Four years ago, I knew nothing about writing. I was just an engineering student who didn’t even know writing was a skill you could learn.
I had no idea how to grab people’s attention, share my thoughts clearly, and persuade them to take action. But I learned all this.
Actually, I’m still learning. It’s a never-ending process. However, what helped me a lot were a few great books on writing by legendary authors.
These authors share their decades of experiences and strategies in a few hundred pages. They had to go through crushing failures, embarrassing mistakes, and harsh criticism to gain all that knowledge. But you can learn it all in just a few days, sitting comfortably in your bedroom. Isn’t it so good that it seems unfair?
So, in this post, I’ve shared my list of the top 7 books on writing every writer should read. These are mostly focused on copy or non-fiction writing, but if you’re into fiction, they can help you too.
7 Best Books on Writing: Become a Pro Writer in 3 Months
Read these books one by one. Write a lot. And your writing will be irresistible.
1. 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing by Gary Provost
This book is excellent for learning the basics of writing. Gary Provost, a legendary freelance writer and instructor, trained thousands of writers through his seminars and books. 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing is his best work on the craft.
The book begins with foundational writing tips and then discusses advanced topics. Whether you write non-fiction or fiction, the book will help you refine your skills.
From finding writing ideas and overcoming writer’s block to developing a love for writing, the author covers a lot of helpful topics. He also explains how to hook your readers, keep them engaged, make your words impactful, avoid grammar errors, and edit your work into a perfect final draft.
Here are some of the best lessons from the book:
- Build the habit of listening. Listen to conversations on trains, elevators, parks, and shopping malls. Notice what people talk about, how they talk, and what words they use. This will help you write in a way that connects with your audience.
- Write in your head before you write on paper. Think about what you’ll write when you’re brushing your teeth, driving to work, eating your lunch, or walking in the park. This will help you come up with ideas and avoid that scary blinking cursor.
- Use fewer words to make your sentence impactful. Ex: “Death is inevitable” is more effective than “No person on this earth can avoid death.”
- Read your work aloud when editing. This will help you identify awkward phrases, breaks in flow, long sentences, and areas where more emphasis is needed.
- Write to create music. Your words should sound pleasant when read together. And the best way to do this is to write sentences of various lengths. This brings us to the legendary writing lesson by Gary Provost:
I have an emotional connection to this book. I read it when I was going through a challenging time in my career, and it gave me hope to keep going. It taught me that I could write. And that I could do it well.
2. The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
Gary Halbert is one of the greatest copywriters of all time. This book is a collection of letters written by him to his youngest son, sharing all his lessons on marketing and life.
If you want to learn persuasive writing and direct-response marketing, this classic is a must-read. You’ll get some solid, actionable advice on writing compelling copy that gets people to change their minds and buy your product.
The book is actually more than that. It talks about the habits, mindset, and lifestyle needed to become a good writer. Here are the best things I’ve learned from The Boron Letters:
- Walk 6 days a week, first thing in the morning. It’s the best way to start your day. It’ll keep you active and help you think clearly.
- Find a starving crowd. If you can find people who are hungry for your product or service, you win.
- Make the reader feel the benefits of your product. Your writing should make them imagine how your product can improve their life.
- Read good writing aloud and rewrite it by hand. This will train your mind to think like great writers and help you understand how good writing is done.
- Be specific and add details to make your writing believable. “96.7% of startups fail” is far more impactful than “Most startups fail.”
The strategies and tips in this book weren’t written to create a bestseller. All those were an attempt by a father to pass his wisdom on to his son. That’s what makes this book so special.
“Get yourself a collection of good ads and DM pieces and read them aloud and copy them in your own handwriting.”
―Gary Halbert, The Boron Letters
3. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Dr. Robert B. Cialdini
It’s not a book on writing. There is not a single writing lesson here. So, why it’s on this list? Because the book teaches human behavior and helps us improve our ability to communicate.
Dr. Robert Cialdini, a professor of psychology and marketing, is a thought leader who studies the psychological factors that make us say “yes” to requests. In this book, he explains eight psychological principles that influence our decisions and how we can protect ourselves from being manipulated.
The book is so powerful you might feel it should be banned. It’s packed with persuasion strategies that seem unfair to know.
Here are some of my favorite principles of persuasion:
- Reciprocation: If you do something for someone, they feel obligated to return the favor. For example, companies give gifts or free samples to increase brand loyalty.
- Liking: We’re more likely to say yes to people we like. Physical attractiveness, similarity, or compliments make it easier to persuade. If a salesperson compliments your taste in clothing, you’re more likely to buy from them.
- Social Proof: We believe and do what others are believing and doing in that situation. You’re more likely to try a new restaurant if you see it has a long line of customers.
- Authority: We trust and follow people we perceive as authorities. That’s why advertisements often feature doctors in lab coats to promote health products.
- Scarcity: We value things that are less available. If an online store says “Only 3 left in stock!”, you would be more likely to place an order.
I was shocked to learn how easily we humans can be persuaded. I used to think convincing someone was tough, but this book simplifies it. So, if you want to become a more persuasive writer, this book is a must-read.
“A well-known principle of human behavior says that when we ask someone to do us a favor we will be more successful if we provide a reason. People simply like to have reasons for what they do.”
―Robert B. Cialdini, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
4. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
This book is a part memoir, part writing masterclass. While it’s best for fiction writers, I’m including it in the list because it offers great advice on the basics of writing and storytelling.
