book on creative writing

The 20+ Best Books on Creative Writing

If you’ve ever wondered, “How do I write a book?”, “How do I write a short story?”, or “How do I write a poem?” you’re not alone. I’m halfway done my MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts , and I ask myself these questions a lot, too, though I’m noticing that by now I feel more comfortable with the answers that fit my personal craft. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a Master’s of Fine Arts in Writing candidate, or even a college graduate, in order to soak up the great Wisdom of Words, as I like to call it. Another word for it is craft . That’s because there are so many great books out there on writing craft. In this post, I’ll guide you through 20+ of the most essential books on creative writing. These essential books for writers will teach you what you need to know to write riveting stories and emotionally resonant books—and to sell them.

I just also want to put in a quick plug for my post with the word count of 175 favorite novels . This resource is helpful for any writer.

Now, with that done… Let’s get to it!

What Made the List of Essential Books for Writers—and What Didn’t

So what made the list? And what didn’t?

Unique to this list, these are all books that I have personally used in my journey as a creative and commercial writer.

That journey started when I was 15 and extended through majoring in English and Creative Writing as an undergrad at UPenn through becoming a freelance writer in 2014, starting this book blog, pursuing my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts , and publishing some fiction and nonfiction books myself . My point here is not to boast, just to explain that these books have all helped me better understand and apply the craft, discipline, and business of writing over the course of more than half my life as I’ve walked the path to become a full-time writer. Your mileage my vary , but each of these books have contributed to my growth as a writer in some way. I’m not endorsing books I’ve never read or reviewed. This list comes from my heart (and pen!).

Most of these books are geared towards fiction writers, not poetry or nonfiction writers

It’s true that I’m only one human and can only write so much in one post. Originally, I wanted this list to be more than 25 books on writing. Yes, 25 books! But it’s just not possible to manage that in a single post. What I’ll do is publish a follow-up article with even more books for writers. Stay tuned!

The most commonly recommended books on writing are left out.

Why? Because they’re everywhere! I’m aiming for under-the-radar books on writing, ones that aren’t highlighted often enough. You’ll notice that many of these books are self-published because I wanted to give voice to indie authors.

But I did want to include a brief write-up of these books… and, well, you’ve probably heard of them, but here are 7 of the most recommended books on writing:

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – With her guided practice on how to rejuvenate your art over the course of 16 weeks, Cameron has fashioned an enduring classic about living and breathing your craft (for artists as well as writers). This book is perhaps best known for popularizing the morning pages method.

The Art of Fiction by John Gardner – If you want to better understand how fiction works, John Gardner will be your guide in this timeless book.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott – A beloved writing book on process, craft, and overcoming stumbling blocks (both existential and material).

On Writing by Stephen King – A must-read hybrid memoir-craft book on the writer mythos and reality for every writer.

Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose – A core writing book that teaches you how to read with a writer’s eye and unlock the ability to recognize and analyze craft for yourself.

Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin – Many writers consider this to be their bible on craft and storytelling.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg – A favorite of many writers, this book takes an almost spiritual approach to the art, craft, and experience of writing.

I’m aiming for under-the-radar books on writing on my list.

These books are all in print.

Over the years, I’ve picked up several awesome books on creative writing from used bookstores. Oh, how I wish I could recommend these! But many of them are out of print. The books on this list are all available new either as eBooks, hardcovers, or paperbacks. I guess this is the right time for my Affiliate Link disclaimer:

This article contains affiliate links, which means I might get a small portion of your purchase. For more on my affiliate link policy, check out my official Affiliate Link Disclaimer .

You’ll notice a lot of the books focus on the business of writing.

Too often, money is a subject that writers won’t talk about. I want to be upfront about the business of writing and making a living as a writer (or not ) with these books. It’s my goal to get every writer, even poets!, to look at writing not just from a craft perspective, but from a commercial POV, too.

And now on to the books!

Part i: the best books on writing craft, the anatomy of story by john truby.

For you if: You want to develop an instinctive skill at understanding the contours of storytelling .

All I want to do as a writer, my MO, is tell good stories well. It took me so long to understand that what really matters to me is good storytelling. That’s it—that’s the essence of what we do as writers… tell good stories well. And in The Anatomy of Story , legendary screenwriting teacher John Truby takes you through story theory. This book is packed with movie references to illustrate the core beat points in story, and many of these example films are actually literary adaptations, making this a crossover craft book for fiction writers and screenwriters alike.

How to read it: Purchase The Anatomy of Story on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The art of memoir by mary karr.

For you if: You’re writing a memoir book or personal essays .

Nobody is a better person to teach memoir writing than Mary Karr, whose memoirs The Liar’s Club and Lit are considered classics of the genre. In The Art of Memoir , Karr delivers a master class on memoir writing, adapted from her experience as a writer and a professor in Syracuse’s prestigious MFA program. What I love about this book as an aspiring memoirist is Karr’s approach, which blends practical, actionable advice with more bigger-picture concepts on things like truth vs. fact in memoir storytelling. Like I said in the intro to this list, I didn’t include many nonfiction and poetry books on this list, but I knew I had to make an exception for The Art of Memoir .

How to read it: Purchase The Art of Memoir on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The emotional craft of fiction by donald maass.

For you if: Plot isn’t your problem, it’s character .

From literary agent Donald Maass, The Emotional Craft of Fiction gives you the skill set you need to master emotionally engaging fiction. Maass’s technique is to show you how readers get pulled into the most resonant, engaging, and unforgettable stories: by going through an emotional journey nimbly crafted by the author. The Emotional Craft of Fiction is a must-have work of craft to balance more plot-driven craft books.

How to read it: Purchase the The Emotional Craft of Fiction on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

How to Write Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

For you if: You need a quick-and-dirty plotting technique that’s easy to memorize .

I first heard of the “Snowflake Method” in the National Novel Writing Month forums (which, by the way, are excellent places for finding writing craft worksheets, book recommendations, and online resources). In How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method , the Snowflake Method is introduced by its creator. This quick yet thorough plotting and outlining structure is humble and easy to master. If you don’t have time to read a bunch of books on outlining and the hundreds of pages that would require, check out How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method for a quick, 235-page read.

How to read it: Purchase How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Meander, spiral, explode: design and pattern in narrative by jane alison.

For you if: You want to do a deep dive understanding of the core theory of story, a.k.a. narrative.

A most unconventional writing craft book, Meander, Spiral, Explode offers a theory of narrative (story) as recognizable patterns. According to author Jane Alison, there are three main narrative narratives in writing: meandering, spiraling, and exploding. This cerebral book (chock full of examples!) is equal parts seminar on literary theory as it is craft, and it will make you see and understand storytelling better than maybe any book on this list.

How to read it: Purchase Meander, Spiral, Explode on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The modern library writer’s workshop by stephen koch.

For you if: You’re wondering what it means to be the writer you want to become .

This is one of the earliest creative writing books I ever bought and it remains among the best I’ve read. Why? Reading The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop echoes the kind of mind-body-spirit approach you need to take to writing. The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop doesn’t teach you the nuts and bolts of writing as much as it teaches you how to envision the machine. Koch zooms out to big picture stuff as much as zeroes in on the little details. This is an outstanding book about getting into the mindset of being a writer, not just in a commercial sense, but as your passion and identity. It’s as close as you’ll get to the feel of an MFA in Fiction education.

How to read it: Purchase The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Romancing the beat by gwen hayes.

For you if: You write or edit the romance genre and want a trusted plotting strategy to craft the perfect love story .

If you’re writing romance, you have to get Gwen Hayes’s Romancing the Beat . This book breaks down the plot points or “beats” you want to hit when you’re crafting your romance novel. When I worked as a romance novel outliner (yes, a real job), our team used Romancing the Beat as its bible; every outline was structured around Hayes’s formula. For romance writers (like myself) I cannot endorse it any higher.

How to read it: Purchase Romancing the Beat on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Save the cat writes a novel by jessica brody.

For you if: You have big ideas for a plot but need to work on the smaller moments that propel stories .

Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat! Writes a Novel adapts Blake Snyder’s bestselling screenwriting book Save the Cat! into story craft for writing novels. Brody reworks the Save the Cat! methodology in actionable, point-by-point stages of story that are each explained with countless relevant examples. If you want to focus your efforts on plot, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is an excellent place to go to start learning the ins and outs of what makes a good story.

How to read it: Purchase Save the Cat! Writes a Novel on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Story genius by lisa cron.

For you if: You’re a pantser and are terrified at outlining yet also realize you might have a “plot problem .”

More than any other book, Lisa Cron’s Story Genius will get you where you need to go for writing amazing stories. Story Genius helps you look at plotting differently, starting from a point of characterization in which our protagonists have a clearly defined need and misbelief that play off each other and move the story forward from an emotional interior and action exterior standpoint. For many of my fellow MFA students—and myself— Story Genius is the missing link book for marrying plot and character so you innately understand the contours of good story.

How to read it: Purchase Story Genius on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Wonderbook: the illustrated guide to creating imaginative fiction by jeff vandermeer.

For you if: You’re writing in a speculative fiction genre—like science fiction, fantasy, or horror—or are trying to better understand those genres.

Jeff VanderMeer’s Wonderbook is a dazzling gem of a book and a can’t-miss-it writing book for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writers. This book will teach you all the skills you need to craft speculative fiction, like world-building, with micro-lessons and close-reads of excellent works in these genres. Wonderbook is also one to linger over, with lavish illustrations and every inch and corner crammed with craft talk for writing imaginative fiction (sometimes called speculative fiction). And who better to guide you through this than Jeff VanderMeer, author of the popular Southern Reach Trilogy, which kicks off with Annihilation , which was adapted into a feature film.

How to read it: Purchase Wonderbook on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Writing picture books by ann whitford paul.

For you if: You’re looking to write picture books and/or understand how they work .

This book is the only one you need to learn how to write and sell picture books. As an MFA student studying children’s literature, I’ve consulted with this book several times as I’ve dipped my toes into writing picture books, a form I considered scary and intimidating until reading this book. Writing Picture Books should be on the shelf of any writer of children’s literature. a.k.a. “kid lit.”

How to read it: Purchase Writing Picture Books on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Writing with emotion, conflict, and tension by cheryl st. john.

For you if: You need to work on the conflict, tension, and suspense that keep readers turning pages and your story going forward .

Mmm, conflict. As I said earlier, it’s the element of fiction writing that makes a story interesting and a key aspect of characterization that is underrated. In Writing with Emotion, Tension, and Conflict , bestselling romance author Cheryl St. John offers a masterclass on the delicate dance between incorporating conflict, the emotions it inspires in characters, and the tension that results from those two factors.

How to read it: Purchase Writing with Emotion, Tension, and Conflict on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Part ii: the best books on the productivity, mfas, and the business of writing, 2k to 10k: writing faster, writing better, and writing more of what you love by rachel aaron.

For you if: You struggle to find the time to write and always seem to be a chapter or two behind schedule .

If you’re struggling to find time of your own to write with competing obligations (family, work, whatever) making that hard, you need Rachel Aaron’s 2k to 10k . This book will get you in shape to go from writing just a few words an hour to, eventually, 10,000 words a day. Yes, you read that right. 10,000 words a day. At that rate, you can complete so many more projects and publish more. Writers simply cannot afford to waste time if they want to keep up the kind of production that leads to perpetual publication. Trust me, Aaron’s method works. It has for me. I’m on my way to 10k in the future, currently at like 4 or 5k a day for me at the moment.

How to read it: Purchase 2k to 10k on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The 3 a.m. epiphany by brian kitele.

For you if: You’re going through writer’s block, have been away from writing for a while, or just want to loosen up and try something new .

Every writer must own an an exercise or prompt book. Why? Because regularly practicing your writing by going outside your current works-in-progress (or writer’s block) will free you up, help you plant the seeds for new ideas, and defrost your creative blocks. And the best book writing exercise book I know is The 3 A.M. Epiphany by Brian Kiteley, an MFA professor who uses prompts like these with his grad students. You’ll find that this book (and its sequel, The 4 A.M. Breakthrough ) go beyond cutesy exercises and forces you to push outside your comfort zone and learn something from the writing you find there.

How to read it: Purchase The 3 A.M. Epiphany on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The 4-hour workweek by timothy ferriss.

For you if: You think being a writer means you have to be poor .

The 4-Hour Workweek changed my life. Although not strictly about writing in the traditional sense, The 4-Hour Workweek does an excellent job teaching you about how passive income can offer you freedom. I first heard about The 4-Hour Workweek when I was getting into tarot in 2013. On Biddy Tarot , founder Brigit (author of some of the best books on tarot ) related how she read this book, learned how to create passive income, and quit her corporate job to read tarot full time. As a person with a total and permanent disability, this spoke to me because it offered a way out of the 9-to-5 “active” income that I thought was the only way. I picked up Ferriss’s book and learned that there’s more than one option, and that passive income is a viable way for me to make money even when I’m too sick to work. I saw this come true last year when I was in the hospital. When I got out, I checked my stats and learned I’d made money off my blog and books even while I was hospitalized and couldn’t do any “active” work. I almost cried.; I’ve been working on my passive income game since 2013, and I saw a return on that time investment when I needed it most.

That’s why I’m recommending The 4-Hour Workweek to writers. So much of our trade is producing passive income products. Yes, your books are products! And for many writers, this means rewiring your brain to stop looking at writing strictly as an art that will leave you impoverished for life and start approaching writing as a business that can earn you a real living through passive income. No book will help you break out of that mindset better than The 4-Hour Workweek and its actionable steps, proven method, and numerous examples of people who have followed the strategy and are living the lifestyle they’ve always dreamed of but never thought was possible.

How to read it: Purchase The 4-Hour Workweek on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum

For you if: You’re serious about making a living as a writer and publishing with a Big 5 or major indie publisher .

Courtney Maum’s Before and After the Book Deal addresses exactly what its title suggests: what happens after you sell your first book. This book is for ambitious writers intent on submission who know they want to write and want to avoid common pitfalls while negotiating terms and life after your debut. As many published authors would tell you, the debut is one thing, but following that book up with a sustainable, successful career is another trick entirely. Fortunately, we have Maum’s book, packed with to-the-moment details and advice.

How to read it: Purchase Before and After the Book Deal on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Diy mfa: write with focus, read with purpose, build your community by gabriela pereira.

For you if: You’re stressed out wondering if you really need an MFA .

The MFA is under this header “business of writing” because it is absolutely an economic choice you make. And, look, I’m biased. I’m getting an MFA. But back when I was grappling with whether or not it was worth it—the debt, the time, the stress—I consulted with DIY MFA , an exceptional guide to learning how to enrich your writing craft, career, and community outside the structures of an MFA program. I’ve also more than once visited the companion site, DIYMFA.com , to find a kind of never-ending rabbit hole of new and timeless content on the writing life. On DIYMFA.com and in the corresponding book, you’ll find a lively hub for author interviews, writing craft shop talk, reading lists, and business of writing articles.

How to read it: Purchase DIY MFA on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Mfa vs. nyc by chad harbach.

For you if: You’re wondering how far an MFA really gets you—and you’re ready to learn the realities of the publishing world .

About a thousand years ago (well, in 2007), I spent the fall of my sophomore year of college as a “Fiction Submissions and Advertising Intern” for the literary magazine n+1 , which was co-founded by Chad Harbach, who you might know from his buzzy novel, The Art of Fielding . In MFA vs NYC , Harbach offers his perspective as both an MFA graduate and someone deeply enmeshed in the New York City publishing industry. This thought-provoking look at these two arenas that launch writers will pull the wool up from your eyes about how publishing really works . It’s not just Harbach’s voice you get in here, though. The book, slim but mighty, includes perspectives from the likes of George Saunders and David Foster Wallace in the MFA camp and Emily Gould and Keith Gessen speaking to NYC’s writing culture.

How to read it: Purchase MFA vs. NYC on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Scratch: writers, money, and the art of making a living – edited by manjula martin.

For you if: a) You’re worried about how to balance writing with making a living; b) You’re not worried about how to balance writing with making a living .

Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living is alternately one of the most underrated and essential books on writing out there. This collection of personal essays and interviews all revolve around the taboo theme of how writers make their living, and it’s not always—indeed, rarely—through writing alone. Some of the many contributing authors include Cheryl Strayed ( Wild ), Alexander Chee ( How to Write an Autobiographical Novel ), Jennifer Weiner ( Mrs. Everything ), Austin Kleon ( Steal Like an Artist ), and many others. Recently a young woman asked me for career advice on being a professional freelance writer, and I made sure to recommend Scratch as an eye-opening and candid read that is both motivating and candid.

How to read it: Purchase Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Write to market: deliver a book that sells by chris fox.

For you if: You don’t know why your books aren’t selling—and you want to start turning a profit by getting a real publishing strategy

So you don’t have to be an indie author to internalize the invaluable wisdom you’ll find here in Write to Market . I first heard about Write to Market when I first joined the 20Booksto50K writing group on Facebook , a massive, supportive, motivating community of mostly indie authors. Everyone kept talking about Write to Market . I read the book in a day and found the way I looked at publishing change. Essentially, what Chris Fox does in Write to Market is help you learn to identify what are viable publishing niches. Following his method, I’ve since published several successful and #1 bestselling books in the quotations genre on Amazon . Without Fox’s book, I’m not sure I would have gotten there on my own.

How to read it: Purchase Write to Market on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

And that’s a wrap what are some of your favorite writing books, share this:, you might be interested in.

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Sarah S. Davis is the founder of Broke by Books, a blog about her journey as a schizoaffective disorder bipolar type writer and reader. Sarah's writing about books has appeared on Book Riot, Electric Literature, Kirkus Reviews, BookRags, PsychCentral, and more. She has a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Library and Information Science from Clarion University, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

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Language » Writing Books

The best books on creative writing, recommended by andrew cowan.

