Writing is an art, and this art is something an artist can learn and master it. The basic technique all aspiring writers should keep in mind to write the best books is consistency; you need to be consistent and write daily, but without proper guidance, you will find some difficulties.
So, here is a list of the ten best books for all aspiring writers to hone your skills and get better at your job.
#1 A Writer’s Diary by Virginia Woolf
About the book
Title: A Writer’s Diary
Author: Virginia Woolf
Publisher: Mariner Books
Pages: 355
Goodreads Rating: 4.16/5
“A Writer’s Diary” was collected by her husband from the personal record she kept for over twenty-seven years. Included are entries that refer to her writing and those that are writing exercises, accounts of people and scenes relevant to the raw material of her work, and finally, comments on books she was reading. The first entry is dated 1918, and the last, three weeks before her death in 1941. Between these points of time unfolds the private world – the anguish, the triumph, the creative vision – of one of the great writers of our century.
Why do we recommend this book?
This book is an invaluable guide to the art and mind of Virginia Woolf, drawn from the personal record she kept for over twenty-seven years, which makes it a perfect and highly recommended book for writing.
To buy A Writer’s Diary by Virginia Woolf now:
#2 Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
About the book
Title: Bird by Bird
Author: Anne Lamott
Publisher: Anchor
Pages: 237
Goodreads Rating: 4.23/5
Bird by Bird is an essential volume for generations of writers, young and old. If you have ever wondered what it takes to be a writer, what it means to be a writer, what the contents of your school lunches said about what your parents were really like, this book is for you. From faith, love, and grace to pain, jealousy, and fear, Lamott insists that you keep your eyes open and then shows you how to survive. And always, she turns to the art of living from the artist’s life.
Why do we recommend this book?
So, this modern classic will continue to spark creative minds for years to come with its brilliant writing. This book has elements of a warm, generous, and hilarious guide through the writer’s world, and its treacherous swamps are essential for all writers.
To buy Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott now:
#3 Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
About the book
Title: Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
Author: Mason Currey
Publisher: Knopf
Pages: 278
Goodreads Rating: 3.65/5
This book tells you the daily rituals of great writers like Franz Kafka, who, frustrated with his living quarters and day job, wrote in a letter to Felice Bauer in 1912, “time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment is noisy, and if a pleasant, straightforward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle manoeuvre.”
More than 150 inspired—and inspiring—novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians on how they subtly manoeuvre the many (self-inflicted) obstacles and (self-imposed) daily rituals to get done the work they love to do.
Here also are the daily rituals of Charles Darwin, Andy Warhol, John Updike, Twyla Tharp, Benjamin Franklin, William Faulkner, Jane Austen, Anne Rice, and Igor Stravinsky (he was never able to compose unless he was sure no one could hear him and, when blocked, stood on his head to “clear the brain”).
Why do we recommend this book?
Brilliantly compiled and edited, filled with detail and anecdote, Daily Rituals is surely irresistible, addictive, and magically inspiring.
To buy Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey now:
#4 How To Get Published In India by Meghna Pant
About the book
Title: How To Get Published In India
Author: Meghna Pant
Publisher: Bloomsbury India
Pages: 300
Goodreads Rating: 4.36/5
They say everybody has a book in them, so why should only a select few get to share theirs with the world? As a new writer, making your dream a reality feels incredibly daunting, given the lack of information. This inspired award-winning, bestselling author Meghna Pant to write a book filled with the advice she wishes someone had given her when she started.
Including never-before-collected essays from experts in their field, including Jeffrey Archer, Shobhaa De, Twinkle Khanna, and many more, India’s first-ever book on publishing busts myths and answers questions as varied as which publisher would be best for your work, where to find inspiration for a short story, how to manage your finances if you plan to write full-time, how to write a cover letter, how to successfully promote your book, and how to become a bestselling author.
Why do we recommend this book?
Getting your book published is not easy, especially in India. It is an incredible gift for every writing aspirant in India who wrote their first novel but didn’t know what to do with that. This book will help you.
To buy How To Get Published In India by Meghna Pant now:
#5 Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman
About the book
Title: Make Good Art
Author: Neil Gaiman
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 80
Goodreads Rating: 4.29/5
In May 2012, bestselling author Neil Gaiman delivered the commencement address at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, where he shared his thoughts about creativity, bravery, and strength. He encouraged fledgling painters, musicians, writers, and dreamers to break the rules and think outside the box. Most of all, he encouraged them to make good art. The book Make Good Art, designed by renowned graphic artist Chip Kidd, contains the full text of Gaiman’s inspiring speech.
