10 Best Books for Fiction Authors
I’m sure you already know this, but reading is one of the best ways to learn how to write. I started writing when I was twelve. And the only resource I had to improve my writing was the books I read.
Read extensively in your chosen genre.
Read outside your genre for fresh ideas.
Read until you’re blue in the face.
Books, blogs, fanfiction, and even comics on popular apps like Webtoon, all count.
The more you read, the better your writing will be.
This goes for fiction writers and my fellow freelance copywriters.
I’ve curated the list below from my own bookshelf geared towards new writers and experienced authors. I’ve read every single one, cover to cover. And refer back to them daily while I’m writing or editing.
You need these books on your shelf. You can find my full list of book and product recommendations on my Amazon Storefront.*
So, without further ado:
The 10 Best Books for Writers
On Writing
By Stephen King
On Writing is a beautiful blend of personal stories and writing advice. Did you know he doesn’t even remember writing Cujo? Blame it on the cocaine and alcohol.
I read this book for the first time in February, and it was such a fun read. His writing advice throughout the book, especially in the later half, doesn’t feel stuffy or like a laundry list of shoulds and have-tos.
The best thing about this book is that it’s excellent for both beginners and experienced writers—as is every book on this list.
Two of my favorite quotes/tips from King’s book are:
“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”
“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.”
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need
By Jessica Brody
Brody takes the principles in Blake Snyder’s screenwriting book Save the Cat and adapts them for fiction writers. The book's main concept is that all bestsellers follow a 15-beat story structure, which can be applied across genres.
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel tackles it all: character development, plotting, pacing, and dialogue. She touches on creating compelling characters, constructing compelling stories, and writing dialogue that brings your characters to life.
Brody breaks down the 15-beat structure on the different genres, discussing how reader expectations and genre conventions should be considered when writing. Example: If your romance book doesn’t end with the main couple together, I hate to break it to you, but you didn’t write a romance.
It’s a comprehensive book for writers who need help constructing their outlines and all the essential pieces that make up a great story.
The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller
By John Truby
This has got to be one of the best books I’ve read on storytelling. A fellow Tiktoker and writer mentioned it in one of her videos recently, and I couldn’t put this one down.
The Anatomy of Story is another comprehensive one-stop shop for how to craft the most compelling narratives. Truby discusses 22 steps essential to writing a well-crafted story, breaking them into seven categories:
Premise
Structure
Character
Moral Argument
Theme
Symbolism
Dialogue
He explains how these seven key areas are intertwined throughout your narrative using well-known stories as examples. Truby is doing the most by helping us become expert storytellers.
Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel
By Lisa Cron
If you love psychology, you’ll love Story Genius—if you didn’t know, I’m a psychology junkie. Even went and got my master’s degree in it.
Cron does something interesting by combining the principles of neuroscience with the art of storytelling. You learn how humans respond to stories so you can write more engaging narratives.
Story Genius is an unconventional writing craft book, and that’s why I’ve put it on this list. Cron believes it’s best to first figure out your character’s emotional, internal journey since it’s the easiest way to hook readers.
Humans connect because we’re able to express our emotions. The same concept is used here. If your readers can connect emotionally with your main character, you’ve got them hook, line, and sinker!
You’ll be able to create a story from the inside out with practical techniques and homework assignments after each chapter. The information in this book helps me a ton when I’m writing novels for my clients (Hey, hi, I’m a ghostwriter, it’s me).
Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction: How to Create Out-of-This-World Novels and Short Stories
By Orson Scott Card
If you’re a fantasy or sci-fi writer, you need to get your hands on this book. It covers every aspect of writing speculative fiction:
Worldbuilding. Card deep dives into the importance of creating unique and vivid worlds that feel real. And how magic systems, technology, and cultures of both futuristic and fantastical worlds inform your story.
Character Development. You’ll learn how to create well-rounded and believable characters (especially when writing non-human and alien characters) using archetypes, motivations, conflicts, and character arcs.
Plot Structure. Most fantasy and sci-fi books are chunky by nature, most surpassing 100k words. Card offers insight into plotting, subplots, multiple POVs, and how to create tension, suspense, and conflict. And how to balance allllllll of that with worldbuilding and character development.
