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by Victoria Peel-Yates
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Are you looking for the best copywriting books? Books that’ll help you become a better writer and make more money?
Whether you’re a newbie copywriter or a seasoned pro, you should always be honing your craft. The better you are at creating persuasive copy that converts, the more you’ll earn as a copywriter.
But how can you become a millionaire marketer without investing thousands of dollars in a copywriting course? Start by reading the best copywriting book you can get your hands on.
There’s a few of them out there, and to help you get started, we’ve rounded up the 25 best copywriting books every copywriter should read.
Let’s dive into them.
David Ogilvy is known as the “Father of Modern Advertising,” and his name is still synonymous with advertising today.
In this 1983 classic, he spells out the fundamentals of writing compelling copy, emphasizing the importance of market research and positioning while providing real-life examples of what works — and what doesn’t.
It’s basically a swipe file of some of the most successful — and unsuccessful — ad campaigns ever created.
Another oldie but goodie, this copywriting masterpiece was first published in 1932.
John Caples had a bit of an obsession with split testing — hence the title. Caples rigorously tested all his recommended strategies before including them.
Tested Advertising Methods is especially valuable for copywriters working in direct response advertising and paid ad campaigns. And, it’s worth buying for Chapter 5 alone, which spells out the ad headline techniques that five out of ten advertisers still use today.
This may be the only book on this list written from a prison cell.
The Boron Letters is a collection of letters the famed copywriter Gary Halbert penned while incarcerated in the Boron Federal Prison Camp for tax fraud.
Written and sent to his son, Bond, the letters are part self-help book, part copywriting science.
Gary Halbert shares his insights on copywriting, persuasion, and advertising, and, fittingly, decision-making, and surrounding yourself with the right people.
It’s almost 100 years old, and uses some pretty archaic language, but Scientific Advertising is full of direct response advertising wisdom that’s still relevant today.
Scientific Advertising is considered by many as the original copywriting sourcebook. David Ogilvy himself thought anyone aspiring to work in advertising should read this book seven times. And many of this book’s tried-and-tested revelations would bear that out, including:
The words may feel dated, but the ideas still ring fresh.
In this 1966 classic, Eugene Schwartz argues that as an advertiser, you cannot create demand.
But — you can harness existing demand by connecting your product to people’s desires.
Though parts of the book are conceptually complex and perhaps best-suited to more experienced copywriters, Breakthrough Advertising is still highly relevant in direct response marketing. Particularly helpful are the frameworks Schwartz builds around stages of awareness.
But be warned — this book is out of print, and currently listed on Amazon at an eye-watering $349.70.
This irreverent book takes its title from one of the more detestable yet successful campaigns in history — the Mr. Whipple ads for Charmin toilet paper.
In the aptly-named volume, Sullivan explains why bad ads sometimes work and good ads sometimes fail.
Some of his key insights include:
Some of the classics mentioned above provide solid copywriting foundations, but may not be entirely relevant to today’s digital world.
In David Ogilvy’s time, for example, a single great headline could create and sustain an entire successful campaign.
These days, though, ad campaigns are multiplatform and interactive, with the potential to create each their own audience.
The Idea Writers brings traditional copywriting theory up to date to meet the challenges of the changing advertising landscape and get your brand and its message noticed regardless of the platform.
Want to know the breakthrough advertising secrets of the world’s most successful copywriters? This book is for you.
The Copy Book made its debut in 1995 with 32 essays (later editions brought the total to 48) penned by successful agency copywriters. Notable contributors include:
In each essay, you’ll explore real-life examples from each copywriter, and insights into how they created their campaigns. It’s an indispensable over-the-shoulder glance at advertising greatness at work.
Joseph Sugarman made millions writing mail order and direct marketing copy in the 1970s and ’80s. Defying conventional copywriting wisdom, he developed a style that changed the face of direct response marketing.
Sugarman shares his secrets of creating copy in a way that’s educational, inspirational, and motivating.
And using examples of his ads to illustrate his points, he provides unique insights into his writing techniques, and the psychological triggers he taps into that ultimately lead to sales.
Roy Williams has dedicated his life to answering the question, “what makes people do the things they do?”
To that end, The Wizard of Ads distils Williams’ wisdom on both life and copywriting through a collection of essays and letters written to clients and friends. Compelling chapter titles include A Caterpillar Called John Riley and Pointing Chris Like a Gun, while subject matter ranges from Alexander the Great, to how Williams met his wife.
It’s a rare trip inside the head of an advertising great.
According to Dan Kennedy — one of the world’s most highly-paid copywriters — effective copywriting is more mechanical process than it is art. Which means anyone can learn the art of persuasive copywriting — yes, even you.
In The Ultimate Sales Letter, Dan Kennedy explains why some letters lead to sales and others end up in the trash. He shows you how to enter the conversation in your audience’s mind, while being honest about the drawbacks of your product or service.
This book will bring hope to anyone who thinks they “can’t” write great copy.
This is another book that comes with the David Ogilvy seal of approval.
In The Copywriter’s Handbook, Robert “Bob” Bly reveals effective techniques for writing ads and emails that get attention. To get your products sold, Bly suggests, you need to see yourselves as salespeople behind keyboards. And to that end, he offers tips for creating unique and urgent copy, including:
An indispensable bonus? His insights on how to build a freelance copywriting business.