The professor of creative writing at UEA says Joseph Conrad got it right when he said that the sitting down is all. He chooses five books to help aspiring writers.

Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande

On Becoming a Novelist by John C. Gardner

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner

Worstward Ho by Samuel Beckett

1 Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande

2 on becoming a novelist by john c. gardner, 3 on writing: a memoir of the craft by stephen king, 4 the forest for the trees by betsy lerner, 5 worstward ho by samuel beckett.

How would you describe creative writing?

But because it is in academia there is all this paraphernalia that has to go with it. So you get credits for attending classes. You have to do supporting modules; you have to be assessed. If you are doing an undergraduate degree you have to follow a particular curriculum and only about a quarter of that will be creative writing and the rest will be in the canon of English literature . If you are doing a PhD you have to support whatever the creative element is with a critical element. So there are these ways in which academia disciplines writing and I think of that as Creative Writing with a capital C and a capital W. All of us who teach creative writing are doing it, in a sense, to support our writing, but it is also often at the expense of our writing. We give up quite a lot of time and mental energy and also, I think, imaginative and creative energy to teach.

Your first choice is Dorothea Brande’s Becoming a Writer , which for someone writing in 1934 sounds pretty forward thinking.

Because creative writing has now taken off and has become this very widespread academic discipline it is beginning to acquire its own canon of key works and key texts. This is one of the oldest of them. It’s a book that almost anyone who teaches creative writing will have read. They will probably have read it because some fundamentals are explained and I think the most important one is Brande’s sense of the creative writer being comprised of two people. One of them is the artist and the other is the critic.

Actually, Malcolm Bradbury who taught me at UEA, wrote the foreword to my edition of Becoming a Writer , and he talks about how Dorothea Brande was writing this book ‘in Freudian times’ – the 1930s in the States. And she does have this very Freudian idea of the writer as comprised of a child artist on the one hand, who is associated with spontaneity, unconscious processes, while on the other side there is the adult critic making very careful discriminations.

And did she think the adult critic hindered the child artist?

No. Her point is that the two have to work in harmony and in some way the writer has to achieve an effective balance between the two, which is often taken to mean that you allow the artist child free rein in the morning. So you just pour stuff on to the page in the morning when you are closest to the condition of sleep. The dream state for the writer is the one that is closest to the unconscious. And then in the afternoon you come back to your morning’s work with your critical head on and you consciously and objectively edit it. Lots of how-to-write books encourage writers to do it that way. It is also possible that you can just pour stuff on to the page for days on end as long as you come back to it eventually with a critical eye.

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Good! Your next book, John Gardner’s On Becoming a Novelist , is described as comfort food for the aspiring novelist.

This is another one of the classics. He was quite a successful novelist in the States, but possibly an even more successful teacher of creative writing. The short story writer and poet Raymond Carver, for instance, was one of his students. And he died young in a motorcycle accident when he was 49. There are two classic works by him. One is this book, On Becoming a Novelist , and the other is The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers . They were both put together from his teaching notes after he died.

On Becoming a Novelist  is the more succinct and, I think, is the better of the two. He talks about automatic writing and the idea, just like Dorothea Brande, of the artist being comprised of two people. But his key idea is the notion of the vivid and continuous dream. He suggests that when we read a novel we submit to the logic of that novel in the same way as we might submit to the logic of a dream – we sink into it, and clearly the events that occur could not exist outside the imagination.

What makes student writing in particular go wrong is when it draws attention to itself, either through bad writing or over-elaborate writing. He suggests that these faults in the aspirant writer alert the reader to the fact that they are reading a fiction and it is a bit like giving someone who is dreaming a nudge. It jolts them out of the dream. So he proposes that the student writer should try to create a dream state in the reader that is vivid and appeals to all the senses and is continuous. What you mustn’t do is alert the reader to the fact that they are reading a fiction.

It is a very good piece of advice for writers starting out but it is ultimately very limiting. It rules out all the great works of modernism and post-modernism, anything which is linguistically experimental. It rules out anything which draws attention to the words as words on a page. It’s a piece of advice which really applies to the writing of realist fiction, but is a very good place from which to begin.

And then people can move on.

I never would have expected the master of terror Stephen King to write a book about writing. But your next choice, On Writing , is more of an autobiography .

Yes. It is a surprise to a lot of people that this book is so widely read on university campuses and so widely recommended by teachers of writing. Students love it. It’s bracing: there’s no nonsense. He says somewhere in the foreword or preface that it is a short book because most books are filled with bullshit and he is determined not to offer bullshit but to tell it like it is.

It is autobiographical. It describes his struggle to emerge from his addictions – to alcohol and drugs – and he talks about how he managed to pull himself and his family out of poverty and the dead end into which he had taken them. He comes from a very disadvantaged background and through sheer hard work and determination he becomes this worldwide bestselling author. This is partly because of his idea of the creative muse. Most people think of this as some sprite or fairy that is usually feminine and flutters about your head offering inspiration. His idea of the muse is ‘a basement guy’, as he calls him, who is grumpy and turns up smoking a cigar. You have to be down in the basement every day clocking in to do your shift if you want to meet the basement guy.

Stephen King has this attitude that if you are going to be a writer you need to keep going and accept that quite a lot of what you produce is going to be rubbish and then you are going to revise it and keep working at it.

Do you agree with him?

He sounds inspirational. Your next book, Betsy Lerner’s The Forest for the Trees , looks at things from the editor’s point of view.

Yes, she was an editor at several major American publishing houses, such as Simon & Schuster. She went on to become an agent, and also did an MFA in poetry before that, so she came through the US creative writing process and understands where many writers are coming from.

The book is divided into two halves. In the second half she describes the process that goes from the completion of the author’s manuscript to submitting it to agents and editors. She explains what goes on at the agent’s offices and the publisher’s offices. She talks about the drawing up of contracts, negotiating advances and royalties. So she takes the manuscript from the author’s hands, all the way through the publishing process to its appearance in bookshops. She describes that from an insider’s point of view, which is hugely interesting.

But the reason I like this book is for the first half of it, which is very different. Here she offers six chapters, each of which is a character sketch of a different type of author. She has met each of them and so although she doesn’t mention names you feel she is revealing something to you about authors whose books you may have read. She describes six classic personality types. She has the ambivalent writer, the natural, the wicked child, the self-promoter, the neurotic and a chapter called ‘Touching Fire’, which is about the addictive and the mentally unstable.

Your final choice is Worstward Ho by Samuel Beckett .

This is a tiny book – it is only about 40 pages and it has got these massive white margins and really large type. I haven’t counted, but I would guess it is only about two to three thousand words and it is dressed up as a novella when it is really only a short story. On the first page there is this riff: ‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.’

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When I read this I thought I had discovered a slogan for the classroom that I could share with my students. I want to encourage them to make mistakes and not to be perfectionists, not to feel that everything they do has to be of publishable standard. The whole point of doing a course, especially a creative writing MA and attending workshops, is that you can treat the course as a sandpit. You go in there, you try things out which otherwise you wouldn’t try, and then you submit it to the scrutiny of your classmates and you get feedback. Inevitably there will be things that don’t work and your classmates will help you to identify those so that you can take it away and redraft it – you can try again. And inevitably you are going to fail again because any artistic endeavour is doomed to failure because the achievement can never match the ambition. That’s why artists keep producing their art and writers keep writing, because the thing you did last just didn’t quite satisfy you, just wasn’t quite right. And you keep going and trying to improve on that.

But why, when so much of it is about failing – failing to get published, failing to be satisfied, failing to be inspired – do writers carry on?

I have a really good quote from Joseph Conrad in which he says the sitting down is all. He spends eight hours at his desk, trying to write, failing to write, foaming at the mouth, and in the end wanting to hit his head on the wall but refraining from that for fear of alarming his wife!

It’s a familiar situation; lots of writers will have been there. For me it is a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is something I have to keep returning to. I have to keep going back to the sentences, trying to get them right. Trying to line them up correctly. I can’t let them go. It is endlessly frustrating because they are never quite right.

You have published four books. Are you happy with them?

Reasonably happy. Once they are done and gone I can relax and feel a little bit proud of them. But at the time I just experience agonies. It takes me ages. It takes me four or five years to finish a novel partly because I always find distractions – like working in academia – something that will keep me away from the writing, which is equally as unrewarding as it is rewarding!

September 27, 2012

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Andrew Cowan

Andrew Cowan is Professor of Creative Writing and Director of the Creative Writing programme at UEA. His first novel, Pig , won the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, the Betty Trask Award, the Ruth Hadden Memorial Prize, the Author’s Club First Novel Award and a Scottish Council Book Award. He is also the author of the novels Common Ground , Crustaceans ,  What I Know  and  Worthless Men . His own creative writing guidebook is  The  Art  of  Writing  Fiction .

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You’ve got style: Brilliant books on creative writing

From Italo Calvino to Dorothea Brande, Emma Cummins reflects on the books that inspire her as a writer

“There’s nothing mysterious about your prose style,” says the author Kevin Barry, “it’s a direct projection of your personality”. Many writers – myself included – find this out the hard way. Good writing is true and authentic, it reflects who you are.

For a long time, I subconsciously tried to be someone else on the page. I anglicised my Northern Irish accent; I feigned a kind of seriousness, perhaps in the hope I’d be taken seriously. But the more I attended writing workshops and read books on the craft, the more I realised my work paled beside my personality.

I am a friendly Northern Irish woman. I do a good line in anxiety but I’m not overly serious. I’m passionate about art and books. I’m not shy with strangers. Why, then, was I shy about expressing myself in my writing? There’s no easy answer to this question but I find it interesting to think about. For Guardian Masterclasses’s online summer writers’ retreat , I’ll be sharing my thoughts on style and encouraging other writers to embrace their individuality.

This blog post brings together some brilliant books on creative writing , including The Agony and the Ego , a 1993 anthology edited by Clare Boylan. In her introduction, Boylan makes an interesting observation about writing fiction. “Writing is a paradox because all of it comes out of ourselves. There is nowhere else for it to come from. Yet when the characters of a novel have been established the fiction writer’s task is to remove himself and his influence, and let the characters get on with their lives.”

At the online retreat , I’ll invite writers to think about the fruitful tension between expressing their personality in their work and being true to their characters. There are many other tutors taking part in the retreat, which runs from Monday 25 July over the course of three weeks.

From Ross Raisin to Huma Qureshi, acclaimed authors will help you fine-tune your craft and encourage you to dedicate time to writing. By the end of the three weeks, perhaps you’ll be a bit closer to what the great John McGahern described as “that clear mirror that is called style – the reflection of personality in language”.

Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

If you’re looking for motivation to write, this zesty book by Ray Bradbury is the perfect prescription.

In the opening essay, The Joy of Writing , the acclaimed author of Fahrenheit 451 urges us to write with zest and gusto. “If you are writing without zest, without gusto, without love, without fun, you are only half a writer. It means you are so busy keeping one eye on the commercial market, or one ear peeled for the avant-garde coterie, that you are not being yourself. You don’t even know yourself. For the first thing a writer should be is – excited.”

When I first read Zen in the Art of Writing , I felt energised to write. With essays ranging from How to Keep and Feed a Muse to Drunk, And in Charge of a Bicycle , Bradbury’s unforgettable book is a gift to anyone who loves writing. Actually, scratch that: Zen in the Art of Writing is for anyone who loves life.

Six Memos for the Next Millennium by Italo Calvino

Due to be delivered as lectures at Harvard, Italo Calvino’s delightful “memos” on writing were left unfinished at the time of his death.

The drafts explore the concepts of Lightness, Quickness, Multiplicity, Exactitude and Visibility (Constancy was to be the sixth), with Calvino beginning work on them in 1984.

In each of his lectures, Calvino recommends to the next millennium a particular value, quality or peculiarity of literature that is close to his heart. “From my youth on, my personal motto has been the old Latin tag, Festina lente , hurry slowly,” writes Calvino in his second essay, Quickness . “Just as for the poet writing verse, so it is for the prose writer: success consists in felicity of verbal expression, which every so often may result from a quick flash of inspiration but as a rule involves a patient search for the mot juste , for the sentence in which every word is unalterable”.

Calvino believes that writing prose shouldn’t be any different to writing poetry. In both cases, he argues, it’s about looking for “the unique expression”, one that is “concise, concentrated, and memorable” – three words that encapsulate the tone of this wonderful book.

The Agony and the Ego edited by Clare Boylan

In this illuminating anthology of essays, some of the finest writers of all time – from John McGahern to Hilary Mantel – reflect on the process of creating fiction.

According to editor Clare Boylan , Mantel’s reassuring essay Growing a Tale “argues that ideas coaxed rather than bullied will grow naturally into a novel”. I loved Mantel’s essay when I first read it as part of Ross Raisin’s six-week creative writing programme . “If you make your characters properly they will simply do what is within them,” writes Mantel, “they’ll act out the nature you have given them, and there – you’ll find – you have your plot.”

Now out of print, The Agony and the Ego is worth tracking down secondhand or in a library. In addition to insightful essays by John Banville, Rose Tremain and Nadine Gordimer, it features a short selection of interviews from the series Writers at Work, which Boylan wrote for the Guardian.

Many of these essays highlight “the mystery” of writing, and perhaps this is why I return to The Agony and the Ego . This warm-hearted book encourages writers to grow naturally into themselves.

Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande

Mantel’s rules for writers include this recommendation: “Read Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande. Then do what it says, including the tasks you think are impossible.”

Full of practical advice for time-poor writers, Brande’s book was first published in 1934 and remains a go-to classic. Schedule time to write each day, suggests Brande. “It need not be a very long time; fifteen minutes will do nicely”.

I enjoyed Brande’s simple but powerful advice to take a rough draft of a story “out for a walk” and think about it. After the walk, you’re invited to go to a dim room and lie down. “Quiet your mind,” says Brande. Lie there, not quite asleep, not quite awake.” After a while, she says, you’ll feel “a definite impulse to rise, a kind of surge of energy. Obey it at once … Get up and go to your paper or typewriter, and begin to write. The state you are in at that moment is the state an artist works in.”

On Editing by Helen Corner-Bryant and Kathryn Price

Writing is re-writing. Learning how to self-edit your work is perhaps the most vital skill any writer can learn and this book, by editors Helen Corner-Bryant and Kathryn Price, is something of a godsend.

One of the chapters in On Editing demystifies ‘show don’t tell’, a phrase “often misunderstood” by new writers. “At its simplest, the aim of showing is to bring the reader as close as possible to the action,” write the authors. “By feeling your writing intensely yourself you’ll transmit that emotion to the reader … and when you can make the reader feel, you’ve got them in the palm of your hand”.

Other useful chapters cover structure, description, pacing and much more. The book also includes advice on submitting your novel – from writing synopses to pitching to agents – making it an indispensable guide for writers who take their work seriously.

Writing a Novel by Richard Skinner

“When we talk about a writer’s style, what we are really talking about is their ‘voice’,” writes Richard Skinner in Writing a Novel . “As a tutor, I can do nothing about the tone of your voice as you speak, but what I can engage with is what you say, i.e. your ‘story’”.

Skinner’s book is a thought-provoking and practical guide to the craft of writing. Divided into bite-sized sections – from point of view to story and plot – it encourages writers to bring their whole selves to the page. As Skinner writes in a piece for the Observer , “Writing is about claiming ownership of yourself in order to become the person you know you can be”.

Throughout Writing a Novel , there are thoughtfully selected quotes from authors, such as Gertrude Stein’s, “Sentences are factual, but paragraphs are emotional”. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed going back to this generous, kind-spirited book. It feels fresh each time – and will no doubt inspire many writers to follow their passion.

Being a Writer by Travis Elborough and Helen Gordon

I treated myself to this beautiful gift book when I was low on confidence as a writer.

Lockdown had taken away my beloved book events and writing workshops, and while I attended many online, I was Zoom fatigued and starved of new experiences. That awful winter lockdown had been announced and I was living alone. Being a Writer was brilliant company then, and continues to be a source of insight and wisdom on the art of writing.

From Alice Munro to Gabriel García Márquez, the book features quotations and essays from some of the world’s greatest authors. Márquez reveals how the opening line of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis inspired him to start writing short stories. Australian author Tim Winton says writing a book is a bit like surfing, “Most of the time you’re waiting.”

Being a Writer is a lovely anthology to dip in and out of, to savour in small bursts. This comforting book reminds us that each writer’s approach is unique. Trust in the process that works for you. Read widely, and write what makes you feel most alive. In the words of Anaïs Nin, “We write to taste life twice”.

Save up to 13% on a specially curated selection of creative writing books at the Guardian Bookshop.

Find out more about Guardian Masterclasses’s summer writer’s retreat and enrol now.

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Creative Writing Books: A Curated 2024 Updated List

If you’re a writer looking to sharpen your skills, you’ll want to check out these 20 best books about creative writing. Whether you’re a seasoned novelist or just starting out, these books on creative writing offer valuable insights, exercises, and inspiration to help you unleash your creativity and improve your writing craft. From classic guides to contemporary must-reads, this list has something for every aspiring writer. Let’s dive into the world of creative writing books and discover the essential tools for honing your literary talent.

