5 Best Books on Writing You Must Read in 2023
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If one of your goals for 2023 is to improve your writing craft, finish a draft of your manuscript, or simply dedicate more time to writing, one of the best ways to work toward that goal is to read books on writing.
The best writers are often very strong readers as well, so reading books on the craft of writing from master storytellers can really help you elevate your own storytelling ability. But out of the thousands of writing books out there, how can you determine which ones are actually helpful and worthwhile?
As a professional book editor, I have worked with hundreds of authors ranging from bestselling authors to debut writers. In this article, I wanted to list the best books on writing for 2023. I’ll go over why I selected each book, what it entails, what type of content it includes, who the author is, and give you a sense of what it is going to help you work on.
1. On Writing by Stephen King
This is one of the best books on writing out there by one of the world's most prolific authors and is beloved by many members of the writing community. It's often taught in creative writing workshops for that reason.
Published in 2000, this book is part memoir and part craft guide. In the book, Stephen King discusses his childhood, his career, and how he got his first story published. He divulges a lot of raw, vulnerable moments that maybe you wouldn't have known about this accomplished author. In addition, he gives practical advice for writers in his signature accessible tone and voice.
I will say that this book is for writers of all kinds across all genres. You do not necessarily have to be a fan of Stephen King or horror. The advice is applicable to anyone pursuing the craft of creative writing.
There's one quote from this book that I love especially, so I'm going to pull it out here:
If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.
I think this perfectly encapsulates the essence of this article, which is that becoming a better writer largely entails reading more. By seeing how others approach storytelling, you will be more informed of the choices you make in your own novels.
I would say that this book is especially a great fit for an author who is really in need of a boost of motivation. A lot of writers tell me that reading this book gave them inspiration and motivation to keep going with their current work in progress. So if that's you, definitely check this one out.
2. Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer
This is a manual chock full of spelling, grammar, and punctuation tips from the Copy Chief of Random House. It feels similar to Strunk and White's Elements of Style, but updated, as Dreyer’s English was published recently in 2019. If you are familiar with Elements of Style, then it would be worth checking this one out to see how it provides a fresh contemporary spin on the copy editing manual.
A fun fact about this book is that I actually worked closely with Benjamin Dreyer when I was on Random House’s editorial team, and he was an absolute master at copy editing. I've never met anyone who understood language the way he did and could explain rules of language the way that he could. I was so thrilled to see him publish this book, and it encapsulates his personality in an enjoyable, accessible way. Even if you don't know Benjamin personally, this book approaches seemingly dull topics like grammar, spelling, and punctuation with a humorous and lighthearted touch.
His approach is also very practical. For example, he explains that you can break some established or archaic writing rules, like beginning a sentence with a preposition, as long as you can clearly communicate your meaning to a reader. It all comes down to figuring out how to make your writing as clear as possible, which I value as a developmental editor who isn’t extensively trained in copy editing.
Here's a quote that I really love from this book:
Only godless savages askew the serial comma. No sentence has ever been harmed by a serial comma, and many a sentence has been improved by one.
I do believe in the serial comma, also known as the Oxford comma. But I especially love how this quote encapsulates Benjamin's humor while still giving you a great grammar tip.
This book is for writers who are looking to improve their prose on a sentence level or who struggle with grammar and want to understand its rules, especially if you find typical grammar reference sources dull and boring or difficult to understand.
3. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
This book was published in 2018 and claims to be the last book on novel writing you will ever need, which is a bold claim that I do think it lives up to — after all, it earned a spot on my best books on writing list!
The author is a published novelist herself and in this book, she takes the framework created by Blake Snyder, which is the Save the Cat! approach for screenwriting, and adapts it for novelists. Specifically, she outlines 15 beats that you will find in every successful novel, and also talks about certain genre classifications or story tropes you can use to conceptualize your story. This guide helps you see how your novel fits into story templates that have been perpetuated through different types of media.
It is a very practical guide, with worksheets that can help you plot and plan your story. Many of my clients use the Save the Cat! structure quite religiously, and while it is not a requirement to use this, authors that I've worked with have found it incredibly helpful. It helps them maintain a strong sense of pacing and urgency throughout the plot.
For instance, some people struggle with a messy middle of their story. But this book will help you map your story beats from the beginning to the end, to ensure there's no sections that lack intention or conflict. Remember, keeping the reader engaged from beginning to end is critical to a successful story.
So, if you are someone who struggles with plot or is worried about it lagging, this could be a helpful resource. A quote that I love from this book is:
The most effective character goals or wants are concrete and tangible.
I talk about this all the time with my clients. What does your main character want above all else? Can you articulate it? It shouldn't be something vague like, “They want to be happy.” Yes, but how? What does happiness look like to them? Distill it down. Prompts like this are going to help you think about your story and how to convey your character's journey from beginning to end, keeping the reader's interest throughout.
I would say this book is best for writers who are in the planning phase of their novel or the early drafting phase. However, I would say it is still helpful even if you already have a finished draft, as you can certainly still apply those beats and techniques.
4. Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) by Lisa Kron
This book was published in 2016 and the author has worked in publishing in numerous different roles. She was an agent, a producer, a film scout, and a story analyst, so she really understands stories from these different levels.
This book cracks the mystery of what makes a story engaging and intriguing to a reader. What is that element that keeps the reader turning the pages? In this book, she tries to nail down what “story” actually is, which can then help you start thinking about the big picture of your book. She covers why we are drawn to certain stories over others, and you can use those insights to inform how you approach your own story.
Here's a quote I really like from this book:
What drives the story forward is, at first blush, invisible. It's not talent. It's not voice. It's not the plot. Think of electricity. The same way even the most powerful lamp is useless until it's plugged in, a story can't engage readers without the electricity that illuminates the plot, the voice, and the talent, bringing them to life.
Here, she's talking about the intangible element. That is what makes your story churn, what gives your story its engine, and what ultimately compels the reader to engage with it.
I think this book is best for writers who are at the point in the drafting phase where they cannot see the forest from the trees. Perhaps you know certain elements aren't working in your story, or that it's not compelling readers to keep turning the pages. The unputdownable quality is lacking. This book is going to help you figure out the “why” behind your story and help you inject that element that will make it irresistible to read.
5. Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum
This book was published in 2020 and the author is a published novelist herself, and she also has a really helpful newsletter by the same name.
It is one of the best books on writing because this book aims to demystify the traditional publishing process and the publishing industry at large. Think of it as a how-to manual for writers who are embarking on the traditional publishing journey for the first time. Authors who are new to publishing often have no idea how it works, and this book aims to walk you through every step of the process.
I will say, it only focuses on traditional publishing, so if you are going through a different publishing route, like self-publishing, then it's not going to be helpful for you.
But, it does go in depth about the behind the scenes aspects of traditional publishing that are often opaque and not discussed publicly, like how much you can expect to get paid, and it includes over 150 contributions from people across the entire industry, including literary agents, bestselling authors, editors, film scouts, and more. You're hearing from the experts themselves.
A quote I like from this book is simple, but important:
It is very, very hard to get a book published.
This speaks to the honesty that the author brings to the table. She's not going to sugarcoat anything, she is just going to tell you what publishing your first book is really like.
This is ideally for authors who are either planning to query literary agents or who are somewhere along the querying journey currently, because again, it is focused on traditional publishing.
I hope this list of the best books on writing for 2023 gave you some inspiration for developing your skillset and honing your craft this year.
Thanks so much for reading and happy writing!
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