words and sentences
- use of dialogues
- research
Whether you use the writing tools you shared in your book, being aware of them will help you create better content.
ever since I read writing tools, it became one of my favorites; In my opinion, the best book Clark has ever written.
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best writing tool quotes
let the punctuation control the pace and space
cut big, then small
get the dog’s name
Perfect For: Writers who know they need to improve their writing but don’t know what they need to improve.
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the art of x-ray reading
author: roy peter clark
an in-depth look at the writing styles of famous writers.
I’m not a fan of fiction. It’s weird, because I love to read and I appreciate a good story, but fiction is not the kind of writing I enjoy. I like the facts and abstractions that only a nonfiction book can provide.
Sadly, this penchant for nonfiction ends up preventing me from enjoying some of the best writers, including people as diverse as Anton Chekhov, William Burroughs, and even William Shakespeare.
Fortunately, however, Roy Peter Clark wrote The Art of X-Ray Reading to analyze the writing styles of those writers with the goal of uncovering the elements that make their writing so good.
Analyzing content is always difficult because it cannot be measured quantitatively. the same is true of any kind of art, including painting and film. you can gauge a writer’s use of grammar and language, but only when he gets something wrong, not when he surprises you with his technique.
Roy Peter Clark is a master of content analysis (it’s no accident that he wrote writing tools), so he made this book a good attempt at quantifying the actual techniques of 25 of the greatest writers of all time. , which include:
- scott j. fitzgerald (chapter #1)
- sylvia plath (chapter #5)
- gabriel garcia marquez (chapter #11)
- charles dickens (chapter #25)
The book does not analyze all his production; it does not even analyze a complete book. Clark focuses on small pieces from his most famous books, uncovering specific excerpts that shed light on his unique qualities.
I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I thought I would. Actually, I didn’t like the help for writers! (which I do not include in this list) or even the glamor of grammar (featured below) as much as I liked this one.
i remember reading this book while in new york city, reading most of it on my long commutes on the subway. the book, the thesis and the narrative developed by clark totally grabbed me. I ignored my surroundings completely. when that happens, you know it’s a sign that the book is amazing.
While it falls short of discussing the entire technique of writers (something that would require an entire book for each author), it still helps you understand more clearly what it is that makes a great writer achieve such masterful use. of the language.
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the best quotes from the art of x-ray reading
about imitation
repetition vs. redundancy
on motivation
perfect for: writers who have read hemingway, fitzgerald or shakespeare and think “how could I write like them?”
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the glamor of grammar
author: roy peter clark
a book about the beauty of grammar, without the boring technicalities of it.
Grammar is the most important item in a writer’s toolbox. if you don’t master grammar, you can’t write; it’s that simple.
grammar explains why and how we use punctuation, word classes (i.e. nouns, adjectives, etc.), and sentence structures, among other things.
As sad as it is, understanding grammar is paramount for any writer, but at the same time, it can be very boring. Also, grammar can cause a situation of “paralysis by analysis” where you spend too much time thinking about how to write a sentence correctly instead of just writing it and letting his style dictate his ideas.
In “The Glamor of Grammar,” Roy Peter Clark makes the entire process of mastering grammar a pleasurable experience. he separates the whole world of grammar into five parts:
- words
- points
- standards
- meaning
- purpose
Composed of 50 chapters, each dealing with a different aspect of grammar, Clark explains how to understand grammar in basic terms, without being too technical or abstract.
The author clearly wanted to spread his 50 lessons evenly across the five sections, which makes some chapters a bit redundant or boring (e.g., “Chapter #6: Take a class on dressing up parts of speech “). .
The best parts, I think, revolve around the use of the different punctuation marks (section #2: periods), the use of grammatical rules (section #3: standards), and the construction of meaning within of sentences (section #4: meaning).
See Also: The 21 Best Spiritual Books of All Time (to Read in 2022)
If you’re new to grammar or want to brush up on some rules you forgot, Grammar Glamor will be an easy introduction to the world of grammar.
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There are plenty of other books on the subject of grammar (some of which I haven’t read and to my knowledge are much more technical) that you should consider reading.
the best punctuation book, period, by Junio casagrande, is a good book, similar to the art of grammar.
Some of the books I haven’t read that have great reviews include:
- dreyer’s english: an absolutely correct guide to clarity and style, by benjamin dreyer
- was the best of sentences, was the worst of sentences: a writer’s guide to crafting killer sentences, by Junio casagrande
- the only grammar book you’ll ever need: a unique font for every writing task, by susan thruman
- woe is me: the grammarphobe’s guide to improvement English in Simple Language, by Patricia T. o’conner
best grammar glam quotes
the economy of short words in English
emphasis and spacing
the best phrases
Perfect For: Writers who want to discover the beautiful aspects of grammar and how to master it without falling into all its jargon.
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cash advertising
author: drew eric whitman
a psychology-based copywriting book that will show you how you can create copy that works.