• 1 20 Best Books About Creative Writing
• 2 On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
• 3 Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
• 4 The Elements of Style
• 5 Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
• 6 The Writing Life
• 7 Zen in the Art of Writing
• 8 The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity
• 9 Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within
• 10 The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
• 11 The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life
• 12 The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life
• 13 The Writing Book: A Workbook for Fiction Writers
• 14 The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers
• 15 The Writing Life: Writers on How They Think and Work
• 16 The Creative Writer’s Survival Guide: Advice from an Unrepentant Novelist
• 17 The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing
• 18 The Art of X-Ray Reading: How the Secrets of 25 Great Works of Literature Will Improve Your Writing
• 19 Steering the Craft: A Twenty-First-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story
• 20 Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting
• 21 The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles
• 22 Conclusion

20 Best Books About Creative Writing

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On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

By stephen king.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is a captivating book about the art of storytelling and the life of a prolific writer, Stephen King . In this compelling memoir, King shares his personal journey as a writer, from his early struggles to his eventual success. The book provides invaluable insights into the creative process, offering practical advice on honing one’s craft and developing a unique voice. King’s honest and straightforward narrative style makes this book about creative writing both informative and entertaining. Whether you’re an aspiring writer or a fan of King’s work, this creative writing book is a must-read for anyone interested in the art and craft of storytelling.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

By anne lamott.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott is a beloved book on creative writing that offers practical advice and humorous insights for aspiring writers. Lamott shares her personal experiences and wisdom on the creative process, tackling self-doubt, and finding inspiration. The book about creative writing encourages writers to embrace their imperfections and to approach their work with patience and perseverance. With its warm and candid tone, this creative writing book is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to navigate the challenges of the writing life while honing their craft. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, Bird by Bird provides a wealth of encouragement and guidance for the creative journey.

The Elements of Style

By william strunk jr. and e.b. white.

The Elements of Style, written by William Strunk Jr. and later revised and expanded by E.B. White, is a classic book on creative writing. This timeless guidebook is essential for anyone looking to improve their writing skills. It covers everything from grammar and punctuation to style and composition, providing clear and practical advice for crafting clear and impactful prose. The book about creative writing is concise and easy to follow, making it a valuable resource for writers of all levels. Whether you’re a student, professional writer, or just someone who wants to communicate more effectively, The Elements of Style is an indispensable tool for honing your craft and mastering the art of storytelling.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

By elizabeth gilbert.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert is a captivating book about creative writing. Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love, explores the mysterious and inspiring world of creativity in this book. She shares her wisdom and insights on how to live a creative life without succumbing to fear. With a blend of personal anecdotes, practical advice, and profound observations, Gilbert encourages readers to embrace their curiosity, let go of perfectionism, and pursue their creative passions wholeheartedly. Whether you’re a writer, artist, or simply someone who craves a more fulfilling and imaginative life, this creative writing book offers a fresh perspective on the creative process and the courage required to bring your ideas to life. Big Magic is a must-read for anyone seeking inspiration and guidance on their creative journey.

The Writing Life

By annie dillard.

The Writing Life by Annie Dillard is a captivating book on creative writing that takes readers on a journey into the world of writing. Dillard offers a unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of the writing life, drawing from her own experiences as a renowned author. Through beautiful prose and insightful observations, she explores the craft of writing, the solitary nature of the creative process, and the relentless pursuit of perfection. This book about creative writing is filled with wisdom and inspiration, making it a must-read for aspiring writers and anyone interested in the art of storytelling. Dillard’s eloquent reflections will resonate with anyone who has ever grappled with the complexities of the writing life, making it an essential addition to any writer’s library.

Zen in the Art of Writing

By ray bradbury.

Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury is a timeless classic that delves into the essence of the creative process. This book about creative writing is a collection of essays that offer insights, encouragement, and practical advice for aspiring writers. Bradbury’s passion for storytelling and his unique approach to the craft of writing are evident in every page, making it a must-read for anyone interested in honing their craft. Through his vivid prose and heartfelt anecdotes, he inspires readers to embrace their creativity and pursue their writing dreams with zeal. Zen in the Art of Writing is a captivating and enlightening guide that celebrates the joy and magic of the written word, making it an essential addition to any writer’s bookshelf.

The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

By julia cameron.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is a transformative book on creative writing that guides readers on a spiritual journey to unlock their creativity. Cameron presents a 12-week program designed to help individuals overcome creative blocks, self-doubt, and fear, and tap into their innate creativity. Through a series of exercises and reflections, readers learn to cultivate a sense of curiosity, playfulness, and self-expression to unleash their creative potential. With its practical techniques and insightful wisdom, this book about creative writing has been a go-to resource for artists, writers, and anyone seeking to live a more creative and fulfilling life. The Artist’s Way is a must-read for anyone looking to reignite their passion for creative expression and reconnect with their artistic side.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

By natalie goldberg.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg is a beloved book on creative writing that has inspired countless writers to tap into their creativity and find their authentic voice. In this classic book about creative writing, Goldberg shares her wisdom and experience as a writer and writing teacher, offering practical advice and insightful exercises to help writers overcome self-doubt and unleash their creativity. Through her candid and engaging writing style, she encourages readers to embrace the practice of writing as a way of life, emphasizing the importance of discipline, observation, and fearlessness. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, this creative writing book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their connection to the written word and cultivate a more meaningful and fulfilling writing practice.

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

By steven pressfield.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is a powerful and inspiring book about the challenges and obstacles that creative individuals face in their pursuit of artistic expression. Pressfield delves into the concept of ‘resistance’ – the internal force that prevents us from reaching our true creative potential. Through a series of insightful essays, he provides valuable advice on how to overcome this resistance and break through the barriers that hinder our creativity. This book is a must-read for anyone struggling with their creative endeavors, as it offers practical strategies and encouragement to help readers win their inner creative battles. Whether you’re a writer, artist, musician, or any other type of creative professional, The War of Art is an essential resource for understanding and conquering the obstacles that stand in the way of your artistic fulfillment.

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life

By twyla tharp.

The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp is a must-read for anyone looking to enhance their artistic practice. This insightful book on creative writing delves into the habits and routines that can cultivate creativity for a lifetime. Twyla Tharp, a renowned choreographer, shares her personal experiences and provides practical advice on how to harness creativity through discipline and dedication. She emphasizes the importance of establishing a daily routine and developing rituals to spark inspiration. Tharp’s unique perspective and engaging writing style make this a valuable resource for both aspiring and experienced creators. Whether you’re a writer, artist, or musician, this book about creative writing will inspire you to tap into your creative potential and establish a sustainable creative practice.

Recommended for you:

The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life

The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life by Julia Cameron is a compelling and inspiring book about creative writing. Cameron, known for her bestseller The Artist’s Way, encourages readers to embrace their natural creativity and overcome the fear of writing. She provides practical exercises and insights to help aspiring writers unlock their potential and find their unique voice. The book explores the joy of creative writing and the importance of self-expression, offering guidance on how to cultivate a regular writing practice and overcome common obstacles. With warmth and wisdom, Cameron invites readers to explore the power of writing and discover the transformative impact it can have on their lives. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, The Right to Write is a valuable resource for anyone looking to unleash their creativity and embrace the writing life.

The Writing Book: A Workbook for Fiction Writers

By kate grenville.

The Writing Book: A Workbook for Fiction Writers by Kate Grenville is a comprehensive guide for aspiring writers looking to enhance their storytelling skills. This book on creative writing offers practical exercises and insightful advice to help writers develop their craft and create compelling works of fiction. Grenville’s approach is both informative and engaging, providing valuable techniques for character development, plot structure, and narrative voice. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned writer, this book about creative writing is a valuable resource for honing your skills and unleashing your creativity. With its practical exercises and expert guidance, The Writing Book is a must-have for anyone looking to elevate their storytelling abilities and produce captivating fiction.

The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers

By john gardner.

The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers by John Gardner is a classic book on creative writing that provides insightful guidance for aspiring writers. Gardner, a renowned novelist and writing instructor, delves into the essential elements of storytelling, such as character development, plot structure, and narrative craft. Through clear and practical advice, he offers valuable tips for honing one’s writing skills and creating compelling fiction. This book about creative writing is a treasure trove of wisdom for writers of all levels, as Gardner’s engaging prose and thoughtful analysis illuminate the art of storytelling. Whether you’re a novice writer seeking guidance or a seasoned wordsmith looking to refine your craft, The Art of Fiction is an indispensable resource for anyone passionate about the creative writing process.

The Writing Life: Writers on How They Think and Work

By marie arana.

The Writing Life: Writers on How They Think and Work by Marie Arana is a captivating book about creative writing that offers a rare glimpse into the minds of some of the world’s most renowned authors. Through a series of intimate interviews, Arana explores the writing process and the various techniques and rituals that different writers employ to bring their stories to life. The book delves into the creative process and provides valuable insights and inspiration for aspiring writers. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in the writing craft and the inner workings of the literary mind. The Writing Life is a treasure trove of wisdom and advice from some of the literary world’s most esteemed figures, making it an essential addition to any creative writing book collection.

The Creative Writer’s Survival Guide: Advice from an Unrepentant Novelist

By john mcnally.

The Creative Writer’s Survival Guide: Advice from an Unrepentant Novelist by John McNally is a treasure trove for aspiring writers. This book on creative writing is filled with valuable tips and insights on the craft of storytelling, character development, and navigating the publishing industry. McNally, an accomplished novelist, shares his wisdom with wit and candor, making this a must-read for anyone serious about honing their writing skills. Whether you’re struggling with writer’s block or seeking guidance on the business side of publishing, this book about creative writing has got you covered. McNally’s unapologetic approach to the art of writing is both refreshing and inspiring, making this creative writing book a valuable resource for writers at any stage of their journey.

The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing

By alice laplante.

The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing by Alice LaPlante is a comprehensive and insightful book on the craft of storytelling. LaPlante offers practical advice and exercises for writers of all levels, covering the essential elements of fiction, such as character development, plot structure, and dialogue. What sets this book about creative writing apart is its emphasis on the psychology of storytelling, delving into the motivations and intentions behind a writer’s creative choices. LaPlante’s engaging and accessible style makes this creative writing book a valuable resource for aspiring writers looking to hone their skills and deepen their understanding of the storytelling process. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced writer, The Making of a Story provides the tools and inspiration needed to embark on a literary journey.

The Art of X-Ray Reading: How the Secrets of 25 Great Works of Literature Will Improve Your Writing

By roy peter clark.

The Art of X-Ray Reading by Roy Peter Clark is a captivating book on creative writing that offers a unique approach to dissecting and understanding literature. Through the analysis of 25 classic works of literature, Clark reveals the hidden techniques and secrets that great writers use to captivate their readers. By delving into the subtext, structure, and language of these works, he provides valuable insights and practical tips that can help writers improve their own craft. This creative writing book is not just about creative writing; it’s about learning to read like a writer, to see beyond the surface and uncover the deeper layers of meaning and technique. Whether you’re an aspiring writer looking to enhance your skills or a literature enthusiast eager to gain a deeper appreciation for the art of storytelling, The Art of X-Ray Reading is a must-read.

Steering the Craft: A Twenty-First-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story

By ursula k. le guin.

Steering the Craft is a renowned book on creative writing written by the legendary Ursula K. Le Guin . This comprehensive and engaging book about creative writing provides valuable insights and techniques for navigating the complexities of storytelling. Le Guin’s expertise and passion for the craft shine through as she delves into the essential elements of writing, such as voice, style, and point of view. Through thought-provoking exercises and illuminating examples, she guides writers on a transformative journey through the sea of story, empowering them to hone their skills and craft compelling narratives. Whether you’re a novice writer or a seasoned wordsmith, this creative writing book is an indispensable resource that will inspire and elevate your storytelling prowess.

Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting

By robert mckee.

Robert McKee’s “Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting” is a renowned book on creative writing that delves into the art of crafting compelling narratives. McKee provides a comprehensive overview of the principles of storytelling, exploring the essential elements of substance, structure, and style. With a focus on screenwriting, the book offers valuable insights into character development, plot construction, and dialogue, making it an indispensable resource for writers looking to enhance their storytelling skills. McKee’s engaging writing style and in-depth analysis of successful storytelling make this book about creative writing a must-read for aspiring writers and seasoned authors alike. Whether you’re a screenwriter, novelist, or simply passionate about the craft of storytelling, “Story” is a creative writing book that will inspire and inform your writing journey.

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is a powerful and inspiring book on creative writing that delves into the internal battles faced by every artist. Pressfield identifies the enemy as Resistance, which manifests as self-doubt, procrastination, and fear of failure. He presents practical strategies to overcome Resistance and unleash one’s creative potential. The book offers a no-nonsense approach to tackling the obstacles that stand in the way of artistic expression, making it a must-read for anyone struggling with their creative endeavors. With its profound insights and motivational tone, this book about creative writing is a valuable resource for writers, artists, and anyone seeking to break through their inner creative battles and fulfill their creative potential.

In conclusion, the world of Creative Writing is vast and diverse, and there are countless books about creative writing that can inspire and guide both aspiring and seasoned writers. Whether you’re looking for practical advice, creative prompts, or insight into the writing process, the 20 books listed in this article are excellent resources to add to your reading list. From classic texts to contemporary guides, there’s something for every writer to explore and learn from. Happy reading and happy writing!

Which Creative Writing book is best?

The best book on Creative Writing can vary with personal preference, but three widely recommended titles are:

• On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King ,
• Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott ,
• The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White .

Each offers valuable insights and could be a great starting point.

What are the best books to learn about Creative Writing?

For those looking to learn about Creative Writing, there is a wealth of literature that can provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Some of the most highly recommended books include:

• The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White ,
• Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert ,
• The Writing Life by Annie Dillard ,
• Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury ,
• The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron ,
• Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg ,
• The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield ,
• The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp

These books offer a range of perspectives on Creative Writing, covering various aspects and approaches to the subject.

What are the best books on Creative Writing?

The best books on Creative Writing include:

• The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life by Julia Cameron ,
• The Writing Book: A Workbook for Fiction Writers by Kate Grenville ,
• Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury .

Each offers unique insights into the subject. While these books on the topic of Creative Writing are highly regarded, it’s important to note that any list of ‘best’ books is subjective and reflects a range of opinions.

What are the best Creative Writing books of all time?

Choosing the best Creative Writing books of all time can vary depending on who you ask, but seven titles that are often celebrated include

• The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp ,
• and The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life by Julia Cameron .

Each of these books has made a significant impact in the field of Creative Writing and continues to be influential today.

Related posts:

10 Best Creative Writing Books to Read in 2023

Introduction:.

The world of creative writing possesses an extraordinary ability to unleash imagination, craft narratives, and evoke emotions that resonate with readers. Whether you're an aspiring writer or simply someone who appreciates the art of storytelling, consider Oxford Summer Courses. Embark on a transformative journey through our Creative Writing summer school, where you will have the opportunity to explore the art of crafting compelling narratives, experimenting with various writing styles, and honing your literary skills.

Disclaimer:

Please note that the following list of books is recommended reading to broaden your knowledge and deepen your appreciation of creative writing and literature. While some of these books may be included in the Oxford Summer Courses curriculum, the specific content of the summer school can vary. If you wish to study these subjects with us, you can apply to our Creative Writing summer school.

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1. On Writing, by Stephen King

• "Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work."
• Published in 2000, "On Writing" by Stephen King is a masterclass in the craft of storytelling. It combines King's personal journey as a writer with practical advice on honing your writing skills during your time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can Stephen King's advice on discipline and the writing process benefit aspiring writers at Oxford Summer Courses today?

2. Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott

• "Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere."
• Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird" is an encouraging guide for writers facing the daunting task of putting words on the page. Through humor and personal anecdotes, she offers valuable insights into the writing process during your Creative Writing summer school at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How does Lamott's emphasis on "shitty first drafts" resonate with your own experiences as a writer at Oxford Summer Courses?

3. The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

• "Omit needless words."
• A timeless classic, "The Elements of Style" is a concise guide to writing well. It provides essential rules of grammar and composition that every writer should know, especially during their time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How do the principles outlined in "The Elements of Style" apply to various forms of creative writing, from fiction to poetry, at Oxford Summer Courses?

4. The story, by Robert McKee

• "Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact."
• Robert McKee's "Story" is a comprehensive exploration of the principles behind effective storytelling. It's a must-read for anyone looking to understand the structure and elements of compelling narratives during their time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can the insights from "Story" enhance your ability to construct engaging and impactful stories during your Creative Writing summer school at Oxford Summer Courses?

5. Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert

• "Do whatever brings you to life, then. Follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart."
• In "Big Magic," Elizabeth Gilbert delves into the creative process and encourages writers to embrace their creativity with courage and curiosity, a valuable lesson during your time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can Gilbert's philosophy on creativity inspire you to approach your writing with a sense of wonder and daring at Oxford Summer Courses?

6. The Art of Fiction, by John Gardner

• "Fiction seeks out truth. The writer has to go into the dark, quiet spaces of himself and feel around for the truth."
• John Gardner's "The Art of Fiction" offers profound insights into the art and craft of writing fiction. It explores the intricacies of character development, plot, and the writer's role in conveying truth through storytelling during your Creative Writing summer school at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can Gardner's exploration of truth in fiction inform your own creative writing endeavors at Oxford Summer Courses?

7. Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg

• "Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open."
• Natalie Goldberg's "Writing Down the Bones" is a meditative guide to writing practice. It encourages writers to tap into their innermost thoughts and emotions during their Creative Writing summer school at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can Goldberg's approach to writing as a form of meditation help you access deeper layers of creativity in your work at Oxford Summer Courses?

8. The Elements of Eloquence, by Mark Forsyth

• "Rhetoric is the art of dressing up some unimportant matter to fool the audience for the moment."
• "The Elements of Eloquence" explores the art of rhetoric and language play. Mark Forsyth's witty and informative book will inspire you to experiment with language in your writing during your time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can a deeper understanding of rhetorical devices enhance your ability to craft persuasive and evocative prose at Oxford Summer Courses?

9. Zen in the Art of Writing, by Ray Bradbury

• "Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a landmine. The landmine is me. After the explosion, I spent the rest of the day putting the pieces together."
• Ray Bradbury's "Zen in the Art of Writing" is a collection of essays that celebrate the joy and passion of writing. Bradbury shares his insights on creativity and the writing life during your Creative Writing summer school at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can Bradbury's enthusiasm for writing infuse your own creative process with energy and purpose at Oxford Summer Courses?

