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Language » Writing Books

The best books on creative writing, recommended by andrew cowan.

The professor of creative writing at UEA says Joseph Conrad got it right when he said that the sitting down is all. He chooses five books to help aspiring writers.

Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande

On Becoming a Novelist by John C. Gardner

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner

Worstward Ho by Samuel Beckett

1 Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande

2 on becoming a novelist by john c. gardner, 3 on writing: a memoir of the craft by stephen king, 4 the forest for the trees by betsy lerner, 5 worstward ho by samuel beckett.

How would you describe creative writing?

But because it is in academia there is all this paraphernalia that has to go with it. So you get credits for attending classes. You have to do supporting modules; you have to be assessed. If you are doing an undergraduate degree you have to follow a particular curriculum and only about a quarter of that will be creative writing and the rest will be in the canon of English literature . If you are doing a PhD you have to support whatever the creative element is with a critical element. So there are these ways in which academia disciplines writing and I think of that as Creative Writing with a capital C and a capital W. All of us who teach creative writing are doing it, in a sense, to support our writing, but it is also often at the expense of our writing. We give up quite a lot of time and mental energy and also, I think, imaginative and creative energy to teach.

Your first choice is Dorothea Brande’s Becoming a Writer , which for someone writing in 1934 sounds pretty forward thinking.

Because creative writing has now taken off and has become this very widespread academic discipline it is beginning to acquire its own canon of key works and key texts. This is one of the oldest of them. It’s a book that almost anyone who teaches creative writing will have read. They will probably have read it because some fundamentals are explained and I think the most important one is Brande’s sense of the creative writer being comprised of two people. One of them is the artist and the other is the critic.

Actually, Malcolm Bradbury who taught me at UEA, wrote the foreword to my edition of Becoming a Writer , and he talks about how Dorothea Brande was writing this book ‘in Freudian times’ – the 1930s in the States. And she does have this very Freudian idea of the writer as comprised of a child artist on the one hand, who is associated with spontaneity, unconscious processes, while on the other side there is the adult critic making very careful discriminations.

And did she think the adult critic hindered the child artist?

No. Her point is that the two have to work in harmony and in some way the writer has to achieve an effective balance between the two, which is often taken to mean that you allow the artist child free rein in the morning. So you just pour stuff on to the page in the morning when you are closest to the condition of sleep. The dream state for the writer is the one that is closest to the unconscious. And then in the afternoon you come back to your morning’s work with your critical head on and you consciously and objectively edit it. Lots of how-to-write books encourage writers to do it that way. It is also possible that you can just pour stuff on to the page for days on end as long as you come back to it eventually with a critical eye.

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Good! Your next book, John Gardner’s On Becoming a Novelist , is described as comfort food for the aspiring novelist.

This is another one of the classics. He was quite a successful novelist in the States, but possibly an even more successful teacher of creative writing. The short story writer and poet Raymond Carver, for instance, was one of his students. And he died young in a motorcycle accident when he was 49. There are two classic works by him. One is this book, On Becoming a Novelist , and the other is The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers . They were both put together from his teaching notes after he died.

On Becoming a Novelist  is the more succinct and, I think, is the better of the two. He talks about automatic writing and the idea, just like Dorothea Brande, of the artist being comprised of two people. But his key idea is the notion of the vivid and continuous dream. He suggests that when we read a novel we submit to the logic of that novel in the same way as we might submit to the logic of a dream – we sink into it, and clearly the events that occur could not exist outside the imagination.

What makes student writing in particular go wrong is when it draws attention to itself, either through bad writing or over-elaborate writing. He suggests that these faults in the aspirant writer alert the reader to the fact that they are reading a fiction and it is a bit like giving someone who is dreaming a nudge. It jolts them out of the dream. So he proposes that the student writer should try to create a dream state in the reader that is vivid and appeals to all the senses and is continuous. What you mustn’t do is alert the reader to the fact that they are reading a fiction.

It is a very good piece of advice for writers starting out but it is ultimately very limiting. It rules out all the great works of modernism and post-modernism, anything which is linguistically experimental. It rules out anything which draws attention to the words as words on a page. It’s a piece of advice which really applies to the writing of realist fiction, but is a very good place from which to begin.

And then people can move on.

I never would have expected the master of terror Stephen King to write a book about writing. But your next choice, On Writing , is more of an autobiography .

Yes. It is a surprise to a lot of people that this book is so widely read on university campuses and so widely recommended by teachers of writing. Students love it. It’s bracing: there’s no nonsense. He says somewhere in the foreword or preface that it is a short book because most books are filled with bullshit and he is determined not to offer bullshit but to tell it like it is.

It is autobiographical. It describes his struggle to emerge from his addictions – to alcohol and drugs – and he talks about how he managed to pull himself and his family out of poverty and the dead end into which he had taken them. He comes from a very disadvantaged background and through sheer hard work and determination he becomes this worldwide bestselling author. This is partly because of his idea of the creative muse. Most people think of this as some sprite or fairy that is usually feminine and flutters about your head offering inspiration. His idea of the muse is ‘a basement guy’, as he calls him, who is grumpy and turns up smoking a cigar. You have to be down in the basement every day clocking in to do your shift if you want to meet the basement guy.

Stephen King has this attitude that if you are going to be a writer you need to keep going and accept that quite a lot of what you produce is going to be rubbish and then you are going to revise it and keep working at it.

Do you agree with him?

He sounds inspirational. Your next book, Betsy Lerner’s The Forest for the Trees , looks at things from the editor’s point of view.

Yes, she was an editor at several major American publishing houses, such as Simon & Schuster. She went on to become an agent, and also did an MFA in poetry before that, so she came through the US creative writing process and understands where many writers are coming from.

The book is divided into two halves. In the second half she describes the process that goes from the completion of the author’s manuscript to submitting it to agents and editors. She explains what goes on at the agent’s offices and the publisher’s offices. She talks about the drawing up of contracts, negotiating advances and royalties. So she takes the manuscript from the author’s hands, all the way through the publishing process to its appearance in bookshops. She describes that from an insider’s point of view, which is hugely interesting.

