10 of the Best Books on Writing and Publishing
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As a writer, there’s really nothing I love more than books about writing. I enjoy reading craft books because I like learning from lots of different people. I like reading essay collections by writers because there’s nothing better than getting a glimpse into how an author I love makes their books. I reach for books about publishing because it’s a weird, often incomprehensible, and deeply flawed industry—which makes for great reading. I love reading anthologies of wisdom and insight from artists of all kinds, because, let’s face it, sometimes doing creative work gets lonely.
I know I’m not the only writer who loves reading about writing and publishing, so I’ve collected some of my favorite books on the subject. I veered away from the more popular how-to guides, and you’ll notice some classic writing books missing from the list as well. Instead, I’ve included books that approach writing and publishing from unique perspectives, books that blend craft lessons with memoir, and books that have changed the way I think about writing, revising, publishing, and the creative process more broadly. I reach for many of these books when I’m stuck—and I can’t think of a better endorsement than that.
How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee
This is my all-time favorite book about writing. It’s a memoir-in-essays, and Chee doesn’t exclusively focus on writing: there are essays on his childhood in Maine, growing roses, AIDS activism, and more. But even the essays that are ostensibly about something else are full of Chee’s wisdom and insight into what it means to be a writer. This book is vulnerable, generous, challenging, and moving. It’s the first recommendation out of my mouth whenever anyone asks me for a book to hand to new and aspiring writers.
1000 Words by Jami Attenberg
This book grew out of Jami Attenberg’s wonderful 1000 Words of Summer community initiative. Every June, thousands of writers from all over the world cheer each other on as they attempt to write 1000 words every day for two weeks. Each day during the event, Attenberg sends out an email with a letter from a different writer; this book collects many of those letters, along with Attenberg’s own advice and encouragement. You’ll find wisdom and inspiration from Carmen Maria Machado, Roxane Gay, Celeste Ng, and many more. Anyone who’s ever felt alone with their pen will appreciate this vibrant collection.
Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses
This book is a blend of craft lessons and a critique of the concept of “craft” itself. Salesses explores how definitions of craft, as well as the ways most writing workshops function, are set up to serve white men and no one else. So many of the craft ideas we’re taught are based in Western understandings of storytelling and rarely serve writers from marginalized communities. In this invigorating and inviting book, Salesses offers a different approach to workshopping that honors and celebrates diverse storytelling traditions.
Black Women Writers At Work edited by Claudia Tate
This seminal collection, first published in 1983, has long been out of print. Rereleased in 2023, with a new forward, it’s just as illuminating and important as it was 40 years ago. It includes interviews with luminaries such as Maya Angelou, Audre Lorde, Toni Morrison, Nikki Giovanni, among others. These poets, novelists, essayists, and playwrights discuss how and why they write, who they write for, the connections between their lives and work, and much more.
A People’s Guide to Publishing by Joe Biel
Book publishing can be a daunting field, and some of the books about it are equally daunting—long, dense, and full of details. This accessible, informal, and highly informative guide is a great place to start if you’re curious about the publishing industry. Joe Biel, founder of Microcosm Publishing, draws on 20+ years in the industry and shares everything you need to know to get started. His style is forthright and direct, and he’s great at explaining industry concepts in ways that make sense.
Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum
This is a fantastic, inviting guide to all aspects of the writing and publishing process. Author Courtney Maum answers loads of common questions about writing and publishing your first book. She also includes the words and wisdom of dozens of other authors and book professionals, including translators, editors, agents, film producers, activists, and others. It’s a lot of fun to read this cover to cover, but it’s also a great resource to refer to as needed.
Body Work by Melissa Febos
Febos is one of my favorite writers who writes about writing. In this slim book, Febos asks big questions about writing memoir: how and why do we tell intimate stories about our lives? How does the act of writing affect our non-writing lives and relationships? How are art, trauma, and experience connected? This is one of those rare craft books that has something for both writers and readers. Whoever you are, I promise you won’t look at memoir the same way again.
Book Wars by John Brookshire Thompson
If you’re looking for a book to help you understand the current state of publishing and how we got here, Book Wars is a must-read. Thompson offers an in-depth look at how technology has changed (and not changed) publishing over the last several decades. This is definitely history and analysis, rather than how-to, but it provides a lot of essential context for anyone interested in writing and publishing (and, of course, for readers).
How We Do It edited by Jericho Brown
There’s truly nothing better than learning from the masters. In this vibrant collection, Black writers working in diverse mediums reflect on their creative lives. A combination of interviews and essays, this book offers a beautiful, complicated tapestry of perspectives on the intersections of Blackness, art-making, language, history, and more. Contributors include Natasha Trethewey, Jamaica Kincaid, Carl Phillips, Jacqueline Woodson, and many others.
Never Say You Can’t Survive by Charlie Jane Anders
Writing doesn’t happen in a vacuum: writing and life are inextricably linked. This is a book about writing, and about creativity, and about living. Anders uses stories from her own creative life to examine how art-making, whether it’s writing stories or dreaming dreams, can hep get us through the hardest times. Funny, inspiring, and warm, this is a book for anyone interested in using art to imagine—and build—better futures.
Looking for more books about writing and publishing? Check out these books about writing, as well as this massive list of books about writing and the writing life. You might also be interested in these novels about publishing.