10. The Nighttime Novelist, by Joseph Bates

• "Writing is an exploration of the heart."
• "The Nighttime Novelist" by Joseph Bates is a practical guide for writers who balance their craft with busy lives. It offers strategies for maximizing your writing time and making progress on your projects during your time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can the techniques outlined in "The Nighttime Novelist" help you maintain a consistent and productive writing practice at Oxford Summer Courses?

Oxford Summer Courses invites you to immerse yourself in the enchanting world of creative writing during your time at our summer school. In this blog post, we present a meticulously curated list of 10 classic books that will ignite your imagination and deepen your understanding of the art of storytelling. From Stephen King's practical wisdom in "On Writing" to Ray Bradbury's celebration of the writing life in "Zen in the Art of Writing," these books will serve as your companions on your creative writing journey at Oxford Summer Courses. Through our Creative Writing program, you will have the opportunity to explore these influential texts, share your insights with fellow writers, and refine your craft. Join us on this literary adventure and embark on a transformative experience that will shape your writing skills and inspire your creative spirit during your time at Oxford Summer Courses. Who knows, you might just discover a newfound passion for the art of storytelling and create narratives that resonate with readers for generations to come.

Apply now to join the Oxford Summer Courses Creative Writing summer school and embark on a journey of self-expression and creativity during your time at Oxford Summer Courses. Join a community of passionate writers from around the world and unlock your potential as a storyteller. Apply here.

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Ignite your passion for creative writing at Oxford Summer Courses. Immerse yourself in a carefully curated list of books that will spark your creativity, refine your storytelling abilities, and help you embark on a transformative journey as a writer.

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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on May 31, 2022

The 40 Best Books About Writing: A Reading List for Authors

For this post, we’ve scoured the web (so you don’t have to) and asked our community of writers for recommendations on some indispensable books about writing. We've filled this list with dozens of amazing titles, all of which are great — but this list might seem intimidating. So for starters, here are our top 10 books about writing:

• On Writing by Stephen King
• The Kick-Ass Writer by Chuck Wendig
• Dreyer’s Englis h by Benjamin Dreyer
• The Elements of Style by Strunk, White, and Kalman
• The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne
• A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Mouth Full of Blood by Toni Morrison
• How to Market a Book by Ricardo Fayet
• On Writing Well by William Zinsser

But if you're ready to get into the weeds, here are 40 of our favorite writing books.

Books about becoming a writer

1. on writing by stephen king.

Perhaps the most-cited book on this list, On Writing is part-memoir, part-masterclass from one of America’s leading authors. Come for the vivid accounts of his childhood and youth — including his extended "lost weekend" spent on alcohol and drugs in the 1980s. Stay for the actionable advice on how to use your emotions and experiences to kickstart your writing, hone your skills, and become an author. Among the many craft-based tips are King’s expert takes on plot, story, character, and more.

From the book: “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” 

2. The Kick-Ass Writer by Chuck Wendig

If you haven’t checked out Wendig’s personal blog, head over there now and bookmark it. Unfiltered, profane, and almost always right, Wendig’s become a leading voice among online writing communities in the past few years. In The Kick-Ass Writer , he offers over 1,000 pearls of wisdom for authors, ranging from express writing tips to guidance on getting published. Written to be read in short bursts, we’re sure he’d agree that this is the perfect bathroom book for writers.

From the book: “I have been writing professionally for a lucky-despite-the-number 13 years. Not once — seriously, not once ever — has anyone ever asked me where I got my writing degree… Nobody gives two ferrets fornicating in a filth-caked gym sock whether or not you have a degree… The only thing that matters is, Can you write well? ” 

3. Find Your Voice by Angie Thomas

Taking advice from famous authors is not about imitation, but about finding your own voice . Take it from someone who knows: Thomas is the New York Times #1 Bestselling author of The Hate U Give , On the Come Up , and Concrete Rose . While she’s found her calling in YA literature , she has plenty of insight into finding your own voice in your genre of choice. Written in the form of a guided journal, this volume comes with step-by-step instructions, writing prompts, and exercises especially aimed at helping younger creatives develop the strength and skills to realize their vision.

From the book: “Write fearlessly. Write what is true and real to you.” 

4. The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner

Since its publication in 2000, The Forest for the Trees has remained an essential resource for authors at various stages in their careers. As an editor, Lerner gives advice not only on producing quality content, but also on how to build your career as an author and develop a winning routine — like how writers can be more productive in their creative process, how to get published , and how to publish well . 

From the book: “The world doesn't fully make sense until the writer has secured his version of it on the page. And the act of writing is strangely more lifelike than life.”

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5. How to Write Like Tolstoy by Richard Cohen

From the book: “Great writers can be inhibiting, and maybe after one has read a Scott Fitzgerald or Henry James one can’t escape imitat­ing them; but more often such writers are inspiring.”

6. Feel Free: Essays by Zadie Smith

Smith is well-known for her fiction, but she is also a prolific essay writer. In Feel Free , she has gathered several essays on recent cultural and political developments and combined them with experiences from her own life and career. In “The I Who Is Not Me”, she explores how her own lived experience comes into play in her fiction writing, and how she manages to extrapolate that to comment on contemporary social contexts, discussing race, class, and ethnicity.

From the book: “Writing exists (for me) at the intersection of three precarious, uncertain elements: language, the world, the self. The first is never wholly mine; the second I can only ever know in a partial sense; the third is a malleable and improvised response to the previous two.”

Books about language and style 

7. dreyer’s english by benjamin dreyer.

A staple book about writing well, Dreyer’s English serves as a one-stop guide to proper English, based on the knowledge that Dreyer — a senior copy editor at Random House — has accumulated throughout his career. From punctuation to tricky homophones, passive voice, and commas, the goal of these tools should be to facilitate effective communication of ideas and thoughts. Dreyer delivers this and then some, but not without its due dosage of humor and informative examples. 

From the book: “A good sentence, I find myself saying frequently, is one that the reader can follow from beginning to end, no matter how long it is, without having to double back in confusion because the writer misused or omitted a key piece of punctuation, chose a vague or misleading pronoun, or in some other way engaged in inadvertent misdirection.”

8. The Elements of Style (Illustrated) by William Strunk, Jr., E. B. White, and Maira Kalman

A perfect resource for visual learners, this illustrated edition of The Elements of Style has taken the classic style manual to a new, more accessible level but kept its main tenet intact: make every word tell. The written content by Strunk and White has long been referred to as an outline of the basic principles of style. Maira Kalman’s illustrations elevate the experience and make it a feast for both the mind and the eye. 

From the book: “A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”

9. Sin and Syntax by Constance Hale

If you’re looking to bring a bit of spunk into your writing, copy editor Constance Hale may hold the key . Whether you’re writing a work-related email or the next rap anthem, she has one goal: to make creative communication available to everyone by dispelling old writing myths and making every word count. Peppered with writing prompts and challenges, this book will have you itching to put pen to paper.

From the book: “Verbose is not a synonym for literary.”

10. The Sense of Style by Steven Pinker

Combining entertainment with intellectual pursuit, Pinker, a cognitive scientist and dictionary consultant, explores and rethinks language usage in the 21st century . With illustrative examples of both great and not-so-great linguistic constructions, Pinker breaks down the art of writing and gives a gentle but firm nudge in the right direction, towards coherent yet stylish prose. This is not a polemic on the decay of the English language, nor a recitation of pet peeves, but a thoughtful, challenging, and practical take on the science of communication. 

From the book: “Why is so much writing so bad, and how can we make it better? Is the English language being corrupted by texting and social media? Do the kids today even care about good writing—and why should we care?”

11. Eats, Shoots, & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

From the book: “A panda walks into a cafe. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air. "Why?" asks the confused waiter, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife annual and tosses it over his shoulder. "I'm a panda," he says, at the door. "Look it up." The waiter turns to the relevant entry and, sure enough, finds an explanation. Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.”

Books about story structure

12. save the cat by blake snyder.

Best known as a screenwriting manual, Save the Cat! is just as often named by authors as one of their most influential books about writing. The title comes from the tried-and-true trope of the protagonist doing something heroic in the first act (such as saving a cat) in order to win over the audience. Yes, it might sound trite to some — but others swear by its bulletproof beat sheet. More recently, there has been Save the Cat! Writes a Novel , which tailors its principles specifically to the literary crowd. (For a concise breakdown of the beat sheet, check this post out!)

From the book: “Because liking the person we go on a journey with is the single most important element in drawing us into the story.” 

13. The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne

Shawn Coyne is a veteran editor with over 25 years of publishing experience, and he knows exactly what works and what doesn’t in a story — indeed, he’s pretty much got it down to a science. The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know outlines Coyne’s original “Story Grid” evaluation technique, which both writers and editors can use to appraise, revise, and ultimately improve their writing (in order to get it ready for publication). Coyne and his friend Tim Grahl also co-host the acclaimed Story Grid podcast , another great resource for aspiring writers.

From the book: “The Story Grid is a tool with many applications. It pinpoints problems but does not emotionally abuse the writer… it is a tool to re-envision and resuscitate a seemingly irredeemable pile of paper stuck in an attack drawer, and it can inspire an original creation.”

14. Story Structure Architect by Victoria Schmidt

For those who find the idea of improvising utterly terrifying and prefer the security of structures, this book breaks down just about every kind of story structure you’ve ever heard of. Victoria Schmidt offers no less than fifty-five different creative paths for your story to follow — some of which are more unconventional, or outright outlandish than others. The level of detail here is pretty staggering: Schmidt goes into the various conflicts, subplots, and resolutions these different story structures entail — with plenty of concrete examples! Suffice to say that no matter what kind of story you’re writing, you’ll find a blueprint for it in Story Structure Architect .

From the book: “When you grow up in a Westernized culture, the traditional plot structure becomes so embedded in your subconscious that you may have to work hard to create a plot structure that deviates from it… Understand this and keep your mind open when reading [this book]. Just because a piece doesn’t conform to the model you are used to, does not make it bad or wrong.”

15. The Writer's Journey  by Christopher Vogler

Moving on, we hone in on the mythic structure. Vogler’s book, originally published in 1992, is now a modern classic of writing advice; though intended as a screenwriting textbook, its contents apply to any story of mythic proportions. In The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers , Vogler takes a page (literally) from Joseph Campbell’s Hero of a Thousand Faces to ruminate upon the most essential narrative structures and character archetypes of the writing craft. So if you’re thinking of drawing up an epic fantasy series full of those tropes we all know and love, this guide should be right up your alley.

From the book: “The Hero’s Journey is not an invention, but an observation. It is a recognition of a beautiful design… It’s difficult to avoid the sensation that the Hero’s Journey exists somewhere, somehow, as an external reality, a Platonic ideal form, a divine model. From this model, infinite and highly varied copies can be produced, each resonating with the essential spirit of the form.”

16. Story Genius by Lisa Cron

From the book: “We don't turn to story to escape reality. We turn to story to navigate reality.”

17. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

More than just a New York Times bestseller and the winner of the Booker Prize, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain is a distillation of the MFA class on Russian short stories that Saunders has been teaching. Breaking down narrative functions and why we become immersed in a story, this is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand and nurture our continued need for fiction.

From the book: “We’re going to enter seven fastidiously constructed scale models of the world, made for a specific purpose that our time maybe doesn’t fully endorse but that these writers accepted implicitly as the aim of art—namely, to ask the big questions, questions like, How are we supposed to be living down here? What were we put here to accomplish? What should we value? What is truth, anyway, and how might we recognize it?”

Books about overcoming obstacles as a writer

18. bird by bird by anne lamott .

Like Stephen King’s book about writing craft, this work from acclaimed novelist and nonfiction writer Anne Lamott also fuses elements of a memoir with invaluable advice on the writer’s journey. Particularly known for popularizing the concept of “shitty first drafts”, Bird by Bird was recently recommended by editor Jennifer Hartmann in her Reedsy Live webinar for its outlook take on book writing. She said, “This book does exactly what it says it will do: it teaches you to become a better writer. [Lamott] is funny and witty and very knowledgeable.”

From the book: “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft.”

19. Take Off Your Pants by Libbie Hawker 

From the book: “When it comes to the eternal quandary of pantsing or plotting, you can keep a foot in each camp. But if your goals will require you to write with speed and confidence, an effective outline will be your best friend.”

20. Writing into the Dark by Dean Wesley Smith 

And for those who eschew structure altogether, we’ll now refer you to this title from profile science fiction author Dean Wesley Smith . Having authored a number of official Star Trek novels, he definitely knows what he’s talking about when he encourages writers to go boldly into the unknown with an approach to writing books that doesn’t necessarily involve an elaborate plan. It might not be your action plan, but it can be a fresh perspective to get out of the occasional writer’s block .

From the book: “Imagine if every novel you picked up had a detailed outline of the entire plot… Would you read the novel after reading the outline? Chances are, no. What would be the point? You already know the journey the writer is going to take you on. So, as a writer, why do an outline and then have to spend all that time creating a book you already know?”

21. No Plot, No Problem by Chris Baty

If you’re procrastinating to the point where you haven’t even started your novel yet, NaNo founder Chris Baty is your guy! No Plot, No Problem is a “low-stress, high-velocity” guide to writing a novel in just 30 days (yup, it’s great prep for the NaNoWriMo challenge ). You’ll get tons of tips on how to survive this rigorous process, from taking advantage of your initial momentum to persisting through moments of doubt . Whether you’re participating in everyone’s favorite November write-a-thon or you just want to bang out a novel that’s been in your head forever, Baty will help you cross that elusive finish line.

From the book: “A rough draft is best written in the steam-cooker of an already busy life. If you have a million things to do, adding item number 1,000,001 is not such a big deal.”

22. The 90-Day Novel by Alan Watt

And for those who think 30 days is a bit too steam cooker-esque, there’s always Alan Watt’s more laid-back option. In The 90-Day Novel , Watt provides a unique three-part process to assist you with your writing. The first part provides assistance in developing your story’s premise, the second part helps you work through obstacles to execute it, and the third part is full of writing exercises to unlock the “primal forces” of your story — aka the energy that will invigorate your work and incite readers to devour it like popcorn at the movies.

From the book: “Why we write is as important as what we write. Grammar, punctuation, and syntax are fairly irrelevant in the first draft. Get the story down… fast. Get out of your head, so you can surprise yourself on the page.”

23. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

If you feel like you’re constantly in the trenches of your “inner creative battle,” The War of Art is the book for you. Pressfield emphasizes the importance of breaking down creative barriers — what he calls “Resistance” — in order to defeat your demons (i.e. procrastination, self-doubt, etc.) and fulfill your potential. Though some of his opinions are no doubt controversial (he makes repeated claims that almost anything can be procrastination, including going to the doctor), this book is the perfect remedy for prevaricating writers who need a little bit of tough love.

From the book: “Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.”

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Books about writing as a lifestyle and career

24. steal like an artist by austin kleon.

As Kleon notes in the first section of Steal Like an Artist , this title obviously doesn’t refer to plagiarism. Rather, it acknowledges that art cannot be created in a vacuum, and encourages writers (and all other artists) to be open and receptive to all sources of inspiration. By “stealing like an artist,” writers can construct stories that already have a baseline of familiarity for readers, but with new twists that keep them fresh and exciting .

From the book: “If we’re free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running away from it.”

25. Mouth Full of Blood by Toni Morrison

From the book: “A writer's life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity.”

26. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

No matter what stage you’re at in your writing career, Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones will help you write more skillfully and creatively. With suggestions, encouragement, and valuable advice on the many aspects of the writing craft, Goldberg doesn’t shy away from making the crucial connection between writing and adding value to your life. Covering a range of topics including taking notes of your initial thoughts, listening, overcoming doubt, choosing where to write, and the selection of your verbs, this guide has plenty to say about the minute details of writing, but excels at exploring the author life.

From the book: “Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.”

27. Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

What does it take to become a great author? According to the beloved writer Ray Bradbury , it takes zest, gusto, curiosity, as well as a spirit of adventure. Sharing his wisdom and experiences as one of the most prolific writers in America, Bradbury gives plenty of practical tips and tricks on how to develop ideas, find your voice, and create your own style in this thoughtful volume. In addition to that, this is also an insight into the life and mind of this prolific writer, and a celebration of the act of writing. 

From the book: “Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a land mine. The land mine is me. After the explosion, I spend the rest of the day putting the pieces back together. Now, it's your turn. Jump!”

28. The Kite and the String by Alice Mattison

One of the most common dilemmas an author faces is the struggle between spontaneity and control. Literary endeavors need those unexpected light-bulb moments, but a book will never be finished if you rely solely on inspiration. In The Kite and the String , Mattison has heard your cry for help and developed a guide for balancing these elements throughout the different stages of writing a novel or a memoir. Sure, there may be language and grammar rules that govern the way you write, but letting a bit of playfulness breathe life into your writing will see it take off to a whole new level. On the other hand, your writing routine, solitude, audience, and goal-setting will act as the strings that keep you from floating too far away. 

From the book: "Don’t make yourself miserable wishing for a kind of success that you wouldn’t enjoy if you had it."

29. How to Become a Successful Indie Author by Craig Martelle

This one’s for all the indie authors out there! Even if you’ve already self-published a book , you can still learn a lot from this guide by Craig Martelle , who has dozens of indie books — “over two and a half million words,” as he puts it — under his belt. With patience and expertise, Martelle walks you through everything you need to know: from developing your premise to perfecting your writing routine, to finally getting your work to the top of the Amazon charts.

From the book: “No matter where you are on your author journey, there’s always a new level you can reach. Roll up your sleeves, because it’s time to get to work.”

