My Favorite Books About the Craft of Writing

A mini post about craft books and switching genres

Welcome to Days Like This, a newsletter by Heather Sweeney. Who am I? An author (Camouflage: How I Emerged from the Shadows of a Military Marriage/October 28, 2025) and freelance writer appearing in The New York Times, Washington Post, HuffPost, Business Insider, Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, and many more. Learn more about Days Like This in my intro post. Subscribe for free!

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Like many writers, I have a stack of craft books filled with Post-Its and handwritten notes in the margins. As a memoir author and freelance writer of mostly personal essays, these books are always within reach if I ever need writing tips, inspiration, or motivation.

It wasn’t until a couple weeks ago when I posted a Substack note with a picture of my favorite craft books that I realized how passionate other writers are about their own favorites and how even seasoned writers are always on the lookout for recommendations to continue sharpening their writing skills.

Here’s that photo of my stack:

I loved seeing other writers commenting about which of these books they’ve read and others who were excited to add some to their TBR list. And because I’m always searching for new books to read, I also loved the recommendations for craft books I haven’t read yet.

I’m taking those recommendations seriously because I’m venturing into a new genre for me: fiction. After writing a memoir and spending the last fifteen years writing essays, blog posts, creative nonfiction, and even a couple of poems, I’m switching gears and working on a novel.

Luckily I already have two craft books to get me started as I find my fiction-writing skills, and from what I hear about these two, I’m pretty sure I’ll eventually be adding them to my stack of favorites.

I’ve never written fiction before. Well, not since my short story writing phase in middle school. While I’m enjoying this new freedom of being able to just make things up, I have to admit I’m wondering if I have a vivid enough imagination to write a story that isn’t 100 % true. I’m hoping these craft books can help!

Your turn: What are your favorite craft books? And have you ever switched genres?

Thanks for reading Days Like This. Find out more about me at https://www.heatherlsweeney.com.