9 Best Novel Writing Books
We analyzed 5+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 9 best novel writing books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best Novel Writing books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best novel writing books" and study the top 5+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
9 Best Novel Writing Books
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On Writing
A Memoir of the Craft
Also recommended by
4 people
Jason Calacanis recommended this bookJason Calacanis
"Got me jazzed up about writing and reading more." - Jason Calacanis
Jason Calacanis's recommendation of this book 
Brian Koppelman recommended this bookBrian Koppelman
"Still the gold standard." - Brian Koppelman
Brian Koppelman's recommendation of this book 
Edgar Wright recommended this bookEdgar Wright
Edgar Wright recommended this book on Twitter.
Edgar Wright's recommendation of this book 
Russell Moore recommended this bookRussell Moore
"Really helpful." - Russell Moore
Russell Moore's recommendation of this book
Bird by Bird
Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Also recommended by
10 people
Tim Ferriss recommended this bookTim Ferriss
"Fantastic book." - Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss's recommendation of this book 
Daniel Pink recommended this bookDaniel Pink
"One of the greatest things ever." - Daniel Pink
Daniel Pink's recommendation of this book 
Susan Cain recommended this bookSusan Cain
"I love [this book]. Such a good book." - Susan Cain
Susan Cain's recommendation of this book 
Ryan Holiday recommended this bookRyan Holiday
"Ostensibly about the art of writing, but really it too is about life and how to tackle the problems, temptations and opportunities life throws at us." - Ryan Holiday
Ryan Holiday's recommendation of this book 
Matt Mullenweg recommended this bookMatt Mullenweg
"I love reading about writers and the process of writing." - Matt Mullenweg
Matt Mullenweg's recommendation of this book 
Ramit Sethi recommended this bookRamit Sethi
Ramit Sethi mentioned this book on "The Tim Ferriss Show" podcast.
Ramit Sethi's recommendation of this book +4
More recommendations
- Brian Koppelman
"Great." - Brian Koppelman
- Mark Bittman
"A really great writing book and it’s a good read." - Mark Bittman
- Mike Birbiglia
"I really like [this book]." - Mike Birbiglia
- Matt Haig
"My go-to gift or recommendation for anyone interested in writing, though it is as much a treatise on life as it is a creative-writing primer." - Matt Haig
- Brian Koppelman
On Writing Well
An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction
Also recommended by
4 people- Tim Ferriss recommended this book
Tim Ferriss
"I have read this book more than a dozen times, more often for thinking than for writing." - Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss's recommendation of this book - Matt Mullenweg recommended this book
Matt Mullenweg
"I love reading about writers and the process of writing." - Matt Mullenweg
Matt Mullenweg's recommendation of this book 
Derek Sivers recommended this bookDerek Sivers
"Great blunt advice about writing better non-fiction. So inspiring." - Derek Sivers
Derek Sivers's recommendation of this book 
Jodie Cook recommended this bookJodie Cook
"A fascinating exploration of writing for different genres." - Jodie Cook
Jodie Cook's recommendation of this book
The Elements of Style
Also recommended by
3 people
Tobi Lütke recommended this bookTobi Lütke
"[My] most frequently gifted book is [this book] because I like good writing." - Tobi Lütke
Tobi Lütke's recommendation of this book 
Kara Swisher recommended this bookKara Swisher
"I reread it every year. It’s a great book." - Kara Swisher
Kara Swisher's recommendation of this book 
Bill Nye recommended this bookBill Nye
"This is my guide. I accept that I’ll never write anything as good as the introductory essay by [the author]. It’s brilliant." - Bill Nye
Bill Nye's recommendation of this book
The Writing Life
Also recommended by
2 people
Patrick O'Shaughnessy recommended this bookPatrick O'Shaughnessy
"My favorite book about writing." - Patrick O'Shaughnessy
Patrick O'Shaughnessy's recommendation of this book - Russell Moore recommended this book
Russell Moore
"If you're one of those people gifted to writing, this will give you motivation." - Russell Moore
Russell Moore's recommendation of this book
Steal Like an Artist
10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
Also recommended by
1 person
Chase Jarvis recommended this bookChase Jarvis
"Super small, fast read." - Chase Jarvis
Chase Jarvis's recommendation of this book
The Forest for the Trees
An Editor's Advice to Writers
The Kick-Ass Writer
1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience
Zen in the Art of Writing
Essays on Creativity
Sources
- 1
Blog10 books to read before writing your novel
barnesandnoble.com
- 2
10 Best Books On Writing Fiction (2022)
becomeawritertoday.com
- 3
The 12 Best Books on Writing I've Ever Read - Jerry Jenkins
jerryjenkins.com
- 4
The 40 Best Books About Writing: A Reading List for Authors
blog.reedsy.com
- 5
Essential Books for Writing | The Center for Fiction
centerforfiction.org
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
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