The 15 best copywriting books in 2020 (and who should read them)

Gurus love to make long lists of “must read” copywriting books:

• “Top X books to learn copywriting” (AKA “Here are the Amazon search results for copywriting books with 4+ stars”)
• “X books every copywriter should read” (AKA “Here’s a huge list of books I’m pretending I read”)
• Any list of “classic” copywriting books (AKA “Outdated books best used for decorating your bookshelf”)

It’s easy to google “best copywriting books,” copy paste them (along with stock Amazon descriptions) into WordPress, hit publish, and call it a day.

But is reading these posts really the best way to help you improve your copywriting?

Maybe not. So let’s try a different approach…

In this post, I’ll tell you all the books that helped me go from zero to six-figure copywriter in just 2 years.

You’ll also learn specific details about each book, including:

• Who I think should read it
• How it’ll help you
• And even a valuable lesson I learned from each book

Here we go…

The best books for learning and mastering copywriting:

(Click on a link to skip down to that book)

1. The screenwriting book that helped me master storytelling
2. The negotiation book that changed how I approach sales writing
3. The book I recommend to copywriters that are just starting out
4. The freelance writing book that taught me how to charge what I’m worth
5. The book that showed me how to write copy that converts (even if you’re a beginner)
6. The “old school” copywriting book that still holds up
7. The powerful classic that modern copywriters should read with caution
8. The semi-instructional writing book that’s packed with inspiration
9. The marketing book that shows you the psychology behind all great copywriting
10. The behavioral psychology book that explores the weird ways people make decisions
11. The only Sales Letter book I’ve ever read
12. The tiny book that helped me add marketing strategy to my copywriting
13. The eye-opening book that reveals how companies like Apple think about powerful copywriting
14. The little-known marketing book that shows you how luxury companies like Mercedes-Benz get ordinary middle class people to open up their wallets
15. The incredibly actionable persuasion book I keep by my desk at all times

Book #1: The screenwriting book that helped me master storytelling

Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee

You might be surprised to see a screenwriting book on my list of copywriting books.

The way I see it, screenwriters are also copywriters.

When they write a screenplay they don’t just write an interesting story.

The guy who’s been sitting at the end of the bar since last Tuesday has interesting stories, but very few people care about them.

A screenwriter has a different job.

They need a studio executive to devour their screenplay and say “I want to buy this from you for $300,000.”

So when they write it they write it like a copywriter.

They make sure their story grabs attention.

They make it emotional, pack it with drama, and add twists and turns to keep you on your toes and keep you hooked.

And they’re great at writing for the audience. Movie studios don’t pay top dollar for screenplays the audience won’t love.

In many ways the studio executive is the screenwriter’s audience. If they don’t obsessively turn pages to see what happens next, why would they shell out a few hundred grand to buy the thing?

So in that sense a screenplay isn’t all that different from a blog post or even a sales letter.

The biggest copywriting lesson I learned from Story is…

It’s not enough to write interesting stuff. You also need to surprise people.

Surprise is what keeps them reading…and learning. If you’re not surprised, then you’re not learning.

When I sit down with my team and we come up with a blog post idea (like this one), we ask ourselves, “what can we give our readers that they won’t expect?”

Average copywriters try to choose the right words. Great copywriters always aim to surprise.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Advanced copywriters who already know the basics of copywriting. Or anyone interested in screenwriting. Either way this book is full of surprises.

Book #2: The negotiation book that changed how I approach sales writing

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if your life depended on it by Chris Voss

I promise there are some actual copywriting books coming up next.

But in my experience those tend to be overrated.

Think about it: Lots of copywriters read copywriting books.

If you read all the same books as 10,000 other people in your industry, that’s not a real advantage.

Advantages come from reading great books other copywriters don’t read, and aren’t reading.

Never Split the Difference is a negotiation book, but not the kind written by some Harvard professor who plays negotiation games all day long.