But the reason I like this book is for the first half of it, which is very different. Here she offers six chapters, each of which is a character sketch of a different type of author. She has met each of them and so although she doesn’t mention names you feel she is revealing something to you about authors whose books you may have read. She describes six classic personality types. She has the ambivalent writer, the natural, the wicked child, the self-promoter, the neurotic and a chapter called ‘Touching Fire’, which is about the addictive and the mentally unstable.

Your final choice is Worstward Ho by Samuel Beckett .

This is a tiny book – it is only about 40 pages and it has got these massive white margins and really large type. I haven’t counted, but I would guess it is only about two to three thousand words and it is dressed up as a novella when it is really only a short story. On the first page there is this riff: ‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.’

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When I read this I thought I had discovered a slogan for the classroom that I could share with my students. I want to encourage them to make mistakes and not to be perfectionists, not to feel that everything they do has to be of publishable standard. The whole point of doing a course, especially a creative writing MA and attending workshops, is that you can treat the course as a sandpit. You go in there, you try things out which otherwise you wouldn’t try, and then you submit it to the scrutiny of your classmates and you get feedback. Inevitably there will be things that don’t work and your classmates will help you to identify those so that you can take it away and redraft it – you can try again. And inevitably you are going to fail again because any artistic endeavour is doomed to failure because the achievement can never match the ambition. That’s why artists keep producing their art and writers keep writing, because the thing you did last just didn’t quite satisfy you, just wasn’t quite right. And you keep going and trying to improve on that.

But why, when so much of it is about failing – failing to get published, failing to be satisfied, failing to be inspired – do writers carry on?

I have a really good quote from Joseph Conrad in which he says the sitting down is all. He spends eight hours at his desk, trying to write, failing to write, foaming at the mouth, and in the end wanting to hit his head on the wall but refraining from that for fear of alarming his wife!

It’s a familiar situation; lots of writers will have been there. For me it is a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is something I have to keep returning to. I have to keep going back to the sentences, trying to get them right. Trying to line them up correctly. I can’t let them go. It is endlessly frustrating because they are never quite right.

You have published four books. Are you happy with them?

Reasonably happy. Once they are done and gone I can relax and feel a little bit proud of them. But at the time I just experience agonies. It takes me ages. It takes me four or five years to finish a novel partly because I always find distractions – like working in academia – something that will keep me away from the writing, which is equally as unrewarding as it is rewarding!

September 27, 2012

Five Books aims to keep its book recommendations and interviews up to date. If you are the interviewee and would like to update your choice of books (or even just what you say about them) please email us at [email protected]

Andrew Cowan

Andrew Cowan is Professor of Creative Writing and Director of the Creative Writing programme at UEA. His first novel, Pig , won the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, the Betty Trask Award, the Ruth Hadden Memorial Prize, the Author’s Club First Novel Award and a Scottish Council Book Award. He is also the author of the novels Common Ground , Crustaceans ,  What I Know  and  Worthless Men . His own creative writing guidebook is  The  Art  of  Writing  Fiction .

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10 Best Creative Writing Books to Read in 2023

Introduction:.

The world of creative writing possesses an extraordinary ability to unleash imagination, craft narratives, and evoke emotions that resonate with readers. Whether you're an aspiring writer or simply someone who appreciates the art of storytelling, consider Oxford Summer Courses. Embark on a transformative journey through our Creative Writing summer school, where you will have the opportunity to explore the art of crafting compelling narratives, experimenting with various writing styles, and honing your literary skills.

Disclaimer:

Please note that the following list of books is recommended reading to broaden your knowledge and deepen your appreciation of creative writing and literature. While some of these books may be included in the Oxford Summer Courses curriculum, the specific content of the summer school can vary. If you wish to study these subjects with us, you can apply to our Creative Writing summer school.

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive helpful tips, tutorials, and thought-provoking articles that can inform and inspire your creative writing journey at Oxford Summer Courses. Sign up here.

1. On Writing, by Stephen King

• "Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work."
• Published in 2000, "On Writing" by Stephen King is a masterclass in the craft of storytelling. It combines King's personal journey as a writer with practical advice on honing your writing skills during your time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can Stephen King's advice on discipline and the writing process benefit aspiring writers at Oxford Summer Courses today?

2. Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott

• "Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere."
• Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird" is an encouraging guide for writers facing the daunting task of putting words on the page. Through humor and personal anecdotes, she offers valuable insights into the writing process during your Creative Writing summer school at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How does Lamott's emphasis on "shitty first drafts" resonate with your own experiences as a writer at Oxford Summer Courses?

3. The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

• "Omit needless words."
• A timeless classic, "The Elements of Style" is a concise guide to writing well. It provides essential rules of grammar and composition that every writer should know, especially during their time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How do the principles outlined in "The Elements of Style" apply to various forms of creative writing, from fiction to poetry, at Oxford Summer Courses?

4. The story, by Robert McKee

• "Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact."
• Robert McKee's "Story" is a comprehensive exploration of the principles behind effective storytelling. It's a must-read for anyone looking to understand the structure and elements of compelling narratives during their time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can the insights from "Story" enhance your ability to construct engaging and impactful stories during your Creative Writing summer school at Oxford Summer Courses?

5. Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert

• "Do whatever brings you to life, then. Follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart."
• In "Big Magic," Elizabeth Gilbert delves into the creative process and encourages writers to embrace their creativity with courage and curiosity, a valuable lesson during your time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can Gilbert's philosophy on creativity inspire you to approach your writing with a sense of wonder and daring at Oxford Summer Courses?

6. The Art of Fiction, by John Gardner

• "Fiction seeks out truth. The writer has to go into the dark, quiet spaces of himself and feel around for the truth."
• John Gardner's "The Art of Fiction" offers profound insights into the art and craft of writing fiction. It explores the intricacies of character development, plot, and the writer's role in conveying truth through storytelling during your Creative Writing summer school at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can Gardner's exploration of truth in fiction inform your own creative writing endeavors at Oxford Summer Courses?

7. Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg

• "Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open."
• Natalie Goldberg's "Writing Down the Bones" is a meditative guide to writing practice. It encourages writers to tap into their innermost thoughts and emotions during their Creative Writing summer school at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can Goldberg's approach to writing as a form of meditation help you access deeper layers of creativity in your work at Oxford Summer Courses?

8. The Elements of Eloquence, by Mark Forsyth

• "Rhetoric is the art of dressing up some unimportant matter to fool the audience for the moment."
• "The Elements of Eloquence" explores the art of rhetoric and language play. Mark Forsyth's witty and informative book will inspire you to experiment with language in your writing during your time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can a deeper understanding of rhetorical devices enhance your ability to craft persuasive and evocative prose at Oxford Summer Courses?

9. Zen in the Art of Writing, by Ray Bradbury

• "Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a landmine. The landmine is me. After the explosion, I spent the rest of the day putting the pieces together."
• Ray Bradbury's "Zen in the Art of Writing" is a collection of essays that celebrate the joy and passion of writing. Bradbury shares his insights on creativity and the writing life during your Creative Writing summer school at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can Bradbury's enthusiasm for writing infuse your own creative process with energy and purpose at Oxford Summer Courses?

10. The Nighttime Novelist, by Joseph Bates

• "Writing is an exploration of the heart."
• "The Nighttime Novelist" by Joseph Bates is a practical guide for writers who balance their craft with busy lives. It offers strategies for maximizing your writing time and making progress on your projects during your time at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Discussion: How can the techniques outlined in "The Nighttime Novelist" help you maintain a consistent and productive writing practice at Oxford Summer Courses?

Oxford Summer Courses invites you to immerse yourself in the enchanting world of creative writing during your time at our summer school. In this blog post, we present a meticulously curated list of 10 classic books that will ignite your imagination and deepen your understanding of the art of storytelling. From Stephen King's practical wisdom in "On Writing" to Ray Bradbury's celebration of the writing life in "Zen in the Art of Writing," these books will serve as your companions on your creative writing journey at Oxford Summer Courses. Through our Creative Writing program, you will have the opportunity to explore these influential texts, share your insights with fellow writers, and refine your craft. Join us on this literary adventure and embark on a transformative experience that will shape your writing skills and inspire your creative spirit during your time at Oxford Summer Courses. Who knows, you might just discover a newfound passion for the art of storytelling and create narratives that resonate with readers for generations to come.

Apply now to join the Oxford Summer Courses Creative Writing summer school and embark on a journey of self-expression and creativity during your time at Oxford Summer Courses. Join a community of passionate writers from around the world and unlock your potential as a storyteller. Apply here.

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Ignite your passion for creative writing at Oxford Summer Courses. Immerse yourself in a carefully curated list of books that will spark your creativity, refine your storytelling abilities, and help you embark on a transformative journey as a writer.

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You Are a Story: A creative writing guide to find your voice and speak your truth Paperback – 11 May 2023

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hot Key Books (11 May 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
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• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1471413144
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Laura dockrill.

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Her previous works ‘Mistakes In The Background’, ‘Ugly Shy Girl’ and ‘Echoes’ earned her plaudits like ‘Top 10 literary Talent’ from The Times newspaper and Top 20 hot faces to watch from Elle Magazine.

Laura’s writing has expanded to stage and screen; Laura’s first film, Goldfish, received a BAFTA nomination for best short. Her critically acclaimed memoir ‘What Have I Done?’ is being adapted for TV. She has been commissioned from The National Theatre, The Young Vic and The Donmar Warehouse. Laura has written unique work including immersive tours of archive celebrating the work of both Roald Dahl and Tove Jansson for The Southbank Centre. Her adaptation of Robin Hood was the lead Christmas Show at the Watermill Theatre. Her show for children, Dust won a Best Theatre award at the 2022 Offies.

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Laura has appeared on a host of TV programmes; CBeebies, Blue Peter, Newsnight and BBC Breakfast to name a few.

Her radio prowess spans across the entire BBC network, having performed works on Radio 1 through 6 including Woman’s Hour and Open Book.

Laura is on the advisory panel at The Ministry Of Stories, and has judged many literary prizes including the John Betjeman Poetry Prize, BBC National Short Story Prize, Blue Peter Book Prize and the BAFTA Children’s Prize.

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Three decades after it was first published, Julia Cameron’s creativity manual was a lockdown hit. Could we all learn from her guide to ‘artistic recovery’?

Just over 30 years ago, Julia Cameron’s agent gave her the immortally bad advice that no one was going to be interested in a book about creativity. “What on earth are you doing?” the agent demanded.

Instead of shelving her manuscript, Cameron photocopied it and started selling it by hand. She got a new agent, signed a deal with mind, body and spirit publisher Tarcher Books and in 1992 they released The Artist’s Way with an initial print run of 9,000 copies. Since then, more than 4m have been sold around the world.

It sounds like a fairy story, but this was a book born of struggle. Cameron’s was a life of precipitous highs and lows. Born in 1948, she embarked on a successful journalistic career in her 20s, writing for the Washington Post and Rolling Stone magazine. In 1975, she married the up-and-coming director Martin Scorsese and worked, as she says, as his “live-in-writer” on classic films such as Taxi Driver and New York, New York. But their union ended when Cameron discovered Liza Minnelli’s silk shirts in Scorsese’s wardrobe and found herself in a classic Hollywood downward spiral of addiction. She had begun to see cocaine “not as a problem, but as a solution”, she recalls in her memoir, Floor Sample. She was also an “out of control” alcoholic. “I was,” she writes, “not OK.”

It was the subsequent time spent getting sober that helped Cameron develop the ideas that she would turn into The Artist’s Way. Inspired by the Alcoholics Anonymous model, the book offers a programme for “artistic recovery”. Split into 12 chapters designed to be worked through a week at a time, it aims to teach people to unlock their creativity. There are weekly challenges and exercises designed to foster inspiration and overcome the doubts that block creative work. Alongside these weekly tasks, Cameron suggests writing “morning pages” every day. The idea is that you just get words down to help you override your internal censor and develop new ideas and perspectives, by writing at least three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness prose before trying any other work. She also invites her readers to take themselves on weekly “artist’s dates”, time set aside to nurture “creative consciousness” by engaging with art, going to a gallery, going for a walk or watching a film – whatever your “inner artist” may appreciate.

