Books for Writers

Inspiring and practical resources for writers of all stripes

Updated June 12, 2026
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Greater Victoria Public Library Greater Victoria Public Library
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Books for Writers

Inspiring and practical resources for writers of all stripes

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1000 words : a writer's guide to staying creative, focused, and productive all year round
Attenberg, Jami.
Paper Book
National Bestseller Inspired by Jami Attenberg's wildly popular literary movement #1000WordsofSummer, this "encouraging handbook" (Publishers Weekly) features essays on creativity, productivity, and writing from acclaimed authors including Roxane Gay, Lauren Groff,...
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...
The Associated Press stylebook, 2024-2026
Froke, Paula
Paper Book
Master the style guidelines of news writing, editing, and common usage with this indispensable guide perfect for students and professional writers everywhere. The style of The Associated Press is the gold standard for news writing. With the AP...
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<...
Craft in the real world : rethinking fiction writing and workshopping
Salesses, Matthew
Paper Book
A NATIONAL BESTSELLER "A significant contribution to discussions of the art of fiction and a necessary challenge to received views about whose stories are told, how they are told and for whom they are intended" (The New York Times Book Review) The traditional...
The design of books : an explainer for authors, editors, agents, and other curious readers
Berne, Debbie
Paper Book
Seasoned designer Debbie Berne presents an accessible introduction to book design for authors, editors, and other book people.   Design is central to the appeal, messaging, and usefulness of books, but to most readers, it's mysterious or even invisible. Through...
Dust and light : on the art of fact in fiction
Barrett, Andrea
Paper Book
Hailed as a "genius-enchantress" (Karen Russell) and winner of the MacArthur Fellowship, the celebrated novelist Andrea Barrett has for decades reached backward to find inspiration from the past and written acclaimed and prizewinning works of historical fiction. In Dust and Light, the first work...
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
The classic manual for writing is now in its fourth edition. A new Foreword by Roger Angell reminds readers that the advice of Strunk and White is as valuable today as when it was first offered. A new glossary of the grammatical terms used in the book provides a convenient reference for readers.
Making comics
Barry, Lynda
Paper Book
The bestselling, idiosyncratic curriculum from a 2019 MacArthur Fellow will teach you how to draw and write your story "The self-help book of the year."--The New York Times Hello students, meet Professor Skeletor. Be on time, don't miss class, and...
Meander, spiral, explode : design and pattern in narrative
Alison, Jane
Paper Book
"How lovely to discover a book on the craft of writing that is also fun to read . . . Alison asserts that the best stories follow patterns in nature, and by defining these new styles she offers writers the freedom to explore but with enough guidance to thrive." ―Vulture
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....
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...
Self-publishing
Rich, Jason
Paper Book
Get your books into the hands of readers with this simple how-to guide Self-Publishing For Dummies takes you through the entire process of publishing your own books, starting with the writing and editing process and moving through cover design, printing options, distribution...
Singing school : learning to write (and read) poetry by studying with the masters
Pinsky, Robert.
Paper Book
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...
Steering the craft : a twenty-first century guide to sailing the sea of story
Le Guin, Ursula K.
Paper Book
From the celebrated Ursula K. Le Guin, "a writer of enormous intelligence and wit, a master storyteller" (Boston Globe), the revised and updated edition of her classic guide to the essentials of a writer's craft. Completely revised and rewritten to address...
Verb Your Enthusiasm: How to Master the Art of the Verb and Transform Your Writing
Kaufman, Sarah L
Paper Book
"Personable, smart, and, yes, enthusiastic... a masterclass you can take at your own pace." - Ron Charles "This verb-filled outing reads like a dream." - Publishers Weekly (starred) "An almost shockingly adroit guide to how to make every word count." --Benjamin...
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.
Paper Book
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,...
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