good books on essay writing

18 of the Best Books on Writing (Updated for 2023)

Table of contents

Ashley R. Cummings

The need for writers isn’t going away. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the employment of writers and authors will continue to grow by 4% from 2021 to 2031 . And it’s projected that there will be an average of 15,000 job openings for writers and authors each year.

While there’s a huge need for writers, it’s also projected future writers will invest anywhere from $7000 to $40,000 to learn the craft. Gasp!

But there’s good news. You don’t necessarily need to invest $40K into a degree to learn how to write. There are countless books that will help you become the writer you’ve always dreamed of becoming and will help you earn money straight out of the gate.

Here’s a list of the top eighteen books that will prepare you for your writing career. ‍

“Read, read, read. Read everything  —  trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window.” — William Faulkner

Best books on writing for business and marketing

Marketing is so important the U.S. spent more than $17 billion in 2021 on marketing data. A large part of marketing is knowing how to write marketing materials that engage audiences. Marketing is also one of the most lucrative freelance writing niches.

When marketing and selling anything, the words you choose to represent your products and brand are critical—these books will help you find the right ones.

1. Lost and Founder by Rand Fishkin

Best for : Entrepreneurs and marketers in the SaaS space

In his book Lost and Founder, Fishkin walks readers through the process of creating a startup. He’s very transparent and doesn’t leave anything out—the roses and the warts are on full display. Lost and Founder is a wealth of first-hand experience that any new startup can learn from.

Most of this book is about all the steps involved in creating a startup, but he also goes through how to write pitches and marketing strategies that worked for him.

Furthermore, if you want to write for startups, it’s important to understand everything that goes into creating a startup. This will help you meet the writing needs of a startup, regardless of what stage it may be in.

2. Killing Marketing by Joe Pulizzi & Robert Rose

Best for : Modern marketing strategies/techniques

Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose are founders and partners who love content marketing. In their book Killing Marketing, they say content isn’t just marketing; it’s an essential business strategy. 

This book focuses mostly on modern digital marketing techniques. It addresses how marketing has gone from creating ‘sale’ posters to being an essential part of adding value to a brand or company. Pulizzi and Rose use anecdotes and data from their own experiences to illustrate content writing and marketing techniques.

3. Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely

Best for : Experienced marketers looking to fine-tune writing/strategies

Predictably Irrational isn’t so much a book about writing as a book that can help writers understand what motivates us humans—which is essential for any great writer to understand.

Dan Ariely is an expert in behavioral economics, which studies how people behave when they perform any sort of action (e.g.,. shop, get married, apply for jobs, etc.).

Ariely and his team used experiments to see how suggestion, context, and even subliminal messaging can affect people’s behavior. To illustrate this point, Ariely uses an example where his team created a test that was easy to cheat on. 

Then, his team had respondents take the test again, but reminded them of any sort of moral code (like the ten commandments or even a fake ‘honor code’) right before taking the test to see if people cheated less after the reminder. You’ll have to read to find out the results, but I bet you can guess what happened.

This book is most beneficial for experienced writers and marketers looking to understand their audience on a deeper level.

Best books for copywriting

The biggest issue for copywriting (especially digital copywriting) is people don’t really read things all the way through anymore. 

According to a 20+ year study done by the Nielsen Norman Group , eye tracking research confirms that most internet users only skim and skip around a webpage for relevant info. That means copywriters must understand how to capture the attention of these skimmers and skippers. Here are books that will teach you the ins and outs of successful copywriting.

4. Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy

Best for : Learning the fundamentals of advertising

Ogilvy on Advertising is admittedly an older book that was first published in 1983. But it’s still considered one of the foremost texts for beginner copywriters and even marketers. It goes over all the fundamentals of advertising and how to write compelling copy.

If you’re new to copywriting and marketing in general, this book uses real life examples to illustrate advertising concepts. And although some of the advice about getting jobs and how to market in foreign markets may be out of date, Ogilvy’s lessons on things like research and brand image are still relevant today.

5. Hey Whipple, Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan

Best for : Creating visual stories

Luke Sullivan has been a successful advertiser for over 30 years. He’s worked at elite agencies, taught, consulted and trained. His book, Hey Whipple, Squeeze This , uses real life examples like Charmin’s advertising campaign of the 1960s and 1970’s (the namesake of the book) to illustrate all aspects of advertising. 

Sullivan goes through everything from how to protect your work to how to write for social media. The book is snarky and witty and gives you a glimpse of what it feels like to work in the creative department at an ad agency. 

6. Finding the Right Message by Jennifer Havice

Best for : How to research your audience

Finding the Right Message is all about delving deeper into understanding what makes your customers tick. It offers step-by-step guides on things like:

• How to craft customer-centric messages
• The types of questions to ask when conducting interviews and surveys
• How to research your customers and the market

Havice offers insight into how to study your audience. She then goes through how you can create messages that will pique your audience’s interest. Using her expertise as a messaging strategist and copywriter, she goes over all the things a copywriter needs to reach their audience.

Best books for longform writing

The average time spent on any webpage is 54 seconds. So, it’s important for longform articles to really engage readers in order to keep them reading for more than 54 seconds. Learning how to write engaging longform articles and books may not come naturally, but here are some books to lead you in the right direction.

7. Writing Feature Stories by Matthew Ricketson & Caroline Graham

Best fo r: Comprehensive writing fundamentals

Matthew Ricketson and Caroline Graham go over the fundamentals of writing engaging and informative longform writing in their book, Writing Feature Stories . They help both journalists and blog writers go beyond the basic who, why, what, where, and when. 

This book will help you generate new ideas, teach you how to do research for your stories, how to edit your work, and how to find the best platform for your work. Using all the information Ricketson and Graham provide, it’ll also help you get over any fear of longform writing.

8. Stein on Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies by Sol Stein

Best for : Novelists

Sol Stein is a well known editor and teacher that uses practical and his own real-world experiences to help writers write better. Stein on Writing gives writers practical ways to improve their writing instead of relying on theory. 

A lot of this book is focused on helping novelists with creating more interesting characters, more realistic dialogue, and structure. But it also goes over things like how to trim the fat away from your writing and more efficient ways to edit and revise your drafts.

9. How to Write a Lot by Paul Silvia

Best for : Motivation and practical strategies

The title says it all. Paul Silvia uses his book, How to Write a Lot to help you become a more efficient and effective longform writer. He uses practical strategies that even go through how to make a schedule, how to get over writer’s block, and ultimately how to write like a professional.

Best books for essay writing and academic writing

Whether you’re trying to write OpEds for the New Yorker or just finishing your term paper, you can use these books to learn how to write effective essays for the world of academia.

10. A Professor’s Guide to Writing Essays: The No-Nonsense Plan for Better Writing by Dr. Jacob Newman

Best for : Straightforward and practical writing

If you feel intimidated by academic writing, A Professor’s Guide to Writing Essays is a great book to help you overcome that. Dr. Jacob Newman has been a professor for a long time and uses his experiences to help writers navigate the world of academia. 

Giving useful tips and real world examples, Dr. Newman helps to dispel the idea that academic writing is any different from other kinds of writing. His book is straightforward and practical and focuses on helping students, professors, and anyone else looking to conquer writing academic papers.

11. Stylish Academic Writing by Helen Sword

Best for : Analysis of real articles and essays

Helen Sword believes that data deserves to be presented in an elegant way. Her book Stylish Academic Writing , presents her analyses of over a thousand peer-reviewed articles (on all subjects) that show how important it is for academic writers to know how to write well.

She shows readers the skills they can learn through the examples in her book. Sword will make you a believer that compelling data should be presented with compelling writing. Slapping data onto a page just isn’t good enough anymore. 

12. Simple and Direct: A Rhetoric for Writers by Jacques Barzun

Best for : Exercises that help readers learn concepts

Jacques Barzun was a noted teacher, historian and author. His book Simple & Direct, is just that. He uses a no-nonsense style to help writers improve their technique.

Simple & Direct may have been published in the 70s, but the writing exercises, model passages, and examples provided in the book are a treasure trove for any writer looking to better their craft.

Books that relate to writing in 2022

If you’ve ever watched an episode of Mad Men, you know that advertising must change with the times. Not only does the medium change (e.g., newspapers, radio, TV, internet, etc.) but so does your audience. 

For example, Baby Boomers were concerned with security, Gen Xers were concerned with buying things, millennials cared about buying experiences, and Gen Zers care about supporting companies that have the same beliefs as them. 

So while you can keep the same foundational concepts, there are things writers must learn as they write for the 21st century.

13. The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker

Best for : Relating to all types of writing

Steven Pinker is a Harvard psychology professor who has used his own research and experience to write, The Sense of Style . In this book, writers will learn writing techniques to create compelling prose and Pinker gives real-world examples to help illustrate his points.

If you’re looking to infuse more style into your writing and interested in making your writing stand out in today’s day and age, then this is the book for you.

14. You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One) by Jeff Goins

Best for : Bloggers, content creators, indie authors

“Dress for the job you want” and “fake it ‘till you make it.” The idea that you should start acting like the writer you want to be is exactly what Jeff Goins addresses in his book, You are a Writer .

This book is a guide that will help writers in their craft, work ethic, and in marketing their material. It’s perfect for bloggers, content creators, and anyone who has been waiting to fulfill their dream of becoming a full-time writer.

15. The End of Marketing : Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media and AI by Carlos Gil

Best for : focus on engagement

Carlos Gil breaks down the science of modern marketing in his book The End of Marketing . He breaks down essential topics like:

• What modern audiences want
• Storytelling
• How to get attention on social media and how to use social media as feedback
• How to be genuine
• How to find your customers

The End of Marketing unravels the mysteries of influencers, social media algorithms, and staying on trend. It’s a must read for any writer today.

Books on writing for social media

There are over 4.7 billion active social media users worldwide. In a global survey done by Statista in 2022, 61% of marketers said they would increase their usage of Instagram and 37% said they’re increasing usage of TikTok advertising. Social media isn’t going away, and it always needs content, which means, it needs good writers.

16. Everybody Writes : Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Handley

Best for : Bloggers and content creators

Everybody Writes teaches readers not only how to write, but also how to engage audiences with truthful storytelling. She offers practical how-tos for writing technique, publishing, and even how to find content ideas. 

Ann Handley’s Everybody Writes is one of the most highly rated overall writing books, and is especially helpful for those looking to write for social media. She also recently released an updated version with new examples.

17. Brand Storytelling: Put Customers at the Heart of Your Brand Story by: Miri Rodriguez

Best for : Step-by-step guide on how to build a brand story

Miri Rodriguez is an award winning storyteller and creative journalist at Microsoft. In her book Brand Storytelling she shows readers the importance of creating an emotional connection with your audience.

She uses case studies and interviews to show readers how, in this world of digital screens and AI, human connection will always win out. 

18. Faster, Smarter, Louder: Master Attention in a Noisy Digital Market by Aaron Agius and Gián Clancey

Best for : How to grow business from start to multimillion global company

Aaron Agius and Gián Clancey are the founders of the successful global marketing firm Louder.online. But they weren’t always successful, they actually first went into business together in 2008, but that business didn’t work out and forced them to move back home to Australia. But their experiences made them write Faster, Smarter, [and] Louder. 

This book gives writers technical and practical tips on how to gain credibility, increase online traffic, and engage with audiences. 

Read to become a better writer!

This list is just a start. If you want to be a writer, you don’t have to spend a lot of money, all you need is a library card or a connection to the internet.

In fact, even if you don't have time to learn how to write, that’s no longer an obstacle either. There are several AI and editing tools that will write content for you and help you fine-tune your sentences to stand out from other writers. There are also blogs that will give you all the resources and info you need to become a stellar writer. 

So stop sitting around thinking “one day” you’ll be a writer. As Stephen King said in On Writing , “You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.”

Share This Article:

Grammarly Alternatives: Which Writing Assistant is the Best Choice for You?

The Dos and Don’ts of Using AI to Study

How to Use Modal Verbs for Clear Communication

Looking for fresh content, thank you your submission has been received.

10 Best Books on Essay Writing (You Should Read Today)

“I hate writing, I love having written.” – Dorothy Parker

Here are 10 Books That Will Help You With Essay Writing:

1. a professor’s guide to writing essays: the no-nonsense plan for better writing by dr. jacob neumann.

This is the highest-rated book on the subject available on the market right now. It’s written for students at any level of education. The author uses an unorthodox approach, claiming that breaking essays down into different formats is unnecessary. It doesn’t matter if it’s a persuasive or a narrative essay – the difference is not in how you write, but rather in how you build your case . Length: 118 pages Published: 2016

2. College Essay Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Successful College Admissions Essay – by Ethan Sawyer

3. the only grammar book you’ll ever need: a one-stop source for every writing assignment by susan thurman.

The institution of a grammar school is defunct, but it doesn’t mean you can ignore the basic rules that govern your language. If you’re writing an essay or a college paper , you better keep your grammar tight. Otherwise, your grades will drop dramatically because professors abhor simple grammar mistakes. By reading this little book , you’ll make sure your writing is pristine. Length: 192 pages Published: 2003

4. Escape Essay Hell!: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Narrative College Application Essays by Janine W. Robinson

A well-written essay has immense power. Not only that, it is the prerequisite to getting admitted to colleges and universities, but you also have to tackle a few essay questions in most, if not all exams you will ever take for career or academic advancement. For instance, when taking the LSAT to qualify for law school , the MCAT to get into med school , the DAT to pursue a degree in dentistry, or even the GRE or GMAT as the first step in earning a master’s degree. That is why this book is highly recommended to anyone navigating through the sea of higher learning. In this amusing book, Janine Robinson focuses mostly on writing narrative essays . She’s been helping college-bound students to tell unique stories for over a decade and you’ll benefit from her expert advice. The book contains 10 easy steps that you can follow as a blueprint for writing the best “slice of life” story ever told. Length: 76 pages Published: 2013

5. The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present by Phillip Lopate

This large volume is a necessary diversion from the subject of formal, highly constrained types of writing. It focuses only on the genre of the personal essay which is much more free-spirited, creative, and tongue-and-cheek-like. Phillip Lopate, himself an acclaimed essayist, gathers seventy of the best essays of this type and lets you draw timeless lessons from them. Length: 777 pages Published: 1995

6. The Best American Essays of the Century by Joyce Carol Oates

7. on writing well: the classic guide to writing nonfiction by william zinsser.

On Writing Well is a classic writing guide that will open your eyes to the art of producing clear-cut copy. Zinsser approached the subject of writing with a warm, cheerful attitude that seeps through the pages of his masterpiece. Whether you want to describe places, communicate with editors, self-edit your copy, or avoid verbosity, this book will have the right answer for you. Length: 336 pages Published: 2016 (reprint edition)

8. How To Write Any High School Essay: The Essential Guide by Jesse Liebman

The previous titles I mentioned were mostly for “grown-up” writers, but the list wouldn’t be complete without a book for ambitious high-school students. Its length is appropriate, making it possible even for the most ADHD among us to get through it. It contains expert advice, easy-to-implement essay outlines , and tips on finding the best topics and supporting them with strong arguments. Length: 124 pages Published: 2017

9. Essential Writing Skills for College and Beyond by C.M. Gill

On average, after finishing high school or college, Americans read only around twelve books per year. This is a pity because books contain a wealth of information. People at the top of the socio-economic ladder read between forty and sixty books per year – and you should too! But reading is just one skill that gets neglected after college. Writing is the other one. By reading the “Essential Writing Skills” you’ll be able to crush all of your college writing assignments and use them throughout your life to sharpen your prose. Length: 250 Published: 2014

10. The Hidden Machinery: Essays on Writing by Margot Livesey

Rafal reyzer.

Hey there, welcome to my blog! I'm a full-time entrepreneur building two companies, a digital marketer, and a content creator with 10+ years of experience. I started RafalReyzer.com to provide you with great tools and strategies you can use to become a proficient digital marketer and achieve freedom through online creativity. My site is a one-stop shop for digital marketers, and content enthusiasts who want to be independent, earn more money, and create beautiful things. Explore my journey here , and don't miss out on my AI Marketing Mastery online course.

VIDEO COURSE

Finish your draft in our 3-month master class. Sign up now to watch a free lesson!

Learn How to Write a Novel

Finish your draft in our 3-month master class. Enroll now for daily lessons, weekly critique, and live events. Your first lesson is free!

Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on May 31, 2022

The 40 Best Books About Writing: A Reading List for Authors

For this post, we’ve scoured the web (so you don’t have to) and asked our community of writers for recommendations on some indispensable books about writing. We've filled this list with dozens of amazing titles, all of which are great — but this list might seem intimidating. So for starters, here are our top 10 books about writing:

• On Writing by Stephen King
• The Kick-Ass Writer by Chuck Wendig
• Dreyer’s Englis h by Benjamin Dreyer
• The Elements of Style by Strunk, White, and Kalman
• The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne
• A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Mouth Full of Blood by Toni Morrison
• How to Market a Book by Ricardo Fayet
• On Writing Well by William Zinsser

But if you're ready to get into the weeds, here are 40 of our favorite writing books.

Books about becoming a writer

1. on writing by stephen king.

Perhaps the most-cited book on this list, On Writing  is part-memoir, part-masterclass from one of America’s leading authors. Come for the vivid accounts of his childhood and youth — including his extended "lost weekend" spent on alcohol and drugs in the 1980s. Stay for the actionable advice on how to use your emotions and experiences to kickstart your writing, hone your skills, and become an author. Among the many craft-based tips are King’s expert takes on plot, story, character, and more.

From the book: “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” 

2. The Kick-Ass Writer by Chuck Wendig

If you haven’t checked out Wendig’s personal blog, head over there now and bookmark it. Unfiltered, profane, and almost always right, Wendig has become a leading voice among online writing communities in the past few years. In The Kick-Ass Writer , he offers over 1,000 pearls of wisdom for authors, ranging from express writing tips to guidance on getting published. Written to be read in short bursts, we’re sure he’d agree that this is the perfect bathroom book for writers.

