4 of the Best Books for Freelance Writers I've Read (And One I Haven't)

Doing a whole lot of writing is important for improving your skills and building up a portfolio. Reading is just as important.

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know I was writing fiction before I started writing marketing content. I still write fiction—and recently published my first novel—but these days I put a lot more time into freelance writing.

When I first decided to write fiction, a mentor lent me Stephen King’s On Writing, and it was the first book on the topic I read cover to cover.

There’s the writer I was before I read that book and the writer I became after. I might be due another read soon.

For freelance writers, there are tons of books that can be just as transformative. Here’s a quick list of some of the best ones I’ve read—I recommend adding them to your TBR list now.

5 best books for freelance writers

The Adweek Copywriting Handbook is one of the first books I read after starting my full-time content marketing gig—the one that got me into this whole writing mess in the first place. It’s a great place to start when you have no idea how to write persuasively (which is an essential skill for most freelance writers).

If you want to see what the book’s about before you get it, I’ve got my book notes here.

Here’s one I wish I’d read way earlier than I did. Nicolas Cole was a top writer on Quora, wrote for publications like Inc., and is otherwise a writer many of us can aspire to emulate. In The Art and Business of Online Writing, you’ll learn everything from how to write a strong headline to how to never run out of ideas for your blog.

I’ve got book notes for this one too.

If you want to write marketing content, you need to know the psychology behind persuasion. Webs of Influence is a bit more general (i.e. it’s not specifically about writing) but it’s got some great insights for writers. It’ll also make you a better collaborator when you need to work with designers and performance marketers.

Hey look at that I’ve got notes for this one as well.

The War of Art is a great read even if you don’t consider yourself an artist. If nothing else, the conceptualization of “resistance,” that thing that keeps you from actually sitting down to write, is a powerful tool for writers who want to beat writer’s block—which doesn’t actually exist.

I haven’t read this one yet, but it’s at the top of my list right now. I can guarantee that a great lead (or hook) is the best way to pull someone in and keep them reading. This is a skill every writer should master.

Your ability to read and retain information directly impacts your ability to write. It sharpens your respect for the power of language and gives you tools that’ll come in handy years into your career. I still quote some of these books almost daily, especially when helping out newer writers. Get all these books, pile them on your desk, and work your way through them, bit by bit, every day.

You’ll be amazed at how much progress you make.

Thanks for reading.