The book doesn’t offer an easy route to financial reward. Cameron promises her readers “many doors” will open, but these are artistic doors, not the doors of literary agencies. The big claims she makes are all about “creative recovery”. This, she says, is “a teachable, trackable spiritual process”.

That’s right: spiritual. Like the AA, The Artist’s Way asks you to put trust in the “Great Creator” – or whatever non-denominational higher being you think will help you unleash your potential. This god talk comes alongside an emphasis on self-care that may strike some readers as solipsistic. “Be particularly alert to any suggestion that you have become selfish or different,” counsels Cameron, not because you may have a problem, but because such suggestions may block you. A chapter entitled Recovering a Sense of Compassion turns out to be about helping yourself rather than other people. Readers should also expect vague, unsubstantiated references to the kind of “brain research” that lets us know that “showering is an artist brain activity”.

It’s harder to be sceptical about the practical success of The Artist’s Way. It isn’t just that the book has sold so many copies since Cameron ignored her agent’s advice, it’s that it has generated significant results. Musicians as varied as Alicia Keys, Pete Townshend and Kelly Lee Owens, and writers such as Patricia Cornwell have acknowledged the help that the book has given them. “It completely changed my life,” the actor and director Kerry Washington says on the back of my copy. There’s also a quote on from the multimillion-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert: “Without The Artist’s Way there would have been no Eat, Pray, Love .”

Cameron is capitalising on the anniversary with a sequel of sorts, Seeking Wisdom, which promises “a spiritual path to deeper creativity”. But it has to be noted that not everyone is impressed by these kinds of guides. “They are a total con,” says Lucy Ellmann, the author of the multi-multi-award-winning Ducks, Newburyport . “The time spent reading these books should be spent reading Dickens. Or at least writing.”

But it’s difficult to deny Cameron’s continuing influence. Her sunny American outlook even resonates here in the rainy UK. While researching this article, I’ve asked several classes of creative writing students if they’ve heard of the book and each time two or three talk enthusiastically about the morning pages. Just after her novel Olive was selected as a Waterstones paperback of the year, author Emma Gannon told me: “I took up The Artist’s Way one miserable Christmas when I’d tried and failed for the umpteenth time to write a novel. There was something about the book, not just the content but the feel of it, the tone of it, how supportive it is, that allowed me to follow my creativity and unblock myself. I absolutely feel indebted to Julia Cameron for helping me get out of my rut.”

If the increased attention The Artist’s Way has been getting since the spring 2020 lockdown is anything to go by, Gannon isn’t the only one Cameron has boosted. It was reported that sales of the book doubled in the UK in the first half of the year, and Cameron even found herself being interviewed by Russell Brand on his Under the Skin podcast during that gloomy first April of the pandemic.

“Many of us are trapped indoors, we’re restless, we’re feeling claustrophobic, …we’re feeling that events are beyond our control,” Cameron said, “but what we do have control over is taking the pen to the page.” She recommended the exercises in The Artist’s Way as a method of gaining “confidence, security, enthusiasm and hopefully a little bit of frivolity. Right now we desperately need frivolity.”

On that score, at least, it’s hard to argue. It feels like a message that might even help us through the year ahead.

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INTRODUCING

Wreckage of once was volume 26 (2023-2024).

Interview with Ru Freeman

Open. Shut. Open.  Folio curated by Parker Sprout and Logan Myers

Fiction, Poetry, CNF from Dan Albergotti, Teresa Carmody, Todd Davis, Kathleen Driskell. Melissa Gilliss, Manuel Gonzalez, Ryan Habermeyer, JP Howard, Joseph O. Legaspi, Elisa Pashen, Catherine Pierce, Christopher Santiago , and more

Essay Review by Stan Sanvel Rubin and Robin Earhart

Cover photograph by   Aaron Wojack, Las Vegas , 2015

INTRODUCING:

  Interview with Ru Freeman

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Volume 25 pushcart nominees

Water~Stone Review is proud to feature the work of our six Pushcart nominees from our last issue, Vol. 25 “How Quiet Burns.” Congratulations to Catharina Coenen, tswb, Ty Chapman, Sin Yong-Mok (t ranslated by Jake Levine and Brother Anthony) , J.G. Jesman , and Ernestine Saankaláxt   Hayes.

"Prairie Patch" (CNF) by Catharina Coenen

"mother ii" (cnf) by tswb, "pantheon" (poetry) by ty chapman, "inside the glass door of the seongnae-dong clothing repairs" (poetry) by sin yong-mok (translated by jake levine and brother anthony), "mr chilombo’s wife" (fiction) by j.g. jesman, "drowning in shallow water is our only escape" (fiction) ernestine saankaláxt hayes.

Finalist for the CLMP Firecracker Award

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The Best Calligraphy Books

“What are the best books for learning and perfecting Calligraphy?” We looked at 157 books, aggregating and ranking the best so we could answer that question!

Perfect (or start) your calligraphy skills with one of the over 150 different titles. The top 27 calligraphy books, all appearing on 2 or more lists, are below with images, description, and links. The remaining titles, as well as the sources we used, can be found at the bottom of the page.

Happy Scrolling!

The Top Calligraphy Books

27 .) a history of illuminated manuscripts by christopher de hamel.

Lists It Appears On:

• Waterstones

Illuminated manuscripts are perhaps the most beautiful treasures to survive from the middle ages. This authoritative volume provides a comprehensive introduction to the medieval world of books, their production and their consumption. The text divides this world into different groups of readers and writers: missionaries, emperors, monks, students, aristocrats, priests, collectors and the general public. De Hamel is both informative and immensely readable, and the sumptuous illustrations render this book too good to be missed.