From the book: “I have been writing professionally for a lucky-despite-the-number 13 years. Not once — seriously, not once ever — has anyone ever asked me where I got my writing degree… Nobody gives two ferrets fornicating in a filth-caked gym sock whether or not you have a degree… The only thing that matters is, Can you write well? ” 

3. Find Your Voice by Angie Thomas

Taking advice from famous authors is not about imitation, but about finding your own voice . Take it from someone who knows: Thomas is the New York Times #1 Bestselling author of The Hate U Give , On the Come Up , and Concrete Rose . While she’s found her calling in YA literature, she has plenty of insight into finding your own voice in your genre of choice. Written in the form of a guided journal, this volume comes with step-by-step instructions, writing prompts, and exercises especially aimed at helping younger creatives develop the strength and skills to realize their vision.

From the book: “Write fearlessly. Write what is true and real to you.” 

4. The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner

Since its publication in 2000, The Forest for the Trees  has remained an essential resource for authors at various stages in their careers. As an editor, Lerner gives advice not only on producing quality content, but also on how to build your career as an author and develop a winning routine — like how writers can be more productive in their creative process, how to get published, and how to publish well .

From the book: “The world doesn't fully make sense until the writer has secured his version of it on the page. And the act of writing is strangely more lifelike than life.”

Perfect your book with professional help

Meet the top book editors, designers, and marketers on Reedsy

Learn how Reedsy can help you craft a beautiful book.

5. How to Write Like Tolstoy by Richard Cohen

From the book: “Great writers can be inhibiting, and maybe after one has read a Scott Fitzgerald or Henry James one can’t escape imitat­ing them; but more often such writers are inspiring.”

6. Feel Free: Essays by Zadie Smith

Smith is well-known for her fiction, but she is also a prolific essay writer. In Feel Free , she has gathered several essays on recent cultural and political developments and combined them with experiences from her own life and career. In “The I Who Is Not Me”, she explores how her own lived experience comes into play in her fiction writing, and how she manages to extrapolate that to comment on contemporary social contexts, discussing race, class, and ethnicity.

From the book: “Writing exists (for me) at the intersection of three precarious, uncertain elements: language, the world, the self. The first is never wholly mine; the second I can only ever know in a partial sense; the third is a malleable and improvised response to the previous two.”

Books about language and style 

7. dreyer’s english by benjamin dreyer.

A staple book about writing well, Dreyer’s English serves as a one-stop guide to proper English, based on the knowledge that Dreyer — a senior copy editor at Random House — has accumulated throughout his career. From punctuation to tricky homophones, passive voice, and commas, the goal of these tools should be to facilitate effective communication of ideas and thoughts. Dreyer delivers this and then some, but not without its due dosage of humor and informative examples. 

From the book: “A good sentence, I find myself saying frequently, is one that the reader can follow from beginning to end, no matter how long it is, without having to double back in confusion because the writer misused or omitted a key piece of punctuation, chose a vague or misleading pronoun, or in some other way engaged in inadvertent misdirection.”

8. The Elements of Style (Illustrated) by William Strunk, Jr., E. B. White, and Maira Kalman

A perfect resource for visual learners, this illustrated edition of The Elements of Style has taken the classic style manual to a new, more accessible level but kept its main tenet intact: make every word tell. The written content by Strunk and White has long been referred to as an outline of the basic principles of style. Maira Kalman’s illustrations elevate the experience and make it a feast for both the mind and the eye. 

From the book: “A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”

9. Sin and Syntax by Constance Hale

If you’re looking to bring a bit of spunk into your writing, copy editor Constance Hale may hold the key . Whether you’re writing a work-related email or the next rap anthem, she has one goal: to make creative communication available to everyone by dispelling old writing myths and making every word count. Peppered with writing prompts and challenges, this book will have you itching to put pen to paper.

From the book: “Verbose is not a synonym for literary.”

10. The Sense of Style by Steven Pinker

Combining entertainment with intellectual pursuit, Pinker, a cognitive scientist and dictionary consultant, explores and rethinks language usage in the 21st century . With illustrative examples of both great and not-so-great linguistic constructions, Pinker breaks down the art of writing and gives a gentle but firm nudge in the right direction, towards coherent yet stylish prose. This is not a polemic on the decay of the English language, nor a recitation of pet peeves, but a thoughtful, challenging, and practical take on the science of communication. 

From the book: “Why is so much writing so bad, and how can we make it better? Is the English language being corrupted by texting and social media? Do the kids today even care about good writing—and why should we care?”

11. Eats, Shoots, & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

From the book: “A panda walks into a cafe. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air. "Why?" asks the confused waiter, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife annual and tosses it over his shoulder. "I'm a panda," he says, at the door. "Look it up." The waiter turns to the relevant entry and, sure enough, finds an explanation. Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.”

Books about story structure

12. save the cat by blake snyder.

Best known as a screenwriting manual, Save the Cat! is just as often named by authors as one of their most influential books about writing. The title comes from the tried-and-true trope of the protagonist doing something heroic in the first act (such as saving a cat) in order to win over the audience. Yes, it might sound trite to some — but others swear by its bulletproof beat sheet. More recently, there has been Save the Cat! Writes a Novel , which tailors its principles specifically to the literary crowd. (For a concise breakdown of the beat sheet, check this post out!)

From the book: “Because liking the person we go on a journey with is the single most important element in drawing us into the story.” 

13. The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne

Shawn Coyne is a veteran editor with over 25 years of publishing experience, and he knows exactly what works and what doesn’t in a story — indeed, he’s pretty much got it down to a science. The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know  outlines Coyne’s original “Story Grid” evaluation technique, which both writers and editors can use to appraise, revise, and ultimately improve their writing (in order to get it ready for publication). Coyne and his friend Tim Grahl also co-host the acclaimed Story Grid podcast , another great resource for aspiring writers.

From the book: “The Story Grid is a tool with many applications. It pinpoints problems but does not emotionally abuse the writer… it is a tool to re-envision and resuscitate a seemingly irredeemable pile of paper stuck in an attack drawer, and it can inspire an original creation.”

14. Story Structure Architect by Victoria Schmidt

For those who find the idea of improvising utterly terrifying and prefer the security of structures, this book breaks down just about every kind of story structure you’ve ever heard of . Victoria Schmidt offers no less than fifty-five different creative paths for your story to follow — some of which are more unconventional, or outright outlandish than others. The level of detail here is pretty staggering: Schmidt goes into the various conflicts, subplots, and resolutions these different story structures entail — with plenty of concrete examples! Suffice to say that no matter what kind of story you’re writing, you’ll find a blueprint for it in Story Structure Architect .

From the book: “When you grow up in a Westernized culture, the traditional plot structure becomes so embedded in your subconscious that you may have to work hard to create a plot structure that deviates from it… Understand this and keep your mind open when reading [this book]. Just because a piece doesn’t conform to the model you are used to, does not make it bad or wrong.”

15. The Writer's Journey  by Christopher Vogler

Moving on, we hone in on the mythic structure. Vogler’s book, originally published in 1992, is now a modern classic of writing advice; though intended as a screenwriting textbook, its contents apply to any story of mythic proportions. In The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers , Vogler takes a page (literally) from Joseph Campbell’s Hero of a Thousand Faces to ruminate upon the most essential narrative structures and character archetypes of the writing craft. So if you’re thinking of drawing up an epic fantasy series full of those tropes we all know and love , this guide should be right up your alley.

From the book: “The Hero’s Journey is not an invention, but an observation. It is a recognition of a beautiful design… It’s difficult to avoid the sensation that the Hero’s Journey exists somewhere, somehow, as an external reality, a Platonic ideal form, a divine model. From this model, infinite and highly varied copies can be produced, each resonating with the essential spirit of the form.”

16. Story Genius by Lisa Cron

From the book: “We don't turn to story to escape reality. We turn to story to navigate reality.”

17. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

More than just a New York Times bestseller and the winner of the Booker Prize, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain is a distillation of the MFA class on Russian short stories that Saunders has been teaching. Breaking down narrative functions and why we become immersed in a story, this is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand and nurture our continued need for fiction.

From the book: “We’re going to enter seven fastidiously constructed scale models of the world, made for a specific purpose that our time maybe doesn’t fully endorse but that these writers accepted implicitly as the aim of art—namely, to ask the big questions, questions like, How are we supposed to be living down here? What were we put here to accomplish? What should we value? What is truth, anyway, and how might we recognize it?”

Books about overcoming obstacles as a writer

18. bird by bird by anne lamott .

Like Stephen King’s book about writing craft, this work from acclaimed novelist and nonfiction writer Anne Lamott also fuses elements of a memoir with invaluable advice on the writer’s journey. Particularly known for popularizing the concept of “shitty first drafts”, Bird by Bird was recently recommended by editor Jennifer Hartmann in her Reedsy Live webinar for its outlook take on book writing. She said, “This book does exactly what it says it will do: it teaches you to become a better writer. [Lamott] is funny and witty and very knowledgeable.”

From the book: “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft.”

19. Take Off Your Pants by Libbie Hawker 

From the book: “When it comes to the eternal quandary of pantsing or plotting, you can keep a foot in each camp. But if your goals will require you to write with speed and confidence, an effective outline will be your best friend.”

20. Writing into the Dark by Dean Wesley Smith 

And for those who eschew structure altogether, we’ll now refer you to this title  from profile science fiction author Dean Wesley Smith. Having authored a number of official Star Trek novels, he definitely knows what he’s talking about when he encourages writers to go boldly into the unknown with an approach to writing books that doesn’t necessarily involve an elaborate plan. It might not be your action plan, but it can be a fresh perspective to get out of the occasional writer’s block.

From the book: “Imagine if every novel you picked up had a detailed outline of the entire plot… Would you read the novel after reading the outline? Chances are, no. What would be the point? You already know the journey the writer is going to take you on. So, as a writer, why do an outline and then have to spend all that time creating a book you already know?”

21. No Plot, No Problem by Chris Baty

If you’re procrastinating to the point where you haven’t even started your novel yet, NaNoWriMo founder Chris Baty is your guy! No Plot, No Problem  is a “low-stress, high-velocity” guide to writing a novel in just 30 days (yup, it’s great prep for the NaNoWriMo challenge). You’ll get tons of tips on how to survive this rigorous process, from taking advantage of your initial momentum to persisting through moments of doubt.

Whether you’re participating in everyone’s favorite November write-a-thon or you just want to bang out a novel that’s been in your head forever, Baty will help you cross that elusive finish line.

From the book: “A rough draft is best written in the steam-cooker of an already busy life. If you have a million things to do, adding item number 1,000,001 is not such a big deal.”

22. The 90-Day Novel by Alan Watt

And for those who think 30 days is a bit too steam cooker-esque, there’s always Alan Watt’s more laid-back option. In The 90-Day Novel , Watt provides a unique three-part process to assist you with your writing. The first part provides assistance in developing your story’s premise, the second part helps you work through obstacles to execute it, and the third part is full of writing exercises to unlock the “primal forces” of your story — in other words, the energy that will invigorate your work and incite readers to devour it like popcorn at the movies.

From the book: “Why we write is as important as what we write. Grammar, punctuation, and syntax are fairly irrelevant in the first draft. Get the story down… fast. Get out of your head, so you can surprise yourself on the page.”

23. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

If you feel like you’re constantly in the trenches of your “inner creative battle,” The War of Art is the book for you. Pressfield emphasizes the importance of breaking down creative barriers — what he calls “Resistance” — in order to defeat your demons (i.e., procrastination, self-doubt, etc.) and fulfill your potential. Though some of his opinions are no doubt controversial (he makes repeated claims that almost anything can be procrastination, including going to the doctor), this book is the perfect remedy for prevaricating writers who need a little bit of tough love.

From the book: “Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.”

Free course: Create a Solid Writing Routine

Learn to banish your procrastination gremlins and finish writing your book. Get started now.

Books about writing as a lifestyle and career

24. steal like an artist by austin kleon.

As Kleon notes in the first section of Steal Like an Artist , this title obviously doesn’t refer to plagiarism. Rather, it acknowledges that art cannot be created in a vacuum, and encourages writers (and all other artists) to be open and receptive to all sources of inspiration. By “stealing like an artist,” writers can construct stories that already have a baseline of familiarity for readers, but with new twists that keep them fresh and exciting .

From the book: “If we’re free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running away from it.”

25. Mouth Full of Blood by Toni Morrison

From the book: “A writer's life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity.”

26. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

No matter what stage you’re at in your writing career, Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones will help you write more skillfully and creatively. With suggestions, encouragement, and valuable advice on the many aspects of the writing craft, Goldberg doesn’t shy away from making the crucial connection between writing and adding value to your life. Covering a range of topics including taking notes of your initial thoughts, listening, overcoming doubt, choosing where to write, and the selection of your verbs, this guide has plenty to say about the minute details of writing, but excels at exploring the author life.

From the book: “Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.”

27. Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

What does it take to become a great author? According to the beloved writer Ray Bradbury, it takes zest, gusto, curiosity, as well as a spirit of adventure. Sharing his wisdom and experiences as one of the most prolific writers in America , Bradbury gives plenty of practical tips and tricks on how to develop ideas, find your voice, and create your own style in this  thoughtful volume . In addition to that, this is also an insight into the life and mind of this prolific writer, and a celebration of the act of writing. 

From the book: “Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a land mine. The land mine is me. After the explosion, I spend the rest of the day putting the pieces back together. Now, it's your turn. Jump!”

28. The Kite and the String by Alice Mattison

One of the most common dilemmas an author faces is the struggle between spontaneity and control. Literary endeavors need those unexpected light-bulb moments, but a book will never be finished if you rely solely on inspiration. In The Kite and the String , Mattison has heard your cry for help and developed a guide for balancing these elements throughout the different stages of writing a novel or a memoir. Sure, there may be language and grammar rules that govern the way you write, but letting a bit of playfulness breathe life into your writing will see it take off to a whole new level. On the other hand, your writing routine, solitude, audience, and goal-setting will act as the strings that keep you from floating too far away. 

From the book: "Don’t make yourself miserable wishing for a kind of success that you wouldn’t enjoy if you had it."

29. How to Become a Successful Indie Author by Craig Martelle

This one’s for all the indie authors out there! Even if you’ve already self-published a book, you can still learn a lot from this guide by Craig Martelle, who has dozens of indie books — “over two and a half million words,” as he puts it — under his belt. With patience and expertise, Martelle walks you through everything you need to know: from developing your premise to perfecting your writing routine, to finally getting your work to the top of the Amazon charts.

From the book: “No matter where you are on your author journey, there’s always a new level you can reach. Roll up your sleeves, because it’s time to get to work.”

Free course: Amazon Algorithms

Send your book to the top of its category by using Amazon's recommendation system to your advantage. Get started now.

30. How to Market a Book by Ricardo Fayet 

From the book: “Here’s the thing: authors don’t find readers; readers find books . [...] Marketing is not about selling your book to readers. It’s about getting readers to find it.”

31. Everybody Writes by Ann Handley

The full title of Handley’s all-inclusive book on writing is actually Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content — which should tell you something about its broad appeal. Not only does Handley have some great ideas on how to plan and produce a great story, but she also provides tips on general content writing, which comes in handy when it’s time to build your author platform or a mailing list to promote your book . As such, Everybody Writes is nothing like your other books on novel writing — it’ll make you see writing in a whole new light.

From the book: “In our world, many hold a notion that the ability to write, or write well, is a gift bestowed on a chosen few. That leaves us thinking there are two kinds of people: the writing haves — and the hapless, for whom writing well is a hopeless struggle, like trying to carve marble with a butter knife. But I don’t believe that, and neither should you.” 

Free course: Author Mailing Lists

Acquire more readers, sell more books, and make more money with the only indispensable tool in the book marketer's arsenal. Get started now.

Books on writing poetry 

32. madness, rack, and honey by mary ruefle.

With a long history of crafting and lecturing about poetry, Ruefle invites the reader of Madness, Rack, and Honey to immerse themselves into its beauty and magic. In a powerful combination of lectures and musings, she expertly explores the mind and craft of writers while excavating the magical potential of poetry. Often a struggle between giving and taking, poetry is, according to Ruefle, a unique art form that reveals the innermost workings of the human heart.

From the book: “In one sense, reading is a great waste of time. In another sense, it is a great extension of time, a way for one person to live a thousand and one lives in a single lifespan, to watch the great impersonal universe at work again and again”

33. Threads by Sandeep Parmar, Nisha Ramayya, and Bhanu Kapil

If you’re looking for something that explores the philosophical aspects of writing, Threads asks big questions about writing and the position of the writer in an industry that has largely excluded marginalized voices. Where does the writer exist in relation to its text and, particularly in the case of poetry, who is the “I”? Examining the common white, British, male lens, this collection of short essays will make it hard for you not to critically consider your own perceptions and how they affect your writing process.

From the book: “It is impossible to consider the lyric without fully interrogating its inherent promise of universality, its coded whiteness.”

34. The Hatred of Poetry by Ben Lerner

Despite its eye-catching title, this short essay is actually a defense of poetry. Lerner begins with his own hatred of the art form, and then moves on to explore this love-hate dichotomy that actually doesn’t seem to be contradictory. Rather, such a multitude of emotions might be one of the reasons that writers and readers alike turn to it. With its ability to evoke feelings and responses through word-play and meter, poetry has often been misconceived as inaccessible and elitist; this is a call to change that perception. 

From the book: “All I ask the haters — and I, too, am one — is that they strive to perfect their contempt, even consider bringing it to bear on poems, where it will be deepened, not dispelled, and where, by creating a place for possibility and present absences (like unheard melodies), it might come to resemble love.”

35. Poemcrazy by Susan G. Wooldridge

If you’ve ever felt that the mysterious workings of poetry are out of your reach and expressly not for you, Wooldridge is here to tell you that anyone who wants to can write poetry. An experienced workshop leader, she will help you find your inner voice and to express it through the written word . Giving you advice on how to think, use your senses, and practice your writing, Wooldrige will have you putting down rhyme schemes before you know it. 

From the book: “Writing a poem is a form of listening, helping me discover what's wrong or frightening in my world as well as what delights me.”

36. Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison

From the book: “Don't be afraid to write crap — it makes the best fertilizer. The more of it you write, the better your chances are of growing something wonderful.”

