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How to Write: Books to Help You Become a Better Writer

The act of writing can be a solitary adventure full of caffeine fueled late nights in front of a computer screen and random bursts of inspiration on the train ride home. After all, the best way to learn how to write is to write. But that doesn't mean you're on your own when it comes to the craft of writing. We've rounded up 16 of our favorite craft books so you have a helpful guide to turn to for when the plot stalls out or the characters fall flat. Whether you are already a published author or an aspiring writer, these books by influential writers will give you new tools and perspectives to reenergize your writing and improve your craft.

16 books
Book Cover for: How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill, Jericho Brown

How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill

Jericho Brown

This collection edited by Pulitzer Prize winner Jericho Brown includes essays from more than 30 Black writers, including Nikki Giovanni, David Omotosho Black, and Natasha Trethewey, offers thoughtful meditations on their experiences and insights into their craft.

jamelbrinkleyTiphanie Yaniquejamelbrinkley & Tiphanie Yanique

Paperback, 2023

$18.99$9.49 + Free shipping50% off your first book
Book Cover for: Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life, Maggie Smith

Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life

Maggie Smith

The award-winning poet and prose writer draws on twenty years of teaching and writing experience to offer practical and thought-provoking ideas for boosting creativity and improving your writing.

Hardcover, 2025

$28.99$14.49 + Free shipping50% off your first book
Book Cover for: Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life (10th Anniversary Edition), Dani Shapiro

Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life (10th Anniversary Edition)

Dani Shapiro

For the author of bestselling books such as Inheritance and Slow Motion, being a writer means learning to keep writing even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. On the tenth anniversary of its original publication, Still Writing offers insightful craft advice through humorous personal anecdotes from a writer that has had her fair share of ups and downs and managed to still write her way through it.

✍️ Rachel Thompson, Author | Survivor | Biz Owner🟣 ✍BadRedhead Media, #BookMarketingChat Wed 11 am✍️ Rachel Thompson, Author | Survivor | Biz Owner & 🟣 ✍BadRedhead Media, #BookMarketingChat Wed 11 am

Paperback, 2023

$17.00$8.50 + Free shipping50% off your first book
Book Cover for: Steering the Craft: A Twenty-First-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story, Ursula K. Le Guin

Steering the Craft: A Twenty-First-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story

Ursula K. Le Guin

Based on a lifetime of experience of first drafts and false starts, Steering the Craft is a composite of everything Ursula Le Guin learned over the years along with helpful writing exercises meant to guide the reader through the treacherous waters of writing a book. This updated version of her 1998 book is perfect for the modern day writer looking to finish their manuscript.

Neil Gaiman(((David Naimon)))Neil Gaiman & (((David Naimon)))

Paperback, 2015

$16.99$8.49 + Free shipping50% off your first book
Book Cover for: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Stephen King

If you're taking the first steps along your writing journey, this is an essential, fundamental text for aspiring writers. The King of Horror breaks down not only his creative process and writing do's and don'ts, he also gives readers a glimpse into the memories and experiences that shaped him and his books into what they are today.

Richard OsmanScott GallowayRichard Osman & Scott Galloway

Paperback, 2020

$18.99$9.49 + Free shipping50% off your first book
Book Cover for: Meander, Spiral, Explode: Design and Pattern in Narrative, Jane Alison

Meander, Spiral, Explode: Design and Pattern in Narrative

Jane Alison

In this revolutionary literary manifesto, Jane Alison asks, what if your book is more of a spiral than a dramatic arc? Or an explosion that spreads outwards? Alison encourages writers to liberate themselves from the traditional three-act structure and imagine new shapes and ways of telling a story that are original, experimental, and fun.

Matt Bellvanessa a. bee✌🏾🐝Matt Bell & vanessa a. bee✌🏾🐝

Paperback, 2019

$16.95$8.48 + Free shipping50% off your first book
Book Cover for: The Writing Life, Annie Dillard

The Writing Life

Annie Dillard

The every day life of a writer can seem shrouded in mystery, but Pulitzer Prize winning author Annie Dilliard's The Writing Life offers to pull back the curtain and reveal all it takes to get up day in and day out to write.

Ari ShapiroAda LimónAri Shapiro & Ada Limón

Paperback, 2013

$15.99$7.99 + Free shipping50% off your first book
Book Cover for: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Anne Lamott

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Anne Lamott

Anne's advice for newbie writers: start small. Writing a book, let alone writing a book in 30 days, is a huge task and if you're feeling overwhelmed, then make room on your shelf for Lamott's inspirational and insightful book on the craft of writing.

shonda rhimesTim Ferrissshonda rhimes & Tim Ferriss

Paperback, 1995

$17.00$8.50 + Free shipping50% off your first book
Book Cover for: Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative, Melissa Febos

Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative

Melissa Febos

How do you write about friends, families, and enemies without hurting their feelings? How do you write about sex in a way that isn't exploitative? How do you write about trauma in a society that calls it navel-gazing? Febos tackles the weighty topics on every nonfiction writer's mind with the right amount of encouragement and motivation to get you through every draft of your manuscript.

The New York Review of BooksSarah WeinmanThe New York Review of Books & Sarah Weinman

Paperback, 2022

$16.95$8.48 + Free shipping50% off your first book
Book Cover for: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, Natalie Goldberg

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Natalie Goldberg

Writing an entire book in a month doesn't have to be a stressful experience once you dive into Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones. In this classic, she combined the teachings of Zen meditation with everything she has learned about writing throughout her thirty year career as an educator and published author. The final product is an encouraging book that can sooth even the most neurotic of writers.

PROMISES STRONGER THAN DARKNESS is out *now*!Writer's ReliefPROMISES STRONGER THAN DARKNESS is out *now*! & Writer's Relief

Paperback, 2016

$19.95$9.98 + Free shipping50% off your first book