Chris Voss was the FBI’s lead kidnapping negotiator and learned the hard way (the very hard way, as you find out in the book) what really works in a negotiation.

Then he visited Harvard and beat all of the negotiation professors at their own silly games.

My favorite copywriting insight from Never Split the Difference:

Chris takes a piece of “classic” copywriting wisdom and masterfully destroys it.

Old school copywriting books tell you to write copy like you’re trying to get the reader to nod their head. Supposedly, the idea is to get them into a “yes mindset.”

The theory is that if you can get them used to saying yes, they’ll eventually say yes to your copy and buy whatever you’re selling.

So for example, if you were writing copy for that cool Starbucks coffee cup that automatically keeps your coffee hot indefinitely, according to this outdated “head nodding” theory you might write something like this:

[Please remember I am demonstrating an outdated copywriting technique here. Do not try this at home.]

“Do you like to drink your coffee hot?”

“Don’t you hate it when you take that last sip of coffee and it tastes cold and disgusting?”

“Wouldn’t you love it if you could keep your coffee hot without having to refresh the cup every 5 minutes?”

This is what all copywriting sounded like 50 years ago.

A bit unimaginative and boring, but it got the job done OK.

That was before every copywriter, salesman, and telemarketer overused this technique to the point where it’s become totally useless.

Now if you start talking to someone this way they instantly know you’re trying to sell them something — and immediately tune you out.

Their first thought when they hear questions like this might be yes, but quietly they’re saying to themselves, “Watch out for this person, they’re trying to sell you something.”

Instead, Voss makes the convincing case that you should go for a NO instead of a yes.

People like to say no. It makes them feel like they’re in control.

They relax, and they can listen to you because they don’t feel like you’re trying to corner them into buying something.

Great copywriting is about surprising people, teaching them something, adding value to their life.

It’s about having a real conversation with someone, not using gimmicks to try to manipulate them.

Btw, this book will also help you become great at negotiating just about anything, including:

• Getting higher paying copywriting clients
• Buying a car
• Or even getting a raise at your job

I’ve read all the top negotiation books — including the ones written by those Harvard guys who teach fancy sounding acronyms like BATNA and ZOPA — and this was by far my favorite one.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Everyone. It will help you with copywriting, your relationships, and even negotiating for raises, cars, and rent.

Before you buy the book, you can also learn some of Chris’ techniques from this talk he gave at Google:

Book #3: The book I recommend to copywriters who are just starting out

The Copywriter’s Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells by Bob Bly

Bob is not your typical old pro.

He once said on his blog that he’ll answer any question via email provided he can do it in 2 minutes or less.

So I emailed him a question and he emailed me back within 5 minutes. It was very impressive.

But what I really like about Bob is that he doesn’t try to BS people.

He’d rather tell you the truth even if it doesn’t make you feel good.

For example he’ll tell you flat out that most people who read how-to books won’t be successful — even though Bob himself is a how-to author.

I don’t always agree with everything he says, but his no BS style is refreshing.

The #1 copywriting lesson I learned from The Copywriter’s Handbook:

You don’t need to be a genius to write copy that converts. You just need to write good copy.

To me, good copy is more about writing from the heart.

It’s more art than science.

Bob has a great line in the book…

He says that when a copywriter shows a client a piece of copy, and the client disagrees with the way it was written, it’s not like the copywriter can show some sort of concrete proof that his way was the right way.

A lot of people think that writing “high converting” copy is some kind of magical power, inborn talent, or some sort of complicated science.

But the best copywriters aren’t Marvel Superheroes.

They’re more like great baseball players. Sometimes they hit one out of the park, and other times they miss.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

You should read this book if you’re just starting out as a copywriter, or if you feel like you don’t have copywriting “figured out” yet.

Book #4: The freelance writing book that taught me how to charge what I’m worth

The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Commercial Freelancer in Six Months or Less by Peter Bowerman

Peter is another guy who likes to make things accessible for people.

You could take a cynical view to that, and say he just wants to sell books.