You know Stephen King, right? He has published over 60 books and 200 short stories. His works have sold more than 400 million copies, with many adapted into movies. In this book, he shares his story of struggle and the secrets of good writing.
King explains what writing is, how to write well, and what habits you need to develop to become a world-class writer. Here are some good lessons I’ve learned from On Writing:
- Read a lot and write a lot. That’s how you become a good writer. There’s no replacement for those two things.
- A story has three primary elements: Narration (moves the story forward), description (creates sensory reality and lets readers imagine), and dialogue (brings character to life).
- Descriptions create pictures in the reader’s mind. First, you’ve to see the scene clearly in your mind and then describe the key details.
- Don’t use fancy words to express your idea. Don’t try to expand your vocabulary. Just use the first word that comes to your mind if it’s good enough. That’s your voice.
- Write every day at the same time and in the same place. There shouldn’t be any distractions like TV or mobile notifications.
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
―Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
5. The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman
A book on copywriting by none other than the copywriting genius Joe Sugarman himself.
Joe created ads that converted millions of prospects into paying customers. He had a lot of failures that became the foundation of his successful career in advertising. In this book, he shares everything he taught in his high-priced seminars.
He breaks down his strategies and experiences, explaining how to write marketing copy that makes your business irresistible. I’m halfway through this book, and it’s already my favorite copywriting guide.
Here are some priceless lessons I’ve learned so far:
- Be curious and explore life. Great writing comes from solid experiences. Travel, learn new skills, develop a lot of hobbies, and experience new things.
- The purpose of the headline is to grab readers’ attention and make them read the subheadline. The purpose of the subheadline is to make them read the first sentence. The purpose of the first sentence is to make them read the second sentence. And so on.
- Use seeds of curiosity to keep readers hooked. Tell a compelling benefit or payoff that you would reveal somewhere in your copy — encouraging the reader to read the entire ad to find it.
- People buy with emotions and justify with logic. People buy a Ferrari for status and prestige (emotion), but they’ll tell you it’s because of the car’s technical features (logic).
- Your first draft is just an emotional outpouring of all your thoughts and feelings about the product or idea without restriction. Editing comes later.
I love how the book explains complex copywriting concepts in simple, practical ways. From grabbing readers’ attention to persuading them to act, this book is packed with powerful insights that you should use responsibly.
“Your readers should be so compelled to read your copy that they cannot stop reading until they read all of it as if sliding down a slippery slope.”
―Joseph Sugarman, The Adweek Copywriting Handbook
6. Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Handley
This book will make you a better digital writer, storyteller, and content marketer. It’ll help you understand how to create compelling online content that attracts and retains customers.
The author, Ann Handley, is one of the most influential marketers of our time. IBM recognized her as one of the seven people shaping modern marketing. In the book, she shares some great insights on creating and publishing content that gets results.
The book teaches you how to communicate well, use grammar, and tell stories that move people. Ann shares amazing advice on writing for your blog, LinkedIn, Twitter, home page, and landing pages.
Here are some great lessons I’ve learned from the book:
- Write to solve your reader’s problems. So, research well to figure out their exact problems.
- Each paragraph should have something new and meaningful to offer.
- Opening and closing are the most important parts of your writing. The opening should invite people to read, and the closing should leave them wanting more.
- Use familiar but surprising analogies to explain complex information. Don’t say — It has a 5-gigabyte memory. Say — It stores 1000 songs.
- You make the rules. Start sentences with And, But, or Because. Use fragments. End sentences with prepositions. Do whatever helps you communicate clearly and effectively.
- The headline should make the reader curious to click and find out what’s in it for them. For example, well, check this post’s headline.
This was the first book I read about writing. It taught me the basics and inspired me to become a better writer and content marketer.
“The truth is this: writing well is part habit, part knowledge of some fundamental rules, and part giving a damn.”
―Ann Handley, Everybody Writes
7. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller
This is another book which is not about writing. It’s about business storytelling. It’s about connecting with your audience and crafting your message in a way that they listen.
Building a StoryBrand teaches you how to clarify your message — an important skill in this world of endless distractions. People are confused and don’t know whom to trust. If your message isn’t clear, it’ll get lost in the noise.
The book shows how to use the power of storytelling to develop a clear and compelling message that resonates with people and drives them to act. Whether you’re a business owner, leader, artist, or content creator, it’ll help you stand out and communicate the benefits of your ideas, products, or services effectively.
I loved this book because it’s packed with practical lessons. Here are some of them:
- Clarity is everything. Even if your product is good, your competitor with an inferior product can beat you just because they communicate their offer more clearly. After all, people don’t buy the best products. They buy products they understand clearly.
- We remember music, not noise. Similarly, we remember stories, not information. A story takes all the boring information and transforms it into something interesting.
- Here’s the story framework: A character who needs something faces challenges. When they are lost and in doubt, they meet a guide who gives them a plan and asks them to take action. The action can either lead to success or failure.
- Your audience is the hero of the story, not you.
- Speak their language. When you identify the frustrations and problems of your audience and put them into words, you connect with them.
“Never assume people understand how your brand can change their lives. Tell them.”
―Donald Miller, Building a StoryBrand
Now, you have all the best books to improve your writing skills. But here’s the thing: Just reading books won’t improve your writing. You’ve to write. Books only show the direction. You’ve to do the work. So, write regularly. And don’t stop. You’ll get better.
If you’re a one-person business owner, you should join my newsletter for more such stuff. I share my crazy experiences and lessons on writing, marketing, and personal growth. It would be fun!