The Best Books on Writing for 2024
Here, we share our favorite writing books to help you learn to express yourself with words.
Learning about language order and grammar rules is an excellent foundation for creating stories and essays. Fiction and nonfiction writers will find insight into how the creative process works in these books.
Don't just settle for one “how-to” book. Take notes and use examples from your writing projects to create a notebook containing your best ideas. You'll realize that the best way to become a better writer is to think through your stories and essays using creative exercises and then revise them based on what you learn from these books.
So, let's get started. Here are some writing books we hope you'll find interesting.
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Become a better writer by reading:
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser
Whether you want to write about people or places, science, technology, business, sports, the arts, or about yourself in the increasingly popular memoir genre, “On Writing Well” offers you the fundamental principles and insights of a distinguished writer and teacher.
With over a million copies sold, this book has stood the test of time and remains a valuable resource for writers and would-be writers.
Over a million copies sold.
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.
Elements of Style is a stable cornerstone to build your writing skills. Written in the storied hallways of Cornell University, the guide has been read and examined by thousands of eager eyes.
Elements of Style has grown to become the American English writing style guide often required in U.S. high school and university composition classes.
The Chicago Manual of Style
The Chicago Manual of Style remains the ultimate resource for those who care about getting the details right.
This edition continues to reflect expert insights gathered from Chicago's staff and an advisory board of publishing experts across the profession. It also includes suggestions inspired by emails, calls, and even tweets from readers.
The Associated Press Stylebook
The AP Stylebook will help you master the AP's rules on grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, abbreviation, word and numeral usage, and when to use “more than” instead of “over.”
The AP Stylebook includes a comprehensive index to simplify navigating these specialty chapters.
Storycraft, Second Edition: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction by Jack Hart
In this new edition, Hart has expanded the book's range to delve into podcasting and has incorporated new insights from recent research into storytelling and the brain. He has also added dozens of new examples that illustrate compelling narrative nonfiction.
Writing Fiction, Tenth Edition: A Guide to Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway
More than 250,000 copies sold!
This book is a master class in creative writing that also calls on us to renew our love of storytelling and celebrate the skill of writing well.
The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman
The bestselling “Emotion Thesaurus” is often hailed as the gold standard for writers and credited with transforming how writers craft emotion.
One of the biggest struggles for writers is conveying emotion to readers uniquely and compellingly. When showing our characters' feelings, we often use the first idea that comes to mind, and they end up smiling, nodding, and frowning too much.
If you need inspiration for creating characters' emotional responses that are personalized and evocative, this ultimate show-don't-tell guide for emotion can help.
Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) by Lisa Cron
In Story Genius, Lisa Cron takes you, step-by-step, through the creation of a novel from the first glimmer of an idea, to a complete multilayered blueprint—including fully realized scenes—that evolves into a first draft with the authority, richness, and command of a riveting sixth or seventh draft.
Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark
“Writing Tools” has become a classic guidebook for novices and experts alike, and it remains one of the best-loved books on writing available. Organized into four sections, “Nuts and Bolts,” “Special Effects,” “Blueprints for Stories,” and “Useful Habits,” Writing Tools is infused with more than 200 examples from journalism and literature. This new edition includes five brand-new, never-before-shared tools.
The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need: A One-Stop Source for Every Writing Assignment by Susan Thurman
This book is the ideal resource for everyone who wants to produce clear, concise, and grammatically excellent writing. Whether creating perfect professional documents, spectacular school papers, or effective personal letters, you'll find this handbook indispensable.
Everybody Writes: Your New and Improved Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content: 2nd Edition
Everybody Writes by Ann Handley is a guidebook for those looking to improve their writing skills, specifically in content marketing. This newly revised and updated edition provides readers with practical, actionable advice and insights on the process and strategy of content creation, production, and publishing. It covers various topics such as attracting and retaining customers with excellent online communication, choosing words wisely, crafting credible and trustworthy content, and more.
With updated examples, tools, resources, and a step-by-step writing framework, readers can access the latest information and insights on writing for marketing. This book includes 19 specific types of content marketers write, providing readers with the fundamentals of each. Handley's witty and practical approach to writing will inspire and boost confidence in readers, making the writing process more enjoyable. By the end of this book, readers will have all the tools and knowledge necessary to create page-turning content that their audience will love consistently, and that will deliver actual results.
The Birds and Bees of Words: A Guide to the Most Common Errors in Usage, Spelling, and Grammar by Mary Embree
This book features more than 1,000 words on the list of new and inventive words; and discusses nearly 30,000 more words in sections, including a look at word roots and how they are used in modern language; a list of commonly misspelled or misunderstood words; and a style guide to usage rules and how and why they can be broken.
Anyone intrigued by language, fascinated by words, or wants to use our language clearly and effectively will enjoy “The Birds and Bees of Words.”
Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty
Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility that the podcasts are known for, Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word-choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King's critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work.
One of TIME Magazine's Top 100 Nonfiction books of all time.
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
An essential volume for generations of writers, young and old, Bird by Bird is a modern classic. This twenty-fifth-anniversary edition will continue to spark creative minds for years to come.
More than a million readers—scribes and scribblers of all ages and abilities—have been inspired by Anne Lamott's hilarious, big-hearted, homespun advice.
Semicolon: The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark by Cecelia Watson
Consider This: Moments in My Writing Life after Which Everything Was Different by Chuck Palahniuk
In this spellbinding blend of memoir and insight, bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk shares stories and helpful advice on what makes writing powerful and what makes for powerful writing.
With advice grounded in years of careful study and a keenly observed life, Palahniuk combines practical advice and concrete examples from beloved classics, his own books, and a “kitchen-table MFA” culled from an evolving circle of beloved authors and artists, with anecdotes, postcards from the road, and much more.
Working by Robert Caro
Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum
How to Blog a Book: Write, Publish, and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time by Nina Amir
So keep reading, writing, and pushing yourself to become your best writer. The journey is worth it, and the rewards are immeasurable.
What books are on your list? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments!
If you are looking for great online courses on writing, review our guide here.
Also, please take a look at our favorite books on Public Speaking.
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