35 Books About Writing a Book With 11 Quick Takeaways

by | Mar 3, 2024 | On Writing, Uncategorized

author happy because he is reading books on writing a book

In this post, you’ll find 35 of the best books about writing a book.

Since you’re planning to write a book, this blog will be your one-stop-shop for research before you begin writing!  

As part of the research for my book, Nonfiction Alchemy, I interviewed writers, studied other books about writing a book, and relied on my experience as a writer of 7 books under my name and the experience I’ve gained from 3+ years of ghostwriting. 

Nonfiction Alchemy is about how to write a book, and it’s more than you need to get started. The best way to stay informed about its release is to sign up for my email list here (and you get a free report too!).

I read several of the books about writing books myself, and always recommend authors read similar books to theirs alongside the writing process.

Books teach you what you need to know, and they also highlight what you still need to learn. Read several of these books below and you will be ready to get started on your own book. 

*These are NOT books on writing. There are some wonderful books on writing (Zen in the Art of Writing, The Sense of Style, Bird by Bird, etc.), but that’s not what you’ll find here. These are books on the process of writing a book from start to finish. 

The Top 35 Books on Writing a Book

  1. Start Writing Your Book Today: A Step-by-Step Plan to Write Your Nonfiction Book, from First Draft to Finished Manuscript by Morgan Gist MacDonald
  2. The Influential Author: How and Why to Write, Publish, and Sell Nonfiction Books That Matter by Gregory Diehl
  3. How to Write a Nonfiction eBook in 21 Days – That Readers LOVE! by Steve Scott
  4. How to Write Non-Fiction: Turn Your Knowledge into Words by Joanna Penn
  5. How to Write a Book: An 11-Step Process to Build Habits, Stop Procrastinating, Fuel Self-Motivation, Quiet Your Inner Critic, Bust Through Writer’s Block & Let Your Creative Juices Flow by David Kadavy
  6. Publish Your Purpose: A Step-By-Step Guide to Write, Publish, and Grow Your Big Idea Kindle Edition by Jenn T. Grace 
  7. WRITE THAT BOOK ALREADY! A Proven Path to Write, Publish and Sell Your First Book in 30 Days: How to write and get published by Florence Igboayaka
  8. How to Write a Book: A Book for Anyone Who Has Never Written a Book (But Wants To) by Lauren Bingham
  9. Write a must read: Craft a Book That Changes Lives—Including Your Own by A. J. Harper 
  10.  Write Useful Books: A modern approach to designing and refining recommendable nonfiction by Rob Fitzpatrick
  11. How To Write Your Book Without The Fuss: The definitive guide to planning, writing and publishing your business or self-help book by Lucy McCarraher (Author), Joe Gregory (Author), Daniel Priestley (Foreword)
  12. How To Write Your First Book: Tips On How To Write Fiction & Non Fiction Books And Build Your Author Platform by Stefanie Newell (Author)  
  13. How to Write a Book:12 Simple Steps to Becoming an Author by Geoff Palmer
  14. Writing your Novel from Start to Finish by Joseph Bates
  15. How to Write a Damn Good Novel by James N. Frey
  16. The Writing Book: A practical guide for fiction writers by Kate Grenville
  17. “The Essential Guide to Writing a Novel: A Complete and Concise Manual for Fiction Writers” by James Thayer
  18. How to Write & Publish a Bestselling Book: My journey from firefighter to bestselling author, and how you can do it too!
  19. “Write Your Novel From The Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between” by James Scott Bell
  20. Write your Life Story in a Year: How to Write your Autobiography and Get it Published (How-To Books for Writers) by MV Frankland
  21. How To Write A Novel In 6 Months: A published author’s guide to writing a 50,000-word book in 24 weeks by Thomas Emson 
  22. How to Write a Book: Non-Fiction Book Writing Foundations by Jon Adams
  23. How to Write a Self-Help Book: Successful techniques for creating a guide that transforms your readers’ lives by Ginny Carter
  24. How to Write a Book: Taking the Plunge into Non-Fiction and Conquering Your New Writer Fears and Doubts (How to Write a Book) by Lauren Bingham
  25. How to Write Your Own Life Story: The Classic Guide for the Nonprofessional Writer by Lois Daniel
  26. How to write your first book: Publish the book you’ve always dreamed of in one month or less as a beginner by Isabella G
  27. How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method (Advanced Fiction Writing) by Randy Ingermanson
  28. The Nonfiction Book Publishing Plan: The Professional Guide to Profitable Self-Publishing by Stephanie Chandler and Karl W. Palachuk 
  29. How to Write a Book Without Going Crazy: Creative Writing, Self-Publishing (How to Write a Book Series) by Mike Reuther
  30. How To Write A Book For Beginners: How to Write a Great Non-Fiction Book In Under 7 Days! by Ryan Stephens
  31. How to Write a Children’s Book and Get It Published by Barbara Seuling
  32. How to Write A Book: Outline To Ending: How to Write Your First Book in 30 days Even if You Have a Full Time Job Or Don’t Have the Slightest Clue How to … outline your novel, how to write anything) by Amy Pendergrass
  33. Write Your First Nonfiction Book: A Primer for Aspiring Authors by Honoree Corder , Dino Marino, et al.
  34. How to Write a Book That Doesn’t Suck and Will Actually Sell: The Ultimate, No B.S. Guide to Writing a Kick-Ass Non-Fiction Book by Michael Rogan, Gregory Zarcone, et al.
  35. The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published: How to Write It, Sell It, and Market It . . . Successfully by Arielle Eckstut

