The Best Timeless Copywriting Books Beginners Should Read
To hone the craft and stand out
Image customized by the author on Canva
Copywriting as a newbie can be a little bit confusing, but with the right books, it can be the best journey you have ever had.
Do you want to become a great copywriter? If so, you must learn from the best, and if you can’t do it in person, you can do it by reading their books.
AI is constantly growing, and it’s easy to think that books are useless, but believe it or not, that’s not true.
If you are serious about copywriting and want to stand out, you have to learn both traditional and modern copy, and books remain the most important step in laying the groundwork for your copywriting career.
You can use a book as a reference, and if you need to go deep into a particular topic, you can also read it twice or as many times as you need.
And yes, as I’ve mentioned before, even in the era of AI, books are essential in your learning journey.
Today, it’s so easy to read a book, thanks to the different formats you can choose from. If you don’t want to read a physical book, digital editions allow you to carry a library in your bag and read anywhere.
And if you’re short on time, or you don’t like digital books, audiobooks are your perfect match. You can listen to them while working out, in your car, or wherever you want.
I know AI is a precious ally, a shortcut to have all the info in seconds, a great assistant, and that’s ok, but you are the one who has to feed AI with the right prompt. It doesn’t do all the work for you, but if you don’t feed yourself first properly, how can you tell the AI what it can do for you?
Remember, “rubbish in, rubbish out,” and if you want AI to assist you the right way, you have to learn copywriting the right way, and the only way to learn it is by reading great books.
Here are my favorite copywriting books that every beginner should read:
How To Write Copy That Sells by Ray Edwards
The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy
The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
The Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert W. Bly
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini (2021)
Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy
The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman
Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
Copywriting Made Simple by Tom Albrighton
Bonus
This Book Will Teach You How To Write Better by Neville Medhora
Let’s dive deeper into the topic…
#1 How To Write Copy That Sells by Ray Edwards
In “How to Write Copy That Sells,” the great copywriter Ray Edwards explains, in a step-by-step guide, how to write effective copy to increase leads and sales.
You can learn a bunch of valuable secrets:
How to write persuasive copy
How to write catchy headlines using the AIDA Framework
How to use the P.A.S.T.O.R Framework to write compelling copy
The author explains, through many examples and in a unique way, how to write.
Bullet Points
Guarantees
Risk reversal copy
Product launch copy
And much more
The most valuable thing, in addition to the incredible content in the book, is the “bullet points template” and a really useful “training” available at the link you find at the end of the book.
It’s an essential book in any copywriter’s library.
#2 The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy
If you want to sharpen your copywriting skills, this book is a must-have.
Writing compelling sales letters is vital for every business, but sometimes they don’t work.
The author explains why people open some emails and why they delete others. The secret? It’s the headline.
In this book, you can find headline techniques and templates with examples.
He describes the sales letter writing process as a “System,” and he shows how powerful the PAS Framework is for writing a grab-attention sales letter. PAS stands for “Problem, Agitation, Solution”.
“The Ultimate Sales Letter” is your guide to learning and mastering the PAS Framework. Use it to write your sales copy, and it will succeed.
#3 The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
It’s a collection of letters Gary Halbert wrote when he was in prison to educate his son Bond in Direct Mail Marketing.
The book has 25 Chapters. The first 4 chapters talk about life, health, and well-being; the others teach DM strategy.
Gary told his son the importance of having a healthy lifestyle to be more creative and productive.
Then, in the other letters, he gives his son suggestions on copywriting, sales, lead generation, and how to grab consumers’ attention.
Even though the book goes back to the ’80s and some techniques on “how to grab attention” have changed in the digital age, it remains a great training for aspiring copywriters because it shows the fundamentals of Direct Marketing.
It’s definitely another essential book perfect for both beginners and pro copywriters.
#4 The Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert W. Bly
The author wrote this book for the first time in 1985, a second edition in 1990, and a third in 2005, updated with advice on copywriting in the digital age.
The book is perfect for beginners, freelancers, and any marketing professional looking for valuable guidelines to write effective copy.
It includes many examples, and at the end of the book, you can find a glossary of Advertising terms, which is really useful. Your reading will be a worthy experience.
If you want more up-to-date content on copywriting in the digital age, you can also find the fourth edition, updated in 2020, so you can master your copywriting skills and create the copy you need to grow your business.
Click the 👉 link and learn from a master!
#5 Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
“Influence,” written in 1984 by the Psychologist Dr. Robert Cialdini, is a classic and a goldmine for people who want to write for business.
This isn’t a copywriting book on how to write copy; it’s a guide on using persuasion principles to achieve high-converting results with your copy.
Based on psychological studies, the author explains the science behind people’s behavior.
I’ve added this book to my list of copywriting books for beginners because I think it’s an important book to read if you want to learn the secrets of effective writing. You will like it!
You can learn the 6 principles of persuasion, called by Cialdini “The Weapons of Influence”:
Reciprocity
Commitment and Consistency
Social Proof
Liking
Authority
Scarcity
These principles are essential to understanding people’s decisions in the buying process and to writing copy that persuades them to take action.
#6 Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
You’re probably asking yourself, why did I put the Cialdini book again, right?
