If you want to start writing then it can be done by reading from the writer who is crushing it. You can read their techniques, life stories, and style to learn more about writing.
So, We have brought you some of the best books on writing that can help you to craft good stories whether fiction or nonfiction.
Whether you are a beginner or an advanced writer who wants to craft your stories and want to learn more about how great writers write you can read these books.
We also have the best books on other different categories like arts and creativity, habits, stress and anxiety, mental health, EQ, and other books.
On Writing By Stephen King
On Writing By Stephen King is a book with his own personal memoir and practical advice for upcoming aspiring writers.
The author talks about his own writing journey, his struggles, childhood, and life with valuable writing tips and techniques to master the art and craft of writing.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- The author encourages reading a wide variety of books and writing consistently to improve as a writer.
- Writers should find their own voice and style instead of imitating other writers.
- Writers should write for themself and write the stories they would enjoy reading.
- Writers should “show” the readers what’s happening through descriptions and actions, rather than “telling” them directly.
Quotes from the Book:
- Books are a uniquely portable magic.—Stephen King
- The road to hell is paved with adverbs.—Stephen King
- The scariest moment is always just before you start.—Stephen King
- Description begins in the writer’s imagination but should finish in the reader’s.—Stephen King
Bird by Bird By Anne Lamott
Bird by Bird By Anne Lamott is a book about writing advice with personal anecdotes and humor. The author shares his experience, struggles, and writing advice with relatable stories to convey her message.
The book also talks about the various aspect of the writing process, from dealing with self-doubt and writer’s block to crafting compelling characters and stories.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- Writing is a messy process, tackle in small steps and one at a time.
- The book discusses the importance of letting go of perfectionism during the initial draft of the book.
- Writers should observe the real world and draw inspiration from it.
Quotes from the Book:
- You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.― Anne Lamott
- Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.― Anne Lamott
- You don’t always have to chop with the sword of truth. You can point to it too.― Anne Lamott
The Artists Way By Julia Cameron
The Artists Way By Julia Cameron is a book about overcoming creative blocks, and exploring your creativity and artistic nature.
The book is structured in a 12-week journey where you will learn daily activities, reflections, and exercises that will help you to become a good artist.
The plays an important role to express your curiosity and self-expression to unlock your true potential.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- The book practices the concept of “Morning Pages” where you write three pages of thoughts every morning as a way to clear your mind.
- Connect with the things you love to do like activities, interests, and passion that makes you happier.
- Overcome the barrier of creative blocks, self-doubt, and negative belief to express your artistic thoughts.
Quotes from the Book:
- The mystery is at the heart of creativity. That and surprise.—Julia Cameron
- The creative process is a process of surrender, not control.—Julia Cameron
- Creativity is always a leap of faith. You’re faced with a blank page, a blank easel, or an empty stage.—Julia Cameron
- Perfectionism is not a quest for the best. It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough – that we should try again.—Julia Cameron
The War of Art By Stephen Pressfield
The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield is a book that talks about the concept of resistance—A force that prevents individuals from realizing their true creative ambitions and pursuing their art.
The book also talks about procrastination, self-doubt, fear, and other personal growth problems.
The book is divided into three parts where you will find your resistance, fight with resistance, and overcome the resistance to unlock your true potential.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- Identify resistance and overcome it.
- Adapt a professional mindset to truly pursue your creativity. It means showing up consistently regardless of what happens.
- Accept failure as a natural part of the creative process.
- Discipline yourself with daily routines and habits to counter resistance and make consistent progress towards creative goals.
Quotes from the Book:
- Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.― Steven Pressfield
- We must do our work for its own sake, not for fortune or attention or applause.― Steven Pressfield
- The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.― Steven Pressfield
The Writing Life By Marie Arana
The Writing Life By Marie Arana is a book that delves into the joy, challenges, and process of writing.
The author draws from his own experience and deeper understanding of what it meant to be a writer.