I love reading about copywriting; in fact, I like reading about it more than I like writing copy.
copywriting never felt right to me; I like the art of writing texts and promoting them better than trying to make an immediate sale from my content. it’s weird, but it’s just a personal predilection.
The reason why copywriting appeals to me, even from a theoretical perspective, is that it has something that content marketing lacks.
In the simplest terms, copywriting is the art of writing copy to sell.
To make a sale, contrary to what most people think, the copywriter must have a deep understanding of the needs and wants of the audience. More importantly, copywriting requires a deep understanding of human psychology.
cashvertising was one of the first copywriting books I read, and to this day it remains one of the books that had the greatest impact on my writing career.
Unlike what most copywriting books do, which is to focus on copywriting techniques, words to use, and other specifics of the craft, this book spends more time talking about copywriting. psychology of human behavior than anything else.
In this book, drew eric whitman begins with an explanation of the “life force 8”, the eight desires that human beings are biologically programmed for, and the “9 secondary human desires”.
Any successful advertising or marketing campaign works thanks to the influence of any of these forces and desires.
He then goes on to explain 17 fundamental principles of human psychology, which is one of the most interesting parts of the entire book.
This section could be a book on its own, and as it stands, it is a summary of the most famous and useful psychology principles out there. this includes cialdini’s six principles of influence, kahneman’s heuristic study, and many more psychological models.
Like I said before, copywriting works because of psychology, and Whitman talks a lot about the different psychological principles that make advertising work.
finally, the author goes through 41 writing techniques. while this last section is closer to the typical technique-rich writing book you read, it doesn’t degrade the quality of the book.
Overall, whether you’re new to copywriting or not, cashvertising is one of the best books you can read on the subject.
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the formula of desire
evidence
scarcity increases
Perfect For: Anyone who wants to learn the basics of copywriting without a hassle.
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hey whipple, squeeze this
author: luke sullivan
a book on the philosophy of advertising and copywriting.
As you may have noticed, I’m a big fan of philosophy. It’s not that I’m that good at understanding theoretical philosophy, I struggle a lot with its abstract concepts, it’s just that I like the fact that philosophy teaches you how to think.
It’s great to learn techniques and tactics, whether it’s about writing, advertising, marketing, or any other interesting topic, but if you don’t know how to use them, if you don’t know how they fit into the larger strategy. , then there is no point in using them.
I want to be able to think like an advertiser so I don’t have to rely on other people’s techniques but create my own. that’s how you really succeed at anything, and advertising is no exception.
Luke Sullivan, the author of “Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This,” takes a philosophical approach to advertising, reviewing how it has worked historically, why people hate it, and how you can learn to master the skills to become a successful advertiser.
unlike cashvertising or other copywriting books that ultimately go into the details of advertising techniques, sullivan talks about broader aspects of the topic.
The book is full of golden nuggets that will help you gain a deeper understanding of how advertising and marketing work. From copywriting to TV commercials, the author talks about what it takes to create something people want to consume, namely your ads.
“hey, whipple, squeeze this” is an interesting, clever and rich book that will help you understand more about the art of advertising.
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best quotes from hey whipple squeeze this
the truth
what is a trademark
The three types of writers you can be
Perfect For: Copywriters who are just starting out or anyone who wants to learn how to write great copy.
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trust me, I’m lying
author: ryan vacation
a book about the dark art of public relations and media manipulation in today’s world of blogs and fake news.
When you see big media outlets, you likely think of them as professional, forward-thinking companies with high standards and ethics.
turns out it’s all a lie. media companies are desperate for attention; they make money from ads, which means they need as many eyes as possible. That leaves room for a man like Ryan Holiday, whom he calls a “media manipulator.”
Holiday’s job is to get press for her clients. he doesn’t have a great team behind him or much fame around him. he just knows how to take advantage of the loopholes in the media business model and get a lot of press without much effort.
Throughout the book, the author presents a dark view of the media landscape. With analytical precision and a bit of philosophical reflection (I couldn’t love this book so much if it weren’t a bit philosophical), Holiday explains that the media world is not made for the reader, but for the benefit of the media company. .
That fact wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the fact that media companies can easily manipulate people’s perception of reality, something that has eventually led us into a world of “fake news” and “post-truth”.
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Any content marketer who wants to understand how the press really works and how to use the weaknesses of the media model to their advantage should read this book, a complete revelation that will change their perception of their profession.
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best quotes from trust me i’m lying
the blog scam
the work of the manipulator
the problem of journalism
Perfect For: Anyone who wants to learn how blogging works and how they can take advantage of it.
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it’s time to start reading these writing books
So there you have it, the top ten books on writing.
Take the time to read them carefully, drinking in each lesson slowly, because these lessons will take months or years to sink in. But once they do, they’ll transform your writing in ways you never imagined.
See Also: 15 best books by LGBTQ authors in 2022