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26 .) Brush Writing: Calligraphy Techniques for Beginners by Ryokushu Kuiseko

• Calligraphers Guild

“For many a deep and lasting interest in Japanese culture, its people and its language, begins with a fascination for beautifully drawn characters produced by a master calligrapher. Compared with the squarish, regular representation of Chinese characters reproduced in books, newspapers, and magazines by modern printing techniques, the appealing brush strokes of a handwritten Japanese scroll, letter, or menu is often considered a work of art, and associated with the aesthetic and mystical. Brush Writing is dedicated to such enthusiasts of Japanese calligraphy who have searched for a basic and introductory guide in English to this traditional and challenging Eastern art. Any learner of Japanese will almost certainly find this book an invaluable aid to writing kanji, a subject that is rarely dealt with adequately in language textbooks, as well as providing fundamental clues to decipher handwritten Japanese. Through nearly fifty model characters, Brush Writing teaches the basic techniques of writing almost any kanji. For each character, we have clearly shown the correct stroke order, major readings in romanized Japanese, and meanings in English. Advice on balance and other practical tips on writing kanji have also been included. Equally important to all non-native learners of Japanese, this book explains the secret of writing attractive hiragana, the key, in fact, to ensuring that handwritten Japanese is clearly legible and leaving the impression that it was penned by an adult Japanese hand. But it does not end there. Brush Writing is more than a kanji guide for students of the Japanese language. After working through the systematic instructions carefully explained in this volume, anyone, with an appreciation of the beauty and art of quality brush work, should find little difficulty in creating fine calligraphy of their very own, even if the meanings of the shapes themselves remain a mystery. This volume begins with a comprehensive, but brief introduction to the history of Chinese and Japanese characters to satisfy the curiosity of the enthusiast. For novice calligraphers, not only have we explained how to use the necessary materials and equipment, such as brushes, paper, and sumi ink, but we have also appended a list of stores selling calligraphic supplies throughout the United States. “

25 .) Calligraphy: A Complete Guide by Julien Chazal

• Haniya Calligraphy
• John Neal Bookseller Blog

Learn and master the beautiful and varied art of Western calligraphy. This lavishly illustrated guide includes all the information you need to get started in calligraphy, as well as techniques for the more advanced artist, including using color, carving lettering in wood and stone, and creating abstract and ornamental calligraphy designs. The 40 alphabets included are drawn from throughout the rich history of Western calligraphy, from elaborate Gothic lettering to the clean lines of modern alphabets. An essential reference for calligraphers of all levels.

24 .) Creative Lettering: Techniques & Tips from Top Artists by Jenny Doh

• Creative Market

Hand-lettering techniques are a popular and visually dynamic way to add textual elements to crafts, from journals to mixed-media art. Sixteen accomplished contributors—including calligraphers, painters, collagists, card makers, fiber artists, and graphic designers—give their personal perspectives on lettering. They all offer their favorite tools, how they use them, their signature technique with step-by-step instructions and photos, and an alphabet sampler of their own font. Gorgeous gallery images of each contributor’s work are also included.

23 .) Hand-Lettering for Everyone by Cristina Vanko

“In an increasingly digital and impersonal world, hand-lettering is more popular than ever. A way to personalize everything from book covers to T-shirts and restaurant menus, as well as a form of self-expression and cutting-edge design, writing by hand makes the written word immediate and intimate. This beautiful and inviting book serves as an inspiring primer and an interactive workbook”

22 .) In Progress: See Inside a Lettering Artist’s Sketchbook and Process from Pencil to Vector by Jessica Hische

This show-all romp through design-world darling Jessica Hische’s sketchbook reveals the creative and technical process behind making award-winning hand lettering. See everything, from Hische’s rough sketches to her polished finals for major clients such as Wes Anderson, NPR, and Starbucks. The result is a well of inspiration and brass tacks information for designers who want to sketch distinctive letterforms and hone their skills. With more than 250 images and metallic silver ink printed throughout to represent her penciled sketches, this highly visual book is an essential—and entirely enjoyable—resource for those who practice or simply appreciate the art of hand lettering.

21 .) Italic and Copperplate Calligraphy: The Basics and Beyond by Eleanor Winters

• Calligraphy Skills

“In recent years, calligraphy has evolved from an esoteric art form to an everyday pursuit for artists, students, and amateurs. This guide for novices with some experience offers the chance to advance to the next level. Well-illustrated, step-by-step instructions by an expert calligrapher explain every detail of the two most popular calligraphic alphabets. Author Eleanor Winters introduces the Italic hand, which originated during the Renaissance, and the Copperplate style, which dominated European calligraphy during the eighteenth century. Her three-part approach begins with a review of the basics, advancing to variations in letter size, form, weight, and flourishes. It concludes with a wealth of advice on layout and design as well as inspiration for original projects.”

20 .) Italic Calligraphy and Handwriting: Exercises and Text by Lloyd J. Reynolds

http://amzn.to/2molCtB

19 .) Left-Handed Calligraphy by Vance Studley

“The art of beautiful handwriting is no more difficult to master for the left-handed than for the right-handed student. But the left-handed writer requires a special orientation which most guidebooks on the subject do not provide. This excellent study remedies that situation handsomely. Generously illustrated, it offers full, intensive coverage of the art of calligraphy from the left-handed writer’s point of view. Vance Studley, an award-winning calligrapher and well-known arts educator and author, shows left-handers how to select appropriate tools and materials, learn correct hand, pen and nib positions, master composition and page layout, and much more. Four model alphabets are introduced — Italic Hand, Chancery Cursive, Uncial Hand, and the Foundation Hand — each providing valuable lessons in the mastery of left-handed calligraphy. With each lesson, students will move forward confidently to new levels of skill in this time-honored art.”

18 .) Pen Lettering by Ann Camp

• The Calligraphy Pen

In this book Ann Camp sets out to explain every action in every stage of learning to use the pen, from the making of letters to spacing words, planning and designing a page, and from there to planning a book. For those who teach and wish to refresh their minds on a direct and clear approach, this book will be invaluable, and for those who wish to become proficient in the craft of pen lettering each stage is clearly explained.

