Best Books on Writing

1.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft 4.34 avg rating — 310,101 ratings
2.
The Elements of Style
The Elements of Style 4.18 avg rating — 86,238 ratings
3.
Bird by Bird
Bird by Bird 4.24 avg rating — 108,472 ratings
4.
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within 4.21 avg rating — 31,303 ratings
5.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation 3.87 avg rating — 106,063 ratings
6.
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction 4.24 avg rating — 30,208 ratings
7.
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity 3.95 avg rating — 116,867 ratings
8.
Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You
Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You 4.08 avg rating — 20,953 ratings
9.
No Plot? No Problem!
No Plot? No Problem! 3.83 avg rating — 7,293 ratings
10.
A Room of One’s Own
A Room of One’s Own 4.22 avg rating — 246,406 ratings
11.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print 4.25 avg rating — 7,005 ratings
12.
Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting
Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting 4.27 avg rating — 17,105 ratings
13.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
The Hero with a Thousand Faces 4.13 avg rating — 44,162 ratings
14.
The War of Art
The War of Art 3.98 avg rating — 113,849 ratings
15.
Stein on Writing
Stein on Writing
by: Sol Stein
4.28 avg rating — 4,734 ratings
16.
Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider Advice for Taking Your Fiction to the Next Level
Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider Advice for Taking Your Fiction to the Next Level 4.08 avg rating — 4,062 ratings
17.
The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers
The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers 3.99 avg rating — 6,231 ratings
18.
Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need 4.02 avg rating — 21,028 ratings
19.
Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them
Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them 3.77 avg rating — 11,631 ratings
20.
Characters & Viewpoint
Characters & Viewpoint 4.04 avg rating — 4,698 ratings
21.
Why I Write
Why I Write 4.01 avg rating — 14,210 ratings
22.
How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy
How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy 3.91 avg rating — 4,844 ratings
23.
Becoming a Writer
Becoming a Writer really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 6,229 ratings
24.
A Moveable Feast
A Moveable Feast 4.02 avg rating — 162,837 ratings
25.
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 2nd Edition
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 2nd Edition 4.10 avg rating — 10,248 ratings
26.
The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression
The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression 4.53 avg rating — 6,247 ratings
27.
Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer 4.20 avg rating — 5,787 ratings
28.
Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish
Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish 4.11 avg rating — 5,936 ratings
29.
The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation Into the Writing Life
The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation Into the Writing Life 4.06 avg rating — 6,352 ratings
30.
The Writing Life
The Writing Life 3.98 avg rating — 18,001 ratings
31.
Letters to a Young Poet
Letters to a Young Poet 4.28 avg rating — 113,821 ratings
32.
Techniques of the Selling Writer
Techniques of the Selling Writer 4.33 avg rating — 1,595 ratings
33.
Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life
Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life 4.14 avg rating — 6,528 ratings
34.
If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit
If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit 4.12 avg rating — 8,614 ratings
35.
Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence
Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence
by: Lisa Cron
4.21 avg rating — 5,391 ratings
36.
On Becoming a Novelist
On Becoming a Novelist 4.10 avg rating — 3,090 ratings
37.
Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew
Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew 4.23 avg rating — 5,767 ratings
38.
Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting
Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting 4.12 avg rating — 8,200 ratings
39.
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative 3.96 avg rating — 324,421 ratings
40.
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting Paperback – November 29, 2005
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting Paperback – November 29, 2005
by: Syd Field
3.99 avg rating — 8,540 ratings
41.
How to Write a Damn Good Novel: A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling
How to Write a Damn Good Novel: A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling 3.87 avg rating — 2,675 ratings
42.
The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller
The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller 4.25 avg rating — 7,029 ratings
43.
Beginnings, Middles & Ends
Beginnings, Middles & Ends 3.99 avg rating — 2,491 ratings
44.
The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide To Staying Out of the Rejection Pile
The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide To Staying Out of the Rejection Pile 3.98 avg rating — 3,650 ratings
45.
Speak, Memory
Speak, Memory 4.08 avg rating — 17,393 ratings
46.
A Writer's Diary
A Writer's Diary 4.16 avg rating — 6,457 ratings
47.
Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction
Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction 4.33 avg rating — 4,141 ratings
48.
The Deluxe Transitive Vampire: The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed
The Deluxe Transitive Vampire: The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed 4.10 avg rating — 1,534 ratings
49.
Telling Lies for Fun & Profit
Telling Lies for Fun & Profit 4.12 avg rating — 1,184 ratings
50.
Writing Fiction for Dummies
Writing Fiction for Dummies 4.10 avg rating — 1,633 ratings
51.
Write Away: One Novelist's Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life
Write Away: One Novelist's Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life 3.97 avg rating — 1,470 ratings
52.
Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing
Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing 3.84 avg rating — 2,118 ratings
52.
Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success
Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success 4.11 avg rating — 4,787 ratings
54.
GMC: Goal, Motivation and Conflict: The Building Blocks of Good Fiction
GMC: Goal, Motivation and Conflict: The Building Blocks of Good Fiction 4.44 avg rating — 1,258 ratings
55.
Story Engineering
Story Engineering 4.09 avg rating — 3,272 ratings
56.
On Writing
On Writing 4.03 avg rating — 4,674 ratings
57.
How Not to Write a Novel: 200 Classic Mistakes and How to Avoid Them—A Misstep-by-Misstep Guide
How Not to Write a Novel: 200 Classic Mistakes and How to Avoid Them—A Misstep-by-Misstep Guide 3.99 avg rating — 4,157 ratings
58.