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30. How to Market a Book by Ricardo Fayet 

From the book: “Here’s the thing: authors don’t find readers; readers find books . [...] Marketing is not about selling your book to readers. It’s about getting readers to find it.”

31. Everybody Writes by Ann Handley

The full title of Handley’s all-inclusive book on writing is actually Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content — which should tell you something about its broad appeal. Not only does Handley have some great ideas on how to plan and produce a great story, but she also provides tips on general content writing, which comes in handy when it’s time to build your author platform or a mailing list to promote your book. As such, Everybody Writes is nothing like your other books on novel writing — it’ll make you see writing in a whole new light.

From the book: “In our world, many hold a notion that the ability to write, or write well, is a gift bestowed on a chosen few. That leaves us thinking there are two kinds of people: the writing haves — and the hapless, for whom writing well is a hopeless struggle, like trying to carve marble with a butter knife. But I don’t believe that, and neither should you.” 

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Books on writing poetry 

32. madness, rack, and honey by mary ruefle.

With a long history of crafting and lecturing about poetry, Ruefle invites the reader of Madness, Rack, and Honey to immerse themselves into its beauty and magic. In a powerful combination of lectures and musings, she expertly explores the mind and craft of writers while excavating the magical potential of poetry. Often a struggle between giving and taking, poetry is, according to Ruefle, a unique art form that reveals the innermost workings of the human heart.

From the book: “In one sense, reading is a great waste of time. In another sense, it is a great extension of time, a way for one person to live a thousand and one lives in a single lifespan, to watch the great impersonal universe at work again and again”

33. Threads by Sandeep Parmar, Nisha Ramayya, and Bhanu Kapil

If you’re looking for something that explores the philosophical aspects of writing, Threads asks big questions about writing and the position of the writer in an industry that has largely excluded marginalized voices. Where does the writer exist in relation to its text and, particularly in the case of poetry, who is the “I”? Examining the common white, British, male lens, this collection of short essays will make it hard for you not to critically consider your own perceptions and how they affect your writing process.

From the book: “It is impossible to consider the lyric without fully interrogating its inherent promise of universality, its coded whiteness.”

34. The Hatred of Poetry by Ben Lerner

Despite its eye-catching title, this short essay is actually a defense of poetry . Lerner begins with his own hatred of the art form, and then moves on to explore this love-hate dichotomy that actually doesn’t seem to be contradictory. Rather, such a multitude of emotions might be one of the reasons that writers and readers alike turn to it. With its ability to evoke feelings and responses through word-play and meter, poetry has often been misconceived as inaccessible and elitist; this is a call to change that perception. 

From the book: “All I ask the haters — and I, too, am one — is that they strive to perfect their contempt, even consider bringing it to bear on poems, where it will be deepened, not dispelled, and where, by creating a place for possibility and present absences (like unheard melodies), it might come to resemble love.”

35. Poemcrazy by Susan G. Wooldridge

If you’ve ever felt that the mysterious workings of poetry are out of your reach and expressly not for you, Wooldridge is here to tell you that anyone who wants to can write poetry . An experienced workshop leader, she will help you find your inner voice and to express it through the written word. Giving you advice on how to think, use your senses, and practice your writing, Wooldrige will have you putting down rhyme schemes before you know it. 

From the book: “Writing a poem is a form of listening, helping me discover what's wrong or frightening in my world as well as what delights me.”

36. Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison

From the book: “Don't be afraid to write crap — it makes the best fertilizer. The more of it you write, the better your chances are of growing something wonderful.”

Books about writing nonfiction

37. on writing well by william zinsser.

Going strong with its 30th-anniversary edition, On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction is an evergreen resource for nonfiction writers which breaks down the fundamental principles of written communication. As a bonus, the insights and guidelines in this book can certainly be applied to most forms of writing, from interviewing to camp-fire storytelling. Beyond giving tips on how to stay consistent in your writing and voice, how to edit, and how to avoid common pitfalls, Zinsser can also help you grow as a professional writer, strengthening your career and taking steps in a new direction. 

From the book: “Don’t try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience—every reader is a different person.”

38. Essays by Lydia Davis

Ironically enough, this rather lengthy book is a celebration of brevity. As one of the leading American voices in flash-fiction and short-form writing, Davis traces her literary roots and inspirations in essays on everything, ranging from the mastodonic work of Proust to minimalism. In both her translations and her own writing, she celebrates experimental writing that stretches the boundaries of language. Playing with the contrast between what is said and what is not, this collection of essays is another tool to the writing shed to help you feel and use the power of every word you write.

From the book: “Free yourself of your device, for at least certain hours of the day — or at the very least one hour. Learn to be alone, all alone, without people, and without a device that is turned on. Learn to experience the purity of that kind of concentration. Develop focus, learn to focus intently on one thing, uninterrupted, for a long time.”

39. Essayism by Brian Dillon

In this volume, Dillon explores the often overlooked genre of essay writing and its place in literature’s past, present, and future. He argues that essays are an “experiment in attention” but also highlights how and why certain essays have directly impacted the development of the cultural and political landscape, from the end of the Middle Ages until the present day. At its heart, despite its many forms, subject areas, and purposes, essayism has its root in self-exploration. Dip in and out of Dillon’s short texts to find inspiration for your own nonfiction writing.

From the book: “What exactly do I mean, even, by 'style'? Perhaps it is nothing but an urge, an aspiration, a clumsy access of admiration, a crush.”

40. Naked, Drunk, and Writing by Adair Lara

From the book: “Write it down. Whatever it is, write it down. Chip it into marble. Type it into Microsoft Word. Spell it out in seaweeds on the shore. We are each of us an endangered species, delicate as unicorns.”

With a few of these books in your arsenal, you’ll be penning perfect plots in no time! And if you’re interested in learning more about the editing process, check these books on editing out as well!

ZUrlocker says:

11/03/2019 – 19:46

I'm familiar with several of these books. But for new authors, I urge you caution. It is very tempting to read so many books about writing that you never get around to writing. (I did this successfully for many years!) So I will suggest paring it down to just two books: Stephen King on Writing and Blake Snyder Save the Cat. Snyder's book is mostly about screenwriting, so you could also consider Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. Best of luck!

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Elements of Creative Writing

J.D. Schraffenberger, University of Northern Iowa

Rachel Morgan, University of Northern Iowa

Grant Tracey, University of Northern Iowa

Copyright Year: 2023

ISBN 13: 9780915996179

Publisher: University of Northern Iowa

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Robert Moreira, Lecturer III, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 3/21/24

Unlike Starkey's CREATIVE WRITING: FOUR GENRES IN BRIEF, this textbook does not include a section on drama. read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Unlike Starkey's CREATIVE WRITING: FOUR GENRES IN BRIEF, this textbook does not include a section on drama.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

As far as I can tell, content is accurate, error free and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book is relevant and up-to-date.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is clear and easy to understand.

Consistency rating: 5

I would agree that the text is consistent in terms of terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 5

Text is modular, yes, but I would like to see the addition of a section on dramatic writing.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Topics are presented in logical, clear fashion.

Interface rating: 5

Navigation is good.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical issues that I could see.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

I'd like to see more diverse creative writing examples.

As I stated above, textbook is good except that it does not include a section on dramatic writing.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Chapter One: One Great Way to Write a Short Story
• Chapter Two: Plotting
• Chapter Three: Counterpointed Plotting
• Chapter Four: Show and Tell
• Chapter Five: Characterization and Method Writing
• Chapter Six: Character and Dialouge
• Chapter Seven: Setting, Stillness, and Voice
• Chapter Eight: Point of View
• Chapter Nine: Learning the Unwritten Rules
• Chapter One: A Poetry State of Mind
• Chapter Two: The Architecture of a Poem
• Chapter Three: Sound
• Chapter Four: Inspiration and Risk
• Chapter Five: Endings and Beginnings
• Chapter Six: Figurative Language
• Chapter Seven: Forms, Forms, Forms
• Chapter Eight: Go to the Image
• Chapter Nine: The Difficult Simplicity of Short Poems and Killing Darlings

Creative Nonfiction

• Chapter One: Creative Nonfiction and the Essay
• Chapter Two: Truth and Memory, Truth in Memory
• Chapter Three: Research and History
• Chapter Four: Writing Environments
• Chapter Five: Notes on Style
• Chapter Seven: Imagery and the Senses
• Chapter Eight: Writing the Body
• Chapter Nine: Forms

Back Matter

• Contributors
• North American Review Staff

Ancillary Material

• University of Northern Iowa

About the Book

This free and open access textbook introduces new writers to some basic elements of the craft of creative writing in the genres of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. The authors—Rachel Morgan, Jeremy Schraffenberger, and Grant Tracey—are editors of the North American Review, the oldest and one of the most well-regarded literary magazines in the United States. They’ve selected nearly all of the readings and examples (more than 60) from writing that has appeared in NAR pages over the years. Because they had a hand in publishing these pieces originally, their perspective as editors permeates this book. As such, they hope that even seasoned writers might gain insight into the aesthetics of the magazine as they analyze and discuss some reasons this work is so remarkable—and therefore teachable. This project was supported by NAR staff and funded via the UNI Textbook Equity Mini-Grant Program.

About the Contributors

J.D. Schraffenberger  is a professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa. He is the author of two books of poems,  Saint Joe's Passion  and  The Waxen Poor , and co-author with Martín Espada and Lauren Schmidt of  The Necessary Poetics of Atheism . His other work has appeared in  Best of Brevity ,  Best Creative Nonfiction ,  Notre Dame Review ,  Poetry East ,  Prairie Schooner , and elsewhere.

Rachel Morgan   is an instructor of English at the University of Northern Iowa. She is the author of the chapbook  Honey & Blood , Blood & Honey . Her work is included in the anthology  Fracture: Essays, Poems, and Stories on Fracking in American  and has appeared in the  Journal of American Medical Association ,  Boulevard ,  Prairie Schooner , and elsewhere.

Grant Tracey   author of three novels in the Hayden Fuller Mysteries ; the chapbook  Winsome  featuring cab driver Eddie Sands; and the story collection  Final Stanzas , is fiction editor of the  North American Review  and an English professor at the University of Northern Iowa, where he teaches film, modern drama, and creative writing. Nominated four times for a Pushcart Prize, he has published nearly fifty short stories and three previous collections. He has acted in over forty community theater productions and has published critical work on Samuel Fuller and James Cagney. He lives in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

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11 Best Creative Writing Books (Fiction & Non-Fiction Picks)

Writing is a craft, and like any craft, it requires practice. Aspiring writers need to hone their skills to express their ideas and imagination in a meaningful way. Creative writing books can be a great instrument in helping newbie writers grow and succeed. In this article, we will highlight the best creative writing books for aspiring writers, with fiction and non-fiction genres shown separately below.

Why Creative Writing Books Are Essential for Aspiring Writers

Aspiring writers sometimes struggle to find their voice and develop their skills. It’s essential to understand that writing is a lifelong learning process. Creative writing books can offer guidance and insights into the craft, providing an opportunity for writers to expand their knowledge and develop their skills. These books can help you learn writing techniques, inspire your creativity, and guide you through the publishing process.

Enhancing your writing skills

Have you ever read something and became mesmerized by the prose? Acclaimed authors have developed their writing skills through years of practice. Yet, with the right tools and guidance, aspiring authors can master these skills much faster. Some of the best creative writing books offer insights on grammar and style that can enhance your writing skills.

For example, sifting through “ The Elements of Style ” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White can help in grammar and guide you in using figures of speech appropriately. This classic book teaches you how to structure your sentences and essays, ideal for writers looking to add a polished finish to their writing skills. Similarly, “ On Writing Well ” by William Zinsser guides writers on how to develop their voice, rhythm, and flow – which are all vital elements in improving writing skills.

Another excellent book that can help you enhance your writing skills is “ Bird by Bird ” by Anne Lamott. This book is full of practical advice and exercises that can help you develop your writing skills. Lamott’s humorous and engaging style makes it an enjoyable read, making it easier to digest the information and apply it to your writing.

Expanding your imagination

Creative writing books not only help you develop your writing skills, but they can also expand your imagination, which is the heart of any great piece of writing. They allow you to explore different worlds and narratives, learn how to describe settings and characters, and master the art of symbolism and metaphor. A great example of a book that can help with this is “ Writing Down the Bones ” by Natalie Goldberg. In this book, Goldberg shares effective techniques to free your mind of any mental barriers and open up your imagination. Through her prompts and writing exercises, Goldberg encourages writers to explore their creative ideas and urges them to take their writing to new heights.

Another book that can help you expand your imagination is “ The Creative Habit ” by Twyla Tharp. Tharp is a renowned choreographer, but her book is not just for dancers. It’s a practical guide to cultivating creativity in any field, including writing. Tharp shares her methods for developing creative habits, such as setting aside time for creativity and finding inspiration in unexpected places.

Learning from the experts

One of the best ways to improve your writing is to read works from successful authors. However, in addition to reading books, you can also learn from the writers themselves by reading their experiences and insights on writing. Through their personal journeys, published writers can offer insight into the industry and what it takes to become a successful author.

For instance, the book “ The Writing Life ” by Annie Dillard delves into the raw and honest realities of being a writer. It’s a must-read for aspiring writers looking for inspiration and guidance, as Dillard offers a unique perspective on the craft of writing. Similarly, “ The Art of Memoir ” by Mary Karr details how to write vivid memoirs, with honest and sometimes painful hints of Karr’s own journey.

Another book that can offer insights into the publishing industry is “ On Writing” by Stephen King. In this memoir, King shares his journey to becoming a successful writer and offers practical advice on writing and publishing. King’s candid and straightforward approach makes it an entertaining and informative read.

Overall, creative writing books are essential for aspiring writers who want to develop their skills, expand their imagination, and learn from successful authors. With the right guidance and tools, you can improve your writing and take your craft to the next level.

Top Fiction Writing Books

Writing fiction is an art that requires skill, creativity, and dedication. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced writer, there are always ways to improve your craft. Reading books on writing can be a great way to gain new insights and techniques that can help you become a better writer. Here are the top 5 fiction writing books that every aspiring writer should read:

“On Writing” by Stephen King

“ On Writing ” by Stephen King is a must-read for any aspiring writer. King shares his personal journey as a writer, from his early struggles to his eventual success. He provides practical advice on everything from grammar and style to the importance of reading and revision. King’s candid and humorous writing style makes this book an enjoyable read that will leave you feeling inspired and motivated to write.

“Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott

In “ Bird by Bird ,” Anne Lamott offers a refreshing and honest perspective on the writing process. She emphasizes the importance of taking things one step at a time and encourages writers to embrace their imperfections. Lamott’s witty and relatable anecdotes will make you feel like you’re chatting with a friend who understands the struggles of being a writer.

“The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

“ The Elements of Style ” is a classic writing guide that has stood the test of time. Written by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White, this book offers practical advice on grammar, style, and usage. It’s a concise and easy-to-read guide that will help you improve your writing skills and make your prose more polished and professional.

“Writing Down the Bones” by Natalie Goldberg

If you’re looking for a book that will help you tap into your creativity, “ Writing Down the Bones ” is the perfect choice. Natalie Goldberg’s book is a collection of short essays that offer practical advice on writing and creativity. She encourages writers to let go of their inhibitions and write freely, without worrying about perfection. Goldberg’s exercises and prompts will help you develop a daily writing practice that can unlock your full creative potential.

“The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield

“ The War of Art ” is a book that every writer should read. Steven Pressfield’s book is a powerful manifesto on the creative process and the obstacles that writers face. He identifies the internal forces of resistance that can prevent writers from pursuing their dreams and offers practical advice on how to overcome them. Pressfield’s book is a call to action for writers who want to take their craft to the next level.

Reading these books will not only improve your writing skills but also provide you with the inspiration and motivation you need to keep writing. Remember, writing is a journey, and every step you take will bring you closer to your goal of becoming a successful writer.

Top Non-Fiction Writing Books

If you’re looking to improve your non-fiction writing skills, you’re in luck. There are many excellent books out there that can help you sharpen your craft and take your writing to the next level. Here are five of the best non-fiction writing books, each with its unique insights and tips.

“The Art of Memoir” by Mary Karr

“ The Art of Memoir ” by Mary Karr is a must-read for anyone interested in writing memoirs. Karr is a master of the genre, and she draws on her own experiences to provide invaluable guidance on how to craft compelling and vivid stories. In this book, Karr explores the dynamics of memory, the challenges of writing about real people, and the importance of honesty and vulnerability in memoir writing. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting, “The Art of Memoir” is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their memoir writing skills.

“The Writing Life” by Annie Dillard

“ The Writing Life ” by Annie Dillard is a classic book on the challenges and rewards of being a writer. Dillard shares her own experiences and insights, offering honest and encouraging guidance to anyone looking to make a career out of writing. In this book, Dillard explores the difficulties and struggles involved in the writing process, as well as the joys and rewards of creating something new. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced writer, “The Writing Life” is an inspiring and insightful read.

“On Writing Well” by William Zinsser

“ On Writing Well ” by William Zinsser is one of the best books out there on writing non-fiction. Zinsser lays out guidelines for clear, concise writing, using excellent examples and insights to help writers craft engaging and compelling pieces. In this book, Zinsser covers everything from grammar and syntax to style and voice, offering practical tips and advice for anyone looking to improve their non-fiction writing skills.

“The Right to Write” by Julia Cameron

“ The Right to Write ” by Julia Cameron is an excellent resource for anyone looking to develop a consistent writing habit. Cameron offers practical tips and exercises to help writers find their voice and develop their writing skills. In this book, Cameron explores the importance of cultivating a writing practice, overcoming writer’s block, and finding inspiration in everyday life. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced writer, “The Right to Write” is an inspiring and practical guide to the writing life.