Through the series of essays, the book offers a look at the emotional, intellectual, and creative aspects of a writer’s journey.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- The author reflects on the beauty and limitations of a language when a writer searches for a perfect work to express thoughts and emotions.
- Writers can reflect on their memory to draw personal experiences to shape perspective and thinking.
Quotes from the Book:
- Life is better when we imagine it.—Marie Arana
- Writers learn their craft, above all, from the work of other writers. From reading.—Marie Arana
- Mediocrity has a way of keeping demons from the door.—Marie Arana
The Writing Life By Annie Dillard
The Writing Life By Annie Dillard is a series of essays that explores the art and challenges of the creative process.
The book looks at the creative process, and offer insights and observation on what it means to be a writer. The book provides a practical guide on writing and creativity.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- Writing is an intense and immersive experience and a moment of intense focus and inspiration.
- The author discusses the importance of maintaining routines and finding the right environment to become more productive.
- Writers often pay close attention to the world and use precise language to describe it.
Quotes from the Book:
- How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.― Annie Dillard
- He is careful of what he reads, for that is what he will write. He is careful of what he learns, for that is what he will know.― Annie Dillard
- I do not so much write a book as sit up with it, as a dying friend. I hold its hand and hope it will get better.― Annie Dillard
- A schedule defends chaos and whim. A net for catching days.― Annie Dillard
Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One & Never Lets Them Go By Les Edgerton
Hooked By Les Edgerton is a book that talks about writing compelling and engaging stories that will hook from the very beginning.
The book explores the concept of “Hook”—A strong opening that draws the reader’s attention and keeps them throughout the book.
The book provides a practical guide on crafting the opening lines, scenes, and characters that immediately grab the reader’s attention.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- The author explains the importance of a hook to craft a good story and convinces readers to invest in the story.
- The writer should use hooks to express curiosity, and empathy and those will lead reader’s attention.
- You should describe more of a story to make a clear picture of setting the reader’s attention.
Quotes from the Book:
- Each scene in a story is a battle, and the story entire is a war.—Les Edgerton
- A tremendous number of possibly good and even brilliant novels and short stories never get read beyond the first few paragraphs or pages by agents and editors. Why? Simple: The stories don’t begin in the right place.—Les Edgerton
On Writing Well By William Zinsser
On Writing Well By William Zinsser is an effective guide to writing nonfiction with simplicity, clarity, and communication clearly.
The book provides resources for writing across genres and professions and gives examples that help you improve the quality of writing nonfiction.
It covers grammar and style to the importance of authenticity and voice in writing.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- The author emphasizes the importance of clear and straightforward writing by eliminating unnecessary words and overly complex sentences.
- The author also gives stress on the value of editing and rewriting as an essential step.
- The writers should use their personal stories, anecdotes, and experiences in their writing.
Quotes from the Book:
- Decide what you want to do. Then decide to do it. Then do it.― William Zinsser
- Don’t try to visualize a great mass audience. There is no such audience—every reader is a different person.― William Zinsser
- Writing is an act of ego, and you might as well admit it.― William Zinsser
- Examine every word you put on paper. You’ll find a surprising number that doesn’t serve any purpose.― William Zinsser
Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot that Grips Readers from Start to Finish By James Scott Bell
This book By James Scott Bell talks about crafting a plot that will hook readers to read the whole writing.
The book focuses on structuring your writing with practical techniques, exercises, and examples that will help a writer to create a compelling story that takes the reader from beginning to end.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- The author makes an important point about having a solid narrative structure that guides readers through the story.
- Maintain appropriate pacing to keep readers engaged and manage the flow of tension to build suspense in the story.
- The book also discovers the role of conflicts in storytelling and explores the different types of conflicts—Internal, external and interpersonal—and how they contribute to the story.
