Written communication is an integral part of our life, although putting words to paper can be challenging. The written word can be a great, living force that fuels the imagination. In the hands of a talented writer, words and literary devices can serve as poignant tools to create a truly immersive experience for the readers.
Below you will find some books that help to improve writing skills.
Jürgen Wolf – “School of Literary and Screenwriting Skills”
The author will give his reader a real excursion into the world of literature from the point of view of the author himself. You will learn about how any prose work begins; how to build a story so that it is interesting and exciting; how to keep the reader in suspense throughout the story and how to make your literary language richer.
The book by Jürgen Wolf is very useful to those who are seriously considering the possibility of building a career as a writer. In addition to the practical skills of writing a book, he talks about writing from a business point of view. About how to interest editors, choose topics that are potentially interesting to future readers, and focus on a specific audience. And also how to turn yourself and your work into an advertising product, which will allow you to sell your literary talent dearly.
Roy Peter Clark – “Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer”
The book will really appeal to people who value time and expect clear, practical advice from learning. It will help you find your own way and style of writing through specific exercises. Actually, the principle of construction of this book is a textbook, which contains short chapters with concise information on the topic. And then practical tasks for developing skills and consolidating the acquired knowledge.
Ray Bradbury – “Zen in the Art of Writing”
If you are interested in writing or a fan of Bradbury’s work, then this book will delight you. You can find out how the author creates works, where he draws inspiration from and how he builds his workflow.
The book will provide inspiration to reread your favorite Bradbury stories or perhaps try writing your own.
Bradbury in a very accessible way shares worthy advice, his own history and details, nuances of writing. An interesting book that you can’t put down. With each page, the author seems to become closer, becomes a friend, and this is felt due to his style and language. This book will be a pleasant find for those readers who are not averse to learning more about the writing field.
Steven Pinker – “The Sense of Style”
Steven Pinker is not just a writer who wrote a book. He is a modern psychologist. His book helps to find answers to questions that will help to make progress in the art of writing.
In his book, Pinker gives advice and offers a complete guide for those who want to become a writer.
The advice and explanations in his book are based on facts and science. Neurology and cognitive psychology are what underlies his thoughts. It is scientific research that helps us understand how our brain system works and teaches us how to improve our ability to write.
After reading the book of this author carefully, you will understand how our mind works and how to become more creative and effective when writing based on this.
William Zinsser – “On Writing Well”
The book can be called a base for novice writers and even copywriters. It contains useful structured advice. All information is presented in an interesting and convenient way. Sections of the book are delimited for the most complete coverage of the proposed material. The text is simple and easy to understand. It may well become one of the reference books to help you write quality texts.
Looking Past the English Language
Up until this point, we have only discussed the English language. However, nothing gives an avid reader more bragging right than reading a novel in its original language. In the U.S., about 20% of people speak two languages. The number drops to 5% for those that can read in three languages.
If you wish to be part of those elite statistics and expand your horizons by adding a new, exotic language, the benefits are multifold. You will be improving your cognitive performance, your academic performance and even offsetting the effects of aging. A wonderful article published on The British Academy website breaks down all the wonderful benefits of learning a new language.
There are many ways of going about this; one way is hiring a tutor online. You can hire an Arabic tutor and soon find yourself reading Mohammed bin Sakkra Alhashemi’s One Thousand and One Night, Tayeb Salih’s Season of Migration to the North or Naguib Mahfouz’s Children of the Alley in their original language!
Take Away
Improving your writing skill is a noble task worthy of your attention. Whether boosting your communication skills at work, in your personal life, or simply for self-improvement, the books detailed here should help. But why stop there? In addition, consider the numerous benefits of learning a new language. Before you know it, you can be lounging on the couch reading your favorite non-English novel in its original language!