11 Major Takeaways from These 35 Books

There is a lot we can learn from these books on writing a book. 

  1. Get started: You have to… Get started! You could read all these books on writing a book and become the world’s foremost expert. And yet, you would be no closer to writing your book. Get started today by writing your book outline. 
  2. You need a why: Morgan MacDonald, in her book, Start Writing Your Book Today says: “In my years as a writing coach, I’ve come to realize that starting the first draft often seems like it will be the hardest part, but it’s not. Convincing yourself that your book is worth all the sacrifice of time, energy, money, and everything else in life—that’s the hardest part of writing a book.” Understand why you want to write your book. This purpose will guide your writing process, help you connect with your audience, and keep you motivated through challenging times. 
  3. You are the expert in something: You know more about your area of expertise than others. In fact, the more you know, the harder it will be to explain to others. Write the book now before you get too good. 
  4. Focus on marketing from the beginning: Many of these books on writing a book highlight the value of marketing early in the process. It’s key to focus on who your audience is from the very beginning. Identify who your readers are and understand their needs, interests, and challenges to write a book that resonates and provides value.
  5. Embrace a writing routine that works for you: Consistency is key to progress, but it has to be to your design and doability. Set a regular writing schedule that fits into your life, even if it’s just spending every Sunday after for the next year writing your book. 
  6. Writing a book fast is possible, but take your time with it: Many of these books promise that you can write a book in X number of days. I wrote Volcanic Momentum in 3 weeks, so I know this is possible. However, I hesitate to say you SHOULD write a book this fast. Follow your energy and availability and push just past what you feel is possible. 
  7. Develop your unique voice: Your voice and perspective are what will set your book apart from all the rest. Be authentic and let your personality shine through your writing. Don’t be afraid to invent new words, share your wildest stories, and let your reader into your world. The best writers are those who don’t hold back and write from the heart. 
  8. Write a kick-ass title: The book’s title is more important than most people think. It’s the main keyword driver on search engines, and besides the book cover, it’s the primary eye-catcher for interested audiences. Your book title needs to be great. 
  9. Invest in professional editing and design: A professionally edited manuscript and a well-designed cover are crucial for making a good first impression. They significantly increase your book’s credibility and reader appeal.
  10. When you’re ready, seek, listen, and implement feedback: Seek feedback from trusted beta readers, editors, or writing groups. Constructive criticism is invaluable for improving your manuscript and refining your message.
  11. Create a launch plan that works for you: There are a million things you could do to launch your book. Choose 7-10 of the most focused strategies you feel good about, and do those. 

Good luck and happy reading!

-Jordan

PS: Overwhelmed by this whole process? Need someone to write your book for you? Let’s do it together. 

PPS: Here are some other books I missed and were brought to my attention through people in my network.