Books about writing nonfiction

37. on writing well by william zinsser.

Going strong with its 30th-anniversary edition, On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction is an evergreen resource for nonfiction writers which breaks down the fundamental principles of written communication. As a bonus, the insights and guidelines in this book can certainly be applied to most forms of writing, from interviewing to camp-fire storytelling. Beyond giving tips on how to stay consistent in your writing and voice, how to edit, and how to avoid common pitfalls, Zinsser can also help you grow as a professional writer, strengthening your career and taking steps in a new direction. 

From the book: “Don’t try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience—every reader is a different person.”

38. Essays by Lydia Davis

Ironically enough, this rather lengthy book is a celebration of brevity. As one of the leading American voices in flash-fiction and short-form writing, Davis traces her literary roots and inspirations in essays on everything, ranging from the mastodonic work of Proust to minimalism. In both her translations and her own writing, she celebrates experimental writing that stretches the boundaries of language. Playing with the contrast between what is said and what is not, this collection of essays is another tool to the writing shed to help you feel and use the power of every word you write.

From the book: “Free yourself of your device, for at least certain hours of the day — or at the very least one hour. Learn to be alone, all alone, without people, and without a device that is turned on. Learn to experience the purity of that kind of concentration. Develop focus, learn to focus intently on one thing, uninterrupted, for a long time.”

39. Essayism by Brian Dillon

In this volume , Dillon explores the often overlooked genre of essay writing and its place in literature’s past, present, and future. He argues that essays are an “experiment in attention” but also highlights how and why certain essays have directly impacted the development of the cultural and political landscape, from the end of the Middle Ages until the present day. At its heart, despite its many forms, subject areas, and purposes, essayism has its root in self-exploration. Dip in and out of Dillon’s short texts to find inspiration for your own nonfiction writing.

From the book: “What exactly do I mean, even, by 'style'? Perhaps it is nothing but an urge, an aspiration, a clumsy access of admiration, a crush.”

40. Naked, Drunk, and Writing by Adair Lara

From the book: “Write it down. Whatever it is, write it down. Chip it into marble. Type it into Microsoft Word. Spell it out in seaweeds on the shore. We are each of us an endangered species, delicate as unicorns.”

With a few of these books in your arsenal, you’ll be penning perfect plots in no time! And if you’re interested in learning more about the editing process, check our post on books on editing next!

ZUrlocker says:

11/03/2019 – 19:46

I'm familiar with several of these books. But for new authors, I urge you caution. It is very tempting to read so many books about writing that you never get around to writing. (I did this successfully for many years!) So I will suggest paring it down to just two books: Stephen King on Writing and Blake Snyder Save the Cat. Snyder's book is mostly about screenwriting, so you could also consider Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. Best of luck!

Comments are currently closed.

Continue reading

Recommended posts from the Reedsy Blog

450+ Powerful Adjectives to Describe a Person (With Examples)

Want a handy list to help you bring your characters to life? Discover words that describe physical attributes, dispositions, and emotions.

How to Plot a Novel Like a NYT Bestselling Author

Need to plot your novel? Follow these 7 steps from New York Times bestselling author Caroline Leavitt.

How to Write an Autobiography: The Story of Your Life

Want to write your autobiography but aren’t sure where to start? This step-by-step guide will take you from opening lines to publishing it for everyone to read.

What is the Climax of a Story? Examples & Tips

The climax is perhaps a story's most crucial moment, but many writers struggle to stick the landing. Let's see what makes for a great story climax.

What is Tone in Literature? Definition & Examples

We show you, with supporting examples, how tone in literature influences readers' emotions and perceptions of a text.

Writing Cozy Mysteries: 7 Essential Tips & Tropes

We show you how to write a compelling cozy mystery with advice from published authors and supporting examples from literature.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

We have an app for that

Build a writing routine with our free writing app.

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

• Technical Support
• Find My Rep

You are here

Good Essay Writing A Social Sciences Guide

• Peter Redman - The Open University
• Wendy Maples - Academic Consultant
• Description

This book sets out proven approaches and techniques which can help everyone write good essays. Extensively revised and updated in this fourth edition, Good Essay Writing now includes new material such as:

• A chapter on essay planning, focusing on literature searching (using online materials), note-taking and formulating an argument
• A comparison of essay writing to exam writing
• The use of academic language, vocabulary and register, and its 'accuracy and appropriateness'
• more exemplar material used throughout the chapters

The authors focus on answering key questions students face when preparing essays – What do tutors look for when marking my essay? What kind of skills do I need as I progress through my course? How can I avoid inadvertent plagiarism? What are the protocols for referencing?

Encapsulated in easy to digest summaries, this new edition shows you how to approach different types of essay questions, addresses common worries, and provides extensive use of worked examples including complete essays which are fully analyzed and discussed. Each chapter also includes suggested further reading and an extensive glossary.

Good Essay Writing is highly recommended for anyone studying social sciences who wants to brush up on their essay writing skills and achieve excellent grades.

See what’s new to this edition by selecting the Features tab on this page. Should you need additional information or have questions regarding the HEOA information provided for this title, including what is new to this edition, please email [email protected] . Please include your name, contact information, and the name of the title for which you would like more information. For information on the HEOA, please go to http://ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html .

For assistance with your order: Please email us at [email protected] or connect with your SAGE representative.

SAGE 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 www.sagepub.com

Supplements

An excellent resource for HE students on the study skills programme and the main Foundation Degree. This publication provides numerous examples for students to develop and progress in their essay writing, with clear guidance on planning, drafting, writing, referencing and acting on feedback. It also provides an informative chapter on 'What Tutors Look for When Marking Essays', although does also highlight to students that this is a 'broad indication of what may be expected'. A highly recommended resource on the reading list.

This is a perfectly good book, but I have not adopted it because I was looking for a book that would cover both essay writing and would also consider aspects of research project writing (a big ask, I know). Also, my perception is that this book is aimed at pre-university students (although I realise it is written by OU lecturers).

A good publication for students on the study skills programme, further supporting their planning and drafting of assignments.

A very useful little book. I have adapted some of the exercises in suggested to fit the assignments we work with.

Incredibly useful for social science class. Great break down of the points. Great topics included as well

An incredibly useful text for all my social science classes.

A great book that I have recommended to social science students

A great guide to assist first year students with the basics of writing an essay. It assists students with understanding what an essay question is asking of them, how to critically think and formulate an argument, and how to structure an essay.

An excellent book which promotes a fantastic skill set suitable for those setting out in the study of social sciences. I certainly wish I had a copy of this when I was a student myself. The book itself provides excellent and practical tips for planning, structuring and fine tuning essays to a good standard. Whilst I will be unable to adopt this book on our course I will certainly recommend this to my learners or anyone writing in the academic study of social sciences.

Although useful it did not address all the areas that I was loo9king for.

Many thanks anyway.

Preview this book

Sample materials & chapters.

Good Essay Writing: What is a Social Science Essay?

Sage College Publishing

You can purchase this book and request an instructor sample on our US College site:

• Test Preparation
• College & High School

Sorry, there was a problem.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

The Complete College Essay Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing the Personal Statement and the Supplemental Essays Paperback – July 19, 2021

Want to write memorable college application essays in less time, with less stress? This book will guide you through the process, with hands-on activities, practical tips, and tons of real application essays—personal statements and supplemental essays—by real students!

Finally—the book you’ve been waiting for! The Complete College Essay Handbook demystifies the entire college essay writing process with easy-to-follow directions and hands-on activities that have worked for hundreds of students. Maschal, a former admissions officer, and Wood, a professional writer and writing teacher, draw on their combined expertise to help students craft a successful set of application essays for every school on their list. Supplemental essays in particular can seem overwhelming—some schools ask students to write as many as six essays in addition to the personal statement. Maschal and Wood identify four types of supplemental essays, walking students through how to write each one and then how to recycle these essays for other schools.

The Complete College Essay Handbook walks students through:

• What makes an essay stand out, drawing on sample essays by real students to illustrate main points
• Brainstorming activities to find the best topics for the personal statement and supplemental essays
• How to write the two central components of every application essay: scene and reflection
• Editing and revision—including techniques to cut down or expand an essay to hit the word limit
• The four types of supplemental essays and how to decode the different essay prompts, using actual essay questions
• The strategy behind a well-rounded set of application essays

The Complete College Essay Handbook is a no-frills, practical guide that will give students the confidence and know-how they need to craft the best essays for every single school on their list—in less time and with less stress.

This book is for students, high school teachers and counselors, parents, and anyone else who wants to help students through the college essay writing process.

• Print length 212 pages
• Language English
• Publication date July 19, 2021
• Dimensions 6 x 0.48 x 9 inches
• ISBN-10 173731598X
• ISBN-13 978-1737315988
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ 1 (July 19, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 212 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 173731598X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1737315988
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.2 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.48 x 9 inches
• #440 in College Guides (Books)
• #603 in College Entrance Test Guides (Books)

About the author

Brittany maschal.

Dr. Brittany Maschal is the founder of Brittany Maschal Consulting, LLC, an educational consulting firm that works with students applying to college and graduate school.

Brittany has held positions in admissions and student services at the University of Pennsylvania at Penn Law and The Wharton School; Princeton University (undergraduate) and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs; and the Johns Hopkins University-Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She has served on admissions committees with American Councils for International Education and International Research and Exchanges Board; as an invited speaker to numerous community programs in the US and abroad; and as an alumni interviewer and admissions representative for the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. Brittany was also an Executive Board member and Membership Director of the Penn GSE Alumni Association.

Brittany received her doctorate in higher education from the George Washington University in 2012. Prior, she attended the University of Pennsylvania for her master’s, and the University of Vermont for her bachelor’s degree—a degree she obtained in three years. Brittany is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association and a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches.

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Reviews with images

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

• About Amazon
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell products on Amazon
• Sell on Amazon Business
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Become an Affiliate
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Make Money with Us
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Amazon and COVID-19
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices

• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Don't Miss a Post! Subscribe

• Guest Posts

• Educational AI
• Edtech Tools
• Edtech Apps
• Teacher Resources
• Special Education
• Edtech for Kids
• Buying Guides for Teachers

Educators Technology

Innovative EdTech for teachers, educators, parents, and students

9 Great Books on Essay Writing

By Med Kharbach, PhD | Last Update: May 9, 2024

Books on essay writing are the topic of our blog post today!

Looking for some good recommendations for books on essay writing? This post has you covered. In it I featured some of the best options out there. As we all know, essay writing, and writing in general, is a practice that sharpens critical thinking, conveys ideas, and showcases understanding. Yet, mastering it isn’t just about practicing the act of writing. Reading, in all its wonder, plays a pivotal role too. The guides below will help students learn about styles, structure, and nuances, essentially refining their own writing arsenal. It’s like training the mind, equipping it with tools for better essays.

Books on Essay Writing

Here are our top picks for best books on essay writing

1. “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

“The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White is a classic in the realm of writing guides. Though not an essay writing service , this compact book acts as a mentor, offering writers techniques to enhance their craft. It champions the principles of clarity and brevity, urging writers to be concise and to the point. White and Strunk emphasize eliminating superfluous words, ensuring every word counts. For students and writers alike, this guide is a beacon, directing them towards crisp, clear, and effective prose in their essays.

2. “On Writing” , by Stephen King

Stephen King’s “On Writing” provides an intimate look into the mind of one of the world’s most renowned authors. King delves deep, sharing personal anecdotes intertwined with invaluable insights on the craft of writing.

He firmly believes in the symbiotic relationship between reading and writing. According to King, a good writer must be an avid reader. Moreover, he emphasizes the necessity of discipline, asserting that consistent effort and dedication are key to refining one’s craft.

3. “Bird by Bird” , by Anne Lamott

“Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott offers a heartfelt dive into the tumultuous world of writing. Lamott presents her journey, riddled with challenges and moments of self-doubt, providing solace to writers everywhere.

One of her most resonating pieces of advice is on the nature of first drafts. She reassures that they are meant to be rough and imperfect. Lamott emphasizes that perfectionism is the adversary of creativity, urging writers to let go and simply get the words down, refining as they go along.

4. “ How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One” , by Stanley Fish

Stanley Fish’s “How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One” is a deep dive into the essence of sentences. Fish examines the intricate art and craft behind constructing a sentence, illuminating the rhythm, structure, and beauty inherent in them.

His analysis doesn’t just focus on the technicalities but ventures into what elevates a sentence from good to great. According to Fish, a great sentence captivates, conveying both meaning and emotion. It’s not just about stringing words together but creating a symphony that resonates with the reader.

5. “They Say/I Say” , by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein

6. “Reading Like a Writer “, by Francine Prose

In “Reading Like a Writer,” Francine Prose delves into the practice of absorbing literature through the discerning lens of a writer. Rather than just skimming pages, she promotes truly engaging with the text.

Prose champions the art of close reading, urging writers to dissect language, structure, and rhythm. By immersing deeply, one uncovers layers of craftsmanship, benefiting from insights that can be mirrored in one’s own writing. This method, Prose argues, not only enhances comprehension but also enriches the writer’s toolbox, nurturing the journey from reader to adept writer.

7. “The Sense of Style” , by Steven Pinker

“The Sense of Style” by Steven Pinker is not your conventional style guide. Instead, Pinker brings a fresh, modern perspective, intertwining linguistics with style.

Pinker places a strong emphasis on coherence and clarity, advocating for a balance between rules and artistry in writing. But what truly distinguishes this guide is Pinker’s delve into the science of language. He unravels the psychology behind good writing, providing readers not just rules to follow, but an understanding of why certain styles resonate more deeply. This book stands as a bridge between traditional grammar and the evolving nuances of effective communication.

8. “The Writer’s Journey” , by Christopher Vogler

“The Writer’s Journey” by Christopher Vogler explores the timeless pattern of the hero’s journey, a narrative structure pervasive in myths and stories worldwide. Vogler meticulously unpacks this universal motif, revealing its applicability to various forms of writing, essays included.

Understanding the hero’s journey allows writers to craft compelling narratives, even within the constraints of an essay. It offers a framework for organizing ideas and creating a flow that engages readers. With the wisdom gleaned from this book, one can construct essays that are not just informative but also captivating and resonant.

Reading is an indispensable ally in honing essay writing skills. The books discussed not only offer techniques but inspire deeper connections with words and ideas. To truly elevate one’s essay craft, immersing in these literary treasures is invaluable. By diving into these pages, readers can glean insights and strategies that will undoubtedly enrich their essays, making them more compelling and resonant. So, let the journey of exploration begin.

Join our mailing list

Never miss an EdTech beat! Subscribe now for exclusive insights and resources .

Meet Med Kharbach, PhD

Dr. Med Kharbach is an influential voice in the global educational technology landscape, with an extensive background in educational studies and a decade-long experience as a K-12 teacher. Holding a Ph.D. from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Canada, he brings a unique perspective to the educational world by integrating his profound academic knowledge with his hands-on teaching experience. Dr. Kharbach's academic pursuits encompass curriculum studies, discourse analysis, language learning/teaching, language and identity, emerging literacies, educational technology, and research methodologies. His work has been presented at numerous national and international conferences and published in various esteemed academic journals.

Join our email list for exclusive EdTech content.

100 Must-Read, Best Books On Writing And The Writer’s Life

Nikki VanRy

Nikki VanRy is a proud resident of Arizona, where she gets to indulge her love of tacos, desert storms, and tank tops. She also writes for the Tucson Festival of Books, loves anything sci-fi/fantasy/historical, drinks too much chai, and will spend all day in bed reading thankyouverymuch. Follow her on Instagram @nikki.vanry .

View All posts by Nikki VanRy

If you’re a working or aspiring writer, y ou already likely know about the classic best books on writing–King’s  On Writing,  Strunk and White’s Elements of Style– but for a craft as varied and personal as writing, you’ll always benefit from learning from more voices, with more techniques. 

That’s why this list is full of writers not only talking about the bare-bones craft of writing (and there’s plenty of fantastic advice there), but also how becoming a writer changed their lives and what role they believe writers play in an ever-changing world. From craft to writer’s lives, get ready to dig into 100 of the must-read, best books on writing for improving your own work. 

“Written with her trademark lyricism, in these signature pieces the acclaimed author of The House on Mango Street shares her transformative memories and reveals her artistic and intellectual influences. Poignant, honest, and deeply moving, A House of My Own is an exuberant celebration of a life lived to the fullest, from one of our most beloved writers.”

2.  A Little Book on Form    by Robert Hass

“Brilliantly synthesizes Hass’s formidable gifts as both a poet and a critic and reflects his profound education in the art of poetry. Starting with the exploration of a single line as the basic gesture of a poem, and moving into an examination of the essential expressive gestures that exist inside forms, Hass goes beyond approaching form as a set of traditional rules that precede composition, and instead offers penetrating insight into the true openness and instinctiveness of formal creation.”

3. A Personal Anthology by Jorge Luis Borges

“After almost a half a century of scrupulous devotion to his art, Jorge Luis Borges personally compiled this anthology of his work—short stories, essays, poems, and brief mordant ‘sketches,’ which, in Borges’s hands, take on the dimensions of a genre unique in modern letters. In this anthology, the author has put together those pieces on which he would like his reputation to rest; they are not arranged chronologically, but with an eye to their ‘sympathies and differences.'”

4.  A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

“Virginia Woolf imagines that Shakespeare had a sister—a sister equal to Shakespeare in talent, and equal in genius, but whose legacy is radically different. In this classic essay, she takes on the establishment, using her gift of language to dissect the world around her and give voice to those who are without. Her message is a simple one: women must have a fixed income and a room of their own in order to have the freedom to create.”

“Taking up specifics (When do flashbacks work, and when should you avoid them? How do you make characters both vivid and sympathetic?) and generalities (How are novels structured? How do writers establish serious literary reputations today?), Delany also examines the condition of the contemporary creative writer and how it differs from that of the writer in the years of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and the high Modernists. Like a private writing tutorial, About Writing treats each topic with clarity and insight.”

