Top Copywriting books recommended by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we've connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favourite Copywriting books – and here are the answers.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals of Copywriting

Understanding the concepts of Copywriting starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Thinking, Fast and Slow is a 2011 popular science book by psychologist Daniel Kahneman. The book's main thesis is a differentiation between two modes of thought: "System 1" is fast, instinctive and emotional; "System 2" is slower, more deliberative, and more logical.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

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 Joseph Sugarman

Explains how to write advertising copy for a mail order advertisement. The opening section covers the principles of copywriting including the graphic elements of an ad, the first sentence, and creating the perfect buying environment. Section two explains copy elements such as typeface, paragraph headings, and anticipating buyer objections, and psychological triggers such as honesty, credibilit…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Made to Stick

Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath is a business book that explores the six principles needed to make ideas memorable and compelling. It offers real-world examples and practical tips for creating ideas that resonate with your audience.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

On Writing Well

On Writing Well by William Zinsser is a guide to improve writing style, emphasizing on clarity, simplicity, and humanity. It offers practical tips, examples, and exercises to connect with readers on an emotional level.

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Confessions of an Advertising Man

Managing an advertising agency is like managing any other creative business. Ogilvy articulates the ten anchors that underpinned the corporate culture of his agency’s 497 employees in 1963: they work hard, combine intelligence with intellectual honesty, put passion in what they do, do not suck up to their bosses, are self-confident, do not hire their spouses but future successors who they buil…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Fortune Cookie Principle: The 20 Keys to a Great Brand Story and Why Your Business Needs One Bernadette Jiwa

The Fortune Cookie Principle by Bernadette Jiwa is a marketing book that emphasizes that brand success is about creating a unique, inspiring story. It guides readers on crafting a strong brand message that resonates with audiences and builds a loyal customer base.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Additional Copywriting Reading

These books are not required for you to learn Copywriting, but they are highly recommended for you to deepen your knowledge.

Tested advertising methods

Tested Advertising Methods stresses on the importance of testing and how it is the best possible solution to clearly identify which type of appeal, advertisement, offer, and headlines work and which don't.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Boron Letters

Boron Letters is FILLED with nuggets of wisdom for email marketing, sales copy, and life. Not everything translates to the modern world, but much of it does. It was interesting to read because it is all letters written from prison, and I felt like that kept my attention much better than a lot of dry marketing books.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Advertising Solution: Influence Prospects, Multiply Sales, and Promote Your Brand Craig Simpson

Distilling the wisdom of the world's greatest advertisers, direct marketing expert Craig Simpson delivers an education on how to create best-in-class direct marketing and advertising copy that creates brand awareness, sells products, and keeps customers engaged.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Ogilvy on Advertising

Ogilvy put everything he knows on advertising in this one book. I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form but as a medium of information. When I write an advertisement, I don't want you to tell me that you find it 'creative. ' I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads

The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads. Short Summary: The nuts and bolts of the ad creation process from ideation to execution and the art of client servicing. An inside view of how the advertising world functions with great examples of advertising peppered throughout the book.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

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

In the age of e-mail and instant communication, great sales copy is indispensable to closing a deal. But too many sales letters end up in the junk file or the wastebasket. In this new edition of his top-selling book, author Dan Kennedy explains why some sales letters work and most don't. And he shows how to write copy that any business can use.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

This list is curated by MentorCruise and can include Amazon affiliate links. Have any other suggestions? Add here.

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