Well, let me explain…
This is an updated edition of the previous one. This new edition was published in 2021.
In addition to the six principles of influence explained in the other edition, Cialdini added “unity.”
Studying people’s behaviors, especially what led people to say yes, the author figured out that people who are similar and feel a sense of belonging with other people are more likely to say yes.
Another new entry in this edition is the shift from the term “weapons,” used in the earlier edition to talk about the 6 principles of influence, to “levers of influence.”
As I said for the previous edition, it’s not a copywriting book to learn copywriting techniques.
I put it in this list of copywriting books for beginners because it’s important to know the principles that influence people to buy, so you can write copy that converts.
#7 Ogilvy On Advertising by David Ogilvy
“Copywriting is the heart of advertising.”
So wrote Ogilvy in his 1985 Vintage Edition.
Even though it doesn’t have a digital section, it perfectly matches today’s Advertising world because the principles are the same.
It’s a kind of “how-to” guide on the advertising industry, essential reading for anyone who wants to work in copywriting.
It’s easy to read, full of timeless and useful techniques, and real advertising examples.
He talks about advertising jobs and how to get a good one, how to choose the best agency for your product, the secret to writing ads that works, and the importance of researh in copywriting.
Key topics are:
How to run an agency
How to get clients
How to make effective TV commercial and direct mail
If you want to learn the art of converting advertising from “the father of advertising”, this book is definitely for you.
#8 The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman
“Never sell a product or service. Always sell a concept. ”
This book is a revision of another one published in 1998, “Advertising Secrets of the Written Word.” The Adweek Copywriting Handbook includes several lessons from a seminar on “Copywriting and Marketing,” which was held in the 1970s.
In this edition, the author updated the chapters for a modern audience.
In the first part of the book, Sugarman breaks down a step-by-step process for creating a printed ad to help you master this skill.
In the other chapters, you can go deeper into the topic with real and proven examples for different media.
This book is an incredible guide for beginners, but also for every professional copywriter.
#9 Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
“Everybody Writes” is a fundamental book for every beginner copywriter.
The first edition was published in 2014.
This is the second edition, revised and expanded, published in 2022. It’s an indispensable guide to mastering marketing writing, from copywriting to content writing and storytelling, too.
This new edition is packed with updated writing best practices, examples, and ideas.
You can also find a dedicated section with 19 different kinds of sought-after content, with strategies and techniques to write winning copy that honestly speaks to the customer, like web pages, landing pages, emails, blogs, and all kinds of online marketing communication.
In the digital era, where writing is an essential skill to thrive in your biz, if you really want to learn how to use your words effectively, I strongly recommend this book in your copywriting library, whether you’re a beginner, a seasoned writer, or a freelancer. You won’t regret it!
#10 Copywriting Made Simple by Tom Albrighton
Last but not least, “Copywriting Made Simple” was a discovery for me. It’s lesser known than other copywriting books, but it is worth the money.
The author leads you on an engaging journey in the copywriting world. It explains, chapter by chapter, the basics of writing compelling copy.
In part one, you can learn what copywriting is.
Then, in part two, the author explains how to plan copy, its structure, how to write headlines, calls to action, and the AIDA Framework to craft compelling copy.
In these sections, he emphasizes the importance of doing a ton of research before writing your copy, knowing the product and turning features into benefits, and also knowing your target audience well.
Part three is full of tips and secrets to sharpen your copy. You can learn the 6 principles of persuasion, the importance of using psychology, and the right tone to write a winning piece of copy.
In the final part of the book, the author explains the importance of feedback and presents a short but useful overview of real-world projects, interesting images to study, and applicable tips.
I recommend this book for beginners because it is easy to read, clear, and full of valuable tips for learning the basics of copywriting from a great author.
Bonus
This Book Will Teach You How To Write Better by Neville Medhora
Among the copywriting books for beginners, the simplest is “This Book Will Teach You How To Write Better” by Neville Medhora. It’s concise but engaging.
In just 45 pages, the author summarizes how writing copy the right way can make a huge difference in your income.
It’s a super educational book. Through some examples, he clearly explains how people react to copy using different words and how important your writing style is. The more casual and informative it is, the better.
“Nobody cares about you; they only care about themselves.” With this quote, the author highlights an important concept: people who read your copy have to feel you are talking to them and that you are the solution to their problem. It’s not about you. It’s about them.
In this book, you will also learn how to use the AIDA Framework to write copy that converts and much more.
Highly recommended as a copywriting book for beginners.
To wrap up…
The best way to learn copywriting in the digital age and even in the era of AI is by reading copywriting books. With all the information about copywriting you can find online, which is not always reliable, starting on a copywriting journey can be messy without a trustworthy guide, and timeless copywriting books are your shortcut to learning and mastering your copy skills faster.
In this post, I’ve shared my favourite copywriting books, written by masters in the field, from Ray Edwards to David Ogilvy, Gary Halbert, and Joseph Sugarman, just to name a few.
It will be as if you were enrolled in a masterclass that gives you all the knowledge you need to really learn copywriting and go from beginner to pro.
That’s it!
Note: This article was originally published on Medium.
Important: This post contains links to some of the products I have mentioned above, but they are not affiliate links, so if you click the link and buy the product, I don’t earn any commission.
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