17 .) The Art & Craft of Hand Lettering by Annie Cicale

One of the most highly recommend instructional books for broad-edged calligraphy, this handbook is ideal for classes or self-study to master the basics of calligraphy. All of the essentials are included in this volume, from the history and practices of this ancient art to a guide to the tools, materials, and design basics needed to create elegant, beautiful writing for all occasions. Also featured is a gallery of examples from today’s best scribes, along with detailed exemplars and diagrams.

16 .) The Book of Kells: An Illustrated Introduction to the Manuscript in Trinity College, Dublin by Bernard Meehan

“The Book of Kells is a masterpiece of medieval art―a brilliantly decorated version of the four Gospels with full-page depictions of Christ, the Virgin and the Evangelists as well as a wealth of smaller decorative painting. The strange imagination displayed in the pages, the impeccable technique and the very fine state of preservation make The Book of Kells an object of endless fascination. This edition reproduces the most important of the fully decorated pages plus a series of enlargements showing the almost unbelievable minuteness of the detail; spiral and interlaced patterns, human and animal ornament―a combination of high seriousness and humor. “

15 .) The Botanical Hand Lettering Workbook by Bethany Robertson

Learn the art of hand-lettering. This step-by-step workbook teaches you how to craft pretty letters and flowers of all sorts. Use your newfound botanical lettering skills to make cards, wedding invitations, banners, tags, paper bouquets and other fun projects.

14 .) Traditional Penmanship by Anne Trudgill

13 .) writing & illuminating & lettering by edward johnston.

12 .) Calligraphy for the Beginner by Tom Gourdie

As an introduction to calligraphy, the author, himself a past master of the art, supplies many different alphabets and shows how each may be applied by drawing, painting, carving or writing with a broad lettering pen. He also gives advice on materials that are most suitable. This is one of the classic books in the field.

11 .) Creative Lettering and Beyond by Gabri Joy Kirkendall, Laura Lavender, Julie Manwaring and Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn

Creative Lettering and Beyond combines the artistic talents and inspirational tips and tutorials of several professional hand letterers and calligraphers for a dynamic and interactive learning experience. After a brief introduction to the various tools and materials, artists and lettering enthusiasts will learn how to master the art of hand lettering and typography through engaging, easy-to-follow step-by-step projects, prompts, and exercises. From the basic shape and form of letters, to cursive script, spacing, and alignment, artists will discover how to transform simple words, phrases, and quotes into beautiful works of hand-lettered art. The interactive format and step-by-step process offers inspirational instruction for a wide variety of fun projects and gift ideas, including hand-rendered phrases on paper and digitally enhanced notecards. Artists will also discover how to apply lettering to linen, coffee mugs, calendars, and more. Numerous practice pages and interactive prompts throughout the book invite readers to put their newfound lettering skills to use, as well as work out their artistic ideas. Covering a variety of styles and types of lettered art, including calligraphy, illustration, chalk lettering, and more, artists will find a plethora of exercises and tips to help them develop their own unique lettering style. With comprehensive instructions and fun, inspirational exercises and projects, Creative Lettering and Beyond is a must-have resource for anyone who wants to learn this beautiful and stylish art form.

10 .) Foundations of Calligraphy by Sheila Waters

A calligraphy instructional manual by a master scribe who is also a master teacher. Sheila Waters has taught a generation of calligraphers through summer classes and weekend workshops. Her long awaited manual presents instruction and analysis of a wide variety of hands, as well as, design for calligraphers. Chapters include Foundations, Capitols, Blackletter, Gothic Cursives, Uncial & Half Uncial, Carolingian, Italic and Italic Variations, Analysing Letterforms & Practicing Effectively and Design & Layout. Includes eight color pages of Sheila’s inspiring work

9 .) Learn Calligraphy: The Complete Book of Lettering and Design by Margaret Shepherd

“In an age of myriad computer fonts and instant communication, your handwriting style is increasingly a very personal creation. In this book, Margaret Shepherd, America’s premier calligrapher, shows you that calligraphy is not simply a craft you can learn, but an elegant art form that you can make your own. Calligraphy remains perennially popular, often adorning wedding invitations, diplomas, and commercial signs. Whether it is Roman, Gothic, Celtic, Bookhand, or Italic style, calligraphy conveys class and elegance. Margaret Shepherd makes this ancient art form accessible in a completely hand-lettered technical guide”

8 .) Mastering Calligraphy by Gaye Godfrey-Nicholls

• Antiquaria Vintage

The centuries-old art of calligraphy has rarely witnessed a more diverse and prolific explosion of new work than in today’s hand-lettering revival. Mastering the Art of Calligraphy is the most comprehensive and up-to-date volume on this traditional craft and its contemporary practice. Brimming with both practical instruction and more than 700 inspirational photos, this is the definitive new guide for both serious calligraphers and budding hand-lettering enthusiasts. Inside are step-by-step instructions accompanied by examples of current work, plus historical information, artist profiles, troubleshooting tips, and an extensive resource section. Perfect for students, artists, professionals, and hobbyists, this is a tremendously valuable addition to any arts library.

7 .) Ornate Pictorial Calligraphy by E.A. Lupfer

“A good pen, this book, and practice are all you need to create your own magnificent swirls, delicately shaded curves, harmoniously crisscrossing lines, from which birds, rabbits, deer, ribbons, and other images gracefully emerge. Complete instructions lead you from proper positioning and basic exercises to finished flourishes of increasing complexity. Frequent helpful hints encourage calligraphers to cultivate grace, harmony, and symmetry by means of diligence, patience, and perseverance. The approach is quaintly traditional, the results delightful. Over 150 lovely examples of flourishes form in themselves a wonderful collection of ornate pictorial calligraphy. With this unique manual and ample practice, you will help keep alive a glorious decorative art. As this book belongs to the Dover Pictorial Archive series, its royalty-free illustrations may also be applied to a multitude of graphic arts and design purposes.”