Writing Style. This part of the book clarifies how to write descriptive prose and dialogue and deliver backstory and exposition without unloading a dump truck onto your readers.
Romancing the Beat
By Gwen Hayes
Romancing the Beat is a short book that packs a punch—I mean, it’s only 92 pages, and Hayes uses 80’s puns throughout, making this such a fun book to read.
This book is for any writer who wants to write romance or include a romance subplot in their book.
Hayes breaks down story structure and elements unique to the romance genre, providing practical how-tos and guidelines for us. Here’s what else you’ll learn in Romancing the Beat:
Story beats broken into four acts
Romantic genres and subgenres
Tropes and archetypes
Character development
Romantic tension and conflict
Common pitfalls and challenges
Again, this is another must-have book. I pull this one out every time I write or edit romance, and I’m not shy about telling every author I work with that this book is a phenomenal resource.
Editing Fiction at Sentence Level
By Louise Harnby
If you need help with self-editing, THIS IS THE BOOK.
While it’s mainly about line editing, Harnby touches on a few developmental editing aspects that must be addressed before line edits occur.
Editing Fiction at Sentence Level provides advice and techniques for writers (and editors!) to polish their prose and elevate their writing to the next level.
This book is by my side when editing—it never leaves my desk unless I’m working on my front porch. Where I go, it goes.
She highlights common issues like grammar, punctuation, awkward phrasing, redundancies, and inconsistencies. This book details techniques for improving sentence structure, syntax, and word choice.
Harnby keeps on giving with each page. You’ll learn:
The importance of clarity and coherence
Techniques for avoiding ambiguity and confusion
Strategies for achieving consistency and coherence
How to improve your style and tone
Figurative language
Dialogue tags
For my fellow editors, we learn how to stay true to the author’s voice and style while adhering to standard grammar and punctuation rules.
This book helped me develop a sharp eye for identifying and correcting sentence-level problems. Run, don’t walk to get this book.
The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression
By Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
The Emotion Thesaurus is another book that lives on my desk. I bought this book last year, and it’s been put through the wringer—coffee stains, teeth marks (mine, not the dogs), paw prints, and lots of dog-eared pages.
This book helps writers with showing, not telling.
Inside the book, you’ll find a massive list of emotions and the physical, mental, and behavioral reactions associated with each emotion.
This is honestly my favorite reference book of all time.
Not a day goes by when I don’t use this book, whether for my own writing or my editing clients. When it comes time to make my list of reference books for my editing clients, this is always at the top—always.
Ackerman and Puglisi begin the book by explaining the importance of emotional resonance in storytelling and how portraying character emotions will deepen your reader’s connection with your story.
I can’t sing this book’s praises enough.
The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles
By Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
Of course, another book by Ackerman and Puglisi is on this list—they have entire thesaurus series that can be found on my Amazon storefront.
The Conflict Thesaurus teaches you how to write compelling conflict. It provides a range of obstacles, adversaries, and inner struggles that you can use to create conflict for your characters.
Again, the book explains why conflict is essential and how it drives the plot, creates tension, raises stakes, and propels the story forward. They also offer many suggestions for escalating conflict and creating conflict specific to your story’s genre.
And don’t worry. They help you figure out how to resolve conflict too.
The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Psychological Trauma
By Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
Annnnd another one!
The Emotional Wound Thesaurus helps writers understand and portray emotional wounds in their characters. Ackerman and Puglisi offer fascinating insights into the effects of psychological trauma on your character’s emotions, behaviors, relationships, and worldview.
They give guidance on how to effectively incorporate emotional wounds in your storytelling. And there’s an extensive list of emotional wounds, ranging from childhood to adult traumas, covering abuse, loss, betrayal, rejection, and failure.
Ackerman and Puglisi, once again, knock the writing advice right outta the park.
In The End
Craft writing books can help you push the needle forward and level up your storytelling abilities.
The books listed in this blog are all gems in their own right. Pick one, pick a few, or pick the ones that align best with your writing or editing goals.
And leave a comment if you’ve read any of them.
*As a heads up, I earn a small percentage from any sales on my Amazon storefront, as these are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!