Best Books About Writing Fiction & Nonfiction [Top 10] [2024 Update]

What are the best books about writing – for beginners and advanced? Here you will find our best recommendations so that you learn exactly how you can best learn to write. Read along…

Discover the best books on writing

In this list you will find the best books on fiction and non-fiction writing. We start our recommendations with the top 10 best books about Writing Fiction & Nonfiction of all time. This list has been updated this year, including all the recent titles.

Best Books About Writing Fiction & Nonfiction	Author
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft	Stephen King
How to Write a Damn Good Novel: A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling	James N. Frey
On Writing Well	William Zinsser
The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction: 6 Steps to Writing and Publishing Your Bestseller!	Philip Athans and R. A. Salvatore
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You’ll Ever Need	Jessica Brody
Writing the Novel from Plot to Print	Lawrence Block
Writing for Story	Jon Franklin
Writing your Novel from Start to Finish, A Guidebook for the Journey	Joseph Bates
This Year You Write Your Novel	Walter Mosley
How To Write Non Fiction: Turn Your Knowledge Into Words	Joanna Penn

The updated top 10 list: the best writing books about writing fiction and non-fiction

How to Write Non-Fiction: Turn Your Knowledge into Words: Books for Writers, Book 9

Words are powerful and they can change people’s lives if you know how to get them down on paper. If you think you have a message that you want to share with the world, but you don’t know where to start, this book will make it possible to make a living out of writing.

The Nonfiction Book Publishing Plan: The Professional Guide to Profitable Self-Publishing

There are so many books and writers nowadays, that it can be challenging to find a publisher to take care of the process of publishing your work. What if you could do that yourself? This book tells you how.

The Literary Agent’s Guide to Writing a Non-Fiction Book Proposal

Getting a new contract to write a book all starts with receiving a positive reaction on your book proposal. This guide is written by a literary agent, so you will get the best advice that there is out there.

Start Writing Your Book Today: A Step-by-Step Plan to Write Your Nonfiction Book, From First Draft to Finished Manuscript

Wanting to write a book and actually writing a book are two very different things. ‘Start Writing Your Book Today’ is a guide that helps you to both start and finish your writing project.

Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-Winning Children’s Book Authors Share the Secret of Engaging Writing

If your readers are younger and not adults, then your writing should be different. ‘Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep’ is your perfect companion, because it teaches you how to choose a topic that fits your target group.

Writing Fiction, Tenth Edition: A Guide to Narrative Craft (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)

According to Janet Burroway no serious writer can work without a style guide, dictionary, and the tenth edition of ‘Writing Fiction’. Learn the craft of writing and start at any level.

Scene & Structure (Elements of Fiction Writing)

We think the title of this book says it all: without scene the book doesn’t appeal to readers from the very start, and without structure you lose the attention of your reader along the way.

Creating Characters: The Complete Guide to Populating Your Fiction (Creative Writing Essentials)

Many years after reading a book, some people can still vividly picture the main characters of a book if you managed to create them well. How to introduce and develop any type of character becomes clear in ‘Creating Characters’.

What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers

Just like any other skill or talent, practice makes perfect. That is why Anne Bernays has decided to help you develop your skills with this book. ‘What If?’ is full of exercises to help you train to be the best writer you can be.

Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York’s Acclaimed Creative Writing School

We love this book by the Gotham Writers’ Workshop, because it shares practical techniques and the fundamentals of writing. The methods and exercises in ‘Writing Fiction’ are the next best thing if you cannot follow classes at this writing school.