6 .) The Encyclopedia Of Calligraphy Techniques by Diana Hardy Wilson

A comprehensive A-Z directory of calligraphy techniques and a step-by-step guide to their uses

5 .) The Universal Penman by George Bickham

George Bickham, a noted engraver and calligrapher, first compiled this work back in the 1740’s, from the best specimens of 24 of the leading calligraphers of his day. Unfortunately, Bickham published his work in 52 separate parts, over a period of eight years. In Bickham’s own day it was difficult to get a complete set of the Universal Penman; today, apart from this edition, it is virtually impossible, for most surviving 18th-century copies lack certain rare plates.

4 .) The Art of Calligraphy (A Practical Guide to the Skills and Techniques) by David Harris

Here is a comprehensive guide explaining everything you need to know to master the skills and techniques of beautiful writing. Beginning with a review of Western calligraphy from antiquity to today’s electronic age, The Art of Calligraphy helps the reader choose equipment —- brushes, pens, pencils, papers, and inks —- and then shows exactly how to hold and angle the pen to produce every letter of the alphabet in a number of different scripts. Key elements of letter anatomy are explained in detail —- step–by–step constructions show each essential step in creating the distinctive characteristics of 26 styles. All the major Latin–based scripts are included —- from Roman Imperial and Caroline to Gothic, Renaissance, and Copperplate scripts. The Art of Calligraphy features the very best historical and contemporary examples of each style, offering guidance and inspiration in this age of computer–generated type. Soon you will be ready to use your exquisite penmanship to personalize stationery or enhance other special gifts and objects. Combining instructional diagrams with outstanding examples from Western masters, The Art of Calligraphy is a unique introduction to hand lettering. It is an authoritative reference as well as a source of inspiration for any artist.

3 .) The Calligrapher’s Bible: 100 Complete Alphabets and How to Draw Them by David Harris

Both hobbyists and students of design will value this easy-to-use self-teaching book. Each of its 100 sections shows a complete A-to-Z calligraphy alphabet, with lessons on correct pen strokes and advice on avoiding errors. Beginners will find sound basic instruction, while experienced calligraphers can extend their repertoire with letter styles that range from classic Roman to clean and elegant contemporary styles. In addition to analysis of each alphabet’s features, the book’s detailed instruction provides information on– Tools and materials * Layout basics * Numerals and punctuation * Illumination and ornamentation * Tips for the left-handed calligrapher . . . and more. Readers will also find examples by master calligraphers from past eras. This book’s spiral binding ensures that pages lay flat when opened, allowing calligraphers to study and copy each pen stroke with ease. The Calligrapher’s Bible is printed in color and features more than 350 illustrations.

2 .) Mastering Copperplate Calligraphy by Eleanor Winters

• The Postmans Knock

“Developed by English handwriting masters in the 18th century, copperplate calligraphy is admired for its fluidity and beauty. It is the most popular style for social correspondence, invitations, and other communications requiring an elegant hand. In this practical manual, a noted calligraphy teacher offers a comprehensive, step-by-step guide for the student. Beginning with a brief but fascinating history of copperplate, she moves quickly to an in-depth examination of the alphabet, numbers, and punctuation. Each letter is demonstrated stroke by stroke with a clear explanation. Readers will also find detailed discussions of writing in color, using the proper paper, and learning how to retouch, correct, and crop. Ms. Winters then shows how copperplate can be used to write a simple paragraph, a short quotation, or poetry, and explains how to use the script commercially for addressing envelopes and writing name cards and invitations. With this easy-to-follow manual and some practice, calligraphers will be able to create copperplate scripts with the rhythm, grace, and ease of the great writing masters.”

1 .) Modern Calligraphy by Molly Suber Thorpe

• By Dawn Nicole

Calligraphy is about creating something uniquely beautiful, whether to celebrate a special occasion like marriage or to use every day in the form of stationery. Author Molly Suber Thorpe, an award-winning designer and calligrapher based in Los Angeles, works closely with her international clients to give them the distinctive products they’re looking for. Now you can learn from this experienced expert how to master this fresh modern lettering style. The first book to teach this bold new style breaks the calligraphy process down into simple steps so anyone can learn to create their own stunning wedding invitations, thank you cards, gift tags, and more. Starting with an overview of the supplies―from paper to ink to pens―you will learn how to form letters, words, and then phrases by following Molly’s clear step-by-step instructions, and by practicing with the provided templates. After mastering letter forms using a pointed pen and ink you can take it to the next level by learning how to use watercolor and gouache, or how to digitize your calligraphy. The twenty projects in the book provide lots of inspiration for making your own and are grouped into three sections: weddings, entertainment, and personal stationery.

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Waterstones 2022 Book Awards

By Brodie Mckenzie, Grace Briggs-Jones and Emma Baigey

Waterstones have released their winners for Book, Author and Children’s Book of the Year 2022. With a shortlist featuring amazing reads like Babel , Heartstopper Volume 1 , The Marriage Portrait and Otherlands , there was much speculation about which one could boast being Book of the Year 2022. This article we take a look at the winners, including Debut Novel of the Year announced earlier this year, and why you should definitely pick up a copy of each – as soon as possible!

Waterstones awarded Katy Hessel’s The Story of Art Without Men the coveted title of Book of the Year 2022. Previous winners include Sally Rooney’s monumentally successful Normal People , as well as Greta Thunberg’s thought-provoking, history-making collection of speeches, No One Is Too Small to Make A Difference . Recounting a female-focused global art history, The Story of Art Without Men is an essential work of literature: informative, ground-breaking and clever. What’s more, the look of the book itself is just as good as its content – the beautifully crafted hardback has a wonderfully intelligent cover that just blew us away. A signed special edition is also available now. Kate Skipper, COO (Chief Operating Officer) of Waterstones, says: “Our booksellers championed The Story of Art Without Men from the start. It is a must-have for any booklover’s shelf: as essential as it is enjoyable. Written with wit and ease [and] packed full of beautiful illustrations, [it] can be devoured in one-sitting or dipped into at a whim. This is a book which will be prized for years to come; a feast for the senses, as well as the mind.”