“The Writer’s Journey” by Christopher Vogler

“ The Writer’s Journey ” by Christopher Vogler is an essential guide for anyone looking to craft engaging non-fiction. Vogler teaches writers how to develop character arcs, build tension, and create compelling stories that keep readers engaged from beginning to end. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a journalistic piece, or any other type of non-fiction, “The Writer’s Journey” is a valuable resource for learning the essential elements of storytelling.

So there you have it – five of the best non-fiction writing books on the market today. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced writer, these books offer invaluable insights and tips for improving your craft and taking your writing to the next level. So pick up a copy, start reading, and get ready to take your writing to new heights!

The Verdict

There you have it, the best creative writing books for aspiring writers out there. Whether you’re passionate about writing fiction or non-fiction, these books offer valuable tips and insights into how to approach the craft. These books aren’t magical solutions to becoming a writer but are incredibly useful aids in the ongoing process of developing your skills and finding your voice. Investing time in studying these books is worth it for anyone looking to grow and develop as a writer.

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By Kate Knibbs

How One Author Pushed the Limits of AI Copyright

Last October, I received an email with a hell of an opening line: “I fired a nuke at the US Copyright Office this morning.”

The message was from Elisa Shupe, a 60-year-old retired US Army veteran who had just filed a copyright registration for a novel she’d recently self-published. She’d used OpenAI's ChatGPT extensively while writing the book. Her application was an attempt to compel the US Copyright Office to overturn its policy on work made with AI, which generally requires would-be copyright holders to exclude machine-generated elements.

That initial shot didn’t detonate—a week later, the USCO rejected Shupe’s application—but she ultimately won out. The agency changed course earlier this month after Shupe appealed, granting her copyright registration for AI Machinations: Tangled Webs and Typed Words, a work of autofiction self-published on Amazon under the pen name Ellen Rae.

The novel draws from Shupe’s eventful life , including her advocacy for more inclusive gender recognition. Its registration provides a glimpse of how the USCO is grappling with artificial intelligence , especially as more people incorporate AI tools into creative work. It is among the first creative works to receive a copyright for the arrangement of AI-generated text.

“We’re seeing the Copyright Office struggling with where to draw the line,” intellectual property lawyer Erica Van Loon, a partner at Nixon Peabody, says. Shupe’s case highlights some of the nuances of that struggle—because the approval of her registration comes with a significant caveat.

The USCO’s notice granting Shupe copyright registration of her book does not recognize her as author of the whole text as is conventional for written works. Instead she is considered the author of the “selection, coordination, and arrangement of text generated by artificial intelligence.” This means no one can copy the book without permission, but the actual sentences and paragraphs themselves are not copyrighted and could theoretically be rearranged and republished as a different book.

The agency backdated the copyright registration to October 10, the day that Shupe originally attempted to register her work. It declined to comment on this story. “The Copyright Office does not comment on specific copyright registrations or pending applications for registration,” Nora Scheland, an agency spokesperson says. President Biden’s executive order on AI last fall asked the US Patent and Trademark Office to make recommendations on copyright and AI to the White House in consultation with the Copyright Office, including on the “scope of protection for works produced using AI.”

Although Shupe’s limited copyright registration is notable, she originally asked the USCO to open a more significant path to copyright recognition for AI-generated material. “I seek to copyright the AI-assisted and AI-generated material under an ADA exemption for my many disabilities,” she wrote in her original copyright application. Shupe believes fervently that she was only able to complete her book with the assistance of generative AI tools. She says she has been assessed as 100 percent disabled by the Department of Veterans Affairs and struggles to write due to cognitive impairment related to conditions including bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and a brain stem malformation.

Amanda Hoover

Andy Greenberg

Mark Andrews

She is proud of the finished work and sees working with a text generator as a different but no less worthwhile method of expressing thoughts. “You don't just hit ‘generate’ and get something worthy of publishing. That may come in the future, but we're still far from it,” she says, noting that she spent upwards of 14 hours a day working on her draft.

After her initial registration was refused, Shupe connected with Jonathan Askin, founder of the Brooklyn Law Incubator and Policy Clinic at Brooklyn Law School, which takes pro bono cases centered on emerging tech and policy questions. Askin and Brooklyn Law student Sofia Vescovo began working on Shupe’s case and filed an appeal with the USCO in January.

The appeal built on Shupe’s argument about her disabilities, saying she should be granted copyright because she used ChatGPT as an assistive technology to communicate, comparing her use of OpenAI’s chatbot to an amputee using a prosthetic leg. The appeal claimed that the USCO “discriminated against her because of her disability.”

The Brooklyn Law appeal also claimed that Shupe should be granted copyright for compiling the book—that is, doing the work of selecting and organizing the snippets of AI-generated text. It provided an exhaustive log of how Shupe prompted ChatGPT, showing the custom commands she created and the edits she made.

It includes a side-by-side comparison of the unedited machine output and the final version of Shupe’s book. On a sentence level, she adjusted almost every line in some way, from changes in word choice to structure. One example describing a character in the novel: “Mark eyed her, a complex mix of concern and annoyance evident in his gaze” becomes “Mark studied her, his gaze reflecting both worry and irritation.”

The appeal cites another recent AI copyright decision about the graphic novel Zarya and the Dawn , which incorporates AI-generated images created with Midjourney. In February 2023, author Kris Kashtanova was granted copyright to the selection and arrangement of AI-generated images in the text, even though they were denied copyright on the specific images themselves.

When the USCO granted Shupe’s request for copyright, it did not address the disability argument put forth but agreed with the appeal’s other argument. Shupe could be considered the author of “selection, coordination, and arrangement of text generated by artificial intelligence,” the agency wrote, backdating her copyright registration to October 10, 2023, the day that Shupe had originally attempted to register her work. That gives her authorship of the work overall, prohibiting unauthorized wholecloth reproduction of the entire book, but not copyright protection over the actual sentences of the novel.

“Overall, we are extremely satisfied,” says Vescovo. The team felt that copyrighting the book’s compilation would provide peace of mind against out-and-out reproduction of the work. “We really wanted to make sure we could get her this protection right now.” The Brooklyn Law team hope Shupe’s approval can serve as a blueprint for other people experimenting with AI text generation who want some copyright protection.

“I’m going to take this as a win for now,” Shupe says, even though she knows that “in some ways, it’s a compromise.” She maintains that the way she uses ChatGPT more closely resembles a collaboration than an automated output, and that she should be able to copyright the actual text of the book.

Matthew Sag, a professor of law and artificial intelligence at Emory University, calls what the USCO granted Shupe “thin copyright”—protection against full-fledged duplication of materials that doesn’t stop someone from rearranging the paragraphs into a different story. “This is the same kind of copyright you would get in an anthology of poetry that you didn’t write,” Sag says.

Erica Van Loon agrees. “It’s hard to imagine something more narrow,” she says.

Shupe is part of a larger movement to make copyright law friendlier to AI and the people who use it. The Copyright Office, which both administers the copyright registration system and advises Congress, the judiciary system, and other governmental agencies on copyright matters, plays a central role in determining how works that use AI are treated.

Although it continues to define authorship as an exclusively human endeavor , the USCO has demonstrated openness to registering works that incorporate AI elements. The USCO said in February that it has granted registration to over 100 works with AI incorporated; a search by WIRED found over 200 copyright registration applications explicitly disclosing AI elements, including books, songs, and visual artworks.

One such application came from Tyler Partin, who works for a chemical manufacturer. He recently registered a tongue-in-cheek song he created about a coworker, but excluded lyrics that he spun up using ChatGPT from his registration. Partin sees the text generator as a tool, but ultimately doesn’t think he should take credit for its output. Instead, he applied only for the music rather than the accompanying words. “I didn’t do that work,” he says.

But there are others who share Shupe’s perspective and agree with her mission, and believe that AI-generated materials should be registrable. Some high-profile attempts to register AI-generated artworks have resulted in USCO refusals, like artist Jason M. Allen’s effort to get his award-winning artwork Théâtre D’opéra Spatial copyrighted last year. AI researcher Stephen Thaler has been on a mission for years to prove that he should be entitled to copyright protections for a work made by the AI system he developed.

Thaler is currently appealing a ruling in the US last year that rebuffed his attempt to obtain copyright. Ryan Abbott, the lead attorney on the case, founded the Artificial Inventor Project , a group of intellectual property lawyers who file test cases seeking legal protections for AI-generated works.

Abbott is a supporter of Shupe’s mission, although he’s not a member of her legal team. He isn’t happy that the copyright registration excludes the AI-generated work itself. “We all see it as a very big problem,” he says.

Shupe and her legal helpers don’t have plans to push the ADA argument further by contesting the USCO’s decision, but it’s an issue that is far from settled. “The best path is probably to lobby Congress for an addition to the ADA statute,” says Askin. “There's a potential for us to draft some legislation or testimony to try to move Congress in that direction.”

Shupe’s qualified victory is still a significant marker in how the Copyright Office is grappling with what it means to be an author in the age of AI. She hopes going public with her efforts will reduce what she sees as a stigma against using AI as a creative tool. Her metaphorical nuke didn’t go off, but she has nonetheless advanced her cause. “I haven't been this excited since I unboxed a Commodore 64 back in the 1980s and, after a lot of noise, connected to a distant computer,” she says.

Updated 17-4-2024, 4:35 pm EDT: President Biden's executive order on AI last year asked the US Patent and Trademark office to make recommendations on copyright and AI in consultation with the Copyright Office, it did not ask the Copyright Office itself to make the recommendations.

Updated 18-4-2024, 9 am EDT: This piece has been updated to clarify Stephen Thaler's position on AI system copyright.

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Writer and podcaster Vanessa Rogers discusses the common misconceptions of fairy tales, folk tales, and folklore and how they are still impacting the modern literary world. ▬ Visit Fabric of Folklore and listen to the podcast: https://fabricoffolklore.com/ Check out the Fabric of Folklore on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabric_of_folklore/

• APR 17, 2024

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Author and project engineer Carina Steinbakk discusses the nuances of urban fantasy, how it compares to other fantasy subgenres, and her book "Flames of Eader." ▬ Visit Carina's website: https://www.carinasteinbakk.co.uk/ Get a copy of Flames of Eader: https://www.amazon.com/Flames-Eader-Carina-Steinbakk/dp/1800746768 Find Carina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carinasteinbakk/ https://www.instagram.com/flamesofeader/

• APR 14, 2024

261. What is Fantasy?

Author and podcaster Richie Billing talks all things fantasy--how it's defined, the sub genres, and what you should take into consideration about worldbuilding and the characters. ▬ Check out Richie's website: https://richiebilling.com/ Listen to The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed Podcast: https://richiebilling.com/the-fantasy-writers-toolshed-podcast Find Richie on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/richiebilling

• APR 10, 2024

260. Working with a Co Author

Author Lillah Lawson and Lauren Emily Whalen discuss the keys to successful co-authoring and their first co-author venture with their book Tomorrow and Tomorrow. We'd also like to congratulate Lillah on her nomination for the 2024 Georgia Author of the Year! https://www.authoroftheyear.org/2024-nominees **Note: There were some issues with the recording and compressing of today's audio, so we apologize in advance, but stick around for a riveting interview. ▬ Get Tomorrow and Tomorrow: https://www.amazon.com/Tomorrow-Lillah-Lawson/dp/B0CHKY1B29/ Follow Lauren and Lillah on Instagram: http://instagram.com/laurenemilywrites https://www.instagram.com/lillahlawson/?hl=en Visit Lillah and Lauren's Websites and Check Out Their Books: https://linktr.ee/laurenemilywrites Lillah Lawson – Author (wordpress.com) Find a Copy of Lauren's I Heart Jennifer Coolidge and Visit Lillah's Amazon: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/lauren-emily-whalen/i-heart-jennifer-coolidge/9780762486373/ https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lillah-Lawson/author/B00ZGWF2DM?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

• APR 3, 2024

259. How Minimalism is Linked to the Creative Process

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258. Editing Essentials #10: What is a Book Coach?

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• © 2024 Jennia D'Lima

Customer Reviews

Wonderful writing pod.

So informative and well done!

Wonderful conversations!!

Wayne is an incredible interviewer. He's well-researched and arrives prepared. Our chat flowed easily, and I enjoyed every moment of our discussion. Thank you for having me as a guest. I'm excited to return.

Great show!

I had the pleasure of being a guest on Wayne’s podcast and it was an absolute pleasure talking with him! I love the content in his show and believe it’s super helpful to budding writers and aspiring authors.

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How to Use Milanote as a Creative Writer

I f you’re the type of writer who plans their books or short stories ahead of time, make sure you check out Milanote, a versatile app that helps organize projects.

Here’s everything you need to know about Milanote’s tools for creative writers. See what’s available and try out the features that interest you the most.

What Is Milanote?

Milanote is a platform for planning projects. It's available online, but also as a desktop app , browser extension , and mobile app for Android and iOS .

You can work on your project from any device without missing a beat. And the platform has tools for more than writers. It’s great for designers, marketers, business owners, and more.

In other words, you can use Milanote to organize your whole career as an author, even combine it with other apps to boost your skills and prospects. For instance, practice creative writing on Story Shack’s Taleforge , while managing your book, publication, and marketing campaign.

1. Create a New Board

Milanote is a prime example of why creative writing apps are useful . After signing up as a writer, you gain access to your workspace. It’s a clean-cut grid surrounded by planning tools—plenty of room for your imagination to take shape.

To start a project, click on Board on the left-hand panel and drag your new addition into your grid. Double-click on the new board’s name to change it.

You can also connect boards with arrows and create a map. To do this, select a board. Then, click and drag the white dot that appears in the top-right corner.

Once set, bend the arrow, choose a different color, give it a label, change its thickness, or make it dashed. Play around with your options and make your book’s plan inspiring.

2. Choose a Creative Writing Template

Double-click on your new board to open it. You can start planning from scratch, but Milanote offers templates, too, specifically for writers.

If you don’t like your initial selection, click on More templates > Writing . You’ll get several options to choose from.

Novel Mood Board

You may just want to get a feel for your story. There’s a template that lets you create a mood board with pictures, videos, text, and files.

Brainstorming

You can then expand your mood board into a plan. Milanote starts you off with boxes and arrows that you fill in as necessary to help you specify what your story is about and where you’re going with it.

A big part of creative writing is doing research. Whether you need to know the history of a place, how to pilot a plane, or how to defend against a sword maneuver, note-taking is essential.

Milanote’s research template helps you keep everything in one place, complete with images, links, file uploads, and neat text boxes.

World-Building

To give your story texture and a convincing setting, it's important to give your fictional universe the attention it deserves. World-building apps on Android and iOS are handy, but sometimes you need a grander view of your book.

Try the world-building template on Milanote, where you can elaborate on your narrative’s places, people, history, maps, and anything else you want to add.

With this template, you can organize your whole novel on one board. You start with your inspiration, structure, and characters, not to mention a to-do list, images, and embedded boards. Make changes as you see fit.

Story Outline

The best plots take a lot of thought and planning, which Milanote’s outline template can help with. You can break down every milestone in your narrative and embellish it with text, images, and files.

Another app to consider as a creative writer is Novelist and its book planning tools , also available on both your browser and mobile device.

If you like following established structures, Milanote provides the space to lay out the best possible storyline. Just like the story outline template, the map asks for your narrative’s key moments, but it focuses on more generic concepts, such as the premise, stakes, core conflict, resolution, and lesson.

Three-Act Structure

A well-known layout for any story is the three-act structure. Milanote has a template specifically for this purpose. You get the three acts broken down with text, arrows, and other visuals to make your life as a creative writer easier and more exciting.

Character Profile

If you want to plan each character in depth, go for this template on Milanote. You could even connect the boards on your main grid and organize your cast’s relations.

The template’s default sections include the character’s picture, profile, backstory, characteristics, quirks, flaws, and arc.

Character Relationship Map

If you’d rather use your main grid to plan your overall project, not just your characters, use the relationship map template for a board dedicated to visualizing your full cast.

It lets you add everyone’s names and pictures. You can then connect them with arrows and labels. This is invaluable for a complex plot that completely depends on its characters.

3. Customize Your Template

Milanote provides a range of tools for writers to customize their boards. Here’s what you can do with them.

Edit the Template’s Details

Before clicking Use this template for the one you want, you can also tick the Keep example content box. Otherwise, Milanote will leave your template with blank fields.

Either way, you need to add your own content. So, go ahead and type in your text, upload images or files, and edit any other details the template comes with.

Add Relevant Boards

Your template might already contain its own boards, which you can rename and edit as normal. This gives your plan useful layers.

If something’s missing, the Board button is available here, too. Click and drag your new item into a pre-existing box or the background grid. And adjust the board’s details.

Add Other Features to Your Template

The sidebar offers several elements you can add to your project. We’ve already mentioned boards, images, videos, uploads, arrows, to-do lists, and links, but there’s a lot more.

You can also have different text boxes, columns, maps, sketches, audio files, and even color schemes. Depending on what kind of book you’re writing, your Milanote plan can reflect it completely.

Delete Items as Necessary

Anything you don’t like, you can easily remove. Just click and drag the item to the Trash icon.

Alternatively, right-click on the item and choose Delete from the menu. You’ll see many more available actions, including cutting or duplicating the item, changing its color, and converting it into a template.

The best way to really get to know Milanote’s capabilities is to try it out yourself for various projects.

4. Share, Export, or View Your Book's Plan as a Presentation

While inside a board, you can share it with people you want as editors. A read-only link is also available, which you can customize with enabled comments, downloads, passwords, and other features.

Your next option is to export the board. Choose between a PDF or PNG file, a linear document in a Word, markdown, or plain text format, or a ZIP file.

Finally, you can view your board as a full-screen presentation. Scroll through the whole plan and click on items to zoom in on them.

