Writing a bestseller is a huge challenge. Whether or not you have been involved with the book industry, you probably know already that most authors never make it big. It takes that special something to stand out in the crowd and make the difference. Here are some of the best books on how to write a bestseller. Keep in mind – it takes time, dedication and a good plan.
We collected the best books on writing on writing, publishing and marketing a bestselling book. We are focusing here mainly for self-publishers since the majority of new authors trying to publish their work themselves so we would like to support them.
We also put this list on Goodreads so others could also contribute to this list.
The Future of Book Publishing, by Joel Stafford
We all know that printed books will have limited presence in the future, but what exactly is waiting for the publishing industry?
Story driven live content, audiobooks or AI assisted publishing are all parts of the near future. Joel collected his thoughts about what phenomenon will turn this ever changing industry upside-down.
How AI will change the way we think about written content, how we will distinguish creative ideas from descriptive content. This very short idea collection non-fiction could hold interesting answer for the insiders of publishing industry.
Book Title Generator, by Scott Lorenz
Book Title Generator makes it obvious – no one will buy a book unless the title and cover will draw their attention. Fail to come up with a good title and your masterpiece will die (more or less).
In fact, many authors have managed to boost their sales after changing their titles. Whether it comes to idioms, numbers or alliteration ideas, Book Title Generator covers a series of ideas that will take a random book and turn it into a bestseller.
Scott is an excellent book marketer and he has a really good insight into the industry and what makes a book exceptional.
Mastering the Craft of Writing, by Stephen Wilbers
Mastering The Craft Of Writing is a valuable guide rich in detailed information – an amazing resource for every beginner writer out there and not only. There are a bunch of techniques explained, from writing with economy and emphasis in mind to distinction. There are 52 different techniques.
Spend a couple of weeks on each of them and chances are your writing will go to another level – it is only a matter of time until you can come up with a delight for your audience.
Keys To Great Writing, by Stephen Wilbers
Keys To Great Writing brings in a plethora of exercises and techniques for beginner writers to hone their capabilities. Whether you are into fiction or non-fiction, the techniques included in this book are practical and straightforward. You will find out how to get rid of wordiness, make an actual impression, engage the reader, build sentences for musicality, discover your purpose and use a point of view.
Each lesson comes with a few ideas to put into practice straight away. This is definitely one of the best books on writing out there.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print, by Renni Browne, Dave King
There are lots of books out there that aim to teach you how to write like a pro, but some of them can push you to another level. Self-Editing For Fiction Writers comes from two published authors with experience. You will discover a bunch of techniques in the industry that will turn a basic manuscript into a successful story. This second edition is updated to the latest trends in this industry and aims to teach you about exposition, dialogue and point of view, among many others.
On Writing Well, by William Zinsser
There is something special about On Writing Well. In a world where authors try their best to provide specific advice, William Zinsser does something different. His advice is perfect – straight to the point and easy to apply. The book is crystal clear and everything is written with a warm tone.
You will know everything you need to write about business, sports, science, places and so on.
Discover the principles you need to guide your writing career.
Successful Self-Publishing, by Joanna Penn
There are hundreds of books getting self-published on a daily basis. Only a few of them actually make it. Lots of authors ruin good manuscripts because there are plenty of options out there, but not all of them are suitable for your needs. Other authors spend a fortune getting published, only to end up broken hearted.
The author has a good reputation based on her bestselling books, so she definitely knows what she is talking about.
The Sense Of Style, by Steven Pinker
What makes a manuscript a masterpiece? What is the secret? Does writing even matter in an age of technology? Steven Pinker tackles a few different ideas in a stylish way. This book is suitable for writers, bloggers and not only. He underlines the necessity of good writing in terms of communication.
Whether you want to write a bestseller, enhance your communication or simply adding some beauty to your world, writing like a pro will change everything for you.
The First 100 Days of Your Book: Book Marketing for Self-Published Authors, by Joel Stafford
Joel is one of the new names of book marketing. He came from the world of SEO and introduced a completely new standpoint for book marketing. The author kills some myths in this industry. Social media is not the king. Golf marketing packages will not make the difference. Giveaways and free promotions will not always help. There are other things to make an impact with your book.
Joel is a practical author who tries to keep time wasting things away from himself – away from you too. There are no perfect strategies or marketing plans, but just simple steps that will push your book forward.
Writing Tools, by Roy Peter Clark
Roy Peter Clark aims to help those who can write well, but fail to become noticed. He has developed a bunch of tools to help journalists and writers make it. The vice president of the Poynter Institute has been an inspiration or thousands of journalists and teachers, so he has decided to share some of his work in this masterpiece.
The book covers all the basics, as well as more complex ideas to write like a professional.
Story Genius, by Lisa Cron
Every novelist has this fear. You spend hours and nights to write a book. You sweat and you wake up in the middle of the night to write down ideas, only to realize that your story has no logic and urgency. It needs to be rewritten. If you do a bit of homework, some so called coaches will recommend two ideas – plotting and pantsing.
Author Lisa Cron proves that they will never work – instead, she comes up with a more sustainable alternative based on many years of research. From a basic idea to a complete print, she will take you through all the steps needed to write a bestseller.
Best Books on Writing: Conclusion
As a short final conclusion, these are some of the most appreciated books on writing on how to write a bestseller. Recommended by actual bestsellers and written by people with many years of experience in this industry. We hope they will change your perception about book industry.