Great Books for Writers

Browse the shelves at any bookstore, and you’ll come across hundreds of books about writing techniques. Because I confused reading about writing with Being a Writer for several years, I’ve read most of them.

Most of these books recycle tired material … read one, and you’ve read them all. A few, however, have become treasured resources for me — books worthy of a permanent place on my office shelf.

The books in the following list made a real and meaningful difference in my writing and my career as a writer. If you are a writer, consider yourself a writer, or hope to be a writer some day, these are the books you should read again and again:

The Artist’s Way. While a little too cozy for some people’s tastes, Julia Cameron’s book was, for me, the proverbial kick in the seat of the pants. Passed to me by a friend during my corporate clone days, working through this book reawakened me to my childhood dream of being a writer. Good stuff, here — just be sure you don’t let the exercises get in the way of your own daily writing.

Thinking like your Editor: How to Write Great Serious Non-Fiction and Get It Published. This book covers in detail the side of the business most writers ignore — making a manuscript marketable. That doesn’t mean “selling out” or diluting your idea to make it more commercial. It does mean learning how to approach writing as a business, how to see your book as your publisher will see it, and how to talk about your book in a language an editor will understand. I emplyed these techniques during my first face-to-face meeting with my own editor and publisher — with great success.

The War of Art. This is, quite simply, one of the very best “Get off your butt and start writing!” books I’ve ever come across. Short, concise, and to the point, this little tome takes less than an hour to read … but it delivers a creative slap in the face that every writer needs. If you’re having trouble making your books happen, read this book … now!

Guerilla Marketing for Writers. A writer friend recently said to me, “I’m the writer! When I turn in my book, I’ve done my part … after that, it’s up to the publisher.” This book demonstrates why that approach is about as wrong-headed as it can be. No publisher’s marketing team cares as much about your book as you do … and that makes you the most logical person to lead the book’s publicity campaign. Read this book for simple, straightforward tips on how to get your book the attention it deserves.

How to Write a Movie in 21 Days. You don’t have to be a budding screenwriter to benefit from this book, which takes a practical, seat-of-the-pants approach to structure and planning. Adapting these techniques to fiction made it possible for me to draft a 50,000-word novel in less than thirty days. If your works “sags in the middle” or never seems to get past Act One, this is the book for you.

Techniques of the Selling Writer. Dwight V. Swain’s plain little books conceals a lot of practical wisdom. He breaks down the writing process into granular steps anyone can follow … especially if you’re interested if selling what you write. Written in 1965, this book’s step-by-step approach is timeless … and very much worth your while.