Quotes from the Book:
- Today I resolve to take writing seriously, to keep going and never stop, to learn everything I can and make it as a writer.― James Scott Bell
- Keep writing. Get to the end. Don’t allow yourself to abandon the project. You must finish what you write. But what, you ask, if I have a chaotic mess at the end? Celebrate. This is the way it usually is, even for veteran novelists.― James Scott Bell
- In fact, one could argue that the skill of the fiction writer boils down to the ability to exploit intensity.― James Scott Bell
Getting into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors By Brandilyn Collins
Getting into Character is a book by Brandilyn Collins that talks about the similarities between the craft of acting and the art of novel writing.
The book talks about how novelists can learn techniques from the world of acting to write and enhance their characters with dialogues and storytelling.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- The author talks about the importance of creating detailed backstories of characters with their histories, motivations, and behaviors.
- Similar to method acting, Collins introduces the concept of “Method writing” where writers take the perspective of the character and write with the character’s emotions and viewpoints.
- The author also explains how actors use their own emotions to portray the character and the author’s tales to do exact same thing to infuse them with genuine feelings.
How to Write Bestselling Fiction By Dean Koontz
How to write best-selling Friction by Dean Koontz is a guidebook that looks at writing fictional stories and books and how an aspiring writer can be able to craft a successful and engaging fictional story. The book covers various writing pieces of advice like plot structure, character development, dialogues, the pacing of the story, and a lot more things that a beginner writer can read and learn from it.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- The author emphasizes beginning with strong beginnings to capture the reader’s attention and engage them throughout the story.
- The book also discusses developing relatable and well-developed stories to explore the characters’ motivations, fear, and personal journey.
- Create conflict and suspense to keep readers invested in the story and maintain the reader’s attention.
Quotes from the Book:
- I don’t write a quick draft and then revise; instead, I work slowly page by page, revising and polishing.—Dean Koontz
- I never discuss a novel while I’m writing it, for fear that talking about it will diminish my desire to write it.—Dean Koontz
- Each reader needs to bring his or her own mind and heart to the text.—Dean Koontz
- Literary fiction, as a strict genre, is all but dead. Meanwhile, most genres flourish.—Dean Koontz
Ernest Hemingway on Writing By Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway on Writing is a collection of wisdom, pieces of advice, and insights from legendary author Ernest Hemingway compiled by Larry W. Philips.
The information is taken from letters to his friends, interviews, and from his own work. The book also covers discipline, style, dialogue, and storytelling techniques that can be helpful for crafting good writing.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- Hemingway is known for his minimalist writing and he also suggests writers write in clear and concise language in order to convey ideas to readers effectively.
- Write with authenticity deriving from your personal experience.
- Hemingway believes in writing with honesty in storytelling to write a compelling story.
Quotes from the Book:
- There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.—Ernest Hemingway
- We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.—Ernest Hemingway
- There is no friend as loyal as a book.—Ernest Hemingway
- The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong in the broken places.—Ernest Hemingway
A Room of One’s Own By Virginia Woolf
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf is a ground-breaking book that explores women’s creative expressions, gender, literature, creativity, and societal constraints among women.
The book was delivered as a series of lectures in 1928 and centered around women’s status in literature and society.
Lessons From the Book:
Here are some lessons from the book.
- The book explains the importance of independence in financials in order to pursue creative pursuits.
- Women need to have education in fostering creativity and critical thinking.
- The book also discusses inequality among men and women in creative space.
Quotes from the Book:
- I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.—Virginia Woolf
- Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.—Virginia Woolf
- One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well if one has not dined well.—Virginia Woolf
- A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.—Virginia Woolf
Wrapping Up…
So, these are some of the best books on writing you can read as a writer or aspiring beginning writer to encourage yourself to get out of your creative spirit.
These books are absolute gems for beginners who are starting out or advanced writers who are writing and want to refine their work.
They can learn structure, plot, hook, pacing, and other important factors and write stories that can inspire a writer.
We have also added some more best books on different categories like arts and creativity, habits, stress and anxiety, mental health, EQ, and other books.
If you find some other best books on writing you should tell us.