Master Milanote to Perfect Your Creative Writing

Milanote is easy to use and very versatile, so take advantage of its templates and tools. You can write, organize, and share your book with the help of this multifunctional app.

In the end, instead of a mess of papers and sticky notes, you can have a neat plan for your book on your computer and smartphone. This change can boost your confidence and productivity as a creative writer.

Even if it doesn’t suit you, don’t give up on digital tools. There are many services out there tailored to the creative writing process.

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Creative Writing For Dummies 1st Edition

There is a newer edition of this item:.

Creative Writing For Dummies covers:

Part I: Getting started

• Chapter 1: Can Everyone Write?
• Chapter 2: Getting into the Write Mind
• Chapter 3: Finding the Material to work with

Part II: The Elements of Creative Writing

• Chapter 4: Creating Characters
• Chapter 5: Discovering Dialogue
• Chapter 6: Who is telling the story?
• Chapter 7: Creating your own world
• Chapter 8: Plotting your way
• Chapter 9: Creating a Structure
• Chapter 10: Rewriting and editing

Part III: Different Kinds of Fiction Writing

• Chapter 11: Short stories
• Chapter 12: Novels
• Chapter 13: Writing for children
• Chapter 14: Plays
• Chapter 15: Screenplays
• Chapter 16: Poetry

Part IV: Different kinds of Non-fiction writing

• Chapter 17: Breaking into journalism - Writing articles/ magazine writing
• Chapter 18: Writing from life and autobiography
• Chapter 19: Embroidering the facts: Narrative non-fiction
• Chapter 20: Exploring the world from your armchair - Travel writing
• Chapter 21: Blogging – the new big thing

Part V: Finding an audience

• Chapter 22: Finding editors/ publishers/ agents
• Chapter 23: Becoming a professional

Part VI: Part of Tens

• Chapter 24: Ten top tips for writers
• Chapter 25: Ten ways to get noticed
• ISBN-10 0470742917
• ISBN-13 978-0470742914
• Edition 1st
• Publisher For Dummies
• Publication date January 1, 2012
• Language English
• Dimensions 7.75 x 0.75 x 9.75 inches
• Print length 386 pages
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

From the inside flap.

• Choose the writing genre that's best for you
• Develop believable characters and engaging stories
• Cherry-pick your life's material for non-fiction writing
• Find a publisher and make your way as a professional writer
• So, you want to be a writer – pick and choose between genres, gather the materials you need and develop the right routines
• He said what? When? – discover how to fit character, voice, dialogue and plot together
• Telling tales – differentiate between novels, novellas and short stories, write plays for the stage or screen, wax lyrical in poetry or dip into children's writing
• Matters of fact – blog about anything and everything, break into journalism, and let life stories, narrative non-fiction and travel writing leap off the page
• From pastime to profession – crack the world of publishing and go professional with your hobby
• Exactly where your writing talents lie
• Why you need to be a good reader to become a good writer
• What turns words on a page into sparkling conversation
• Ways to weave character, plot and structure together
• All the different sub-genres of novel-writing – from thrillers to chick-lit
• The secrets of successful blogging
• Editing tips that all writers can benefit from
• The inner workings of agencies and publishing houses

From the Back Cover

• Cherry-pick your life's material for non-fiction writing
• So, you want to be a writer – pick and choose between genres, gather the materials you need and develop the right routines
• He said what? When? – discover how to fit character, voice, dialogue and plot together
• Telling tales – differentiate between novels, novellas and short stories, write plays for the stage or screen, wax lyrical in poetry or dip into children's writing
• Matters of fact – blog about anything and everything, break into journalism, and let life stories, narrative non-fiction and travel writing leap off the page
• From pastime to profession – crack the world of publishing and go professional with your hobby
• All the different sub-genres of novel-writing – from thrillers to chick-lit

About the Author

Maggie Hamand is a novelist, non-fiction author and journalist. In 1998, Maggie founded the hugely successful Complete Creative Writing Course at the Groucho Club in London, and has been teaching there since: her students have included many published authors. She is the author of two novels, The Resurrection of the Body and The Rocket Man .

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ For Dummies; 1st edition (January 1, 2012)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 386 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0470742917
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0470742914
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.75 x 0.75 x 9.75 inches
• #11 in Creative Writing & Composition
• #279 in Fiction Writing Reference (Books)
• #1,906 in Unknown

About the author

Maggie hamand.

Maggie Hamand is a journalist, novelist and non-fiction author. She was the winner of the first World One-Day Novel Cup and her novel, "The Resurrection of the Body", was first published by Michael Joseph and has been optioned for film and television. She has also had short stories published and shortlisted for prizes. She taught creative writing at Morley College, was Writer in Residence at Holloway Prison, London and a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at London University of the Arts. She founded and was director of the acclaimed small independent publisher The Maia Press. She runs the Complete Creative Writing Course at The Groucho Club and has published "Creative Writing For Dummies" and "Creative Writing Exercises for Dummies". Her novels, "The Rocket Man" and "Dr Gavrilov", are now available as ebooks.

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The Creative Penn

Writing, self-publishing, book marketing, making a living with your writing

The Midlist Indie Author With T. Thorn Coyle

posted on April 22, 2024

Podcast: Download (Duration: 56:50 — 45.7MB)

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

How can you build a creative, sustainable career as a ‘mid-list' indie author? How can you design a business that works for you and your books over the long term? T. Thorn Coyle explains more in this episode.

In the intro, BookVault bespoke printing options ; Harper Collins partners with Eleven Labs for AI-narrated non-English audiobooks [ Publishing Perspectives ]; AI Publishing Formula Podcast ; Brave New Bookshelf Podcast ; “I’m not worried about AI, because I got my mojo working.” Stephen King ;

Today's show is sponsored by ProWritingAid, writing and editing software that goes way beyond just grammar and typo checking. With its detailed reports on how to improve your writing and integration with Scrivener, ProWritingAid will help you improve your book  before  you send it to an editor, agent or publisher. Check it out for free or get 25% off the premium edition at  www.ProWritingAid.com/joanna

This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at  Patreon.com/thecreativepenn  

T. Thorn Coyle is the author of paranormal mystery, urban fantasy, alt history, epic fantasy, as well as nonfiction around magical practice. Their latest book is The Midlist Indie Author Mindse t.

You can listen above or on  your favorite podcast app  or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. 

• What does it mean to be a mid-list author?
• How being weird can help you connect as more human
• Finding your sense of weird and letting it shine in your work
• Making marketing about connection and finding what works for you
• Marketing for Kickstarter in a short-term promotional window
• Tips for managing multiple Kickstarters per year
• Keeping readers engaged with your newsletter and social media
• Creating a tagline that portrays the message of your author business

You can find Thorn at ThornCoyle.com , and the Kickstarter for The Midlist Indie Author Mindset here.

Transcript of Interview with Thorn Coyle

Joanna: T. Thorn Coyle is the author of paranormal mystery, urban fantasy, alt history, epic fantasy, as well as nonfiction around magical practice. Their latest book is The Midlist Indie Author Mindset . So welcome back to the show, Thorn.

Thorn: Thanks so much. It's great to be back.

Joanna: Yes, I know. I had a look, and it's been six years since you were last on the show.

Thorn: That's a long time, especially in the indie publishing world.

Joanna: Yes. I mean, we're old school, which probably means we met like a decade ago!

Thorn: Yes, probably.

Joanna: Which is so funny. So let's assume people haven't listened to our episode from six years ago, and also, things have moved on.

Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing and publishing.

Thorn: Well, I was one of those people, you know, I've written since I was a tiny child, probably age five or six. I wrote poetry, I did journalism as a teenager, wrote for tattoo magazines in the 80s and 90s, and really wanted to write fiction.

I would practice writing fiction, and then I finally just gave up. I was the classic, I would labor over a short story for a year, and I would stall out three quarters into a novel.

I loved writing nonfiction also. That was easier for me, less of a challenge. So I got my first nonfiction major traditional publishing contract 20 years ago. I sold a book to Penguin, and I gave up fiction and focused on nonfiction, and traveling the world, and teaching for two decades.

Then fiction came back. Some characters showed up in my head one day, and I started writing fiction, and I started studying craft. Then I started seriously indie publishing, I decided I didn't want to go trad . My three first nonfiction books were all traditional published.

I didn't want to go traditional for fiction because I saw the struggles my friends were having with traditional publishing and my own struggles with traditional publishing. I started seriously indie publishing in 2017, and here we are today. I've got a big catalog now, and I just keep going.

Joanna: So what is a big catalog to you?

Thorn: I have probably, including short story collections, probably 30 books , which for me is a big catalog. I know for other people, that's a tiny catalog. It might even be more than 30 books now. I fail to keep track.

Joanna: I mean, it's also funny because you sounded slightly apologetic about 30 books, and I do this too. It's like, this is ridiculous because there are authors who write two books in their whole life!

Thorn: I know people like that. I certainly know a lot of traditional authors who only wrote a couple books. That's great, it's just a hard way to make a living.

Joanna: Yes, exactly. So let's get into the book, so The Midlist Indie Author Mindset . I feel like this word “midlist” probably means more in the traditional publishing world. So why don't we start with that.

What is the ‘mid-list,' and why use that concept? What does it mean?

Thorn: The reason I latched on to the concept of midlist—and you're right, it does come from traditional publishing. So I'll give a little background.

In traditional publishing, especially in like the 70s, 80s, and 90s, midlist authors were the bread-and-butter authors. They were middle class . They weren't best sellers, but they put out books people enjoyed year after year after year. They were the backbone of a lot of publishing for a long time.

So the bestsellers financed the non-sellers, the poor sellers, but the midlist just kept going, writing books people enjoyed . That slowly faded away as traditional publishing changed. It became harder and harder to make a living as kind of a middle class, midlist author.

The other thing about midlist authors is they had a big catalog because they just kept publishing year after year, usually genre fiction of some sort or another. They built up a catalog that people enjoyed, that in traditional publishing is called a backlist. We still use that terminology, but it's not really accurate for indie publishing.

In traditional publishing, frontlist is a brand-new book that they push for three months, that's what that means. Backlist is everything else. So we can just call it our catalog because as indie authors, we can relaunch. We can do whatever we want with all those books. They're not going to go away.

So I wanted to bring forth this concept of midlist into the indie world because so many people say, well, if I'm not making multiple six figures or seven figures, I'm a failure.

I believe it's possible for a lot of people to find ways to make a decent middle class living as writers.

It's a lot more attainable and sustainable than some of the tactics and techniques people use to grow to be multi-six, like high six-figure or seven-figure authors. It can feel discouraging, I think, to a lot of people when we see these success stories and think, well, I may as well win the lottery or get struck by lightning . That's how unattainable it feels.

I realized in my own life, I had to curtail some of my ambitions because of life circumstances. I realized what I really wanted was a slow, sustainable build and a long, sustainable career . If I can do it, I think a lot of people can do it.

Joanna: Yes, absolutely. The problem is the midlist is it's not a very sexy goal! It's not very catchy like, you know, six figure, seven figure.

As you say, it's more like the slow build, sustainable living, sustainable lifestyle, and things that actually give us a good life . Sometimes I feel like you have to be careful what you wish for. In the book, you talk a bit about your jet set lifestyle, you know, you used to travel a lot teaching. So what happened to that?

When did the romance disappear from that ‘jet set' lifestyle?

Thorn: So it was around 12 years ago that I really stopped wanting to travel all the time. I was traveling all over the world constantly, like, sometimes twice a month I was on an airplane.

It was wonderful. I met amazing people, I saw amazing places, and I was getting paid to do it. Unbeknownst to me, my undiagnosed chronic illness was getting worse, so that was starting to happen .

Also, I was just burning out. I was burning out on having to be this public figure, even though it was in a small sphere. I was burning out on the travel. I'll never forget, one time I came back from a trip, I crawled into bed, and said, “I'm done,” and I still had six months to a year's worth of trips booked.

So I just had to get through that time and then recalibrate and figure out what to do. That's when I did my major pivot. It also coincided when those characters showed up, and I started studying fiction again.

So yes, I burned out really badly, which I know a lot of people do and need to make career change. So I realized I still had those ambitions, and I took some of my ambitions into the indie writing sphere early on before I realized that was not going to be sustainable.

There were things people were doing that were all about the fast build. They were all about the spikes, you know, the huge income right away. I was trying to do that and failing, and I had to reassess and say, okay, what can I actually do? So I slowly figured it out for myself.

Joanna: Yes, and what do we want to do as well. It's interesting that the characters came back at the point at which you said you're kind of done with that life. So you opened up space in your mind for that.

I talked about this years ago when I made a decision to opt out of my career. I still had five more years of that IT consulting career, but I opted out of the career ladder. So I did what I needed to do to make the money and to do a good job for my boss, but I knew I was leaving.

That opened up the potential for what then came next. I feel like a lot of people don't realize that you almost need to make the space, like for you, for the characters to come back.

Thorn: Yes, and in the book, I talk about having a possibility mindset. That's what you're talking about.

Making space for what is possible, is really important.

It gets easy to just get on a hamster wheel and never just take a full breath and ponder, as you've said, what do I want? Not only what's right for me and what's sustainable or possible, but what does my heart want? What does my soul want? You know, what's interesting to me?

So I always try to invoke curiosity . I've invoked curiosity around writing fiction, but over the years, I've learned also to invoke curiosity about running a business.

That was my huge mindset shift.

When I decided to get curious about business instead of treating it like a loathsome, horrible task, it changed everything for me.

Joanna: Well, let's talk about that for a minute because I do remember having a conversation with you. I think we might even have talked about this on our last discussion on the show.

You're a strong activist, you have very strong principles, and money and capitalism were just things that you kind of hated. So you were pushing away money. Tell us how you got over that and how you reconciled this?

Thorn: I still don't like shareholder capitalism and the effects it has on the world, I can say that. For me, what I want to do is connect with people. That's always been my task as a creative. That's also my love as a business person.

So I need to run a sustainable business, and take interest in it, and figure out ways to engage with it in ways that are going to help me connect with people. That's all my business is.

I run a publishing company that's about connection.

So reframing that for myself, that it's not about who gets the most toys, it's about here's the world we live in, and what are my options for connecting with people and trying to make the world a more enjoyable, less horror-ridden place.

The other thing is, I'm always a proponent of culture change. One of the best ways to bring about culture change is capturing people's imaginations. So if I want to capture someone's imagination through my stories, I have to figure out a way to reach them with those stories, so I have to figure out how to run a business. So I think that's what helped me get curious.

Joanna: Yes, and I mean, to reach more readers, it's better to have a bigger engine in your business . I also remember you saying to me, “If I make a ton of money, I can always give it all away to causes that I care about.”

So that I think it's a really good reframe for people. It's to accept that if you make more money as an author, it's because you're selling more books, and you're reaching more people.

Thorn: Exactly, and people are excited about my books. People are excited about your books. People need fiction right now, and nonfiction too.

The world needs wonder. The world needs hope. If we can supply even a little bit of that for people, how awesome is that?

Joanna: Yes, and escapism as well. As we record this, I just binge watched the 3 Body Problem on Netflix, and I hadn't read the book. As soon as the series finished, I was like, right, I'm buying the book.

I learned today that The Three-Body Problem trilogy and Silent Spring , Rachel Carson's book, which they use in the series and is in his book, went to number one on Amazon because everyone's buying these books. I just thought that was brilliant, because again, it's such a resonant story at this time in history.

Like you say, these stories have power, and they connect minds. It's so powerful. I feel like sometimes we almost degrade writing fiction, like, oh, we should write something “more important” in inverted commas.

Thorn: That's also the great divide between high literary fiction and what we call genre fiction. We think, oh, my cozy paranormal mysteries are not important. Well, actually, my cozy paranormal mysteries are my best sellers because people need that escapism.

People need some comfort, you know. So why isn't comfort important? Why isn't enjoyment important?

I recently talked with author Meg Elison, and she really talks a lot about the importance of pleasure in life. I agree with her, we need pleasure. We need joy. Everything can't just be hard all the time because we won't make it through.

Joanna: Yes, absolutely. For me, going to bed with a book is still a big pleasure. Sometimes I'm just so tired, and I go to bed in the afternoon, and I'll read fiction. Other times I'll read nonfiction. I read your book on the plane coming back from 20 Books Seville. It's a great book.

I do want to come back to one point in the book. You say, “My readers love my work because I'm weird.” I talk about doubling down on being human , but I think it is easier said than done, especially in this world where there's a lot of advice around chasing tropes, or writing to market, or any of this.

How can authors find their own particular kind of weird and have the confidence to let it out into their work?

Thorn: Well, first of all, what comes most naturally to you? That's the main thing.

We often make the mistake that what comes most naturally to us, and what we really love and feels easier for us, isn't important. We think it's too ordinary, but what's ordinary for us, is extraordinary for something else. It feels ordinary to us because it's just part of us.

When we allow that voice to come forward, people respond to it because they're like, “Oh, that's an authentic voice. You're not putting something on. You're actually connecting with me, and I'm connecting with these characters.”

So I'll give you an example. I had been writing my alt history and kind of more serious urban fantasy, and I was in the middle of writing my epic action-adventure trilogy, and I needed a break. I had got a concussion and a brain injury.

I started writing my cozy paranormal mysteries, which are just bonkers. I did a Kickstarter for them, and I was very nervous because I thought, wow, this is really different and people aren't going to like it.

People came out of the woodwork to back that Kickstarter. My first reader for the cozy mysteries said, “Well, you know, cozy readers tend to be more traditional. They're not going to be into the fact that you have bisexual characters and transgender characters and all this stuff.” I thought, you know what — 

I'm just going to market this as cozy mysteries for freaks and geeks, because I like cozy mysteries, and I'm weird.

Clearly, now I realize, oh, other people who are weird also want the comfort of cozy mysteries. They're not all traditional readers, you know.

