Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott knows writers. Every insecure, wishy-washy, angst-ridden part of us is exposed in her book for all the world to see. Which is probably why it's one of the better books on writing out there. She deals less with the nuts and bolts of the mechanics of writing and focuses on how to... well, focus. Her lessons are broken down chapter by chapter, with some amazing life stories thrown in to illustrate her points.

Writing about a writing book is never an easy task, so it's best to keep it short and simple. If you're looking for the magic bullet to publishing superstardom, look elsewhere. Anne Lamott is only interested in keeping you at the table, pen in hand (or keyboard at hand), making sure you get your 300 words per day, insisting that if writing is the life you choose, you live it everyday.