6. The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby

“Based on the lessons in his award-winning class, Great Screenwriting, The Anatomy of Story draws on a broad range of philosophy and mythology, offering fresh techniques and insightful anecdotes alongside Truby’s own unique approach to building an effective, multifaceted narrative.”

7.  Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland

“Explores the way art gets made, the reasons it often doesn’t get made, and the nature of the difficulties that cause so many artists to give up along the way. The book’s co-authors, David Bayles and Ted Orland, are themselves both working artists, grappling daily with the problems of making art in the real world. Their insights and observations, drawn from personal experience, provide an incisive view into the world of art as it is experienced by artmakers themselves.”

8.  The Art of Death by Edwidge Danticat

“At once a personal account of her mother dying from cancer and a deeply considered reckoning with the ways that other writers have approached death in their own work.”

9. The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers by John Gardner

“Gardner’s lessons, exemplified with detailed excerpts from classic works of literature, sweep across a complete range of topics—from the nature of aesthetics to the shape of a refined sentence. Written with passion, precision, and a deep respect for the art of writing, Gardner’s book serves by turns as a critic, mentor, and friend. Anyone who has ever thought of taking the step from reader to writer should begin here.”

“Karr synthesizes her expertise as professor and therapy patient, writer and spiritual seeker, recovered alcoholic and ‘black belt sinner,’ providing a unique window into the mechanics and art of the form that is as irreverent, insightful, and entertaining as her own work in the genre.”

11. The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron

“The seminal book on the subject of creativity. An international bestseller, millions of readers have found it to be an invaluable guide to living the artist’s life. Still as vital today—or perhaps even more so—than it was when it was first published twenty five years ago, it is a powerfully provocative and inspiring work.”

12. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

“With profound empathy and radiant generosity, Gilbert offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives.”

13. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

“Lamott’s miscellany of guidance and reflection should appeal to writers struggling with demons large and slight. Among the pearls she offers is to start small, as their father once advised her 10-year-old brother, who was agonizing over a book report on birds: ‘Just take it bird by bird.’ Lamott’s suggestion on the craft of fiction is down-to-earth: worry about the characters, not the plot. “

14. Black Milk: On the Conflicting Demands of Writing, Creativity, and Motherhood by Elif Shafak

“She intersperses her own experience with the lives of prominent authors such as Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf, Alice Walker, Ayn Rand, and Zelda Fitzgerald, Shafak looks for a solution to the inherent conflict between artistic creation and responsible parenting. With searing emotional honesty and an incisive examination of cultural mores within patriarchal societies, Shafak has rendered an important work about literature, motherhood, and spiritual well-being.”

“Erdrich takes us on an illuminating tour through the terrain her ancestors have inhabited for centuries: the lakes and islands of southern Ontario. Summoning to life the Ojibwe’s sacred spirits and songs, their language and sorrows, she considers the many ways in which her tribe—whose name derives from the word ozhibii’ige, ‘to write'”—have influenced her. Her journey links ancient stone paintings with a magical island where a bookish recluse built an extraordinary library, and she reveals how both have transformed her.”

16. Bryson’s Dictionary of Troublesome Words: A Writer’s Guide to Getting It Right by Bill Bryson

“An essential guide to the wonderfully disordered thing that is the English language. With some one thousand entries that feature real-world examples of questionable usage from an international array of publications, and with a helpful glossary and guide to pronunciation, this precise, prescriptive, and–because it is written by Bill Bryson–often witty book belongs on the desk of every person who cares enough about the language not to maul or misuse or distort it.”

17. Bullies, Bastards and Bitches: How to Write the Bad Guys of Fiction by Jessica Morrell 

“A truly memorable antagonist is not a one-dimensional super villain bent on world domination for no particular reason. Realistic, credible bad guys create essential story complications, personalize conflict, add immediacy to a story line, and force the protagonist to evolve.”

18. Crazy Brave: A Memoir by Joy Harjo

“In this transcendent memoir, grounded in tribal myth and ancestry, music and poetry, Joy Harjo, one of our leading Native American voices, details her journey to becoming a poet. Narrating the complexities of betrayal and love, Crazy Brave is a memoir about family and the breaking apart necessary in finding a voice.”

19. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

“Former editor Lynne Truss, gravely concerned about our current grammatical state, boldly defends proper punctuation. She proclaims, in her delightfully urbane, witty, and very English way, that it is time to look at our commas and semicolons and see them as the wonderful and necessary things they are.”

“You know the authors’ names. You recognize the title. You’ve probably used this book yourself. This is The Elements of Style , the classic style manual. This book’s unique tone, wit and charm have conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers. Use the fourth edition of ‘the little book’ to make a big impact with writing.”

21. The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface by Donald Maass

“Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers. Readers can simply read a novel…or they can experience it. The Emotional Craft of Fiction shows you how to make that happen.”

22. Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Handley

“A  go-to guide to attracting and retaining customers through stellar online communication, because in our content-driven world, every one of us is, in fact, a writer. If you have a web site, you are a publisher. If you are on social media, you are in marketing. And that means that we are all relying on our words to carry our marketing messages. We are all writers.”

23. The First Five Pages: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile by Noah Lukeman

“With exercises at the end of each chapter, this invaluable reference will allow novelists, journalists, poets and screenwriters alike to improve their technique as they learn to eliminate even the most subtle mistakes that are cause for rejection. The First Five Pages will help writers at every stage take their art to a higher — and more successful — level.”

24. The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers by Betsy Lerner

“From blank page to first glowing (or gutting) review, Betsy Lerner is a knowing and sympathetic coach who helps writers discover how they can be more productive in the creative process and how they can better their odds of not only getting published, but getting published well.”

“ Free Within Ourselves is is meant to be a song of encouragement for African-American artists and visionaries. A step-by-step introduction to fictional technique, exploring story ideas, and charting one’s progress, as well as a resource guide for publishing fiction.”

26. Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors by Brandilyn Collins 

“Want to bring characters to life on the page as vividly as fine actors do on the stage or screen? Getting Into Character will give you a whole new way of thinking about your writing. Drawing on the Method Acting theory that theater professionals have used for decades, this in-depth guide explains seven characterization techniques and adapts them for the novelist’s use.”

27. The Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou

“In The Heart of a Woman , Maya Angelou leaves California with her son, Guy, to move to New York. There she enters the society and world of black artists and writers, reads her work at the Harlem Writers Guild, and begins to take part in the struggle of black Americans for their rightful place in the world.”

28. If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland

“In this book, Ueland shares her philosophies on writing and life in general. She stresses the idea that ‘Everyone is talented, original, and has something important to say.’ Drawing heavily on the work and influence of William Blake, she suggests that writers should ‘Try to discover your true, honest, un-theoretical self.’ She sums up her book with 12 points to keep in mind while writing. Carl Sandburg called If You Want to Write the best book ever written on how to write.”

29. Immersion: A Writer’s Guide to Going Deep by Ted Conover

“Conover distills decades of knowledge into an accessible resource aimed at writers of all levels. He covers how to “get into” a community, how to conduct oneself once inside, and how to shape and structure the stories that emerge. Conover is also forthright about the ethics and consequences of immersion reporting, preparing writers for the surprises that often surface when their piece becomes public.”

“On a post-college visit to Florence, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri fell in love with the Italian language. Twenty years later, seeking total immersion, she and her family relocated to Rome, where she began to read and write solely in her adopted tongue. A startling act of self-reflection, In Other Words is Lahiri’s meditation on the process of learning to express herself in another language—and the stunning journey of a writer seeking a new voice.”

31. In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist Prose by Alice Walker 

“Alice Walker speaks out as a black woman, writer, mother, and feminist, in thirty-six pieces ranging from the personal to the political. Here are essays about Walker’s own work and that of other writers, accounts of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the antinuclear movement of the 1980s, and a vivid, courageous memoir of a scarring childhood injury.”

32. It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences: A Writer’s Guide to Crafting Killer Sentences by June Casagrande

“Great writing isn’t born, it’s built—sentence by sentence. But too many writers—and writing guides—overlook this most important unit. The result? Manuscripts that will never be published and writing careers that will never begin. So roll up your sleeves and prepare to craft one bold, effective sentence after another. Your readers will thank you.”

33. The Kick-Ass Writer: 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience by Chuck Wendig

“The journey to become a successful writer is long, fraught with peril, and filled with difficult questions: How do I write dialogue? How do I build suspense? What should I know about query letters? Where do I start? The best way to answer these questions is to ditch your uncertainty and transform yourself into a KICK-ASS writer.”

34. The Language of Fiction: A Writer’s Stylebook by Brian Shawver

“Grand themes and complex plots are just the beginning of a great piece of fiction. Mastering the nuts and bolts of grammar and prose mechanics is also an essential part of becoming a literary artist. This indispensable guide, created just for writers of fiction, will show you how to take your writing to the next level by exploring the finer points of language.”

“Finally, a truly creative―and hilarious―guide to creative writing, full of encouragement and sound advice. Provocative and reassuring, nurturing and wise, The Lie That Tells a Truth is essential to writers in general, fiction writers in particular, beginning writers, serious writers, and anyone facing a blank page.”

36. The Magic Words: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults by Cheryl Klein

“Editor Cheryl B. Klein guides writers on an enjoyable and practical-minded voyage of their own, from developing a saleable premise for a novel to finding a dream agent. She delves deep into the major elements of fiction―intention, character, plot, and voice―while addressing important topics like diversity, world-building, and the differences between middle-grade and YA novels.”

37. Making a Good Script Great by Linda Seger 

“Making a good script great is more than just a matter of putting a good idea on paper. It requires the working and reworking of that idea. This book takes you through the whole screenwriting process – from initial concept through final rewrite – providing specific methods that will help you craft tighter, stronger, and more saleable scripts.”

38. Memoirs   by Pablo Neruda

“In his uniquely expressive prose, Neruda not only explains his views on poetry and describes the circumstances that inspired many of his poems, but he creates a revealing record of his life as a poet, a patriot, and one of the twentieth century’s true men of conscience.”

39. The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction by Stephen Koch

“Stephen Koch, former chair of Columbia University’s graduate creative writing program, presents a unique guide to the craft of fiction. Along with his own lucid observations and commonsense techniques, he weaves together wisdom, advice, and inspiring commentary from some of our greatest writers.”

“Packed with insights and advice both practical (‘writing workshops you pay for are the best–it’s too easy to quit when you’ve made no investment’) and irreverent (‘apply Part A [butt] to Part B [chair]’). Naked, Drunk, and Writing is a must-have if you are an aspiring columnist, essayist, or memoirist—or just a writer who needs a bit of help in getting your story told.”

41. Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on Writing by Margaret Atwood

“In this wise and irresistibly quotable book, one of the most intelligent writers working in English addresses the riddle of her art: why people pursue it, how they view their calling, and what bargains they make with their audience, both real and imagined. To these fascinating issues Booker Prize-winner Margaret Atwood brings a candid appraisal of her own experience as well as a breadth of reading that encompasses everything from Dante to Elmore Leonard.”

42. On Writing by Eudora Welty 

“Eudora Welty was one of the twentieth century’s greatest literary figures. For as long as students have been studying her fiction as literature, writers have been looking to her to answer the profound questions of what makes a story good, a novel successful, a writer an artist.”

43. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

“Part memoir, 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.”

44. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

“Whether you want to write about people or places, science and technology, business, sports, the arts or about yourself in the increasingly popular memoir genre, On Writing Well offers you fundamental principles as well as the insights of a distinguished writer and teacher.”

“Based on the Zen philosophy that we learn more from our failures than from our successes, One Continuous Mistake teaches a refreshing new method for writing as spiritual practice. Here she introduces a method of discipline that applies specific Zen practices to enhance and clarify creative work. She also discusses bodily postures that support writing, how to set up the appropriate writing regimen, and how to discover one’s own ‘learning personality.'”

46. Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by K.M. Weiland

“Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer’s arsenal.”

47. The Paris Review Interviews, Vols. 1-4 by The Paris Review

“For more than half a century, The Paris Review has conducted in-depth interviews with our leading novelists, poets, and playwrights. These revealing, revelatory self-portraits have come to be recognized as themselves classic works of literature, and an essential and definitive record of the writing life.”

48. The Poet’s Companion: A Guide to the Pleasures of Writing Poetry by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux

“Presents brief essays on the elements of poetry, technique, and suggested subjects for writing, each followed by distinctive writing exercises. The ups and downs of writing life―including self-doubt and writer’s block―are here, along with tips about getting published and writing in the electronic age.”

49. The Poetry Home Repair Manual: Practical Advice for Beginning Poets by Ted Kooser

“Using examples from his own rich literary oeuvre and from the work of a number of successful contemporary poets, the author schools us in the critical relationship between poet and reader, which is fundamental to what Kooser believes is poetry’s ultimate purpose: to reach other people and touch their hearts.”

“Have you always wanted to get an MFA, but couldn’t because of the cost, time commitment, or admission requirements? Well now you can fulfill that dream without having to devote tons of money or time. The Portable MFA gives you all of the essential information you would learn in the MFA program in one book.”

51. Paula: A Memoir by Isabel Allende

“Irony and marvelous flights of fantasy mix with the icy reality of Paula’s deathly illness as Allende sketches childhood scenes in Chile and Lebanon; her uncle Salvatore Allende’s reign and ruin as Chilean president; her struggles to shake off or find love; and her metamorphosis into a writer.”

52. Pen on Fire: A Busy Woman’s Guide to Igniting the Writer Within by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett

“In her fifteen years of teaching, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett has found that the biggest stumbling block for aspiring writers (especially women) is not fear of the blank page but frustration with the lack of time. What woman doesn’t have too much to do and too little time? Finding an hour free of work, children, or obligations can seem impossible.”

53. Pixar Storytelling: Rules for Effective Storytelling Based on Pixar’s Greatest Films   by Dean Movshovitz

“ Pixar Storytelling is about effective storytelling rules based on Pixar’s greatest films. The book consists of ten chapters, each of which explores an aspect of storytelling that Pixar excels at. Learn what Pixar’s core story ideas all have in common, how they create compelling, moving conflict and what makes their films’ resolutions so emotionally satisfying.”

54. Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish by James Scott Bell 

“How does 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.”

“In this essay of literary autobiography, V. S. Naipaul sifts through memories of his childhood in Trinidad, his university days in England, and his earliest attempts at writing, seeking the experiences of life and reading that shaped his imagination and his growth as a writer.”

56. Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them by Francine Prose

“Long before there were creative-writing workshops and degrees, how did aspiring writers learn to write? By reading the work of their predecessors and contemporaries, says Francine Prose. In Reading Like a Writer , Prose invites you to sit by her side and take a guided tour of the tools and the tricks of the masters.”

57. Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels (How to Write Kissing Books) by Gwen Hayes

“ Romancing the Beat is a recipe, not a rigid system. The beats don’t care if you plot or outline before you write, or if you pants your way through the drafts and do a ‘beat check’ when you’re revising. Pantsers and plotters are both welcome. So sit down, grab a cuppa, and let’s talk about kissing books.”

58. Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need by Blake Snyder

“This ultimate insider’s guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a show biz veteran who’s proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat!”

59. Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living by Manjula Martin 

“In the literary world, the debate around writing and commerce often begs us to take sides: either writers should be paid for everything they do or writers should just pay their dues and count themselves lucky to be published. It’s an endless, confusing, and often controversial conversation that, despite our bare-it-all culture, still remains taboo. In Scratch , Manjula Martin has gathered interviews and essays from established and rising authors to confront the age-old question: how do creative people make money?”

“From concept to character, from opening scene to finished script, here are easily understood guidelines to help aspiring screenwriters—from novices to practiced writers—hone their craft.”

61. Singing School: Learning to Write (And Read) Poetry by Studying with the Masters by Robert Pinsky

“Quick, joyful, and playfully astringent, with surprising comparisons and examples, this collection takes an unconventional approach to the art of poetry. Instead of rules, theories, or recipes, Singing School emphasizes ways to learn from great work: studying magnificent, monumentally enduring poems and how they are made— in terms borrowed from the ‘singing school’ of William Butler Yeats’s ‘Sailing to Byzantium.'”

62. The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative by Vivian Gornick

“Taking us on a reading tour of some of the best memoirs and essays of the past hundred years, Gornick traces the changing idea of self that has dominated the century, and demonstrates the enduring truth-speaker to be found in the work of writers as diverse as Edmund Gosse, Joan Didion, Oscar Wilde, James Baldwin, or Marguerite Duras.”

63. Slay the Dragon: Writing Great Video Games by Robert Denton Bryant and Keith Giglio

“Writing for the multibillion-dollar video-game industry is unlike writing for any other medium. Slay the Dragon will help you understand the challenges and offer creative solutions to writing for a medium where the audience not only demands a great story, but to be a driving force within it.”

64. Something to Declare by Julia Alvarez

“From the internationally acclaimed author of the bestselling novels In the Time of the Butterflies and How the García Girls Lost Their Accents comes a rich and revealing work of nonfiction capturing the life and mind of an artist as she knits together the dual themes of coming to America and becoming a writer.”

“This handbook is a short, deceptively simple guide to the craft of writing. Le Guin lays out ten chapters that address the most fundamental components of narrative, from the sound of language to sentence construction to point of view.”

66. Stein On Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies by Sol Stein 

“With examples from bestsellers as well as from students’ drafts, Stein offers detailed sections on characterization, dialogue, pacing, flashbacks, trimming away flabby wording, the so-called ‘triage’ method of revision, using the techniques of fiction to enliven nonfiction, and more.”

67. Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron

“Takes you, step-by-step, through the creation of a novel from the first glimmer of an idea, to a complete multilayered blueprint—including fully realized scenes—that evolves into a first draft with the authority, richness, and command of a riveting sixth or seventh draft.”

68. Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules by Steven James

“All too often, following the ‘rules’ of writing can constrict rather than inspire you. With Story Trumps Structure , you can shed those rules – about three-act structure, rising action, outlining, and more – to craft your most powerful, emotional, and gripping stories.”

