8 Books That Will Actually Make You a Better Writer in 2024
A no-BS reading list for people who are serious about getting better.
Writing about writing is inherently teaching.
However, just because someone does something well doesn’t mean that they can teach others how to do it. I’ve learned this the hard way in Jiu-Jitsu and it’s also true with writing.
However, there are some really good writing books out there that many aspiring writers are missing out on because they aren’t Silicon Valley favorites and weren’t written by famous novelists.
A lot of writers just end up reading their favorite famous author’s musings on the craft and fail to learn any specific knowledge on the skill and business of writing.
I get it because I’ve been there too — wanting to learn more about writing and not knowing any good resources to dive into.
However, I’ve found 8 books that I think are essential to mastering the craft of writing in today’s world.
Let’s dive in.
The Boron Letters — Gary Halbert
This is probably the best copywriting book out there.
See, the thing is, if you want to be a writer in today’s world, it’s not enough to just sit down and tell people stories about your life. No one really cares about your life unless you use techniques to make them care. No one cares unless you develop skills.
The way that you do that is through copy, and some of the best techniques for writing copy are in this book.
It’s also full of lots of motivational gems, life tips, and interesting stories, especially because it was written in the format of letters to the author’s son while he was in prison.
“Everyone wants to climb the mountain, but the big difference between those at the top and those still on the bottom is simply a matter of showing up tomorrow to give it just one more shot.” ― Gary Halbert
Bird by Bird — Anne Lamott
I think a lot of people misunderstand the way writing works.
Even in the digital age, people seem to think that writers are overnight successes and that once they publish a good book, their life is easy. Anne tells a different, but more real story.
This book is essentially the ups and downs of pursuing writing as a craft and vocation. It’s real, real funny, and just a great book for any writer, no matter where you are in the process of constructing what you believe to be your “masterpiece”.
“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.” ― Anne Lamott
Flow — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
I recommend this book to anyone who pursues a craft.
“Few things are sadder than encountering a person who knows exactly what he should do, yet cannot muster enough energy to do it.”― Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The reason I write for 2-3 hours every morning is not because I’m so focused, but rather because I struggle with focus. I need like 30-45 minutes to get into the “flow state” so I can really start building articles and forming calculated and coherent thoughts.
All of my best writing comes from the flow state, something I didn’t understand until I read Flow.
If you do any sort of craft:
writing
Jiu-Jitsu
art
plumbing
Or anything else…
This should be an essential read for you.
The Art and Business of Online Writing — Nicolas Cole
I dare say that this book is probably the best writing book that has been published in the last 10 years, maybe longer.
A lot of books will teach you the basics of writing, but no book in my experience will teach you how to write today, where the writing world is very different than it used to be. The writing world today is digital. To be a writer, you need to know how to use the internet.
It’s never been easier to become a writer, but it’s also very hard to stand out in today’s vast sea of digital creators.
Cole is one of only a handful of writers that I’ve put my faith in the last year, investing in some of his coaching for myself. Before I did that, however, I read this book and probably a hundred of his blog posts.
After reading this book, I started writing on Quora like he did, and that ended up leading me to the first ghostwriting job I ever got which has changed the course of my writing career.
“Before you begin writing anything, you need to decide who you are writing for. And that decision needs to be clearly reflected in both the headline and the content of your piece.” ― Nicolas Cole
So Good They Can’t Ignore You — Cal Newport
If you’re trying to do anything well in this life, you need to develop the mindset of a craftsman.
This is something I’ve really been working on in Jiu-Jitsu, but I also have adopted it in writing. I’m learning to see writing as a long-term journey. A craft. A neverending pursuit.
The clock isn’t running out because I have my entire life to practice. Every day is an opportunity to show the new things that you’ve learned and to learn new things. Every day is data.
Plus, the better you get, the harder you will be to ignore. That is the premise of this book.
That is something that I wish someone told me when I was first starting out.
“Don’t follow your passion; rather, let it follow you in your quest to become, in the words of my favorite Steve Martin quote, “so good that they can’t ignore you.” ― Cal Newport
On Writing Well — William Zinsser
A lot of writing books are just mental masturbation.
That’s why most of the books on this list are not directly classified as writing books.
Writing books are rather unenjoyable to read because they don’t offer practical advice for less accomplished writers. There are a zillion books on writing and there are a lot of books even called On Writing.
There’s only one book called On Writing Well — and I think this book is the best book on writing nonfiction in existence. It will actually give you a roadmap to writing better, publishing more, and chasing your dreams as a writer.
The book offers practical advice in a soothing but firm tone. I highly recommend it for all writers.
“Don’t try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience—every reader is a different person.” ― William Zinsser
Letters to a Young Poet — Rainer Maria Rilke
Every writer is a young poet at heart.
This book is a little bit of writing history paired with some deep, powerful advice.
This quote here hits harder than pretty much anything else I’ve read this year:
Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.”― Rainer Maria Rilke
If you’re a new writer, you probably feel afraid at times. If you’re an experienced writer, you probably feel confused that you still feel afraid at times.
You are afraid because your creative nature wants you to love it. Read this book and realize that wherever you are, it’s okay.
The Old Man and the Sea — Ernest Hemingway
This is a short but powerful read.
I read this book on a 4-hour flight from Chicago to Los Angeles. I forgot the book on the plane and I never saw it again.
But that’s sort of the point of this book. You should read it in a fury, just like it was written. Hemingway wrote this book’s entire 26,000-ish word manuscript in just 6 weeks.
To put that in comparison, I wrote a 26,000-word book over the last year.
“Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.” ― Ernest Hemingway
There’s a lot of isolation in writing. A lot of not knowing if what you’re doing makes any sense. You sit by yourself and make something and hope that your ideas make sense to other people.
There’s a lot of isolation for the Old Man in this novel. The parallels are too specific not to notice.
I also think that every writer who is serious about the craft should balance fiction reading with nonfiction. Read both.
I’ve been obsessed with classic fiction this year, and I’ve been revisiting a lot of Hemingway. However, if you’re trying to be a writer and tell stories (fiction or nonfiction), The Old Man and the Sea is a perfect book to study.
Closing Thoughts
There are more books on writing out there, but these are just my favorites.
But there’s one final thing you need to know about writing and books on writing:
No book on writing will ever make you an accomplished writer. No book on writing will ever write the words for you.
Sit down, do the work, and make the story.
That’s how you write — with or without these books.
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