Snagging Author of the Year is Bonnie Garmus, whose debut novel Lessons in Chemistry was published in April 2022 when Garmus herself was sixty-four. Garmus is a Creative Director and Copywriter, hailing from California and living in London. Lessons in Chemistry introduces a zany protagonist, Elizabeth Zott, who is a frustrated scientist living in a conservative 1960s America. Throughout the novel, Elizabeth leads a subtle but powerful feminist revolution through her television cookery show. The work is an astounding, hilarious piece of art. Well deserved, Bonnie.

Children’s Book of the Year goes to the hotly anticipated Skandar and the Unicorn Thief , a magical world full of courageous heroes and warrior unicorns. This is the first book in the Skandar fantasy adventure world, perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and Amari . The story revolves around thirteen-year-old Skandar Smith who must hatch, train and bond with a unicorn in order to fight a dark and twisted enemy who steals the island’s most powerful unicorn. With an abundance of five star reviews and people describing it as "enthralling" and "compulsively readable" it is easy to see how this book has taken the top spot and the coveted Children’s Book of the Year award. The sequel, Skandar and the Phantom Rider , is already available to pre-order and will be available in April 2023.

Last but by no means least, Waterstones awarded the Debut Fiction Prize 2022 to Tess Gunty for her bewitching novel The Rabbit Hutch . Sarah Ditum summarised it as “a story of love, told without sentimentality; a story of cruelty, told without gratuitousness.” Gunty has mastered the art of writing a compulsive page-turner with true depth; the narrative is revolving around an affordable housing complex in a post-industrial town in Indiana. Both the town and its unique characters are neglected by the state and bear the brunt of gentrification and poverty; Gunty herself heralded books as a way of spotlighting those "neglected" and otherwise invisible in her acceptance speech. The novel lays bare the dark consequences that this can have on those most vulnerable and the endless cycle of destruction it can lead to. Yet, amidst the hardships and dereliction, we follow one tenacious teenage girl overcoming all of the obstacles thrown in her way. With keen observation and understated wit, The Rabbit Hutch confirms that there is hope, and that it lies in honest human connection, or as Gunty puts it: "Attention is the most sacred resource we have." Waterstones’ Head of Fiction, Bea Carvalho, summed up the novel as “an exquisite, triumphant book which at once recalls the very best of the contemporary canon, while remaining fiercely original and innovative.”

With strong competition the winners of this year’s Waterstones awards have really made their mark, each for varying different reasons. Whether you want to dive into an insightful women filled art book, take a peek at 1960s relationships through the eyes of a single mother, get lost in a fantasy land full of unicorns and death-defying battles or become gripped by a story of love, poverty and resilience; this year’s winners have a little bit of something for everyone and are truly deserving of their titles.

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Katherine Rundell wins Waterstones Book of the Year 2023 for her “instant classic” Impossible Creatures . AudioFile showcases the Best Audiobooks of 2023. Best Books of the Year lists also arrive from Publishers Lunch , The New Yorker , and WSJ . New title best sellers include Nora Roberts, James Patterson, Danielle Steel and more. Liz Cheney's forthcoming book, Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning , arrives next week. Plus, author and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has died at the age of 100. 

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Awards, news & best of the year.

AudioFile showcases the Best Audiobooks of 2023.  

Publishers Lunch aggregates "The Best of the Best Books of 2023."

The New Yorker releases its Best Books of 2023.

WSJ names the 10 best books of 2023 . 

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger who “shaped the nation’s cold war history,” has died at the age of 100 .  NYT has an obituary. Widely known as a diplomat and scholar, Kissinger published his most recent book, Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy (Penguin Pr.; LJ starred review), in 2022. 

A coalition of publishers launch weeklong #ReadPalestine campaign . Publishers Weekly reports. 

New Title Bestsellers

Inheritance by Nora Roberts (St. Martin’s) receives No. 4 on the NYT Hardcover Fiction Best Sellers list and No. 8 on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list.

Alex Cross Must Die by James Patterson (Little, Brown) survives No. 9 on the NYT Hardcover Fiction Best Sellers list and No. 19 on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list.

The Ball at Versailles by Danielle Steel waltzes into No. 13 on the NYT Hardcover Fiction Best Sellers list. 

Jujutsu Kaisen, Vol. 21 by Gege Akutami (VIZ Media) debuts at No. 6 on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list.

One of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus (Delacorte) surfaces at No. 11 on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list.

Tom Clancy Command and Control by Marc Cameron (Putnam) seizes the No. 13 spot on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list.

Where He Can't Find You by Darcy Coates (Sourcebooks Fire) haunts No. 14 on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list.

Nonfiction: There are no new nonfiction bestsellers this week.

Washington Post reviews Sonic Life by Thurston Moore (Doubleday): “Does Moore understand Nirvana better than he understands Sonic Youth? He rarely touches on his own band’s social impact or spiritual meaning — but he is willing to explain its creative mechanics, describing a ‘sonic democracy’ in which ‘the only method was to listen, feel, reveal, and refine’.” 

LitHub lists “The Best Reviewed Books of the Month.”

Briefly Noted

LA Times talks with Kate Christensen about her forthcoming novel , Welcome Home, Stranger (Harper), due out next week. 

NYT previews 8 new books for December .

LitHub shares "The 10 Best Book Covers of November."

BookRiot lists 8 dark academia and deadly game books .

Entertainment Weekly shares a cover reveal and excerpt from UK based author Kirsty Greenwood’s forthcoming US debut,  The Love of My Afterlife (Berkley), due out in July.  NYT provides a guide on where to start with the work of Larry McMurtry . 

JStor Daily has a story on  " How American Librarians Helped Defeat the Nazis."

Authors On Air

Musician Jon Batiste  and his wife Suleika Jaouad, author of the memoir Between Two Kingdoms (Random; LJ starred review), are featured on Netflix’s  American Symphony . USA Today has the story. NYT also has coverage .  

NPR’s All Things Considered highlights the third season of the Apple TV+ series, Slow Horses , based on Mick Herron's “Slough House” novels.  

Ed Park, author of Same Bed Different Dreams (Random; LJ starred review), talks with B&N’s Poured Over podcast . 

Shelf Awareness rounds up the schedule for this weekend’s Book TV on C-SPAN 2 , including The National Book Awards.

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