12 Must-Have Books on Writing

Everybody has a list of best, or must-have, books on writing, and I’m no exception. My books may not make everyone’s list; however, they are the ones I turn to again and again and again. They have things to say and teach me no matter how many times I read them. They correct me when I get my priorities mixed up and go astray. They center me. They remind me that I’ve been made in a certain way and with a certain purpose.

Without further ado, my list of 12 must-have books on writing:

1. The Little Brown Handbook. Some people have Strunk and White; I have Little Brown. I’d probably be a Strunk person if that had been the book required for my first freshman writing class. It wasn’t, so here I am. I like the book because it not only has the usual grammar and punctuation rules but also several style guides.
2. Hey Whipple, Squeeze This. A must-have for the copywriter. It makes me laugh even as it teaches me.
3. Ogilvy on Advertising. Ogilvy breaks me of my big-word habit and reminds me that I’m not writing for myself, particularly when I’m writing for clients. Because of him, I’ve been able to say “hugely” even though it irks me. I can also start a sentence with a conjunction, and that is huge.
4. The Triggering Town. Richard Hugo is a long-time favorite. He was one of the first writers I read on the subject of writing poetry. His work can apply generally to writing; he says things like “write with what brings you the most satisfaction.” I like his view on editing: cross things out, violently.
5. The Writing Life. I read The Writing Life (Annie Dillard) around the same time I read The Triggering Town. Thank you, Dr. Fink, for giving me such wonderful writers/thinkers as a foundation for my own writing life. Dillard talks about using the ideas you have now—don’t hoard them, or they’ll turn to ash. She describes writing as a lion, too, which is a metaphor that comes up on this blog time and again. Now you know why. It’s Dillard’s fault.
6. Bird by Bird. Anne Lamott’s book likely makes most lists, but it deserves the placement. Her book is good, and sometimes, you do have to write bird by bird. You also have to force yourself to sit in the chair and write.
7. Letters to a Young Poet. Rilke offers encouragement and advice to any writer, not only poets. When he says, “Patience is all,” he’s right. The writing life, no, the creative life, is one of patience.
8. The Elements of Story. Flaherty comes from a journalism background. He’s good for finding new entry points into writing. I also like his advice on concrete details and visuals.
9. Wordsmithy. Douglas Wilson’s tips for the writing life differ from some of the usual. He gives advice on how and what to read. He wants you to be prepared for the writing and for the life of being a writer.
10. Breath for the Bones. If you haven’t heard me mention Luci Shaw’s book, you haven’t been hanging around long enough. I speak of her often. She journeys through the intertwining of life, art, and faith.
11. Walking on Water. L’Engle’s book is a necessary companion to Breath for the Bones. The two women have been friends for decades, and it shows in the way they think and write about things, not to mention how they call each other out in one another’s writing. Their works together are a beautiful portrait of friendship.
12. Art and the Bible. My list isn’t complete without Schaeffer’s slim volume. The work contains only two essays, but it’s a formative piece for what the Bible has to say about art. I suspect that some of the books waiting for me to read them will become accompaniments to his.

What are some of your must-have books on writing?