In a world of lip-syncing TikTok videos, it’s tempting to believe writing doesn’t matter anymore.
But, in Everybody Writes, content marketing expert Ann Handley says great copywriting matters more than ever. And in the digital marketing age, traditional marketing is no longer enough.
In this book, you’ll discover the secrets of persuasive online copywriting, including:
Ann Handley thinks everyone on the internet is a copywriter. Everybody Writes shows how to do it right, in a style only she can.
Words that Sell is a copywriter’s thesaurus.
Need an alternative to exciting? This book has 100 of them.
There’s more than 75 lists — containing more than 6,000 power words — that make an impact and sell, including:
There’s a few bonuses too — a crash course in copywriting, and a guide to commonly misspelled, confusing, and pretentious words to look out for.
Do you stare at a flashing cursor every time you sit down to write an email? Then you need this book.
Learning to write great openings will dramatically increase your success as a copywriter. And Great Leads is one of the best books on writing them.
Knowing why a great lead matters is the first step to becoming a more effective copywriter. What’s more, it allows you to:
Great Leads is a must-read for writers of all experience levels.
This book is the ultimate guide to understanding why people say yes. Read it, and you’re sure to write better copy.
Dr. Cialdini shares the results of 35 years of research into the psychology of persuasion, which he condenses into six principles:
Influence will teach you how to use these principles — and spot people using them on you. Once you’re familiar with them, you’ll start seeing them everywhere.
Ready to steal a few high-impact ad copy secrets from New York’s top agencies? This book lets you crack the safe.
Cashvertising contains facts that will make your web, advertising, email, and SEO copywriting more effective. Did you know that—
Whether you’re writing copy for a large business or a mom-and-pop store, the tips in this book will work — regardless of your location, product, or service.
The premise of The Power of Moments is that a single moment can change your life.
There are certain experiences you’ll always remember — both good and bad — and these moments are often brought about by circumstances or luck. But, by understanding what makes a moment powerful, you can create experiences that enchant and delight your customers.
Our most memorable positive moments contain one or more of the following elements:
By embracing these elements, copywriters can create memorable experiences for their readers — and drive more sales for their clients.
If you want to learn about behavioral change, this is the book for you.
In The Advertising Effect, industry insider Adam Ferrier explains why action creates change more effectively than emotional and rational persuasion.
His ten top advertising strategies, illustrated with real-world campaigns, include:
The book also features contributions from leading behavioral and advertising experts like Alain de Botton, Faris Yakob, and Bob Garfield.
Think you know how to make good decisions?
Think again.
In Predictably Irrational, behavioral economist Dan Ariely challenges the well-defended assumption that we make decisions rationally. This witty and entertaining book demonstrates how we make shockingly simple mistakes every day due to emotion, expectation, and social norms, including:
Copywriters can use this information to create copy that appeals to their readers’ irrational side.
This book is perfect for both beginners and more advanced copywriters who want to up their game.
This short, self-described “easy guide to picking up customers” delivers on its promises by walking you through the basics of writing web copy that converts. It contains tips on:
Duistermaat’s mission is to stamp out gobbledygook online, so each chapter ends with exercises and worksheets that put her lessons into action.
In this book, social media expert Gary Vaynerchuk reveals his social media copywriting secret in the title’s meaning — jab away at your competition, and then knock them out with a final right hook.
Vaynerchuk’s core message is that what works on social media is constantly changing — and since it was written in 2013, some of the advice may already seem a bit outdated.
Still, it’s worth the read, as it goes into detail on crafting copy that will deliver the right hook across different social media platforms.
Following the housing collapse, Marcus Sheridan turned his failing pool company around to become one of the biggest pool installers in the US today. And he achieved this by answering people’s questions.
This book shares the exact strategies he used.
They Ask, You Answer is a philosophical guide to becoming the most trusted voice in any industry… by simply answering questions.
Master marketer Seth Godin condenses over 25 years of experience into this book, sharing his core values of marketing:
This is Marketing makes the case for why marketers should think about how they can serve their customers — not the other way round.
Godin advises finding your smallest viable market and telling stories tailored to their ideas about status and affiliation.
He also encourages small businesses to start with direct marketing (Google ads, email and social media) over brand marketing (billboards).
The Mom Test is based on a simple yet painfully important principle:
Never ask your mom for business advice, because she loves you and won’t be impartial.
It’s a short, entertaining read based on Fitzpatrick’s experience in the startup world , and it’s great for newbie copywriters.
In The Mom Test, Fitzpatrick extends his title’s premise, suggesting that instead of pitching ideas to customers, you should investigate their needs and create solutions to their problems.
This book contains how-tos, specific methods, and examples of approaches that work well, ones that don’t, and why.
So, there you have it — a list of some of the best breakthrough copywriting books for becoming a master copywriter.
Start by reading the book that appeals most to you, one that’s relevant to your experience and writing niche. As you gain knowledge, hone your craft, and add to your portfolio, you’ll be able to charge more as a copywriter.
And who knows — maybe you’ll quit your job, travel the world, and make millions from copywriting.
Where’s the nearest library?
Copywriting, Writing
Victoria Peel-Yates