Aspects of the Novel
Aspects of the Novel 3.80 avg rating — 4,858 ratings
59.
Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One & Never Lets Them Go
Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One & Never Lets Them Go 4.02 avg rating — 1,945 ratings
60.
2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love
2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love 4.19 avg rating — 4,633 ratings
61.
Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English
Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English 3.94 avg rating — 4,498 ratings
62.
The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century
The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century 4.04 avg rating — 9,070 ratings
63.
The Courage to Write: How Writers Transcend Fear
The Courage to Write: How Writers Transcend Fear 4.02 avg rating — 1,975 ratings
64.
One Writer's Beginnings
One Writer's Beginnings 4.07 avg rating — 4,047 ratings
65.
Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints
Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints 4.05 avg rating — 2,188 ratings
66.
The Forest for the Trees
The Forest for the Trees 3.94 avg rating — 3,139 ratings
67.
What If?: Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers
What If?: Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers 3.90 avg rating — 1,825 ratings
68.
Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft
Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft 4.11 avg rating — 3,832 ratings
69.
On Literature
On Literature 3.95 avg rating — 2,292 ratings
70.
The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life
The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life 3.83 avg rating — 1,124 ratings
71.
Scene & Structure
Scene & Structure 4.11 avg rating — 1,576 ratings
72.
The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms
The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms 4.01 avg rating — 2,342 ratings
73.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines
How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines 3.59 avg rating — 33,004 ratings
74.
How to Grow a Novel: The Most Common Mistakes Writers Make and How to Overcome Them
How to Grow a Novel: The Most Common Mistakes Writers Make and How to Overcome Them
by: Sol Stein
4.06 avg rating — 839 ratings
75.
Page After Page: Discover the Confidence & Passion You Need to Start Writing & Keep Writing (No Matter What!)
Page After Page: Discover the Confidence & Passion You Need to Start Writing & Keep Writing (No Matter What!) 4.10 avg rating — 644 ratings
76.
Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose
Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose 3.94 avg rating — 2,337 ratings
76.
The Fire in Fiction: Passion, Purpose and Techniques to Make Your Novel Great
The Fire in Fiction: Passion, Purpose and Techniques to Make Your Novel Great 4.16 avg rating — 1,787 ratings
78.
Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose
Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose 4.27 avg rating — 3,842 ratings
79.
The Writer's Portable Mentor: A Guide to Art, Craft, and the Writing Life
The Writer's Portable Mentor: A Guide to Art, Craft, and the Writing Life 4.49 avg rating — 358 ratings
80.
Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly
Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly 4.16 avg rating — 3,301 ratings
81.
The New Well-Tempered Sentence: A Punctuation Handbook for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed
The New Well-Tempered Sentence: A Punctuation Handbook for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed 4.14 avg rating — 823 ratings
82.
The Triggering Town: Lectures and Essays on Poetry and Writing
The Triggering Town: Lectures and Essays on Poetry and Writing 4.18 avg rating — 3,028 ratings
82.
How to Write Great Dialog: Your Book Needs This (How To For You 13)
How to Write Great Dialog: Your Book Needs This (How To For You 13) 4.65 avg rating — 23 ratings
84.
Style: Toward Clarity and Grace
Style: Toward Clarity and Grace 4.21 avg rating — 2,021 ratings
85.
Making a Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers
Making a Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers 3.99 avg rating — 1,408 ratings
86.
Creating Short Fiction: The Classic Guide to Writing Short Fiction
Creating Short Fiction: The Classic Guide to Writing Short Fiction 4.04 avg rating — 810 ratings
87.
Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life
Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life 4.16 avg rating — 1,669 ratings
88.
Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words
Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words 4.16 avg rating — 2,534 ratings
89.
On Writing
On Writing 4.02 avg rating — 605 ratings
90.
How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author
How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author 3.77 avg rating — 2,419 ratings
91.
How to Write the Perfect Novel - A Tongue-In-Cheek Guide to Certain Literary Success
How to Write the Perfect Novel - A Tongue-In-Cheek Guide to Certain Literary Success 3.88 avg rating — 17 ratings
92.
The Language of the Night: Essays on Fantasy and Science Fiction
The Language of the Night: Essays on Fantasy and Science Fiction 4.27 avg rating — 1,957 ratings
93.
Chapter After Chapter: Discover the Dedication and Focus You Need to Write the Book of Your Dreams
Chapter After Chapter: Discover the Dedication and Focus You Need to Write the Book of Your Dreams 4.17 avg rating — 432 ratings
94.
Manuscript Makeover: Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can Afford to Ignore
Manuscript Makeover: Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can Afford to Ignore 4.17 avg rating — 455 ratings
95.
The Writer's Guide to Character Traits: Includes Profiles of Human Behaviors and Personality Types
The Writer's Guide to Character Traits: Includes Profiles of Human Behaviors and Personality Types 3.90 avg rating — 1,244 ratings
96.
The Merchant of Stories: A Creative Entrepreneur's Journey
The Merchant of Stories: A Creative Entrepreneur's Journey 4.59 avg rating — 128 ratings
97.
The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes
The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes 3.78 avg rating — 1,022 ratings
98.
The Art of Dramatic Writing
The Art of Dramatic Writing 4.18 avg rating — 3,224 ratings
99.
Description
Description 4.07 avg rating — 604 ratings
99.
A Writer's Book of Days: A Spirited Companion and Lively Muse for the Writing Life
A Writer's Book of Days: A Spirited Companion and Lively Muse for the Writing Life 4.18 avg rating — 1,052 ratings
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