There is a lot of writing advice on the internet. I mean, I’ve written some of it myself. But, sometimes you need something a little more in-depth. That’s when it pays to get some books.

Plus, books are awesome.

Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White

This book is the new writer’s bible. There is no other tome that can make a writer improve his craft more than this slim book. In fact, this book could conceivably replace almost all secondary composition education.

I carry this book around with me at all times, and should one want to seriously pursue a writing career that is exactly what you should do. Sleep with it. Eat with it. It is your new best friend. E.B. White, of New Yorker and Charlotte’s Web fame, updated the book, and his insights in the beginning are a literary lesson on their own. A careful examination will illicit an education to any writer.

Simply put, this book gives you all the rules: capitalization, numbers, grammar, syntax, the very foundation upon which your journey to being a writer will be built.

My beat up, worn copy of The Elements of Style

My annotations of the Elements of Style

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

This is the other book that will propel you to success. Stephen King needs no introduction, as he is quite possibly the most famous author in the world, but this book gives insight into how that journey began. The first half is a memoir dedicated to King’s start and eventual success as a writer. It is enjoyable to read and it helps to know that even published writers struggled at the start.

The second half is the good stuff though. He shows exactly how one should craft a story. This is gold. One of the most interesting parts is when he revises a passage that he wrote, so the reader can see precisely how to do it.

I remember reading this part in college. It taught me more about writing than I ever learned from four years of studying English. It was like having the lights finally turned on.

Now get reading so you can get writing.