The Big 5: Books on Writing

I'm always interested in books on writing and becoming a better writer.  It's easier to read books on writing than to write, but the question is still worth asking...

What are your Big 5 books on writing?

These should be books written with the intent of teaching you to write.  I know other books can help you be a better writer (including books about writers), but let's stick to your favorites on the art and craft of writing.  It can be about fiction or non-fiction writing.  It can be about poetry, articles, essays, letter writing, or most anything else.  This is not a list of books on how to write a sermon.  Feel free to throw one or two in there on grammar issues or issues directly related to writing if you like.  If you don't have 5, no prob.  List what you have read that you like.

Comments

[Richard A. Bailey]

1. Style: Toward Clarity and Grace, Joseph M. Williams (this is one of those books I re-read at least once a year)
2. The Elements of Style, William Strunk and E.B. White (classic—I think I am on my third copy)
3. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Anne Lamott (fun, irreverent)
4. The Chicago Manual of Style (um, well, use it as more than a doorstop and you'll see why it's on the list)
5. Oxford English Dictionary (every good writer needs a great dictionary)

Only a few of the many, but a start.

Of course, good writing really benefits from good reading.

[Eric M.]

Looking forward to this one...

1. Stephen King "On Writing" - Only one I have read to date.

[Tim Ellsworth]

I have several sitting on my shelf that I haven't read in their entirety. But William Zinsser's "On Writing Well" is a classic, and for good reason.

[Darryl]

1. If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland
2. Elements of Style by Strunk and White
3. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
4. On Writing Well by William Zinsser
5. On Writing by Stephen King

[Steve McCoy]

Here are mine...

On Writing by Stephen King
Elements of Style by Strunk and White
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardner
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

[Account Deleted]

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Reading other great writers.
My mentor and his excruciatingly wicked editing pen.
Writer's Digest.

Solid bloggers like Steve McCoy. :)

[Justin Buzzard]

There's only one book I recommend for would-be writers:

Brenda Ueland, If You Want to Write

[Saralyn]

Eats, Shoots and Leaves, by Lynne Truss
The Elements of Style, by Stunk and White

A professor of writing once told me that the best help for the pen is keeping the nose in a great book as much as possible.

[Bobby Gilles]

I enjoy so many books in this field, including quite a few of the ones mentioned above. I'm going to choose different books from those already mentioned, with the exception of

1. On Writing Well, by William Zinsser. This classic is simply the best book on writing creative non-fiction that I've read. Nothing else comes close.

You'll see with this and my next four choices that each book focuses on a different kind of writing. This is because I'm interested in every kind, but also because good storytelling is good storytelling. I think, for instance, that even if you just want to be a novelist, you can learn from playwrights and poets. So here goes:

2. The Art & Craft of Playwriting, by Jeffrey Hatcher. If you read one scriptwriting book (whether plays, TV or film) read this one.

3. In The Palm Of Your Hand: The Poet's Portable Workshop, by Steve Kowit. It is a portable workshop, too. Tons of exercises, along with examples and explanations.

4. The Anatomy of Hymnody by Austin C. Lovelace. I can't stand most books on songwriting. They tend to be very shallow "hitmaker" type books designed to turn out cliched garbage. But this old book on hymn-writing (focusing on lyrics, not music) is a treasure.

5. The Art & Craft Of The Short Story, by Rick DeMarinis. Like the four books mentioned above, my copy of this one is dog-eared and highlighted throughout.

My honorable mention goes to the Steven King book. I bring it up because I want everyone to know that even if you don't like the horror genre, you should read his "On Writing". You'll learn from it, even if you'd never want to "write like Steven King."

[Kari Patterson]

1. If you want to Write: Brenda Ueland

2. Writing on Both Sides of the Brain: Henriette Anne Klausser

[David Reimer]

Ruling the roost:

1. Strunk & White, Elements of Style (the first edition is online).

Also rans, but still worthy (especially, but not exclusively, for British English):

2. Sir Ernest Gowers, The Complete Plain Words has gone through many editions; the 1954 edition is online.

3. H.W. Fowler, Modern English Usage. I find his cheerful omniscience irresistible. There is an online edition at Bartleby.com (look for Fowler), but if I include any more links, the McCoy Spam Filter will no doubt zap me.

4. Robert Graves and Alan Hodge, The Reader over Your Shoulder: A Handbook for Writers of English Prose has also gone through multiple editions. Perhaps it is an acquired taste, but I have used it with enjoyment and profit.

[Joel]

I'll add George Orwell's Why I Write to the mix.

[Terry J]

OK, first the two obvious classics:

"Elements of Style" by Strunk & White

"On Writing Well" by William Zinsser

plus:

"Elmore Leonard's Ten Rules of Writing" - by (you guessed it) Elmore Leonard

"Story" by Robert McKee

"Writing Down the Bones" - Natalie Goldberg
(Warning: The author practices Zen Buddhism and occasionally brings that perspective into the book; but if you can get by that, there is lots of insightful and helpful stuff).

[Carl]

My wife should contribute to this list. She teaches writing at the local community college.

[David Cooke]

How to keep a spiritual journal by Ron Klug

[Drew]

I'd add Flannery O'Connor's "Mystery and Manners" to this... a great collection of her essays and lectures on short-story and fiction writing.

I'm also reading Richard Hugo's "The Triggering Town." Unique insights on the process of writing poetry from a writer and teacher of it.

[Warren]

1. Steven King, On Writing
2. Terry Brooks, Sometimes The Magic Works
3. Lew Hunter, Lew Hunter's Screenwriting 434
4. Peter Rubie, How To Tell A Story: The Secrets of Writing Captivating Tales
5. Ben Bova, The Craft of Writing Science Fiction That Sells

Yeah, I'm interested in writing genre. I've also got a copy of The Writer's Complete Crime Reference Book. I'd also have to recommend the entire Elements of Fiction Writing series (which is more than five books).

[Warren]

Oh, and after seeing all the people listing Strunk and White, I have to add Far From the Madding Gerund And Other Dispatches From The Language Log. They don't think very highly of Mssrs. Strunk and White there ;)

[Michael]

the BIG ONE

Strunk & White, Elements of Style

I was given a copy of this my first day of work 22-years ago and told that "this will serve you well"...and it has.