69. The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human by Jonathan Gottschall

“Humans live in landscapes of make-believe. We spin fantasies. We devour novels, films, and plays. Even sporting events and criminal trials unfold as narratives. Yet the world of story has long remained an undiscovered and unmapped country. Now Jonathan Gottschall offers the first unified theory of storytelling. He argues that stories help us navigate life’s complex social problems–just as flight simulators prepare pilots for difficult situations. Storytelling has evolved, like other behaviors, to ensure our survival.”

“When it comes to writing books, are you a ‘plotter’ or a ‘pantser’? Is one method really better than the other? In this instructional book, author Libbie Hawker explains the benefits and technique of planning a story before you begin to write.”

71. TED Talks Storytelling: 23 Storytelling Techniques from the Best TED Talks by Akash Karia

“Essentially, the best speakers on the TED stage were the ones who had mastered the art of storytelling. They had mastered how to craft and present their stories in a way that allowed them to share their message with the world without seeming like they were lecturing their audience.”

72. This Is The Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett

“Blending literature and memoir, Ann Patchett, author of State of Wonder, Run, and Bel Canto , examines her deepest commitments—to writing, family, friends, dogs, books, and her husband—creating a resonant portrait of a life in This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. “

73. This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley

“No more excuses. ‘Let the lawn get shaggy and the paint peel from the walls,’ bestselling novelist Walter Mosley advises. Anyone can write a novel now, and in this essential book of tips, practical advice, and wisdom, Walter Mosley promises that the writer-in-waiting can finish it in one year.”

74. Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction by Benjamin Percy

“In fifteen essays on the craft of fiction, Percy looks to disparate sources such as Jaws , Blood Meridian, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to discover how contemporary writers engage issues of plot, suspense, momentum, and the speculative, as well as character, setting, and dialogue. An urgent and entertaining missive on craft, Thrill Me brims with Percy’s distinctive blend of anecdotes, advice, and close reading, all in the service of one dictum: Thrill the reader.”

“Combining more than forty years of lessons from his storied career as a writer and professor, Lopate brings us this highly anticipated nuts-and-bolts guide to writing literary nonfiction. A phenomenal master class shaped by Lopate’s informative, accessible tone and immense gift for storytelling, To Show and To Tell reads like a long walk with a favorite professor—refreshing, insightful, and encouraging in often unexpected ways.”

76. The Tough Guide to Fantasyland: The Essential Guide to Fantasy Travel by Diana Wynne Jones

“Imagine that all fantasy novels—the ones featuring dragons, knights, wizards, and magic—are set in the same place. That place is called Fantasyland. The Tough Guide to Fantasyland is your travel guide, a handbook to everything you might find: Evil, the Dark Lord, Stew, Boots (but not Socks), and what passes for Economics and Ecology. Both a hilarious send-up of the cliches of the genre and an indispensable guide for writers.”

77. Unless It Moves the Human Heart: The Craft and Art of Writing by Roger Rosenblatt

“The revered novelist, essayist, playwright, and respected writing teacher offers a guidebook for aspiring authors, a memoir, and an impassioned argument for the necessity of writing in our world.”

78. Upstream by Mary Oliver

“Throughout this collection, Oliver positions not just herself upstream but us as well as she encourages us all to keep moving, to lose ourselves in the awe of the unknown, and to give power and time to the creative and whimsical urges that live within us.”

79. Video Game Storytelling: What Every Developer Needs to Know about Narrative Techniques by Evan Skolnick 

“Game writer and producer Evan Skolnick provides a comprehensive yet easy-to-follow guide to storytelling basics and how they can be applied at every stage of the development process—by all members of the team.”

“In this classic book, Madeleine L’Engle addresses the questions, What makes art Christian? What does it mean to be a Christian artist? What is the relationship between faith and art? Through L’Engle’s beautiful and insightful essay, readers will find themselves called to what the author views as the prime tasks of an artist: to listen, to remain aware, and to respond to creation through one’s own art.”

81. The Way of the Writer: Reflections on the Art and Craft of Storytelling by Charles Johnson

“Johnson shares his lessons and exercises from the classroom, starting with word choice, sentence structure, and narrative voice, and delving into the mechanics of scene, dialogue, plot and storytelling before exploring the larger questions at stake for the serious writer. What separates literature from industrial fiction? What lies at the heart of the creative impulse? How does one navigate the literary world? And how are philosophy and fiction concomitant?”

82. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

“While simply training for New York City Marathon would be enough for most people, Haruki Murakami’s decided to write about it as well. The result is a beautiful memoir about his intertwined obsessions with running and writing, full of vivid memories and insights, including the eureka moment when he decided to become a writer.”

83. What Moves at the Margin by Toni Morrison

“Collects three decades of Toni Morrison’s writings about her work, her life, literature, and American society. The works included in this volume range from 1971, when Morrison was a new editor at Random House and a beginning novelist, to 2002 when she was a professor at Princeton University and Nobel Laureate. These works provide a unique glimpse into Morrison’s viewpoint as an observer of the world, the arts, and the changing landscape of American culture.”

84. Where the Past Begins: A Writer’s Memoir by Amy Tan 

“By delving into vivid memories of her traumatic childhood, confessions of self-doubt in her journals, and heartbreaking letters to and from her mother, she gives evidence to all that made it both unlikely and inevitable that she would become a writer. Through spontaneous storytelling, she shows how a fluid fictional state of mind unleashed near-forgotten memories that became the emotional nucleus of her novels.”

“This all-new definitive guide to writing imaginative fiction takes a completely novel approach and fully exploits the visual nature of fantasy through original drawings, maps, renderings, and exercises to create a spectacularly beautiful and inspiring object.”

86. Woolgathering by Patti Smith

“A great book about becoming an artist, Woolgathering tells of a youngster finding herself as she learns the noble vocation of woolgathering, ‘a worthy calling that seemed a good job for me.’ She discovers―often at night, often in nature―the pleasures of rescuing ‘a fleeting thought.’ Deeply moving, Woolgathering calls up our own memories, as the child ‘glimpses and gleans, piecing together a crazy quilt of truths.'”

87. Words for Pictures: The Art and Business of Writing Comics and Graphic Novels by Brian Michael Bendis

“One of the most popular writers in modern comics, Brian Michael Bendis reveals the tools and techniques he and other top creators use to create some of the most popular comic book and graphic novel stories of all time.”

88. Write Naked: A Bestseller’s Secrets to Writing Romance & Navigating the Path to Success by Jennifer Probst

“Learn how to transform your passion for writing into a career. New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Probst reveals her pathway to success, from struggling as a new writer to signing a seven-figure deal. Write Naked intermingles personal essays on craft with down-to-earth advice on writing romance in the digital age.”

89. Write Your Novel in a Month: How to Complete a First Draft in 30 Days and What to Do Next by Jeff Gerke

“Author and instructor Jeff Gerke has created the perfect tool to show you how to prepare yourself to write your first draft in as little as 30 days. With Jeff’s help, you will learn how to organize your ideas, create dynamic stories, develop believable characters, and flesh out the idea narrative for your novel–and not just for the rapid-fire first draft.”

“Explores the powerful relationship between mythology and storytelling in a clear, concise style that’s made it required reading for movie executives, screenwriters, playwrights, scholars, and fans of pop culture all over the world.”

91. Writer’s Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published by Robert Lee Brewer

“Want to get published and paid for your writing? Let Writer’s Market guide you through the process with thousands of publishing opportunities for writers, including listings for book publishers, consumer and trade magazines, contests and awards, and literary agents. These listings feature contact and submission information to help writers get their work published.”

92. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg

“For more than thirty years Natalie Goldberg has been challenging and cheering on writers with her books and workshops. In her groundbreaking first book, she brings together Zen meditation and writing in a new way. Writing practice, as she calls it, is no different from other forms of Zen practice—’it is backed by two thousand years of studying the mind.'”

93. Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma by Melanie Brooks

“What does it take to write an honest memoir? And what happens to us when we embark on that journey? Melanie Brooks sought guidance from the memoirists who most moved her to answer these questions. Called an essential book for creative writers by Poets & Writers, Writing Hard Stories is a unique compilation of authentic stories about the death of a partner, parent, or child; about violence and shunning; and about the process of writing.”

94. The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

“Slender though it is, The Writing Life richly conveys the torturous, tortuous, and in rare moments, transcendent existence of the writer. Amid moving accounts of her own writing (and life) experiences, Dillard also manages to impart wisdom to other writers, wisdom having to do with passion and commitment and taking the work seriously.”

“Culled from ten years of the distinguished Washington Post column of the same name, The Writing Life highlights an eclectic group of luminaries who have wildly varied stories to tell, but who share this singularly beguiling career. Here are their pleasures as well as their peeves; revelations of their deepest fears; dramas of triumphs and failures; insights into the demands and rewards.”

96. Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly by Gail Caron Levine

“Gail Carson Levine shows how you can get terrific ideas for stories, invent great beginnings and endings, write sparkling dialogue, develop memorable characters—and much, much more. She advises you about what to do when you feel stuck—and how to use helpful criticism. Best of all, she offers writing exercises that will set your imagination on fire.”

97. Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark 

“Ten years ago, Roy Peter Clark, America’s most influential writing teacher, whittled down almost thirty years of experience in journalism, writing, and teaching into a series of fifty short essays on different aspects of writing. In the past decade, Writing Tools has become a classic guidebook for novices and experts alike and remains one of the best loved books on writing available.”

98. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes

“This poignant, intimate, and hilarious memoir explores Shonda’s life before her Year of Yes —from her nerdy, book-loving childhood to her devotion to creating television characters who reflected the world she saw around her. The book chronicles her life after her Year of Yes had begun—when Shonda forced herself out of the house and onto the stage; when she learned to explore, empower, applaud, and love her truest self. Yes.”

99. Your Creative Writing Masterclass by Jergen Wolff

“If you dream of being a writer, why not learn from the best? In Your Creative Writing Masterclass you’ll find ideas, techniques and encouragement from the most admired and respected contemporary and classic authors, including Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and Anton Chekhov.”

“Part memoir, part philosophical guide, the essays in this book teach the joy of writing. Rather than focusing on the mechanics of putting words on paper, Bradbury’s zen is found in the celebration of storytelling that drove him to write every day. Imparting lessons he has learned over the course of his exuberant career, Bradbury inspires with his infectious enthusiasm.”

Writing is a big messy topic, so obviously I’ll have missed some of your favorite and best books on writing. Make sure to hit the comments to talk about your favorite books about the writing life and craft. Find more of our posts on the writing life here .

You Might Also Like

5 Essential College Writing Books for Ambitious Students

by Suzanne Davis | Aug 19, 2021 | College and Graduate School

Buying books for college is expensive.

Like me, you may have spent an hour scouring the university bookstore, looking for the best-priced used textbooks to save some money. Then maybe you hunt online for more bargain textbooks. Even if you find “gently-used books,”  those dollars add up.  So it’s tough to decide what college writing books to invest in on top of your required texts. When I put together this list of must-have books, I wanted to make this list short. 

I also aimed to pick valuable college writing books that will help you beyond one class, one semester, or even one year of your university program.  The five books that follow are ones I used as a student and again as an instructor. I use them today with my tutoring students which is why they are piled on my bookcase my desk so I can grab them quickly.  

Note: This blog post has affiliate links for each of the images of book covers. 

Now,  let’s dive into these 5 excellent writing books!

5 Essential College Writing Books

The Top College Writing Books on my Bookcase

#1 The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

The Elements of Style provides sound advice on how to make writing clear, concise, and strong.  The focus isn’t so much on grammar as using the language and developing a writing style. The chapters cover punctuation and parts of speech, guidelines for composition, form, and writing style.

The book has a unique history.  William Strunk Jr., a Cornell University English Professor, wrote the first edition. Strunk Jr. used it for courses where one student, Elwyn Brooks White (E.B. White), read and studied it.  Years later, Macmillian Publishing asked the author E.B. White to revise and edit the book for publication.  At this time, E.B. White wrote the fifth chapter, “An Approach to Style.”  He also edited other parts of the book.  

There are other versions of The Elements of Style with other authors instead of E.B. White, but I prefer the Strunk Jr. and White editions.  Most people prefer this edition, too, since it’s the number #1 Best-Selling Grammar Reference book on Amazon.

The Elements of Style has some biases and rules that differ from other writing and grammar books. Note:  The rule about using commas in a series differs depending on what type of English you write (American English, British English, etc.) and the writing style in your genre or field.  The debate about comma rules has gone on for decades.  Here is the viewpoint of Strunk Jr.

Strunk Jr. states a writer should place a comma after every item in a series except the last item before a conjunction ( and, nor, or , ).

• Example: The ice cream came in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and coffee flavors .  Many writers follow this rule. 

Other writers (like me) use what is called the Oxford Comma .  An Oxford Comma is where you put a comma after every item in a list.

• Example: The ice cream came in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and coffee flavors.

The comma controversy is one example, but there are other writing style issues writers debate too. However, even if you disagree with some of the authors’ views and advice, you should read the book and absorb the knowledge.  After all, E.B. White wrote the children’s classic Charlotte’s Web.  

Here is the link to purchase  Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style   on Amazon.

#2 Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English by Patricia T.O’Conner

I first read Woe is I when I was tutoring an academic writing course at Skidmore College.  I was always looking for a grammar book that was easy to understand and entertaining–this book is it.  O’Connor writes about grammar as one who deals with professional writing, which as a former New York Times Book Review editor, she did. 

This book will ease your fears of grammar.  It’s helpful as a reference because it covers punctuation, parts of speech, and aspects of writing style like clichés.  You’ll also find a handy list of contractions you can print and a list of contractions you should never use in writing like: Could’ve, How’d, That’d , etc. 

Note : When purchasing a grammar book of any kind, make sure you purchase the latest edition of it.  Grammar is a living, breathing thing that changes.  If you purchase Woe is I: Ther Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English, buy the (2019) fourth edition. 

Also, keep in mind this book applies to American English; other versions of English (Australian, British, Canadian) have slightly different rules.

#3 Your Subject Area’s Style and Reference Guide

Yes, websites like the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) cover many elements of APA, Chicago Style, and MLA.  And there are citation programs like Chegg’s citation machine where you can add source information, and those programs give you the correct citation and reference format.  

But, those resources and tools do not include everything you need to know about your field’s reference style.

You’ll find that information about writing style (special rules for hyphens, when to use italics, translating a title from one language to another) is hard to find online. 

If you have your field’s reference and style handbook, you can answer those questions in a few minutes and have a clear explanation about those rules.

You’ll also learn about writing style and formatting in a reference book.  The most common reference style in English 101 classes is MLA. The English, languages, literature, history, and other humanities use MLA reference style.

However, many fields like business, technology, and the sciences use The American Psychological Association (APA) Reference Style.

Here’s a list of the most common reference style guides you can find on Amazon:

• T he MLA Handbook Ninth Edition by the Modern Language Association of America. 
• The Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association (APA) Seventh Edition by the American Psychological Association
• The Chicago Manual of Style Seventeenth Edition

#4 They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff and Kathy Birkenstein

You’ll learn different ways to quote, summarize,  disagree with another scholar, and connect ideas.  It is excellent for people new to academic language and writing and will help you write words and phrases in almost every aspect of writing.  

There are lists of verbs for different ways of summarizing and quoting to help you decide how to introduce another person’s point of view. They have verbs for:

• Making a claim
• Expressing Agreement
• Questioning of Disagreeing
• Making Recommendations (Graff and Birkenstein 40-41).

The problem some people have with the book is that it includes templates for different skills. The writer in me agrees that this book can cause “template writing.”   Yet, for my students who were unsure what phrases to use in Academic English, these templates helped them.  However, the templates don’t foster original writing.  It’s ideal for some students who need to learn more academic language.  

If you are familiar with the academic language, you may want to skim the chapters and avoid the templates.   

# 5 Writing Down The Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg

No, an academic writing book.  Yes, Natalie Goldberg focuses on the process of writing and activities to help readers become “writers.”  It’s not about grammar, references, or academic language. 

So, why did it make my list of college writing books?

Goldberg’s book is a classic writing book from a time when people used typewriters instead of computers. But as it was then and still is now, Writing Down The Bones is like a mini writing class from a fantastic (and cool) teacher.  You’ll learn how to make your writing concrete, clear and striking.  The chapters cover the habits and practice of writing, writing topics, and how to add detail to your writing.

One of the best things I learned from this book was freewriting.  Freewriting is where you write whatever is on your mind for a set amount of time without censoring it, changing it, or correcting it.  I do this with all my students because those who freewrite 3-5 times per week become better writers (and academic writers) faster than those who don’t or won’t do it. 

Read and use Writing Down the Bones to develop your writing skills—just gloss over the references about smoking.  Learn more about Natalie Goldberg and this book at https://nataliegoldberg.com/books/writing-down-the-bones/.

  If you want to learn about one of the best writing activities in Writin g Down The Bones check out my blog post, “Three Fabulous Freewriting Techniques for the Uninspired Writer.”  https://www.academicwritingsuccess.com/3-fabulous-freewriting-techniques/

Which College Writing Books Should You Get?

I understand how expensive textbooks are. Your textbooks can cost around $200 dollars a semester. So can you forego these writing books?   The truth is sloppy and shoddy writing costs you.  It costs you good grades.  Invest in learning how to write well through classes, books, resources, and tools. 

Each of these college writing books helps you become a better writer.  But, if you cannot afford all 5, start with the first 3 books: The Elements of Style, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English,  and your major’s reference style handbook.   

Add Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within after that, and if you struggle with academic language, definitely buy  They Say, I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing.  Don’t just rely on websites to answer your writing questions, use books! They are the most credible references you can have at your fingertips. 

Which college writing books will you read? Please comment and share your favorite ones!

Tutorpreneur hero award.

http://becomeanonlinetutor.com/tutorpreneur-hero/

SSL Certificate Seal

Privacy overview.

• Work + Money
• Relationships
• Slow Living

The Best Books On Writing—From A Writer

I can’t tell you how many books and blogs I’ve read on writing and the creative process. Since knowing I wanted to pursue writing more seriously in my 20s, I’ve devoured (okay, skimmed) too many books that go over all the ins and outs of how to write a story—from craft and story structure to the best writing platforms and how to revise your drafts. Some advice says to write every day no matter what; others recommend to take breaks. Some authors suggest fancy writing software; others swear by pen and paper. At a certain pont, all the advice blurs together and it’s impossible to retain let alone practice every single recommendation. Eventually, you have to figure out what works best for you and—yes, the hardest part—sit down and write your story.

