Master Your Craft with These 5 Books on Creative Writing
Are you exhausted from scrolling through hundreds of Instagram graphics about creative writing? Have you ever actually referred back to any of the educational posts you’ve saved? Didn’t think so. It’s time to commit to learning from reference books.
And I’m not talking “read ten pages and put it down, telling yourself you’ll definitely pick it up later” commitment; I’m talking read and annotate commitment. It’s time to hunker down, do your research, and utilize the information and wisdom that professional writers have so graciously published for you.
These are my 5 current favorite books on creative writing (that you’ll actually finish!) to help you sharpen your skills and boost your inspiration.
1. Your Story Matters by Nikesh Shukla
I picked this one off the shelf just because I thought the cover was pretty. So imagine my astonishment when I dove in and realized I’d discovered a gem. Nikesh Shukla narrates his stellar, experience-based advice in a way that makes it feel like he’s sitting down having coffee with you.
Not only that, but Shukla breaks down his many many wisdoms into easy-to-digest sections with workbook-style exercises that ensure you know exactly how to implement techniques and methods before moving on. Definitely buy the paperback for this one so that you can utilize those exercise pages!
2. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
A classic that will never be surpassed! If you’re a writer who hasn’t read Bird by Bird yet, drop everything from your TBR list and get to this immediately. Lamott encourages writing for the sake of writing and doesn’t discriminate based on subject matter, project type, or literary goals. I won’t say that I was personally inspired by this book, but it certainly slapped down some truths and realities that were crucial to my early days as a developing writer (and still crucial today, actually!).
Full disclosure: this is not a book of specifics. Lamott does not teach individual writing techniques as much as she preaches about the life, struggle, and passions of creative writers.
3. Shut Up and Write the Book by Jenna Moreci
Potentially the most accessible writing reference book there is. Jenna Moreci is writing influencer royalty at this point, so I of course had to snag myself a copy of this reference book when she released it early last year. In Shut Up and Write the Book, Moreci delivers direct, engaging, and easy-to-digest advice in her charismatic, snarky & sarcastic voice.
As a long-time fan of her YouTube channel, I was pleased to find out that this book is not a regurgitation of her videos but in fact a collection of new material! Each chapter is fast-paced, fun, and packed with insightful and practical advice on starting the novel-writing process. She swears a bunch and tells it how it is. It’s incredible.
I did feel like this book was intended for beginner authors, but that didn’t sour my reading & learning experience at all. For that reason, I highly recommend getting yourself a copy whether you’re a brand new writer or a seasoned pro.
4. The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass
The best guide on crafting an authentic and emotional narrative. This guide will take your black-and-white, flat sketch of a story and transform it into a three-dimensional, real experience for the reader. Essentially, you’ll learn how to understand your characters’ motivations, actions, thoughts, and emotions on a deeper level—which is the key to elevating any piece of creative writing.
As a book editor, I can tell you that a solid 75% of my job is recommending exactly what Maass talks about in this guide. So if you want to be your own editor, this is the perfect craft book to set you on the right path. I do recommend purchasing a physical copy of this one because there’s an assortment of exercises and tasks for you to complete with sticky-note annotation.
5. On Writing by Stephen King
I’ve read a number of Stephen King novels and funny enough, I prefer his book about writing to his writing itself. On Writing is a part-memoir, part-guide to the daunting yet thrilling world of fiction writing.
This is not a “how-to” book in any way, shape, or form, but King lays down some hard truths about the writing, querying, and publishing process alongside a scattering of tips and tricks for strengthening your craft. His straight-to-the-point advice is refreshing, honest, and surprisingly inspiring—as he constantly instills the idea that you already have everything you need to be a writer; it’s just a matter committing and sticking with it no matter what.
I personally have the paperback of this one because I love to underline, highlight, star, comment, etc., but it’s worth noting that you definitely don’t need a physical copy and that Stephen King himself narrates the audiobook!