Why do we recommend this book?
If you love Neil Gaiman’s writing style and want to know more, this book is for you. It balances enthusiasm with expectation well.
To buy Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman now:
#6 On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
About the book
Title: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Pocket Books
Pages: 320
Goodreads Rating: 4.33/5
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publishing Stephen King’s On writing. Part memoir, a part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly, and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.
Why do we recommend this book?
The biographical part of the book was truly amazing. We all know Stephen King and how awesome a writer he is, and learning writing tips from him is a master class by itself.
To buy On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King now:
#7 Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell
About the book
Title: Plot & Structure
Author: James Scott Bell
Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books
Pages: 234
Goodreads Rating: 4.10/5
How does the plot influence story structure? What’s the difference between plotting for commercial and literary fiction? How do you revise a plot or structure that’s gone off course? With “Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure,” you’ll discover the answers to these questions and more.
Award-winning author James Scott Bell offers clear, concise information that will help you create a believable and memorable plot, including techniques for crafting strong beginnings, middles, and ends, easy-to-understand plotting diagrams, and chart brainstorming techniques for original plot ideas, thought-provoking exercises at the end of each chapter story structure models and methods for all genres, tips and tools for correcting common plot problems.
Why do we recommend this book?
Filled with plot examples from popular novels, comprehensive checklists, and practical hands-on guidance, this book gives you the skills you need to approach plot and structure like a pro. Surely read this book if you want to be a good writer but don’t know where to start.
To buy Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell now:
#8 Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
About the book
Title: Steal Like an Artist
Author: Austin Kleon
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Pages: 160
Goodreads Rating: 3.96/5
You don’t need to be a genius; you must be yourself. That’s the message from Austin Kleon, a young writer and artist who knows that creativity is everywhere, and creativity is for everyone. A manifesto for the digital age, Steal Like an Artist is a guide whose positive message, graphic look and illustrations, exercises, and examples will put readers directly in touch with their artistic side.
Why do we recommend this book?
Steal Like an Artist is essential and requires reading for all artists. It is a must-read book that is easy to read and has many interesting points.
To buy Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon now:
#9 Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark
About the book
Title: Writing Tools
Author: Roy Peter Clark
Publisher: Little, Brown Spark
Pages: 288
Goodreads Rating: 4.18/5
One of America’s most influential writing teachers offers a toolbox from which writers of all kinds can draw practical inspiration. “Writing is a craft you can learn,” says Roy Peter Clark. “You need tools, not rules.”
His book distils decades of experience into 50 tools to help any writer become more fluent and effective. Writing Tools covers everything from the most basic (“Tool 5: Watch those adverbs”) to the more complex (“Tool 34: Turn your notebook into a camera”) and provides more than 200 examples from literature and journalism to illustrate the concepts. For students, aspiring novelists, and writers of memos, e-mails, PowerPoint presentations, and love letters, here are 50 indispensable, memorable, and usable tools.
Why do we recommend this book?
This is a useful tool for writers at all levels of experience and is entertaining. It also has lots of helpful examples for better understanding.
To buy Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark now:
#10 Why I Write by George Orwell
About the book
Title: Why I Write
Author: George Orwell
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 120
Goodreads Rating: 4.02/5
Whether puncturing the lies of politicians, wittily dissecting the English character, or telling unpalatable truths about war, Orwell’s timeless, uncompromising essays are more relevant, entertaining, and essential than ever in today’s era of spin. Why I Write is an essay detailing his personal journey to becoming a writer.
Why do we recommend this book?
A selection of George Orwell’s politically charged essays on language and writing gives context to his dystopian classic, which is simply brilliant.
To buy Why I Write by George Orwell now:
Being a writer is something you can achieve with time, but as many writers say, art is a skill you can master by reading more and more books by great authors, studying their patterns and writing style, and developing your unique way of writing. Till then, to write great content, read as much as possible. We hope our list of these ten books best for aspiring writers helps you!
1 | A Writer’s Diary by Virginia Woolf | Buy now |
2 | Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott | Buy now |
3 | Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey | Buy now |
4 | How To Get Published In India by Meghna Pant | Buy now |
5 | Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman | Buy now |
6 | On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King | Buy now |
7 | Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell | Buy now |
8 | Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon | Buy now |
9 | Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark | Buy now |
10 | Why I Write by George Orwell | Buy now |
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