Books for Writers

Inspiring and practical resources for writers of all stripes

Updated June 16, 2026
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The art of memoir
Karr, Mary.
Paper Book
Bestselling author and renowned professor Mary Karr offers a master class in the essential elements of great memoir--delivered with her signature wit, insight, and candor. Credited with sparking the current memoir explosion, Mary Karr's The Liars' Club spent more than a year at the top of...
Bird by bird : some instructions on writing and life
Lamott, Anne.
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER . An essential volume for generations of writers young and old. The twenty-fifth anniversary edition of this modern classic will continue to spark creative minds for years to come. Anne Lamott is "a warm, generous, and hilarious guide through the writer's world...
Body work : the radical power of personal narrative
Febos, Melissa
Paper Book
In this bold and exhilarating mix of memoir and master class, Melissa Febos tackles the emotional, psychological, and physical work of writing intimately while offering an utterly fresh examination of the storyteller's life and the questions which run through it.
The book of alchemy : a creative practice for an inspired life
Jaouad, Suleika
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A guide to the art of journaling--and a meditation on the central questions of life--by the bestselling author of Between Two Kingdoms, with contributions from Hanif Abdurraqib, Jon Batiste, Salman Rushdie, Gloria Steinem, George Saunders, and many more<...
Dear writer : pep talks & practical advice for the creative life
Smith, Maggie
Paper Book
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER New York Times bestselling author and poet Maggie Smith distills creativity and the craft of writing with a practical guide perfect for fans of Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic and Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird. Drawing from...
Dreyer's English : an utterly correct guide to clarity and style
Dreyer, Benjamin
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A sharp, funny grammar guide they'll actually want to read, from Random House's longtime copy chief and one of Twitter's leading language gurus   NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY O: The Oprah Magazine<...
Elements of fiction
Mosley, Walter
Paper Book
Following his essential writing guide, This Year You Write Your Novel, award-winning author Walter Mosley delivers an eloquent treatise on the craft of fiction writing--part writing guide, part study of the mechanics of the genre. In his essential writing guide, This Year...
The elements of style
Strunk, William
Paper Book
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, now in a fourth edition. A new Foreword by Roger Angell reminds readers that the advice of Strunk & White is as valuable today as when it was...
Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences
Allen, Neal
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 36 ways to improve your writing Two writers show you how to turn a worthy sentence into a memorable one. Starting where The Elements of Style leaves off, Good Writing can improve your book, your essay, your memo,...
How to write a mystery : a handbook from Mystery Writers of America
Child, Lee
Paper Book
From 70 of the most successful mystery writers in the business, an invaluable guide to crafting mysteries--from character development and plot to procedurals and thrillers--"this is a writing guide that readers and writers will turn to again and again" (Booklist, starred review). ...
How to write an autobiographical novel : essays
Chee, Alexander
Paper Book
Named a Best Book of 2018 by New York Magazine, the Washington Post, Publisher's Weekly, NPR, and Time, among many others, this essay collection from the author of The Queen of the Night explores how we form identities in life and in art. As a...
Novelist as a vocation
Murakami, Haruki
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER * An insightful look into the mind of a master storyteller--and a unique look at the craft of writing from the beloved and best-selling author of 1Q84, Norwegian Wood, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running....
The ode less travelled unlocking the poet within.
Fry, Stephen.
Paper Book
I have a dark and dreadful secret. I write poetry... I believe poetry is a primal impulse within all of us. I believe we are all capable of it and furthermore that a small, often ignored corner of us positively yearns to try it. —Stephen Fry, The Ode Less Travelled Stephen Fry believes that if one...
On writing : a memoir of the craft
King, Stephen
Paper Book
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF WRITING with fresh testimonials from fellow writers about why they love Stephen King and On Writing--and a few new words on the joy of writing from King himself. *ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S TOP 100 NONFICTION BOOKS OF ALL TIME*
A poetry handbook
Oliver, Mary
Paper Book
"Mary Oliver would probably never admit to anything so grandiose as an effort to connect the conscious mind and the heart (that's what she says poetry can do), but that is exactly what she accomplishes in this stunning little handbook."--Los Angeles Times From the beloved and acclaimed...
Storyville! an illustrated guide to writing fiction
Dufresne, John.
Paper Book
Whether you are daunted by a blinking cursor or frustrated trying to get the people in your head onto the page, writing stories can be intimidating. It takes passion, tenacity, patience, and a knowledge of--and faith in--the often-digressive writing process. A do-it-yourself manual for the...
Take it from me an agent's guide to building a nonfiction writing career from scratch.
Habib, Alia Hanna.
Paper Book
From the literary agent behind some of today's most successful authors comes a narrative guide geared specifically to the needs of aspiring and working nonfiction writers, demystifying the world of publishing and offering a practical roadmap to getting your book published. "An...
The way of the writer : reflections on the art and craft of storytelling
Johnson, Charles
Paper Book
From Charles Johnson--a National Book Award winner, Professor Emeritus at University of Washington, and one of America's preeminent scholars on literature and race--comes an instructive, inspiring guide to the craft and art of writing. An award-winning novelist, philosopher,...
Writing Creativity and Soul
Kidd, Sue Monk.
From the bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Book of Longings: an intimate work on the mysteries, frustrations, and triumphs of being a writer, and an instructive guide to awakening the soul. When Sue Monk Kidd was in high school, a home economics...
Writing to persuade how to bring people over to your side.
Hall, Trish.
Paper Book
In the tradition of The Elements of Style comes Trish Hall's essential new work on writing well--a sparkling instructional guide to persuading (almost) anyone, on (nearly) anything. As the person in charge of the Op-Ed page for the New York Times, Hall spent years immersed in argument,...
Writing with style : The Economist guide
Greene, Robert Lane
Paper Book
A brand-new edition of this classic guide on how to write with style--from The Economist's language columnist, Lane Greene. "A lovely book. I vigorously recommend it as an alternative to Strunk and White's The Elements of Style." --John McWhorter, The New York Times<...
Zine making & bookbinding a beginner's guide in 25 projects.
Berke, Lauren Simkin.
Paper Book
Learn to create zines and books with this approachable guide featuring illustrated, step-by-step lessons on making many different book formats. The possibilities are endless!Channel your passions into zines, create your own notebooks and calendars, and try your hand at impressive pop-up and...

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