That said, there are a few wonderful writing books out there that I swear by for my own practice. While this list isn’t comprehensive, it includes a few gems I believe are fresh, unique, and short or small enough to carry with you. Most importantly, these books are more concerned with examining the writer’s life than the writing itself (something I’ve come to learn must be figured out at the individual level). Hopefully they offer you a bit of wisdom as well.

For more writing recommendations, check out these 99 creative writing prompts and these writing classes you can take online .

1. The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

This is one of my all-time favorite essay collections for creative inspiration or for whenever I feel like I’m in a writing rut. I first read it during grad school in a single afternoon (it’s only 111 pages) and was captivated by Dillard’s ability to articulate the joys and pains of life as a working writer. Each micro essay includes metaphors, anecdotes from her experiences, and probing questions for the reader to examine their own writing life. It’s a quick and breathless read, but one that stays with you forever. Here is one of my favorite passages:

“Who will teach me to write? A reader wanted to know.

The page, the page, the eternal blankness, the blankness of eternity which you cover slowly, affirming time’s scrawl as a right and your daring as necessity; the page, which you cover woodenly, ruining it, but asserting your freedom and power to act, acknowledging that you ruin everything you touch but nevertheless, because acting is better than being here in mere opacity…” (Dillard, 58-59)

2. My Trade Is Mystery by Carl Phillips

This little writing book is such a gem! I first started reading it this past winter and had to force myself to slow down so that I could savor every single word from the accomplished writer, poet, and teacher Carl Phillips. The book jacket describes this as the “ultimate companion for writers at every stage of their journey,” and it truly is such. It’s also a fresh take on writing advice in a market saturated by how-to writing books and instruction manuals. Here is a passage I continue to revisit:

“To write poems that make a meaningful difference, that do the transformative work of showing readers (and myself as the writer) the world in a new way—this is difficult, yes. But the chance for surprise makes the work inviting. Difficulty, surprise—maybe that’s all a career comes down to. Difficulty meets surprise, and—without having thought to choose to—they mate for life.” (Phillips, 27)

3. Body Work by Melissa Febos

Melissa Febos has long been one of my favorite authors and essayists. Her work is raw and profoundly human. When I learned she was publishing her own book on writing, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, knowing it would offer a fresh and intimate take on personal narrative. It has, of course, exceeded my expectations and become a regular companion to my own writing practice. In a little more than 150 pages, Febos transforms the way writers consider the page and how we use it to explore our truest and most personal stories—which often include desires and physical bodies. Author Alexander Chee calls it “one of the most liberating books on the subject of writing.” I suggest every writer snag a copy to keep on their desk.

4. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Is a writing book roundup complete if it doesn’t include Bird by Bird? While an older book on the market (first published in 1994), there’s a reason Anne Lamott’s work continues to be praised and quoted by writers everywhere—my own copy is dog-eared, weathered, and hardly decipherable from highlighter and margin notes.

Lamott has long been known for her honest writing and ability to put things plainly for readers, and she does just that in this instruction manual, too. If I’ve taken anything from my reading (and re-readings) of her words, it’s that there is nothing more sacred than finding your inner voice and allowing it to live on the page. “Train yourself to hear that small inner voice,” she writes. (113, Lamott)

5. Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum

If you’re writing a book (or want to), this is essentially the bible you’ll want to memorize and reference again and again. Courtney Maum offers insider advice from the book publishing world, whether you’re trying to finish your novel, find an agent, or navigate the terrifying waters—and jargon—of the pub industry. I reference my copy weekly, if not more, and recommend it to anyone who tells me they are writing a book. You can also subscribe to Maum’s substack newsletter for regular writing advice delivered to your inbox.

Forthcoming: How We Do It by Jericho Brown and Darlene Taylor

This one isn’t out in the world until summer, so while I can’t give my personal recommendation just yet, I can say I think it’s going to be very, very good . It includes experiences and expertise from more than 30 acclaimed writers and celebrates the Black creative spirit. Preorders are super important for authors and the success of books, so consider ordering a copy before pub date to express your interest. (Plus, it’s always fun to get a book in the mail that you purchased months ago!)

Kayti Christian (she/her) is the Managing Editor at The Good Trade. She has a Master’s in Nonfiction Writing from the University of London and is the creator of Feelings Not Aside , a newsletter for sensitive people.

RELATED READING

11 Journal Prompts To Help You Determine Your Personal Values

99+ Best Email Newsletters To Subscribe To In 2024

9 Books By Black Authors Our Editor Loves

99 Inexpensive Self-Care Ideas For Your New Year

• Craft and Criticism
• Fiction and Poetry
• News and Culture
• Lit Hub Radio
• Reading Lists

• Literary Criticism
• Craft and Advice
• In Conversation
• On Translation
• Short Story
• From the Novel
• Bookstores and Libraries
• Film and TV
• Art and Photography
• Freeman’s
• The Virtual Book Channel
• Behind the Mic
• Beyond the Page
• The Cosmic Library
• The Critic and Her Publics
• Emergence Magazine
• Fiction/Non/Fiction
• First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing
• The History of Literature
• I’m a Writer But
• Lit Century
• Tor Presents: Voyage Into Genre
• Windham-Campbell Prizes Podcast
• Write-minded
• The Best of the Decade
• Best Reviewed Books
• BookMarks Daily Giveaway
• The Daily Thrill
• CrimeReads Daily Giveaway

The Best Reviewed Essay Collections of 2020

Featuring zadie smith, helen macdonald, claudia rankine, samantha irby, and more.

Zadie Smith’s Intimations , Helen Macdonald’s Vesper Flights , Claudia Rankine’s Just Us , and Samantha Irby’s Wow, No Thank You all feature among the Best Reviewed Essay Collections of 2020.

Brought to you by Book Marks , Lit Hub’s “Rotten Tomatoes for books.”

1. Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald (Grove)

18 Rave • 3 Positive • 1 Mixed

Read Helen Macdonald on Sherlock Holmes, Ursula Le Guin, and hating On the Road  here

“A former historian of science, Macdonald is as captivated by the everyday (ants, bird’s nests) as she is by the extraordinary (glowworms, total solar eclipses), and her writing often closes the distance between the two … Always, the author pushes through the gloom to look beyond herself, beyond all people, to ‘rejoice in the complexity of things’ and to see what science has to show us: ‘that we are living in an exquisitely complicated world that is not all about us’ … The climate crisis shadows these essays. Macdonald is not, however, given to sounding dire, all-caps warnings … For all its elegiac sentences and gray moods, Vesper Flights  is a book of tremendous purpose. Throughout these essays, Macdonald revisits the idea that as a writer it is her responsibility to take stock of what’s happening to the natural world and to convey the value of the living things within it.”

–Jake Cline  ( The Washington Post )

2. Intimations by Zadie Smith (Penguin)

13 Rave • 7 Positive • 3 Mixed

Listen to Zadie Smith read from Intimations here

“Smith…is a spectacular essayist—even better, I’d say, than as a novelist … Smith…get[s] at something universal, the suspicion that has infiltrated our interactions even with those we want to think we know. This is the essential job of the essayist: to explore not our innocence but our complicity. I want to say this works because Smith doesn’t take herself too seriously, but that’s not accurate. More to the point, she is willing to expose the tangle of feelings the pandemic has provoked. And this may seem a small thing, but it’s essential: I never doubt her voice on the page … Her offhandedness, at first, feels out of step with a moment in which we are desperate to feel that whatever something we are trying to do matters. But it also describes that moment perfectly … Here we see the kind of devastating self-exposure that the essay, as a form, requires—the realization of how limited we are even in the best of times, and how bereft in the worst.”

–David L. Ulin  ( The Los Angeles Times )

3. Just Us: An American Conversation by Claudia Rankine (Graywolf)

11 Rave • 6 Positive • 5 Mixed

Read an excerpt from Just Us here

“ Just Us  is about intimacy. Rankine is making an appeal for real closeness. She’s advocating for candor as the pathway to achieving universal humanity and authentic love … Rankine is vulnerable, too. In ‘lemonade,’ an essay about how race and racism affect her interracial marriage, Rankine models the openness she hopes to inspire. ‘lemonade’ is hard to handle. It’s naked and confessional, deeply moving and, ultimately, inspirational … Just Us , as a book, is inventive … Claudia Rankine may be the most human human I’ve ever encountered. Her inner machinations and relentless questioning would exhaust most people. Her labor should be less necessary, of course.”

–Michael Kleber-Diggs  ( The Star Tribune )

4. Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong (One World)

7 Rave • 10 Positive • 2 Mixed

Listen to an interview with Cathy Park Hong here

“Hong’s metaphors are crafted with stinging care. To be Asian-American, she suggests, is to be tasked with making an injury inaccessible to the body that has been injured … I read Minor Feelings  in a fugue of enveloping recognition and distancing flinch … The question of lovability, and desirability, is freighted for Asian men and Asian women in very different ways—and Minor Feelings  serves as a case study in how a feminist point of view can both deepen an inquiry and widen its resonances to something like universality … Hong reframes the quandary of negotiating dominance and submission—of desiring dominance, of hating the terms of that dominance, of submitting in the hopes of achieving some facsimile of dominance anyway—as a capitalist dilemma … Hong is writing in agonized pursuit of a liberation that doesn’t look white—a new sound, a new affect, a new consciousness—and the result feels like what she was waiting for. Her book is a reminder that we can be, and maybe have to be, what others are waiting for, too.”

–Jia Tolentino  ( The New Yorker )

5. World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil (Milkweed Editions)

11 Rave • 3 Positive

Read an excerpt from World of Wonders here

“In beautifully illustrated essays, poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil writes of exotic flora and fauna and her family, and why they are all of one piece … In days of old, books about nature were often as treasured for their illustrations as they were for their words. World of Wonders,  American poet and teacher Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s prose ode to her muses in the natural world, is a throwback that way. Its words are beautiful, but its cover and interior illustrations by Fumi Mini Nakamura may well be what first moves you to pick it up in a bookstore or online … The book’s magic lies in Nezhukumatathil’s ability to blend personal and natural history, to compress into each brief essay the relationship between a biographical passage from her own family and the life trajectory of a particular plant or animal … Her kaleidoscopic observations pay off in these thoughtful, nuanced, surprise-filled essays.”

–Pamela Miller  ( The Star Tribune )

6. Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby (Vintage)

10 Rave • 3 Positive • 1 Mixed

Watch an interview with Samantha Irby here

“Haphazard and aimless as she claims to be, Samantha Irby’s Wow, No Thank You  is purposefully hilarious, real, and full of medicine for living with our culture’s contradictory messages. From relationship advice she wasn’t asked for to surrendering her cell phone as dinner etiquette, Irby is wholly unpretentious as she opines about the unspoken expectations of adulting. Her essays poke holes and luxuriate in the weirdness of modern society … If anyone whose life is being made into a television show could continue to keep it real for her blog reading fans, it’s Irby. She proves we can still trust her authenticity not just through her questionable taste in music and descriptions of incredibly bloody periods, but through her willingness to demystify what happens in any privileged room she finds herself in … Irby defines professional lingo and describes the mundane details of exclusive industries in anecdotes that are not only entertaining but powerfully demystifying. Irby’s closeness to financial and physical precariousness combined with her willingness to enter situations she feels unprepared for make us loyal to her—she again proves herself to be a trustworthy and admirable narrator who readers will hold fast to through anything at all.”

–Molly Thornton  ( Lambda Literary )

7. Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency by Olivia Laing (W. W. Norton & Company)

5 Rave • 10 Positive • 3 Mixed • 1 Pan

“Yes, you’re in for a treat … There are few voices that we can reliably read widely these days, but I would read Laing writing about proverbial paint drying (the collection is in fact quite paint-heavy), just as soon as I would read her write about the Grenfell Tower fire, The Fire This Time , or a refugee’s experience in England, The Abandoned Person’s Tale , all of which are included in Funny Weather … Laing’s knowledge of her subjects is encyclopaedic, her awe is infectious, and her critical eye is reminiscent of the critic and author James Wood … She is to the art world what David Attenborough is to nature: a worthy guide with both a macro and micro vision, fluent in her chosen tongue and always full of empathy and awe.”

–Mia Colleran  ( The Irish Times )

8. Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America by Laila Lalami (Pantheon)

6 Rave • 7 Positive • 1 Mixed • 2 Pan

“A] searing look at the struggle for all Americans to achieve liberty and equality. Lalami eloquently tacks between her experiences as an immigrant to this country and the history of U.S. attempts to exclude different categories of people from the full benefits of citizenship … Lalami offers a fresh perspective on the double consciousness of the immigrant … Conditional citizenship is still conferred on people of color, women, immigrants, religious minorities, even those living in poverty, and Lalami’s insight in showing the subtle and overt ways discrimination operates in so many facets of life is one of this book’s major strengths.”

–Rachel Newcomb  ( The Washington Post )

9. This is One Way to Dance by Sejal Shah (University of Georgia Press)

7 Rave • 2 Positive 

Watch an interview with Sejal Shah here

“Shah brings important, refreshing, and depressing observations about what it means to have dark skin and an ‘exotic’ name, when the only country you’ve ever lived in is America … The essays in this slim volume are engaging and thought-provoking … The essays are well-crafted with varying forms that should inspire and enlighten other essayists … A particularly delightful chapter is the last, called ‘Voice Texting with My Mother,’ which is, in fact, written in texts … Shah’s thoughts on heritage and belonging are important and interesting.”

–Martha Anne Toll  ( NPR )

10. Having and Being Had by Eula Biss (Riverhead)

5 Rave • 4 Positive • 4 Mixed

Read Eula Biss on the anticapitalist origins of Monopoly here

“… enthralling … Her allusive blend of autobiography and criticism may remind some of The Argonauts  by Maggie Nelson, a friend whose name pops up in the text alongside those of other artists and intellectuals who have influenced her work. And yet, line for line, her epigrammatic style perhaps most recalls that of Emily Dickinson in its radical compression of images and ideas into a few chiseled lines … Biss wears her erudition lightly … she’s really funny, with a barbed but understated wit … Keenly aware of her privilege as a white, well-educated woman who has benefited from a wide network of family and friends, Biss has written a book that is, in effect, the opposite of capitalism in its willingness to acknowledge that everything she’s accomplished rests on the labor of others.”

–Ann Levin  ( Associated Press )

The Book Marks System: RAVE = 5 points • POSITIVE = 3 points • MIXED = 1 point • PAN = -5 points

• Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Previous Article

Next article, support lit hub..

Join our community of readers.

to the Lithub Daily

Popular posts.

Follow us on Twitter

Michelle Buteau on Translating Her Comedy Into a (Mostly) PG-13 Book

• RSS - Posts

Literary Hub

Created by Grove Atlantic and Electric Literature

Sign Up For Our Newsletters

How to Pitch Lit Hub

Advertisers: Contact Us

Privacy Policy

Support Lit Hub - Become A Member

Become a Lit Hub Supporting Member : Because Books Matter

For the past decade, Literary Hub has brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for a donation, you’ll get an ad-free reading experience , exclusive editors’ picks, book giveaways, and our coveted Joan Didion Lit Hub tote bag . Most importantly, you’ll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving on the internet.

Become a member for as low as $5/month

Essay Papers Writing Online

A comprehensive guide to essay writing.

Essay writing is a crucial skill that students need to master in order to succeed academically. Whether you’re a high school student working on a history paper or a college student tackling a critical analysis essay, having a solid understanding of the essay writing process is essential.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the essential tips and tricks that will help you improve your essay writing skills. From generating ideas and organizing your thoughts to crafting a strong thesis statement and polishing your final draft, we’ve got you covered.

Not only that, but we’ll also provide you with useful templates that you can use as a framework for your essays. These templates will help you structure your writing, stay focused on your main argument, and ensure that your essay flows smoothly from one point to the next.

The Ultimate Essay Writing Guides

Essay writing can be a challenging task for many students, but with the right guidance and tips, you can improve your writing skills and produce high-quality essays. In this ultimate guide, we will provide you with valuable advice, tricks, and templates to help you excel in your essay writing endeavors.

1. Understand the Prompt: Before you start writing your essay, make sure you fully understand the prompt or question. Analyze the requirements and key points that need to be addressed in your essay.

2. Create an Outline: Organize your ideas and thoughts by creating a detailed outline for your essay. This will help you structure your arguments and ensure a logical flow of information.

3. Research Thoroughly: Conduct extensive research on your topic to gather relevant information and evidence to support your arguments. Use credible sources and cite them properly in your essay.

4. Write Clearly and Concisely: Avoid using jargon or complex language in your essay. Write in a clear and concise manner to convey your ideas effectively to the reader.

5. Proofread and Edit: Before submitting your essay, make sure to proofread and edit it carefully. Check for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and ensure that your essay flows cohesively.

By following these ultimate essay writing guides, you can enhance your writing skills and produce outstanding essays that will impress your instructors and peers. Practice regularly and seek feedback to continuously improve your writing abilities.

Tips for Crafting an A+ Essay

1. Understand the Assignment: Before you start writing, make sure you fully understand the assignment guidelines and requirements. If you have any doubts, clarify them with your instructor.

2. Conduct Thorough Research: Gather relevant sources and information to support your arguments. Make sure to cite your sources properly and use credible sources.

3. Create a Strong Thesis Statement: Your thesis statement should clearly outline the main point of your essay and guide your readers on what to expect.

4. Organize Your Ideas: Create an outline to organize your thoughts and ensure a logical flow of ideas in your essay.

5. Write Clearly and Concisely: Use clear, concise language and avoid unnecessary jargon or complex sentences. Be direct and to the point.

6. Revise and Edit: Always proofread your essay for grammar and spelling errors. Revise your work to ensure coherence and clarity.

7. Seek Feedback: Ask a peer or instructor to review your essay and provide constructive feedback for improvement.

8. Use Proper Formatting: Follow the formatting guidelines provided by your instructor, such as font size, margins, and citation style.

