Books every writer should read

There are many wany we can improve our writing skills. Whether you get hooked on a great novel with all the twists and turns or pick up a 500-page reference book on how you can write better, reading a book will teach you something that will take your writing skills to the next level.

And that is where our list takes the spotlight. Here are 4 books every writer should read.

1. The Elements of Style

In order to be a skilled writer, you need to know and understand grammar basics as well as the rules of academic writing. Although it is still recommended not to stick to such rules every now and then, it’s still good to be conscious and understand why they exist in the first place.

Written by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White, this book entitled The Elements of Style is your practical guide on mastering the basics of English and having better writing skills. Here, you should be able to learn how to effectively communicate and create simple yet powerful phrases and sentences.

2. Such a Long Journey

Whether you are a novelist or an essay writer online working for academic writing companies, the structure is crucial to every book or essay as it determines the flow of the story. You can use the 4-story structure or the well-defined 3-act structure, or even make your own.

Whatever you choose, if you wish to fully understand or get an idea about different techniques, take a copy of the Such a Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry. Sure, this book may follow a standard structure; however, it also works with several storylines and subjects.

This book will surely teach you just how a strong structure can develop a complicated plot that piques your interest as well as creating compelling and intriguing characters.

3. Bird by Bird

A dull ax can’t cut down a tree.

Learning and mastering the basics about writing are essential to excel in the field itself. And with Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, she used her own personal experience with a witty tone in order to teach her readers all about the aspects of a writer’s life.

In her book, she provided a simple step-by-step instruction on how to write, how to start, and how to write dialogues and characters. Not only that, but she also inspires and encourages her readers to write as well as tips on how to handle a really ugly first draft, how to become a better writer, and how you can deal with mistakes or setbacks.

4. The God of Small Things

You may have perfect grammar and understand the basics of writing, but you need to improve your vocabulary. And one of the best books writers should read to broaden their vocabulary is Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things.

This book contains unusual words; thus, you might want to keep a dictionary nearby so you can quickly look up the questionable words. Being the winner of the 1997 Man Booker Prize, this book is notorious for its extravagant vocabulary and lavish usage of words.

You might stop reading every now and then to reach for your dictionary; however, this book is totally worth it!

5. The Shadow Lines

In every book, we take a look at the plot. It is essentially the life of the book. And while you may have figured out a great structure, a book is nothing without an addictive plot and sub-plots.

So, if you need some lessons in story plots, Amitav Ghosh offers you his book entitled The Shadow Lines. This book begins with a rather simple plot, evolving into multi-layered beautiful stories where locations and characters are given in great detail.