I don’t believe that and I don’t see it that way. And I have nothing to gain by telling you to read Peter’s book.

In fact, I don’t even think Peter likes me. The last time I emailed him he didn’t respond.

Yet I still know he’s a good guy.

I know it because his book is full of great lessons that I know to be true now that I’ve been a professional copywriter for the past 5+ years.

One killer insight on professional copywriting I got from The Well-Fed Writer

You don’t need to pay your dues for years on end in order to be a well paid freelance copywriter.

Peter started his copywriting career charging $50/hr, and never looked back.

And this was over 15 years ago, before:

• The demand for online copywriters skyrocketed
• It became easy to find great clients
• There were tons of blogs and books to learn from

I don’t agree with most of what Peter thinks about Upwork (his book still refers to its old name, Elance).

I’ve personally earned over $100,000 in my second year as a copywriter on Upwork, so I know it’s a great way to earn money.

But you can disagree with people and still learn from them. In fact you can often learn more from people you disagree with, because they’ll surprise you in ways that likeminded people can’t.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Anyone trying to break into freelance copywriting or finding it a challenge to raise their rate. Peter will destroy your mental barriers, and then some.

Book #5: The book that showed me how to write copy that converts (even if you’re a beginner)

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip and Dan Heath

Made to Stick is an amazing book.

There’s nothing else quite like it.

Technically, it’s not a copywriting book.

You could use it to figure out how to do lots of other things.

For example, a novelist could use it to write better books.

Or a mom could use it to convince her kids to eat spinach.

Still, I think it’s especially useful for copywriters.

It gives you a framework for being able to know whether your own copy is good or not.

There’s literally a checklist of 6 things you can look for after you write your copy:

• Simplicity
• Unexpectedness
• Concreteness
• Credibility
• Emotion
• Stories

You don’t need to get all 6 things into your copy to make it great. 2 or 3 can be enough.

Nor does having these things alone guarantee a great piece of copy. (If it were that easy there would be more great copywriters in the world.)

But the point is there are specific things you can look for when you read your own copy and say, “Does my copy contain these things?”

And while having them doesn’t automatically mean your copy is great, not having them does pretty much guarantee you need to work on it more. And just as importantly, you’ll know HOW to make it better.

There are also lots of amazing stories in the book that give you an insight into how the best copywriters think and write. So you’ll be entertained while you learn — win-win.

My favorite copywriting lesson from Made to Stick:

My favorite story is about Nora Ephron (who wrote movies like When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle) taking a high school writing class.

The teacher asks the students to write a headline for an article about how the entire school staff will be heading up to Sacramento, California the following Thursday to attend an all-day symposium.

All of the students wrote headlines that basically summed up or rewrote exactly what I just told you, like:

“School staff headed to Sacramento for symposium”

Then the teacher gave them a better headline:

“School will be closed on Thursday”

The moral of the story is that great copywriters don’t just play with words.

They’re trained to think deeply about what they’re really trying to convey, and they find non-obvious ways to do it.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Everyone should read it! Just do it.

Book #6: The “old school” copywriting book that still holds up

Advertising Secrets of the Written Word: The Ultimate Resource on How to Write Powerful Advertising Copy from One of America’s Top Copywriters and Mail Order Entrepreneurs by Joe Sugarman

This is one of the few “old school expert” books I was able to tolerate and actually enjoy quite a bit.

Sugarman is an artist, which is good because when people try to present copywriting like it’s some sort of science I fall asleep.

He uses lots of folk wisdom which is easy to remember and makes good sense.

For example, he says that the goal of your headline is to get the reader to read the opening sentence. And the opening sentence should get them to want to read the next sentence.

And so on.

He calls this the “Slippery slope” and it’s a great heuristic for thinking about how to write effective copy.

I’ve heard “scientific” experts drone on about headline theory for hours and say nothing…Joe nails it in 5 seconds with the slippery slope concept.

