10 Best Books For Freelance Writers. Your Bookshelf Must-Haves

You can’t become a great writer without being an avid reader. This is especially true for freelance academic writers who have to rely on research before crafting essays and case studies. However, today we’ll talk about another type of books, those that can help you further your freelance writing career, improve the quality of your writing, and increase the earnings. We’ve selected ten best books for freelance writers. It’s not a top list, so there is no particular order to our selection. You can read them in any order. And don’t trust our judgment blindly, check out reviews on Amazon and Goodreads before purchasing any of the books!

"The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield

This is the one book for you if you are a serial procrastinator, finishing the orders through sheer force of will and generous application of all-nighters. The book covers the intricacies of the psychology of creativity and provides insight into the procrastination habits of all creative workers, writers, in particular. Unlike many fatuous and utterly useless self-help books, this edition has helped thousands of writers resist the temptation to put off the work and encouraged them to get their writing routine under control.

"The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success" by Linda Formichelle and Diana Burrell

If you are tired of the strict writing rules that stifle your creativity and make you quit writing altogether, this one is for you. The authors examine the standard practices of freelancing and show how following them can cost you precious time and hard-earned money. After finishing the third edition, you will become aware of the newest rules freelance writers can bend to their will to increase efficiency, generate fresh ideas, and find better orders. Be prepared for surprising and unorthodox advice from successful writers proving that using common sense trumps following the rules every time.

"Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content" by Ann Handley

If you are still a nervous wreck at the beginning of your freelance writing career, check out this book. It shows the importance of the written word in the modern world without making the writer’s job seem impossible. On the contrary, the author shows that everyone can tell a story and teaches readers how to craft beautiful and meaningful storylines for all types of online and offline media. You can use the actionable tips to improve your academic writing, communication with the clients, and your professional online profiles on social media.

"How to Find Your Writing Voice" by Ryan Biddulph

If you want your profile and your works to stand out among the sea of freelance academic writers, finding your voice is the first thing to do. An Amazon best-selling author will guide you from the stilted and uniform style to your personal shining voice. Some tips might seem counterintuitive and not entirely suited for academic writing, but you might find unexpected uses for them in writing college application or motivational letters, job applications and CVs. This book also has the potential to improve your communication with the clients, enhancing their satisfaction rate and bringing more customers your way.

"Word Work: Surviving and Thriving as a Writer" by Bruce Rogers

Whether you have been freelancing for a while or are a newbie writer, you must have experienced the writer's block, procrastination, and disappointment. This book doesn’t cover the technical side of stringing the words together to make compelling stories. Instead, it provides actionable tips and exercises for writers struggling with everyday creativity issues, from dealing with troublesome clients to repeating past success. The author teaches how to work towards long-term happiness and wellbeing if you are a freelance writer.

"The Successful Author Mindset: A Handbook for Surviving the Writer’s Journey" by Joanna Penn

After you get to know the technical side of academic writing, you might face psychological creativity issues. This is one of the best books on freelance writing if you struggle with the inner critic, fear of failure, and perfectionism. The author provides a survival guide for aspiring writers and offers helpful everyday advice to make your life easier. Though there are chapters on publishing and networking that might not be useful for you at this stage of your writing career, the advice might come in handy a few years down the road.

"The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal" by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

During the high season of academic writing when you are run off your feet with the number of orders you need to complete, you will forget about all freelance writing books and remember the lessons from this one. It’s an unorthodox time-management guide for young professionals that concentrates on managing your energy levels and becoming more efficient instead of focusing on the time spent. The authors teach how to mobilize the critical sources of energy, renew it and increase your endurance beyond your wildest dreams.

"A Writer’s Guide to Persistence: How to Create a Lasting and Productive Writing Practice" by Jordan Rosenfeld

Whenever you feel like giving up, remember the mantra from this book “Practice. Polish. Persist.” The essence of the writer’s advice will guide you through the unexpected twists and turns of your freelance career and help you emerge on the other side with your sanity intact. The book will teach you to balance your life and writing, improve your routines, and overcome difficulties.

"Writer Mama: How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids" by Christina Katz

If you turned to freelance writing after starting a family, check out this book by a professional writer with kids. Its bite-sized chapters and quick exercises are designed specifically for busy mothers that have little time for self-help books. If you follow the author’s advice, you will learn how to find the time for children and work, how to organize your home office and save enough energy for your family throughout the busy weekdays of a freelance writer.

"The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron

If you have never tried to write Morning Pages and have never been on an Artist Date, start with this book. It’s a 25-year-old bestseller that has helped thousands of writers beat procrastination, inner criticism, and crippling fears. The author will guide you through a 12-week creative journey with new exercises to perform each week. In three months you will feel much more confident and centered, brimming with new ideas and in tune with your muse. It’s a personal favorite of many of our writers, so try it and don’t forget to share your results!

Read. Practice. Repeat

Even the best books on freelance writing won’t help you if you merely read them without putting the newly gained knowledge to good use. If the book suggests exercises, don’t rush along to the end. Pause your reading and practice. Customize the tasks to your needs if the recommended method doesn’t work for you, analyze the results and decide whether you want to incorporate new routines into your daily life. Without these steps, the freelance writing books you read will soon be forgotten as useless.

Do you have your own list of the best books for freelance writers? How did they help your career? Share your favorites and your results with us, your colleagues will surely appreciate your experience!