4 Books To Read If You Want To Be A Writer

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Introduction

I am a firm believer that most things in life (and here I am talking about habits, hobbies, and responsibilities in general) can be improved with a lot of practice. If you want to run a marathon, you have to practice, you have to run and prepare yourself. If you want to eat healthier, you have to start small and gradually input these “practices” into your daily life. If you want to be an author, you have to read and write a lot, to be in constant contact with words. And so on...

Besides that, no matter what you aim to do, you have to be in contact with people who have done it before (especially if they are experts) or that can give you recommendations on how to do it better.

For writing, you have to be in contact with other authors, listen and read what they say, and approach writing with a different perspective. It is not only about grammar and proper storytelling but about transferring your emotions and thoughts into a page. And that’s a lot of work, I know!

So, here is a list of 4 books that I read at some point in my life and that changed my perspective about writing.

1- On Writing Well by William Zinsser

I was given this book in college by a professor who had been a journalist and had a great passion for writing. She told me that this was essential for everyone who wanted to write, and was she right about that!

It’s the kind of book that you will read more than once throughout a lifetime and it applies to any industry. It is not extremely technical, but it does give you a lot of precious insights on how to approach writing.

2- On Writing by Stephen King

We all know who Stephen King is: author of numerous suspense, crime, fiction novels, most known worldwide and some made into movies. So, what better way to learn about writing than from some of the best authors alive?

If you ask any author about his or her favorite books or about resources for new writers, this book will probably be on their top-10 list.

3- Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Anne’s masterpiece is compared a lot to King’s “manual” on writing. It goes right to the point on how to help writers improve their work. It also eliminates and explains a lot of common misconceptions people have about writing and publishing.

It is a quick and fun read, perfect for those who want to dive deep into the writing world.

4- The Art of Spiritual Writing by Vinita Hampton Wright

Another professor recommended this book to me when I was a sophomore in college. We were approaching the subject of transparency and authenticity in writing for one of his classes and I have to agree that this book is perfect for that matter.

It is crucial for writers to be authentic and true to themselves. As I mentioned in this blog, what makes each writer good is that every person has a different perspective and voice. This is what makes writing so valuable. Even when we have similar stories or similar voices, two stories are never the same because they are written by different people.

Some people will enjoy your work simply because of the style you bring to the table, so always be true to yourself when it comes to writing.