5 Books on Writing that Every Aspiring Writer Must Read
Want to become a top writer? Read these books
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At one point we all thought becoming a writer was easy, right? But, it surely isn’t. Well, it is, if you write only on weekends or when you feel like writing but if you are trying to make a living out of it, it is as time-taking and complex as any other profession.
Writing is much more than putting words on a paper. It is an art which can take ages to master. If you are adamant on becoming a top writer and make a living out of this craft, I will recommend reading these books.
1- A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Wolf
We as writers seek a room of our own with a huge window overlooking a lush green meadow. A comfy chair and a peaceful mind to run in the meadow and pick the ideas to write a best selling book.
Virginia Wolf, an influential English writer from the early 20th century has shared in this book the importance of having an independent income especially for women.
2- “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” by Stephen King
Stephen King is one of the world’s highest-paid writers and is renowned for his horror writing. In his book “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft”, he talks about his writing career. The book is a great resource for aspiring writers as he has discussed the writing process, writer’s block, and his own personal experience of the entire journey.
The books happens to be one of the Time Magazine’s top 100 non-fiction books of all times. So, don’t wait and grab your copy today to get a complete insight into Stephen King’s journey of becoming a successful writer.
3- “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott
Bird by Bird is a New York Times best-selling book by Anne Lamott. There is some valuable content for new writers in this book including Anne’s valuable advice on how to handle the ups and downs of living a creative life, the realities of professional writing, dealing with obstacles such as writer’s block.
Here is an iconic passage from the book which will surely push you to buy your copy right away. In the book Anne writes:
“Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said, ‘Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”
4- 2000 to 10,000 — How to write faster, write better and write more of what you love by Rachel Aaron
That’s what we all writers want; to write faster, better and more of what we love, right?
2000 to 10,000 by Rachel Aaron describes how she went from writing 2000 words per day to 10,000 words per day. To make a living out of writing, a writer must write a minimum of 2 books a year. To do so, you need to write at the speed of light (well, that might be an exaggeration) but that’s what you should aim for.
In her book, Rachel explains what to do to increase writing speed especially if you are aiming to become a fiction writer.
5- “Ernest Hemingway on Writing” by Larry W. Phillips
If none other, you must have read “The Old Man and the Sea” by Hemingway. Earnest Hemingway believed that talking about writing brings bad luck so he never wrote any book about writing but thanks to Larry who collected Hemingway’s thoughts about writing from his letters, articles, novels and interviews.
You must have heard about the Hemingway app. If not, it is an editor for writers to check readability.
You can simply paste your written content in the Hemingway editor and it will tell you
- The readability score
- Use of passive voice
- Phrases that have simpler alternatives
- Hard to read sentences
I hope you find this article helpful.
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Cheers!!