My favorite memory from this book:

Joe is a master of the subtle psychology behind great copy.

He tells a story about a health tonic he once bought, which promised to cure all of his ailments and make him feel better.

The tonic did end up making him feel better. But it didn’t solve all of his health issues, so he ended up feeling disappointed.

If the copy had promised less, he would have been happy.

This is an example of how a subtle shift in copy could have made his experience as a customer 10x better. If you get good at recognizing these types of opportunities you can be a top paid copywriter.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Definitely anyone who wants to write copy for their own business. But it’s also good for freelancers who want to pick up some of the more nuanced techniques lots of “basics” copywriting books miss.

Book #7: The powerful classic that modern copywriters should read with caution

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

This book contains a lot of gold, but…

The people who use it as evidence that this or that copywriting technique is “scientifically proven” always seem to overlook one very important point…

This book wasn’t written for copywriters.

It was written for consumers…to protect them against copywriters who are trying to use slick techniques on them.

So it basically calls out lots of tricks that marketers and copywriters use to manipulate people, in the hopes that consumers will wise up and stop falling for them.

For example, the book reveals how copywriters sometimes say “limited time only” when it’s often a BS line to get you to buy something by creating scarcity and activating your fear of missing out.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few things copywriters can learn from this book.

There are some. And you should read it.

But for the most part it just exposes a lot of tricks you SHOULDN’T use.

It seems like a lot of copywriters read the book and then ignore that fact. Then you end up with underhanded tricks like this:

One surprising copywriting lesson I remember from reading Influence:

A hotel was trying to get more of its customers to reuse towels — to no avail.

First they tried guilting them with messages about how it’s good for the environment. But that only produced limited results.

Then they tried explaining that most of their customers reuse towels. That technique worked like a charm.

Turns out people have a strong desire to do what other people are doing — and less of a desire to feel guilty.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Everyone should read it. But for copywriters it’s less of a how-to, and more of a what-not-to-do.

Book #8: The semi-instructional writing book that’s packed with inspiration

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

I’m only including this book because I saw it on some other blog’s “books copywriters need to read” list.

And I disagree. You don’t need to read this book.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Stephen King fan, and I love the book.

The first novel I read was Pet Sematary. I was 12 and it scared the shit out of me. But I couldn’t stop reading.

I sat up till 2 in the morning, scared out of my wits…but couldn’t put it down. It took me maybe two days to finish (and I was a slow reader).

They’re not kidding when they say King is the Master Storyteller.

But as entertaining as On Writing is, it hasn’t been crucial to my success as a copywriter.

There are still good reasons to read it, like:

• If you’re a King fan, there are tons of great stories in the book that will help you get more enjoyment out of his other books (for example, the fact that he wrote his first bestseller, Carrie, while living in a trailer)
• There’s a lot of general life wisdom in the book
• It’s extremely entertaining

One of my favorite memories from On Writing:

King says that writing a novel is like crossing the ocean in a bathtub by yourself.

I think of this line often, and it reminds me that there’s a price to pay for everything, including doing work you enjoy.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Anyone who’s a fan of Stephen King, wants to write a novel, or has already read tons of instructional copywriting books and needs more inspiration in their work and life.

Book #9: The marketing book that shows you the psychology behind all great copywriting

All Marketers are Liars: The Underground Classic That Explains How Marketing Really Works–and Why Authenticity Is the Best Marketing of All by Seth Godin

Everyone always says “great copy tells a story.”

But I get the sense most people are just repeating buzzwords.

They don’t know what “story” really means.

It doesn’t necessarily mean a literal story.

It’s more about matching the story that’s in the customer’s head.

Once you understand the story in someone’s head, you can write copy that converts.

If you don’t understand that story, your chances of converting them are more like 1 in a million. You’re a “lottery copywriter.”

Seth Godin will drive this home for you with laser-like logic, tons of amazing examples, and a call to action to use your powers for good, not evil.