9. Stay Focused: Keep your essay focused on the main topic and avoid going off on tangents. Stick to your thesis statement.

10. Practice, Practice, Practice: The more you practice writing essays, the better you will get at it. Keep practicing and refining your writing skills.

Tricks to Improve Your Writing Skills

Improving your writing skills can be a challenging but rewarding process. Here are some tricks to help you become a better writer:

1. Read widely: Reading a variety of genres and styles can help you develop your own voice and writing style.

2. Practice regularly: The more you write, the better you will become. Set aside time each day to practice writing.

3. Get feedback: Share your writing with others and ask for constructive criticism. Feedback can help you identify areas for improvement.

4. Study grammar and punctuation: Good writing requires a solid understanding of grammar and punctuation rules. Take the time to study and practice these essential skills.

5. Edit and revise: Writing is a process, and editing is an important part of that process. Take the time to edit and revise your work to improve clarity and coherence.

6. Experiment with different writing techniques: Try experimenting with different writing techniques, such as using metaphors, similes, or descriptive language, to enhance your writing.

7. Stay inspired: Find inspiration in the world around you. Whether it’s nature, art, or literature, draw inspiration from your surroundings to fuel your writing.

By following these tricks and practicing regularly, you can improve your writing skills and become a more confident and effective writer.

Step-by-Step Essay Writing Templates

When it comes to writing an essay, having a clear and structured template can be incredibly helpful. Here are some step-by-step essay writing templates that you can use to guide you through the process:

• Introduction: Start your essay with a hook to grab the reader’s attention. Provide some background information on the topic and end with a thesis statement that outlines the main argument of your essay.
• Body Paragraphs: Each body paragraph should focus on a single point that supports your thesis. Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph, provide evidence to support your point, and then analyze the evidence to show how it relates back to your thesis.
• Conclusion: Summarize the main points of your essay and restate your thesis in a new way. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion and instead focus on tying together all the points you have made throughout the essay.

Expert Advice for Writing Top-Notch Essays

When it comes to writing a top-notch essay, it’s essential to follow expert advice to ensure your work stands out. Here are some key tips to help you elevate your writing:

1. Start with a strong thesis statement that clearly outlines your main argument.

2. Conduct thorough research to support your points with credible sources.

3. Organize your thoughts logically and ensure your essay flows smoothly from one point to the next.

4. Use a variety of sentence structures and vocabulary to keep your writing engaging.

5. Proofread and edit your essay carefully to eliminate errors and refine your arguments.

By following these expert tips, you can take your essay writing skills to the next level and produce work that is both informative and compelling.

Resources to Enhance Your Essay Writing Process

When it comes to improving your essay writing skills, there are a variety of resources available to help you enhance your process. Here are some valuable resources that can aid you in becoming a more effective and efficient writer:

• Writing Guides: There are countless writing guides and books that offer tips, tricks, and strategies for improving your writing skills. Whether you’re looking to enhance your grammar, structure, or argumentation, these guides can provide valuable insights.
• Online Writing Communities: Joining online writing communities can be a great way to connect with other writers, receive feedback on your work, and engage in writing challenges and prompts. Websites like Writing.com and Wattpad are popular platforms for writers to share their work and receive critiques.
• Writing Workshops and Courses: Participating in writing workshops and courses can help you hone your craft and develop your writing skills. Whether you prefer in-person workshops or online courses, there are many options available to suit your needs and schedule.
• Writing Apps and Tools: Utilizing writing apps and tools can streamline your writing process and help you stay organized. Tools like Grammarly can assist with grammar and spelling checks, while apps like Scrivener can help you organize your research and ideas.
• Libraries and Writing Centers: Visiting your local library or university writing center can provide access to valuable resources, such as writing guides, research materials, and writing tutors who can offer personalized feedback and support.

By taking advantage of these resources, you can enhance your essay writing process and become a more skilled and confident writer.

Related Post

How to master the art of writing expository essays and captivate your audience, convenient and reliable source to purchase college essays online, step-by-step guide to crafting a powerful literary analysis essay, unlock success with a comprehensive business research paper example guide, unlock your writing potential with writers college – transform your passion into profession, “unlocking the secrets of academic success – navigating the world of research papers in college”, master the art of sociological expression – elevate your writing skills in sociology.

Full-Length Paper Practice Tests

Download an official full-length practice test for free to help you prepare.

While anyone is welcome to use our downloadable paper practice tests, using these practice materials does not mean you have been approved to test with a particular accommodation. The PDF versions of our practice tests are nonadaptive and are recommended only for students who will test with paper-based accommodations on test day.

When you're ready to score your test, download the scoring guide and answer explanations for your practice test and check your answers.

NOTE: The practice test materials for PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 can be used interchangeably.

Full-Length SAT Paper Practice Tests

You can find everything you need to take and score your official full-length SAT practice tests on paper below.

Full-Length SAT Paper Practice Test 1

This full-length, linear (nonadaptive) official SAT practice test was written by the same people who wrote the SAT. Download it to get started.

SAT Practice Test 1–Digital

This full-length, official SAT practice test was written by the same people who wrote the SAT. Download it to get started.

SAT Practice Test 1 Answer Explanations–Digital

Download the answers — and the explanations that show why they are right — for SAT Practice Test 1.

Scoring Your SAT Practice Test 1—Digital

Download this guide to calculate your section and total scores for SAT Practice Test 1.

Full-Length SAT Paper Practice Test 2

Sat practice test 2–digital, sat practice test 2 answer explanations–digital.

Download the answers — and the explanations that show why they are right — for SAT Practice Test 2.

Scoring Your SAT Practice Test 2—Digital

Download this guide to calculate your section and total scores for SAT Practice Test 2.

Full-Length SAT Paper Practice Test 3

Sat practice test 3–digital, sat practice test 3 answer explanations–digital.

Download the answers — and the explanations that show why they are right — for SAT Practice Test 3.

Scoring Your SAT Practice Test 3—Digital

Download this guide to calculate your section and total scores for SAT Practice Test 3.

Full-Length SAT Paper Practice Test 4

Sat practice test 4–digital, sat practice test 4 answer explanations–digital, scoring your sat practice test 4—digital.

Download this guide to calculate your section and total scores for SAT Practice Test 4.

Full-Length SAT Paper Practice Test 5

Sat practice test 5–digital, sat practice test 5 answer explanations–digital.

Download the answers — and the explanations that show why they are right — for SAT Practice Test 5.

Scoring Your SAT Practice Test 5—Digital

Download this guide to calculate your section and total scores for SAT Practice Test 5.

Full-Length SAT Paper Practice Test 6

Sat practice test 6–digital, sat practice test 6 answer explanations–digital.

Download the answers — and the explanations that show why they are right — for SAT Practice Test 6.

Scoring Your SAT Practice Test 6—Digital

Download this guide to calculate your section and total scores for SAT Practice Test 6.

Full-Length Paper Practice Tests for PSAT-Related Assessments

When you want to practice for the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, or PSAT 8/9, our full-length practice tests can help you prepare.

Full-Length PSAT/NMSQT Paper Practice Test

Psat/nmsqt practice test 1, scoring your psat/nmsqt practice test 1.

Use this guide to score your test.

PSAT/NMSQT Practice Test 1 Answer Explanations

Full-length psat 10 paper practice test, psat 10 practice test 1, scoring your psat 10 practice test 1, psat 10 practice test 1 answer explanations, psat 8/9 practice test 1.

Take an official PSAT 8/9 practice test and score your results.

PSAT 8/9: Practice Test 1

Psat 8/9 practice test 1 answer explanations, scoring your psat 8/9 practice test 1, sat practice essays.

If your state offers SAT Essay as part of its in-school testing, you can find practice essay prompts and scoring explanations below.

SAT Practice Essays and Score Explanations—Digital

NOTE: The Essay is only available in certain states where it's required as part of SAT School Day administrations. If you're going to be taking the SAT on a school day, ask your counselor if it will include the Essay section.

SAT Practice Essay 1—Digital

This full-length, official SAT practice essay was written by the same people who wrote the SAT. Download it to get started.

SAT Practice Essay 1 Score Explanations—Digital

Download student sample essays—and the explanations that show why they received the score they did—for SAT Practice Essay 1.

SAT Practice Essay 2—Digital

Sat practice essay 2 score explanations—digital.

Download student sample essays—and the explanations that show why they received the score they did—for SAT Practice Essay 2.

SAT Practice Essay 3—Digital

Sat practice essay 3 score explanations—digital.

Download student sample essays—and the explanations that show why they received the score they did—for SAT Practice Essay 3.

Five Books for People Who Really Love Books

These five titles focus on the many connections we can form with what we read.

My dad likes to fish, and he likes to read books about fishing. My mom is a birder; she reads about birds. There are plenty of books on both subjects, I’ve found, when browsing in a gift-giving mood. These presents don’t just prove I’m familiar with their interests. They’re a way to acknowledge that we read about our pastimes to affirm our identity: Fly-fishers are contemplative sorts who reflect on reflections; birders must cultivate stillness and attention. What we choose to read can be a way of saying: I am this kind of soul.

For my part, I like reading more than I like almost anything else. And so, in the manner of my parents, I like to read books about books . Writers who write about writing, readers who write about reading—these are people I instantly recognize as my kind. We’re people who are always in the middle of a chapter, who start conversations by asking, “What are you reading right now?” For us, a meta-book is like coffee brewed with more coffee. It’s extra-strength literature.

If you really love books, or you want to love them more, I have five recommendations. None of these are traditional literary criticism; they’re not dry or academic. They take all kinds of forms (essay, novel, memoir) and focus on the many connections we can form with what we read. Those relationships might be passionate, obsessive, even borderline inappropriate—and this is what makes the books so lovable. Finishing them will make you want to pick up an old favorite or add several more titles to your to-read list.

U and I , by Nicholson Baker

I can now say that I’ve been reading Baker for more than 20 years, or more than half my life. But I didn’t know that would happen when I found U and I in a college friend’s car, borrowed it, and never returned it. The subject, not the author, appealed to me then—I loved John Updike. And so did Baker, though love is probably not the right word. This book-length essay is not quite, or not merely, an appreciation of Updike; it’s a hilarious confessional “true story” of Baker’s anxieties, ambitions, competitive jealousy, and feelings of inadequacy in the face of Updike’s abundant body of work. It’s rich too, with wonderful observations on reading and writing in general, as in a passage considering how much more affecting a memoir becomes once the author is deceased: “The living are ‘just’ writing about their own lives; the dead are writing about their irretrievable lives , wow wow wow.”

A poem by John Updike: 'Half Moon, Small Cloud'

Dayswork , by Chris Bachelder and Jennifer Habel

I almost prefer to keep certain books on my to-read list forever, where they remain full of magical possibility and cannot disappoint me. Moby-Dick is one of them. What if, God forbid, I chance to read it at the wrong time or in the wrong place and it doesn’t change my life? So I turn to Dayswork instead, which feels like cheating—you get some of the experience of reading Moby-Dick without any of the risk. This very novel novel, written collaboratively by a novelist and a poet who happen to be married, is sort of a sneaky biography of Herman Melville, framed by a meta-narrative about a woman writing a book during lockdown. This narrator delivers a parade of delightful facts and quotes and anecdotes, which she’s been collecting on sticky notes. You could think of it also as a biography of Melville’s most famous novel, which has had its own life after his death and touched so many other lives. Dayswork is fragmentary, digressive, and completely absorbing.

Read: The endless depths of Moby-Dick symbolism

Written Lives , by Javier Marías, translated by Margaret Jull Costa

Marías is one of my favorite novelists, but I only recently encountered this work, a collection of short, dubiously nonfictional biographies in a very specific style. In the prologue, Marías explains that he had edited an anthology of stories by writers so obscure, he was forced to compose their biographical notes using odd, scanty evidence that made it all sound “invented.” It occurred to him that he could do the same thing for authors much more famous (Henry James, Thomas Mann, Djuna Barnes), treating “well-known literary figures as if they were fictional characters, which may well be how all writers, whether famous or obscure, would secretly like to be treated,” he explains. The result is marvelously irreverent, packed with unforgettable details (Rilke, supposedly, loved the letter y and used any excuse to write it) and endearing patterns (Marías would have us believe that many writers loathe Dostoyevsky). Written Lives immediately earned a spot on my shelf of most treasured objects, and every friend I’ve recommended it to has been equally enchanted.

Read: An introverted writer’s lament

Dear Friend, From My Life I Write to You in Your Life , by Yiyun Li

This sad and incredibly beautiful memoir from a writer best known for her fiction takes its title from a line in a notebook by the New Zealand author Katherine Mansfield. For Li, correspondence, diaries and journals, and literature in general are forms of consolation and companionship that make life worth living even in times of overwhelming despair. The memoir is a record of the reading experiences that saved Li from a dangerous depression. It made me want to dig more deeply into the work of all her favorite writers—Thomas Hardy, Ivan Turgenev, Elizabeth Bowen, William Trevor—because she describes them so warmly and affectionately, as if they were friends. Here, as in her novels, Li is philosophical, with a gift for startling aphorisms: “Harder to endure than fresh pain is pain that has already been endured,” she writes. And “One always knows how best to sabotage one’s own life,” or “What does not make sense is what matters.” Li’s work is so moving and so very wise.

Madness, Rack, and Honey , by Mary Ruefle

The American poet Mary Ruefle is one of those writers people like to call a “national treasure,” which always has to do with something beyond brilliance or talent, an additional spectacular charm that makes you wish you knew them in “real life.” This collection of lectures on poetry and topics adjacent to poetry (sentimentality, theme, the moon) is the perfect introduction to Ruefle’s particular charisma. She’s unabashedly devoted to poets and poems, but you don’t have to love poetry to fall in love with her voice. She’s plainspoken yet mysterious, always asking curious questions, about death and fear and secrets, and then answering herself with surprising authority. Ruefle is inclined toward quirky asides, but all roads lead back to books: “I offer my dinner guest, after dinner, the choice between regular and decaf coffee, when in fact I don’t have any decaf in the house,” she writes. “I am so sincere in my effort to be a good host that I lie; I think this probably happens all the time in poetry.” Ruefle offers a beautiful example of how a life filled with reading opens and alters the mind.

​When you buy a book using a link on this page, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

‘Costco, Don’t Give Up on America As a Nation of Readers’: The Week 1 Winner of Our Summer Reading Contest

Read the work of the winning writer, Daphne Nguyen, 16 — and take a look at three favorite video responses, too.

By The Learning Network

For 15 years, our Summer Reading Contest has been inviting teenagers around the world to tell us what New York Times pieces get their attention and why. Up until now, students could only enter by posting short written comments, but this year we’re also allowing 90-second video responses.

That’s why this week , the first of our 10-week challenge, we’re featuring both the winning essay by Daphne Nguyen as well as our three favorite videos. Though the vast majority of the 509 submissions this time around were written, we hope to encourage more students to experiment with video.

Scroll down to see this work, along with a list of runners-up and honorable mentions. As you go, note the variety of topics that caught the eyes of these teens, including pieces about A.I., Alzheimer’s, Asian grocery chains, gardening, cockroaches, rom-coms and the saga of J. Lo and Ben Affleck.

You can read the work of all of our winners since 2017 in this column . And remember that you can participate any or every week this summer until Aug. 16. Just check the top of our contest announcement to find the right place to submit your response.

Daphne Nguyen, 16, from San Jose, Calif., responded to a June news item, “ Costco Plans to Stop Selling Books Year-Round ,” by writing:

I like books, and I also like Costco. Like many of us, I spend time with both of them regularly. I carry a paperback so I can stop looking at my phone, even during our weekly Costco run. So I was genuinely disconcerted to read that “Costco Plans to Stop Selling Books Year-Round” and offer them only during the holiday season. I guess books are a nice gift for someone else, but not something you’d want for yourself? Or for your children? In fact, the Costco book section is thoughtfully curated for the entire shopping family. There are “My Busy Book” play sets, special C.S. Lewis box sets, and best sellers like “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yaros. The aisle feels fun and inviting, not dated or out of place. Costco says that books are inconvenient to sell because they have to be specially unpacked off the pallet and changed out weekly for new releases. That seems like the “it’s not you, it’s me” break-up routine. And it seems like a cop-out. They’ve got plenty of people buzzing around doing all kinds of things — what about the staffers constantly refolding clothes? Costco’s ingenuity shines with the $6 rotisserie chicken. Why not get creative with books? Put Oprah’s top picks at the check-out lines! Surprise us with cookbooks around the food aisles! What Costco stocks is what America buys. So Costco, don’t give up on America as a nation of readers, educated citizens of a democracy. And please don’t give up on books.

Three Favorite Video Responses

Andrew Han on “ Don’t Call It an ‘Ethnic’ Grocery Store ”

Chrisel Roche on “ How 3 Texas Teenagers Grew Up to Be Broadway Stars (and Stayed Friends) ”

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

The Spinoff

Books June 29, 2024

The sunday essay: the beginning of a book.

• Share Story

Claire Mabey’s early brush with evangelical Christianity sparked a life’s fascination with the power of stories – and the fuel to write her own.

The Sunday Essay  is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.

Five years old

At Bethlehem College the carpet is a crowd of small, tight coils. That wiry nylon kind that pushes bumpy, red-purple divots into your little knees at mat time. There’s a vast crest of four chambers – blue and grey, a dove trapped in mid-flight in one corner, a crown in another – woven into the middle part of the carpet that flows through the wide hallway that smells new and unsure. I like the dove, and the pointy claw that looks like the Little Mermaid’s dad’s trident. 

My lunchbox is bright yellow with a black Batman symbol on the lid – the one with the wings spread out, more animal than man – and I am quietly thrilled by it every time I pull it out of my schoolbag.

“That’s a boy’s lunchbox,” says one of the girls who I know has a lot of sisters.  

No it’s not , I think. Is it?

I find a spot away from the girl with many sisters at the base of a tall tree – the kind with leaves like spears – and eat my Marmite and butter sandwiches on thin Molenberg bread with my back against the tree’s  trunk, watching the game of catch and kiss that is taking place right outside our classroom. 