So I was told very clearly, cozy readers are traditional. I said, I don't care, these are the books I want to write. Lo and behold, they found readers. It might take a little more time, which is why I talk about the slow build in the book. It might take more time, but you're going to find your readers.

Joanna: I do want to comment on this, because you're a super strong person, and you're very clear on your freaks and geeks side and your visual brand.

Let's just speak to the people who might not be that strong in their knowledge of what their weird is. So what about people who don't have that strong sense of “what is my weird?” How do we find that? How do we tap into that?

Thorn: Again, you mentioned earlier, making space. If we make space for ourselves and listen to our heart and what's most interesting to us , rather than listening to the clamoring voices trying to tell us what we should be doing, that's the first way through.

It's just to pause, go for a walk, meditate, ponder for a while, and think, what am I actually drawn to? Not what the marketers are telling me I should be drawn to. That's how to find ourselves and find our path forward, I think.

It just starts with listening and making space to listen.

Joanna: Yes, and it is really hard. I mean, the world is super noisy. You could just spend your time endlessly scrolling whichever social media it is, or doom reading the news, or whatever, and then your brain is full of all those things that it thinks that it should be interested in. So where do you find it? I mean, maybe it is in the books you read when nobody's watching?

Thorn: Yes, yes. I think that's brilliant. What are your so-called guilty pleasures? Then put all that in your writing.

Joanna: I mean, it's interesting, because I mentioned the 3 Body Problem again. So I say I don't read sci-fi, because I'm like, I'm not into aliens. Then watching the 3 Body Problem, I don't know why I didn't realize this before, it's not about the aliens. It's about the humans.

Thorn: It always is.

Joanna: It always is. The thing is, I really like reading horror. People are like, oh, why do you like horror? And I'm like, well, it's not about the monsters, it's about the humans. It's all just exactly the same, isn't it?

Thorn: We're all just trying to make sense of the world in our own way . It doesn't matter what genre it comes through. I think the joy of writing is we get to figure out the world. We either get to try to figure out the world we live in already, or we try to figure out what world we want to live in.

Joanna: Yes, and write that into whatever alt-world you're doing. It is interesting. Well, let's come to the marketing because you said in the book—

“I figured out how I market, not how other people market.”

That has a similar sense of finding your own path. So just talk about some of the things you tried but failed on, and what does work for you?

Thorn: Well, I'll go back to that word “connection.” Figuring out that for me marketing is about connection was helpful.

Actually, you helped me with this years ago. We were at some conference, and you said, “Oh, Thorn is great at content marketing.” I went, “I am?” I had no clue because I was just doing what I was doing. It was natural to me. Then I went, oh, okay, that's content marketing. I post what's interesting, it's still related to my world, and that's how I market.

The things that didn't work for me were early on. First of all, I didn't have a big enough catalog to do advertising for, but everyone said you have to do advertising. So I was taking the Amazon ads and Facebook ads classes, and they didn't work for me . Turns out all that advice at the time was really only useful for people in Kindle Unlimited, but they weren't telling me that.

The other thing that never worked for me were like, Facebook group takeovers, newsletter swaps, because I don't write the kind of urban fantasy these other people are writing. So doing a newsletter swap isn't going to really work because I don't know if your readers are going to really like my books.

Now, I eventually figured out that certain kinds of advertising works for that. Like if I did a free first in series and did the paid newsletters , I wasn't trying to target other people's readers, I was just targeting people who said, oh, we want urban fantasy, or we want cozy mystery.

I don't have to bring my entire catalog to these people. I'm bringing them one series. Then if they find the rest of my catalog, that's great.

The other thing that didn't work for me was that spike marketing. Trying to do promo stacking and get the big spikes and hitlist and all that, it was never going to work for me. That was all feeding the beast. Even for the writers that was working for, I don't think it was a long-term strategy.

So I had to figure out my long-term strategy, which was, how do I connect with my readers? Well, I do that through my newsletter. I do that through how I use social media. I do that now through things like Kickstarter.

So, over the last eight years, I've built up enough goodwill with my readers that they are so happy to share my stuff now. It also means when I do any paid advertising, I'm strategic about it, and it works . I'm not just throwing spaghetti at a wall.

Joanna: Interesting. You said the spike marketing hasn't worked for you, but Kickstarter is a short-term promotional window. So how are you doing that?

What kind of marketing are you doing within the three weeks this Kickstarter will run?

Thorn: That is a great point. So spike marketing for wide retailers didn't work for me. Spike marketing for direct sales does work for me. So I've built up all this goodwill through how I use my newsletter and how I connect on social media, so whenever I go to run a Kickstarter, people are like, “We are sharing your Kickstarter everywhere. We're so excited that you're doing this. We're backing you up just because we like your work.”

So I do market those, but I do it in the regular ways I do everything else. I use my social media platforms and send out notices in my newsletter. I don't do anything special for my Kickstarter. It all is organic for me.

Joanna: It just has a time limit. So you're basically just sending out some newsletters, and obviously, you've been doing some podcast interviews like this one.

Are you running any paid ads for your Kickstarter?

Have you found them useful?

Thorn: I spend like $20 on each campaign.

Joanna: That doesn't count!

Thorn: So I don't I don't do paid marketing. Some people do. I don't, and my Kickstarter campaigns all do really well.

Joanna: So how many Kickstarter campaigns have you done now?

Thorn: This one will be my ninth.

Joanna: Okay. So what's the kind of tempo? Because obviously we're talking here about the life that people want to live and designing your business around that.

What's the tempo of your Kickstarters in a year? How do you manage the different releases?

Thorn: I do three a year, and three years seems to work for me. I thought I was going to do four this year, and it was way too much. Partially because I ran a big-for-me Kickstarter campaign last year that brought in like twenty-five grand. Since I'm doing it all myself, it was big.

I had trouble with my printer, so it took a lot longer to fulfill than I wanted. So I'm like, okay, I need to take the fourth Kickstarter off my plate this year because everything just got backed up business-wise.

Three a year works for me because this is my full-time job. For people I know who it's their part-time job, they run one a year. It's a great way to make money for covers, pay for editors, and build a new audience.

This is the other thing I love about Kickstarter. About half of my backers come directly from Kickstarter, which is awesome. Then about half come from my world .

Joanna: Yes, from your audience. So when I do Spear of Destiny , it will be my first fiction Kickstarter. I've done two nonfiction. well memoir and then the writing nonfiction. I'm doing it under the same name.

This will be my first thriller, and I feel like I'm going to have to have really low expectations because I've spent the last 12 years training my fiction readers to buy eBooks on Amazon, basically. Do you feel like if you start with fiction, particularly where that's where a lot of our readers come from—

Does it take a while to retrain your readers to want other things?

Thorn: No, my readers love Kickstarter. I mean, some of them are confused by it, especially some of my older readers, and I have to do a minor amount of hand holding. But, no.

If I do a regular book launch on wide retailers, maybe a couple people will share it, maybe some people will buy it if I don't do actual advertising. My Kickstarters, people know it's time limited. It's an event, and they're excited to participate, so it spreads.

My readers do my marketing for me. Then the Kickstarter algorithm kicks in, and it does my marketing for me. It's actually much easier for me than launching something into the void on Amazon or Apple.

Joanna: I'm quite excited to see how it goes.

I do want to ask you, because you've mentioned your chronic illness, brain injury, and you talk about health issues in your book. When we do a Kickstarter, you've got the Kickstarter timing. What happens if then something happens in your health that you just can't do it? Or like you said, things get backed up?

How are you managing your health issues with the ups and downs of being an author?

Thorn: Well, it might seem strange to talk about health issues in a business book, but it felt important to me because everyone has something going on in their life. That is why I love this question.

I pad a lot of time into my fulfillment . I make this mistake all the time where I set out my year's goals when I'm feeling good, and then when I'm not feeling good, I have to deal with those goals, and I have to reassess them and pivot and rewrite my production schedule. I do it all the time.

Joanna: Yes, me too.

Thorn: With Kickstarter, I've learned to build in extra time for fulfillment . So if you think it's going to take two months to fulfill, tell people you'll fulfill in three to four months. If you think you're going to fulfill in four months, tell people you're going to fulfill in six months.

Just add in space, give yourself grace, and then if you fulfill early, that's awesome.

With the campaign I just finished fulfilling, I just told people, “Hey, here's what's happening with the printer. I'm having these issues. We're working on it.”

I just kept in communication, and people were very kind and happy just to be communicated with. So I was about a month behind in fulfillment, which is not the end of the world.

Joanna: Yes, these are books at the end of the day.

Thorn: Yes, seriously. So just communicate with people . First, build in extra space and time, build in a buffer. Then communicate clearly. People are very happy to be supportive. Most people want to be kind.

Joanna: Yes, I agree. So just coming back to your newsletter because you talked there about communication, and earlier you talked about it as the fundamental aspect of your marketing.

What do you do in your newsletter? What do you send out to people?

Because I feel like this is something that many authors struggle with.

Thorn: So, I used to barely use my newsletter. Coming out of traditional publishing, I never used a newsletter. I think that's changed now.

I send out a weekly missive about what I'm thinking about. I post a photo I take on one of my walks and just whatever thoughts I have. Then at the end of this 300-word missive, I do a line break and a small ad of, you know, “Here's my latest podcast I'm on,” or “Here's this book that is on sale or has just launched,” or “Here's my Kickstarter.”

So people come back week after week, and they know what they're going to get from me is just some thoughts from Thorn. Enough people like that, that some people actually pay me for it even though it's a free newsletter.

Joanna: That's on Substack?

Thorn: I was on Substack for three years. I just recently switched to Beehiiv.

Joanna: Because of the Nazis?!

Thorn: Yes, because of the Nazis. I mean, it's unfortunate that Substack decided to make those choices. I think Substack is still a better platform, but Beehiiv is getting there rapidly. So I have great hope.

So that's another thing I changed. I used to try to be on ConvertKit and do all the automated sequences that everyone said were best practices for newsletters. Those work for a lot of people—oh, segment your email list, do these sequences.

That marketing never worked for me, ever. So it made putting out my newsletter a chore. I said, I'm going to stop paying for this, I'm going to go to this free service, and I'm going to strip it down and say, here's what I'm doing. Every week, I'm going to send out thoughts with a tiny ad.

That was a huge shift for me. I started that just over three years ago, and people responded. People love the newsletter, people share the newsletter on social media, people reply, people send me long, thoughtful comments. So, again, it was figuring out how marketing worked for me.

Joanna: That's interesting, because I do have two newsletter lists. Actually, when you were talking there, I realized that's what I do on this show. My introduction includes the things I'm thinking about.

Many people are still listening to your interview, but some people did just come for the introduction. So that's actually exactly what you just said. You're doing it in writing, I'm doing it with talking.

Thorn: Yes, and I just let it be simple. It's like, okay, here's 300 words. I can write that in 15-20 minutes. Here's a photo. It works for me, and it works for my readers.

Joanna: It's just being human. It's a connection, like you said. I think this is the point we talked about earlier, everyone's quite smart these days around seeing through when things are a gimmick or they're not real. I still think that being human and the human connection is important.

So, let's come to social media. Again, I think we used to exchange things on Twitter when it was Twitter. A lot of people have moved on from some platforms.

I know you're a super ethical person, so what are you doing with social media now?

Thorn: Well, first of all, we just all have to figure it out. We live in this world, and I am not judging people who are on various platforms.

Losing Twitter was a great loss. Twitter was actually my favorite platform. I've tried to get off of Facebook ever since I've been on it, but people won't leave Facebook. Maybe they will eventually, but that has not been my experience.

Joanna: When we all die. When the old people die.

Thorn: Yes, when all the old people die. So, very simply, I only use my public Facebook page. I don't use my private page, except to track a few author groups. I do one post, same post, Facebook and Instagram, every morning. Usually it's a photo and a thought.

I'm on Mastodon, which strangely enough, Mastodon has no algorithm. It is my best place to get marketing traction because people know I'm showing up, making posts, even if it's just one simple post a day.

Then when I post something marketing-related, it gets shared. I get more shares on Mastodon than anywhere else, even though it has no algorithm. Then I'm on Bluesky, which frankly, is useless to me.

Joanna: I did try and get on Threads, and it went toxic so fast.

Thorn: Threads is horrific. The comments. I'm like, oh, my gosh, the comments on Threads are awful.

Joanna: It's like all the toxicity from Twitter ended up on Threads.

Thorn: Yes, it did. It did.

My social media strategy is very simple. I do one simple post a day. Then I try to remember to occasionally do a marketing post.

Then when I'm running a Kickstarter, though, I do a more marketing-related post pretty much every day during my Kickstarter.

Since I'm not doing that constantly, people seem supportive of it. They're not always getting bombarded by “buy my book” from me. So they're really happy to support when I'm running a Kickstarter. They're really happy to do things like share my newsletter when I post my newsletter on social media, things like that.

Joanna: Again, you bring in the things you care about , and sometimes that is about protests, or art, or tattoos, or gender issues. I mean, you do just share quite all over the place, I think.

Thorn: I do. I try to be uplifting as much as possible . If I'm posting about something difficult, I always try to have a call to action that people can actually do. I'm not just on there complaining.

My rule for public discourse is I try to be signal and not noise. There's too much noise out there. So what is my signal that I'm trying to put out to reach people?

Yes, my presence can feel all over the map, and I have felt that about myself. Like, you know, buy my books, but I'm also talking about magic, but here's a flower that I saw on my walk, then here is this social justice thing that's happening. But truly, that's all me, and that is all in my books, too.

Joanna: That's the point I was trying to make. I didn't mean you were all over the place. I meant— You talk about all the things that go into your books.

Like you are political, and your books are political. So if people don't want to do politics then, you know, they're not your person, but people who love your politics will love your books. So I think that's what I was trying to get at. You are very, I hate the word authentic, but you are pretty authentic.

Thorn: I can't not be, which is why I just had to figure it out for myself. What's interesting to me is at this point in the indie author world, I'm hearing this from a lot more people.

A lot of people right now are reassessing how they've been marketing, and what they've been writing, and what they want their careers to look like.

I think as a whole in the indie author world, we're taking a step back right now and saying, how do we want to move forward? For me, it always just had to be, be myself.

When I first started publishing fiction, everyone said you need to do it under a pen name because you're going to pollute your Amazon also-boughts. I'm like, I don't care. I have spent decades building up goodwill with people with my name. I'm just going to write fiction under this name.

Well, lo and behold, Amazon also-boughts quickly went away. The Amazon algorithm changes every six months to a year.

Joanna: I think it changes every week.

Thorn: Probably. So people have figured out, oh, we can't just chase the algorithm anymore. It doesn't work long term.

So, I came up with a tagline for my author business, and it's, “ Magic is real, and justice is worth fighting for. ” So people know that's what they're going to get from me, no matter what I'm writing or talking about. A sense of magic and a sense of justice.

Joanna: A lot of people want a tagline. I have tried, and I think I've even asked you about this before as well. I still don't have a tagline. So I mean—

Did it take you a long time to get to that tagline, or has it always been very clear for you?

Thorn: It took me a little while, but it didn't take me that long. I just, again, paused and assessed and said, what do I think my through line is? What are the strongest threads in my work? What are the strongest threads I want to put out in the world? That's where it came from.

So, for you, I think you're really interested in human emotion. I think you're obviously interested in the shadow. You're interested in what makes us tick.

I think that also includes your author stuff. Your author books, over time, I think have grown to include more and more of your interest in human psychology and philosophy.

Joanna: Maybe that's part of it. You know, we're talking as two people who've been doing this a while now, and I feel like that's another thing.

Also around your book and talking about the slow growth, look, some of this stuff takes time. None of this appears overnight. I get people sometimes that are trying to figure all this out, and they haven't even finished their first book yet.

Thorn: Yes. Yes.

Joanna: So patience, I guess.

Thorn: Patience, and patience is hard. Every new writer wants to be an overnight success. The thing I'll tell you is I've seen people who have been overnight successes and that puts a lot of pressure on the work.

I think it makes it harder to build a long-term career for most people. You know, you start thinking, what if my next book isn't as good? What if people don't like it? Instead of just giving yourself the freedom.

Frankly, no one knowing who you are is a huge boon to your creativity because you can do whatever you want and find your voice over time and slowly build an audience over time.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch says we build our career one reader at a time . I think doubling down on that is helpful. I don't have to reach 100,000 people or even 1000 people. I want to reach one person. That's where it starts.

Joanna: Absolutely. Now there are loads of great tips and things in the book. It's really meaty. It's got lots in it.

Tell people about the Kickstarter, where they can find it, and when it's running.

Thorn: So the Kickstarter launches April 16, and it will run through the first part of May. I will have some checklists for midlist mindset changes. I will have some coaching options for people who really want to say, “Hey, how do I shift my mindset around this stuff? I'm struggling with this area of my writer business.”

So it's not going to be coaching around like specifics on marketing, it's all going to be mindset coaching. Then of course, I'll have the eBooks and print books and maybe some other surprises.

Joanna: Fantastic.

Where else can people find you online?

Thorn: ThornCoyle.com .

Joanna: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much for your time, Thorn. That was great.

Thorn: Thanks again for having me back on the show.

Reader Interactions

April 23, 2024 at 7:19 am

Yes! Loved this podcast episode. So many great takeaways including the fact that people NEED wonder, comfort, pleasure and joy in their lives. I also liked the reminders to embrace your weird self and that people do try to be kind. I will also take on board to always try to be uplifting and be ‘signal not noise’ in this highly distracted world.

April 23, 2024 at 11:51 am

Thanks, Julie, so glad it resonated 🙂

April 23, 2024 at 5:48 pm

Very interesting, especially re Kickstarter success and the need to keep in mind that it’s a long game… a very long game.

April 23, 2024 at 6:32 pm

It is indeed 🙂

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