My favorite copywriting lesson from the book:

Seth says that the old tagline for Fox News — “Fair and balanced” — was a great tagline because it matches the psychological story that a Fox News viewer has in their head.

He argues that, if the tagline were “News for conservatives” (it’s easy to imagine a mediocre copywriter coming up with that one) it wouldn’t have worked because Fox News viewers believe that the network’s news is truly “Fair and balanced” rather than skewed toward a conservative viewpoint.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Anyone interested in marketing, copywriting, being a smarter consumer, or getting along better with people.

Book #10: The behavioral economics book that explores the weird ways people make decisions

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely

This is another “non-copywriting” book but I love it because it gives you insight into how people think and act.

I have a special place in my heart for this book because it helped me land a great client as a new copywriter.

My guess is that the other copywriters she interviewed probably hadn’t read it.

That’s the beauty of reading non-copywriting books that are also useful for copywriters. It helps you stand out from your competition.

Actually it’s more like eliminating your competition because most people just do the minimum and the best clients are looking for someone who goes above and beyond to learn the craft.

What I remember most about Predictably Irrational:

The book shows you how people become better looking to the opposite sex if they’re hanging out with someone who looks like them, but is less attractive.

Learning that was a huge moment for me! It means you can change people’s perception of a product without actually altering the product at all.

Copywriters can use this by adding “less attractive options” to their copy.

For example, if you’re writing copy to sell an ebook, you can offer an upgraded version that comes with additional bonuses…which will look that much better when compared side by side with the bare bones version.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Any copywriter or anyone interesting in marketing should read this book. You’ll learn the difference between what people say makes them tick — and what actually does.

Book #11: The only Sales Letter book I’ve ever read

The Ultimate Sales Letter: Attract New Customers. Boost Your Sales. by Dan Kennedy

I only remember two things about this book:

1. I liked it
2. A story…

…about how someone in a very dull industry (maybe screw manufacturing) was convinced there was nothing he could do to improve his copywriting because his product was a boring commodity and there was no way to make it stand out.

But then Dan took him to a bar and “popped a few drinks into him” (Dan’s words) and he ended up making weird hot pink flyers and writing offbeat copy that got people’s attention…and ultimately increased his sales.

There are many worse things you can do for your copywriting career than read all of Dan Kennedy’s books.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Any copywriter, online business owner, or freelancer can learn a lot from Dan Kennedy’s books.

Book #12: The tiny book that helped me add marketing strategy to my copywriting

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk! by Al Ries and Jack Trout

Even though this isn’t a copywriting book, I read it after hearing Tim Ferriss rave about it a bunch of times on his podcast.

It’s a great collection of a bunch of simple marketing “laws” that work — yet, if you look around, most businesses violate them. (You’ll learn about many of the higher profile “violators” in the book.)

The reason I love this book for freelance copywriters is that it gives you something simple you can advise your clients on, beyond just copywriting.

You always want to be able to offer a little extra.

That makes you more valuable and it makes clients love you.

I’m not saying you need to be a marketing consultant. But it’s good to be able to say, “Hey Mr. Client, I was looking at your website, and I think you might be able to improve your marketing by doing __________.”

You’ll get a lot of golden nuggets like that in this book, so check it out. (Then thank Tim Ferriss.)

A key copywriting lesson I learned from this book:

Instead of trying to be all things to all people, a business should narrow down their focus to ONE WORD.

For example, Mercedes doesn’t sell cars as much as it sells LUXURY.

Fedex isn’t a “delivery” company…it’s an OVERNIGHT delivery company.

(What words can you help your clients focus in on?)

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Any freelance copywriter, corporate copywriter, or marketer can get a lot out of this book. It’s relatively short, easy to read, and eye opening.

Book #13: The eye-opening book that reveals how companies like Apple think about powerful copywriting

Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

I first learned about Simon after watching his TED talk. In it, he explains a powerful principle:

“People don’t buy what you’re selling. They buy WHY you’re selling it.”

We all like to buy things we believe in.

