5 Books for Budding Writers
If you are someone who considers themselves a writer, or are someone who would like to start writing, there’s a good chance you like to read a book every now and then.
You might have even picked up a book on writing and wondered it if could help your practice, or even get you to the page for once.
Here are 5 books which I think will make you a better writer. At the very least, they will get you writing.
On Writing by Stephen King
One of Stephen King's few works of non-fiction, On Writing is part memoir, part instruction manual. King takes us from his early love of writing for small magazines, through to his teacher days, accident and eventual success as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, writers in the world.
He gives us a roadmap to emulate his practice; including giving an overview of his daily routine, how he busts through writer's block, time scales for his books, and exactly how many words he writes in a day. There are worse things a budding writer can do than copy the routines of a man who has published over 60 novels (and counting).
The second half of the book serves as an instruction manual in grammar, story and the building blocks of writing, as well as who to send stories to if publication is your end goal - though it doesn't have to be. It's well worth a read, if only to get behind the process of one of the most successful writers of all time, and hear about his dislike for adverbs.
On Writers and Writing by Margaret Atwood
Predominantly known for being the mind behind The Handmaid's Tale, and other works such as The Penelopiad, Atwood takes us through her childhood, college days, and life as a young female writer in Canada. As witty and wise as she always is, On Writers and Writing is less an instruction manual and more a journey through why we tell stories, some of the myths around writers, and what the purpose of writers actually is.
This collection of six essays, originally a series of lectures, gives food for thought on why anyone becomes a writer in the first place, and what role they play in society.
The Right to Write by Julia Cameron
The creatrix behind The Artist's Way returns with The Right To Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life, a series of short essays on why you should write, and the lessons and benefits of writing. The essays, AKA the Invitation, range from topics such as writer’s block, bad writing, using emotion to fuel your work, and what the perfect mood to write is. (Spoiler: the perfect mood is any mood.)
She ends all her short essays with short prompts and exercises, the Initiation, to get you out of your head and into writing. It is practical, inspirational and motivating, and it might just get you onto the page at last.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
One of the best selling and most beloved of all how-to/why-to write books, Bird by Bird covers everything from getting to the page, the building blocks of story, and why you should write. It’s required reading for so many writing courses - including a copywriting class I took! - and for good reason.
Turning her popular writing workshops into Bird by Bird, with commentary that will make you laugh out loud, Anne Lamott reaches writers across the globe. She will soon become your favourite writing teacher, guiding you through the nitty-gritty of story, finding motivation when you’re lacking it, and more.
The meaning of the title? Tackle your writing projects one word/sentence/page at a time until the work is done.
Writing Down The Bones by Natalie Goldberg
The final entry on this list combines two seemingly separate things: Writing and Zen Meditation.
In her first book, Natalie Goldberg brings all the wisdom of her classes and workshops, with the promise of freeing the writer within. The chapters are short, with advice on everything from verbs to ‘listening’ to where to write. Her bite-sized wisdom is sure to change how you think about writing and the craft.
What does any of this have to do with Zen Meditation? Goldberg wants you to realise the value of your life through writing. To take down all the seemingly unimportant and small details of life, and give them more meaning through your attention and words. Just as meditation does to our daily lives and to our breath, when we place our attention on them.
Bonus: Writing Down The Bones Card Deck
A bonus entry in this list is the Writing Down The Bones Deck, which takes lessons from Goldberg’s book and tuns them into an oracle deck of inspiration.
Each card has a prompt to get you writing on one side, and a short lesson on the other, guiding you through what you just achieved and the deeper purpose behind the short prompt.
Whether you go through the 60 card deck linearly, or shuffle and let your intuition pick the card for you, each card promises to open a space for writing, that you only need enter to start freeing the writer within.
Have you read any of these books? Which ones do you want to read?
If you like this post you might also like 25 Quotes from Famous Writers or Jack Kerouac’s Rules for Writing.
Or if you’re ready to start writing without reading, you can download 10 free journal prompts below.
