« Case Studies vs. White Papers, What’s the Difference?
White Paper Powerhouse TechTarget is Going Public »

Top 10 Books for Writers

February 6th, 2007, by Michael Stelzner

We sought your nominations and they came en masse.

What follows are the top 10 books for writers. They cover a wide range of writing topics, from building freelance writing businesses to mastering the core elements of writing.

If you do not have any of these books on your shelf, you should seriously consider the investment.

  1. On Writing - Important lessons and truths for any writer. By Stephen King.
  2. The Elements of Style - THE reference for language use in a small package. By William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White.
  3. The Renegade Writer - Achieve freelance writing success the unconventional way. By Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell.
  4. The Well-Fed Writer - Put more food on the table with proven methods for freelancers. By Peter Bowerman.
  5. Bird by Bird - Practical methods for getting your book written. By Anne Lamott.
  6. If You Want to Write - How to write, create and live; a classic. By Brenda Ueland
  7. On Writing Well - Clean up your writing style with this classic. By William K. Zinsser.
  8. The Elements of Copywriting - THE guide for writing copy intended to sell. By Gary Blake, Robert W. Bly.
  9. The Copywriter’s Handbook - Techniques for freelance copywriters. By Robert W. Bly.
  10. The Renegade Writer’s Query Letters That Rock - Writing letters to land freelance jobs. By Diana Burrell and Linda Formichelli.

Let us know what you think about these books.

If you're new here, be sure to signup for my newsletter and join 20,000 others. Thanks for visiting!

Receive email updates when new articles are posted.

>> Related Articles on This Blog

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 6th, 2007 at 5:00 am and is filed under Writing White Papers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

6 Responses to “Top 10 Books for Writers”

  1. Ed Avis Says:
    February 6th, 2007 at 8:00 am

    Michael - So glad to see both Renegade books on the list! There’s no need to post this message — I’m with the publisher, Marion Street Press. I just wanted to thank you for including these books. They’re terrific (but I’m biased, of course!)

  2. Tom Chandler Says:
    February 6th, 2007 at 10:46 am

    It’s interesting that I own all the books about writing, and few of the books about the business/selling side.

    I can see I’ve got a few titles to add. Great work Michael! Even though you write white papers, you’re not such a bad guy after all… 8-)

  3. Liz Says:
    February 6th, 2007 at 11:27 am

    Great list Michael. Only read 2 out of 10, so I have a way to go. Cheers, Liz

  4. Beth Costello Says:
    February 6th, 2007 at 12:17 pm

    Hi, Michael. I used Strunk and White throughout my early career, and recently discovered a gem as a supplemental tool. “Tongue and Quill” (Google to find link and obtain free of charge) has been revised for 50 years or so by various U.S. military writers. I think it may have originated in the Air Force. It contains many standard and familiar themes, but addresses them in a refreshing manner — and even some humor. It’s broad, covering recommendations to improve the quality of not only documents but also meeting agendas, etc.

  5. Mordechai (Morty) Schiller Says:
    February 7th, 2007 at 10:57 pm

    Michael,
    Thanks for the homework assignment!

    Just want to point out that The Copywriter’s Handbook isn’t just for freelancers. It’s a great starting point for any copywriting job–freelance, on staff or do-it-yourself entrepreneur.

  6. Ian Rae Says:
    February 10th, 2007 at 2:38 pm

    The book “eats shoots and leaves” by Lynne Truss is a great review of punctuation rules. Very funny too.

Leave a Reply