For example, lots of people buy Apple products because they like beautiful things that are easy to use (“like an appliance,” as Steve Jobs might have said).

You can watch the TED talk or read the book to find out the science behind it — as Simon says, it’s not psychology, but actually basic biology that makes people attracted to your “why.”

I’ve been using Simon’s Start With Why techniques for years with amazing results.

Take a look at how I wrote my About FTW page.

I start out talking about WHY I do what I do…before I ever mention the How or What.

My most memorable copywriting insight from the book:

The part of the human brain that’s responsible for making decisions is NOT the same part of the brain that understands logic. So you cannot sell someone something based on logic alone…you need to tap into their emotions.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

This book should be required reading in 100% of the high schools on earth.

Book #14: The little-known marketing book that shows how luxury companies get ordinary middle class people to open up their wallets

Trading Up: Why Consumers Want New Luxury Goods–and How Companies Create Them by Michael J. Silverstein and Neil Fiske

This book caught my wife’s eye at the used bookstore when she noticed a blurb by Seth Godin on the back of it. I’ve never heard it mentioned anywhere else, and the cover looks so innocuous that I probably never would have noticed it on my own.

Technically it isn’t a copywriting book — it’s something even better — a treatise on the psychology of the American consumer.

Everything in it is based on fascinating research by the Boston Consulting Group, and it reveals why people are willing to open up their wallets and spend lots of money on some things, but not so much on others.

What I remember most from this book:

Everyone has things they’re happy to pay more for. And in many cases, a lot more. For example, you’ll meet an amateur golfer who proudly splurges on the same golf clubs multimillionaires play with — even though he lives on a construction workers salary!

What type of copywriter should read this book?

This is an advanced book for someone who’s already mastered the nuts and bolts of copywriting. If you’ve done that, and you’re interested in writing copy that sells premium products, this book is right up your alley.

Book #15: The incredibly actionable persuasion book I keep by my desk at all times

The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip and Dan Heath

This is another book by the same great tag team behind book #5, and it’s just as outstanding. The idea behind the book is: Why do some moments spark change and make amazing things happen, while others don’t?

Thinking this way is golden for copywriters.

As a copywriter, your number one job is to persuade people. (Notice I didn’t say to sell. Not all copywriting needs to be sales copywriting. It can be a new idea, a different perspective, or even just considering something they’d never thought of before. But you’re always persuading people of something.)

This book contains more examples of how to be persuasive — really persuasive — than just about any copywriting book I’ve ever read. It even comes with a cheat sheet that will help you improve your persuasive powers at a glance — I have a copy of it sitting on my desk at all times.

My #1 takeaway from the book:

You can create memorable moments that grab people’s attention by “breaking the script,” or giving people something different than what they expect. For example, notice the way I “broke the script” in this post by starting off with a non-copywriting book.

What type of copywriter should read this book?

Anyone interested in persuasion will love this book. With that said, if you’re looking for practical copywriting tips you should check out Made to Stick first.

The best way to learn copywriting isn’t from books

Reading books is good, but you need to take action too.

Don’t spend your whole life studying books. It takes a long time to read a book. You can write a lot of copy in that time and writing copy will help you understand the books better.

Here’s my plan for using books to improve your copy (even if you’re just starting out):

Read a copywriting book.

Just 1.

Then go out and use 2-3 of the things you learn in the book to write a piece of copy.

That way you start to make the concepts real.

You internalize them.

You’ll learn more from one book using that method, than if you were to read even 100 books in a row…just reading.

Watch me do a freelance copywriting job

How would you like to shadow me while I do a real freelance copywriting job — from start to finish — right before your eyes?

You’ll see exactly how I gather information, how I write, and even my thought process every step of the way.

This is an unprecedented opportunity to see a real professional copywriter in action and take all the mystery out of writing great copy that converts.

And you can snag it now at no charge whatsoever. Just sign up here and I’ll pull back the curtain and show you exactly how I write copy, start to finish.