When my sandwiches are eaten (all but the drying crusts) and my lunchbox hidden away again, I join in. The boy who lives near my house – with his mum and grandmother who own the fish and chip shop – catches me and puts his hand up the skirt of my uniform. I push him away. 

At the bus stop the next day, the same boy throws his arms around me and my schoolbag, and tells me he’s going to marry me. I know in that moment that I will be a nun. I will never get married, and I will live in a red brick house next door to another identical red brick house where my best friend Julia will live and she will also be a nun and our identical horses will live in the front yards of our brick houses and will be able to see each other over the garden wall and our gardens of tall flowers with petals as large as our faces. We will have Batman lunchboxes. We will have tall and protective trees. Our brick houses will be merry and impenetrable, like the third little pig’s.

At mat time the teacher whose hair is Marge Simpson’s only not as tall and not blue teaches us about God and his rules.

“This is a heart,” she says as she draws a red heart on the whiteboard with a whiteboard pen with a poisonous scent that I like. “When you lie,” she says, ”your heart starts to turn black.” She takes the black whiteboard pen and colours in her red heart until it is a shadow. “You must ask Jesus every night to let you into the kingdom of heaven. Pray every night to Jesus to help you not to lie so that your heart won’t turn black.”

We sing ‘I am in the Lord’s Army, Yippee’ before we go to our desks to learn how to draw letters on the envelope-sized grey notebooks with wide line spaces that I hold to my nose and smell, and turn the pages of, even when they’re blank.

At night, I pray in my narrow bedroom covered with fervent, floral Laura Ashley wallpaper that matches the Laura Ashley duvet cover even though black is my favourite colour. Because it is so black and covers white paper so boldly and so well. Not like the other colours where I can still see the white. Jesus doesn’t reply to my prayers but I imagine him watching from the clouds in the sky where he lives with his father, God. Jesus has a brown beard and sad eyes (God has a white beard and fierce blue eyes) and I know I never want him to get down from the clouds, ever. Because another teacher at Bethlehem College told us that if Jesus, who is also his father God, ever did show up he’d be so holy and his light would be so bright and strong that we’d probably die. Right there in front of him. Hello Jesus. Hello God. Too holy. Dead. 

So my first prayer in my bedroom at night is to ask Jesus-God that I be let into his kingdom. My second prayer, like a little voice inside parenthesis, is to ask that they never show up at school or at home because I don’t want to die.

Seven years old 

I am sent to pray for myself in the resource room. 

I had brought to school a new pencil with a troll on the end of it, eager to show it off, stroke my chin with its shock of magenta hair while I sat at my wooden flip-top desk, daydreaming.

“That is an evil object,” said my teacher with her face alarmingly close to mine. Her hair is a wild dark cloud that matches the unruly strips of eyebrow above her damp, fearful eyes. My tiny troll with its blazing teardrop hair. My hair is bright red. Was I evil too?

The resource room is a magical place. Quiet, people-free, breathing with books and pencils and manilla folders, and notebooks and the smell of fresh dust, almost rain. Paper, stilled and waiting. I wander the dark room feeling at once at home and on the edge of danger. Circling hell with my devilish toys and wishes against God and the lies making soot bloom over my heart. I find a book about a grandmother who had magic enough to swell cabbages to the size of cars, and another about a witch called Bad Jelly. They are banned books and in that dark room we are quiet and banned together.

Seven-and-a-half years old 

I don’t know it yet but I am soon to be transferred away from Bethlehem College and into a small, Steiner-ish school that will have Medieval-themed weeks and a horse in a paddock. But before I am rescued, my class is ushered into the standard six classroom with the older kids who are near adult enormous. I can’t wait to be that old and tall and loud. 

The teachers shut the curtains. They shush the buzzing excitement that rises from the floor of the darkened classroom where we sit on the tough nylon carpet, knee to knee. The smell of us. Our crumbs and breath. One of the big girls walks tall around the edge of the huddle, to the front – to the carpet stage – and settles herself there on a stool, poised and large with stately pauses. She tells us a story about a girl who was sad, and so frightened, especially at night. This girl was lost in the dark until one night her bedside lamp turned on. All on its own! The big girl’s eyes are wide-serious, her hair straight and gleaming blond. She talks like an adult with authority and withholding. She tells us that the girl’s lamp turned itself on and shone its light directly onto her bible which was open on her bedside table though the girl could have sworn it had been nowhere near her bedroom. The bible was open on a page and on that page, Jesus told the girl things that made her feel better. And, said the big girl, that girl was me. This happened to me.

I am arrested by awe. Jesus can sneak into bedrooms with his own book that his father God wrote about him and flip through its pages so thin they are like a layer of skin to find his favourite and most comforting passages, and place it open, just so. Like a ghostly magician Jesus flicks on a bedside lamp while in the very same moment disappearing himself back to the clouds, where he can watch the girl read. Of course if he’d stayed the girl would be dead because of how powerful holy he is.

Thirty-seven years old

Thirty years later I start writing a children’s novel. I’m not sure what it’s about, only that I trust the characters who arrive whole, like visions: one young woman is shy at first, hardly talks – she lives inside a walled community, is forced to copy out books all day and is told that it’s all for “Prime” who inspires both awe and fear. One day she realises that she is remarkable: when she writes, pictures appear on her skin. But such a bewildering display of inner life is forbidden, and so she has to run away. She is helped by a prickly friend, and she is helped by trees.

My other lead character is a young woman who is a bookbinder; and she is restless and craves adventure and stories. Her favourite colour is black. A world grows around my characters – I feed the book ideas and it responds by changing them, or embellishing them, or rejecting them entirely and offering something else back to me. In this world there is a fear of books and a love of books, and a fear of young women and their wild potential, and a need for young women and their wild potential; there are stories designed to keep people in their place, stories that land in hearts and spread like stubborn smudges.

I write my novel, thinking I am primarily inspired by the Medieval period in which literacy was scarce, in which King James I published both the Bible and Daemonology in an attempt to scapegoat the fragile and the homeless and the women, and offer a framework within which to point at those people and observe the devil at work.

I write conscious trees into this world, thinking I am inspired by Medieval nun Hildegard von Bingen who had radical ideas about God and nature, who talked about greenings, and who had a vision of a cosmic egg that looks like a magical vulva with moving parts, like a time machine. 

I write an impossible garden that grows on the walls of a very strange but comforting house. I create artwork for the windows of a formidable building: crests with symbols – not a crown or a dove, but a book, and hands with eyes open in the palms.

I write a Green Woman who is so far gone in nature she’s a goddess: unpredictable, amoral, vengeful, fun. 

I write a sprightly unmarried aunt who I think is inspired by my favourite novel about a spinster aunt who is in fact a witch that sleeps among beech trees and argues happily with the devil in a grove of apple trees. 

I write magical books that help and comfort my young characters on their quest to peer into the dark of the adults around them and find the light that must be there. 

I write a trickster book that appears and disappears, and that requires readers to think carefully about everything it tells them. And I write a shadow of a book that cultivates fear and lies and ill consequences. 

I write rebellion and reinvention.

I enjoy writing my book because when I read it I am lost in it until I don’t think that I have written it at all. It is like my subconscious has stolen into my room and turned on a light that shines on a story that talks to me and reassures me that I am not bad, or alone. 

When I finish writing I hand my manuscript in and I cry. I don’t read it for weeks. Until the proofs come back and I read it and am consumed by the kind of fear that adults cultivate in their most selfish and self-conscious moments. When I was five I was effortless and convinced of my stories, like me and my best friend will be nuns and live in brick houses with horses in the front yard. At thirty-eight I am painful to myself about this book that I have written because I turn upon it the adult eye: blue-cold as old God in the clouds. I stare down at the book I’ve written with its thoughtful trees, its troubles, its tensions between poisonous stories and the stories that show freedom. And I judge it and wonder if it will be let into the kingdom. 

And through my judgement I see the story that lives right underneath my book, in the roots.

I have written a story that seeded when I was five years old sitting on hard nylon carpet being told my heart would turn black if I lied. A story that began with a sturdy, unjudging tree that cradled my back while I ate from my Batman lunchbox that was confusingly unfit; it began when I was told that Jesus would have to listen to me beg him to let me into his kingdom, and that he had the power to sneak into bedrooms and turn on lights and accidentally kill children with his holiness. My story began all the way back when I was banished with my troll-topped pencil to a dark room full of interesting books as magical as a child’s open mind – Bad Jelly and the one about the grandmother who could swell cabbages. 

My brief entanglement with the fear-mongering tactics of evangelical Christianity had a lasting effect on my understanding of stories and their power. Not that Bethlehem College was the end of me and Christianity. There was still the art history degree, and the Catholicism of one side of my extended family who infused me with ghosts and saints and eating the flesh of Jesus and drinking his blood; and the icon of St Joseph who was placed in a tree to keep the rain away from my cousin’s funeral (it did not rain); and the conversations with my Nana who lost her mother and her child and her grandchild and how, in the face of all that pain, the Virgin Mary visited her and my Nana did not die of holy light but was comforted by it.

And the Greek Orthodox nuns I stayed with for a while on their mountain monastery in Larissa and picked weeds out of their gardens and listened to their stories about growing marijuana “for the soil”, and their kindness to anyone who needed some. They never talked to me about Jesus or God or prayer or what would happen if I lied. Maybe I was too obviously unholy by then. But they were more afraid of corporations than of hell. 

Last summer in St Winifred’s Church in the village of Branscombe, Devon – a coastline famous for its histories of pirates and smugglers – my five-year-old son and I watched an enormous ginger cat bat and claw at a shrew that squeaked through its slow death. Speechless, my son looked to me with eyes bright and wavering, blue as God’s. I cuddled him and told him this is simply what cats do. There are many more shrews. Perhaps the cat is hungry. We can’t judge it or stop it.

The church smelled of pine needles and the Medieval period. There were Norman bricks exposed in the wall and bright embroidered cushions of strange designs in the shiny wooden pews. The cat hid the limp shrew in the pile of children’s toys in the back corner of the church then marched out the heavy wooden door – above which a family of swallows tittered and shat – proud and bushy tailed. A shock of moggy fur ruffled with a day’s murder.

And eventually my son laughed at the cat despite the bruising of what he’d seen it capable of. He survived his first experience of death. We decided we liked the church and its interesting layers of stone and its embroidery and its killer cat. We walked through a dense and welcoming forest on the way home, oxygenating our blood with its greenings, and talked about the colour black and how much we liked it. We made up stories about a pirate cat who lives in a church and eats shrews for dinner.

The Raven’s Eye Runaways by Claire Mabey ($25, Allen & Unwin) is out on 2 July, and can be pre-ordered on BookHub and at Unity Books . The book release party is at Unity Books Wellington on 3 July, 6pm with Elizabeth Knox launching the book. All welcome.

The Spinoff Review of Books is proudly brought to you by Unity Books and Creative New Zealand. Visit Unity Books online today. 

On B.C.’s Denman Island, Margaret Atwood uses her power for good

Denman Island resident and Canadian author Des Kennedy interviews Margaret Atwood on June 1 at the Denman Community Hall. Kerry Dawson/Supplied

The pinata presided over the drinks table, the likeness unmistakable. The curly hair, the sharp chin, the handbag. Margaret Atwood, the flesh and bones one, was impressed.

“I assured her that I wouldn’t whack it,” said the pinata’s owner, Lisa Geddes. She had purchased it some time ago at a charity Cinco de Mayo art auction. An artist herself, Geddes couldn’t resist hauling the piece (by pinata artist Meaghan Kennedy) to an intimate fundraising event on British Columbia’s Denman Island so that its real-life inspiration could lay eyes on it.

“She totally couldn’t wait to get the pen out and sign it,” Geddes said.

Atwood, 84, is using her powers for good, offering her time, energy, voice and name to help raise money for worthy causes, even if it means flying across the country to a remote Gulf Island amid writing assignments – including a memoir.

Books we're reading and loving this week: Globe staffers share their book picks

In the past two years alone, she has helped the free-speech organization, PEN America, raise funds with an unburnable copy of The Handmaid’s Tale . She has offered an e-collage (”suitable for framing,” the invitation said) in exchange for donations to the Pelee Island Bird Observatory, and appeared at PIBO-benefiting events at home and abroad, including in Nantucket and San Miguel, Mexico.

When the Vancouver Writers Fest was facing a deficit and the possibility of having to scale down last year’s festival, Atwood not only agreed to come out west for a fundraiser but urged organizers to make the most of her time with three events – including a 1,100-person sold-out show at the Chan Centre and a private dinner that alone raised $30,000.

This spring, as May turned to June, Atwood turned her attention to Denman Island. She would appear at three events, beginning with the Friday meet-and-greet. Atwood stood in sequin black sneakers, posed for photos and spoke to person after person who queued up for a word. She listened and nodded her approval as, during speeches, the crowd was told that 90 per cent of the event’s food was locally sourced.

“I think this country is very lucky to have Margaret Atwood, and we are just so incredibly pleased that she has come here,” said Stewart Goodings, co-chair of the Denman Island Readers and Writers Festival, in an interview the next day. “It’s given us a real boost.”

Atwood moderated the Q&A herself, during which she was asked about reports she was writing a memoir. Kerry Dawson/Supplied

Two Saturday events supported the writers festival, while the $200/ticket Friday party raised thousands for: affordable housing on the island; the Association for Denman Island Marine Stewards, which has collected many tonnes of plastic from Denman’s beaches and waters over the years; and Farm to Family, which prepares meals in a community kitchen for seniors, families and others on the island in need – and also catered the event.

Atwood’s visit was the talk of the town, although Denman – population approximately 1,400 – is not officially a town. Denmanites had lined up for hours to snag their tickets (limited to Island residents, two per household) on two designated release days earlier in May.

On the Saturday morning, the lucky ticket-holders lined up again for general-admission seating at the Denman Activity Centre.

“Obviously we could have packed a bigger hall if we had one,” Goodings said. “But we don’t have one.”

A hush fell on the crowd as Atwood entered, draped in a pink plaid scarf, the sparkly shoes and her ever-present handbag, which she carried to the stage.

“The only reason I’m here is Stewart,” Atwood told the rapt audience before launching into her morning reading. “He wore me down.”

Goodings, who is stepping down after 12 years with the festival, had been trying to attract Atwood for nine of them. It almost worked out once, in 2016, and then it didn’t. This year, she was a go, until a scheduling conflict came to light. The Denman people considered moving the festival dates to accommodate her, then decided on a special weekend of her own.

Goodings’s original pitch to Atwood’s people was for two events: a morning reading and an onstage interview in the evening. He fretted about the meagre compensation the festival could offer: its usual payment of $800; $400 per event.

Tickets to see Atwood were limited to Denman Island residents. Kerry Dawson/Supplied

He confessed this over e-mail to Atwood’s assistant: “Given that Margaret could probably command thousands of dollars and may indeed for some situations … what do you think about that?”

The reply, as he tells it: “She’s not coming for the money.”

Atwood arrived late on a Thursday and was billeted at a private home (there are no hotels on Denman). On Friday, she toured the locally famous gardens belonging to Des Kennedy, author and homesteader, who would be conducting the Saturday evening interview.

She also visited Abraxas, the island’s bookshop; the owner was so delighted she forgot to ask for a photo and was kicking herself the next day. Atwood checked out the Local Authors shelves and purchased Kennedy’s novel, Commune .

At their event the next evening, Kennedy began by asking about Alice Munro, who had died just over two weeks earlier. Atwood discussed their friendship – how they would talk about life stuff, rather than writing stuff. She recalled one confab at a muffin shop, where Munro told her about some terrible thing that had happened to her. When Atwood expressed sympathy, Munro quipped, “it’s all material.”

On stage, they also covered classic Atwoodian topics such as writing The Handmaid’s Tale ; her insight into the future (“if I really were a prophet, think how rich I would be”); and her science-filled upbringing (“before eating the Christmas turkey, we dissected it”). She told the story of her first TV appearance: at 14, on a show called Pet Corner , accompanied by her praying mantis.

She had spent the afternoon writing an essay, she told the audience, audibly gobsmacked by her productivity. The next evening, Sunday, she would speak in Courtenay, B.C., to the Comox Valley Writers Society, an add-on she agreed to for a donation to her beloved PIBO. Then on the flight home, she would write another essay.

She did seem tireless. At her Saturday morning reading, Atwood showed no indication that she had been glad-handing for hours the previous evening.

She began with a story about a party she and her late partner, Graeme Gibson, had thrown years earlier for Ontario writers. An attendee thought she was having a heart attack, so an ambulance was called. The woman – who was not having a heart attack – told Atwood afterward about a conversation she overheard between the paramedics.

“The first one said: ‘Do you know whose house this is?’ And the second one said, ‘No, whose house is it?’ And the first one said, ‘it’s Margaret Atwood’s house.’ And the second one said: ‘Margaret Atwood, is she still alive?’ ”

The Denmanites roared with laughter.

She returned to this theme – aging and mortality – several times, including an energetic reading of First Aid , the opening story of her 2023 collection, Old Babes in the Wood .

During the Q&A, which she moderated herself, she was asked about reports she was writing a memoir . The same questioner inquired about the Future Library, which is collecting written works that will not be read by anyone until 100 years after its founding. In 2014, its first author was announced: Atwood.

Atwood noted two kinds of reactions to the project.

First: “You must be mad; why would I ever write something that would not be published in my lifetime?” she said.

“The second kind would be me,” she continued. She has always been interested in archeology and digging things up.

“I intend to get buried with a toaster oven so that archeologists in the future will be able to speculate what this fetish object is.”

Then she addressed the other part of the question: “What am I writing now? I’m not allowed to tell you. Because my publishers freak out if I even mention it,” Atwood said. “But yes, I’m writing a memoir.”

The audience laughed, enraptured, firmly in the palm of this iconic octogenarian hand. Atwood sat alone on the brightly lit riser and looked out at the packed community hall: “Next question.”

Report an editorial error

Report a technical issue

Editorial code of conduct

Follow related authors and topics

Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following .

Interact with The Globe