Great suggestions! I love marking up my books; I feel like they are really mine that way. Not to mention that it validates my extensive post-it and highlighter collection. One suggestion I have is that I think all writers should read Stephen King’s “On Writing.” I’ve read it through all the way once but I find myself revisiting it often for inspiration.
I used to teach creative writing and the only book on the syllabus was "On Writing." It's the best book on writing I've ever come across, and i've read at least fifty! Great post, Nicole!
Thanks, Mike! I love that it was the only text on your syllabus! Now I feel like I’m in good company with my recommendation. Just subscribed to your Stack…I’m a sucker for smart, slightly snarky writing!
Great thoughts, Tarek. I started requiring my college students to read 2 books during the semester, chosen from a curated list I provide. Many of the books you’ve shared are on that list. I also “confess” that they will learn more in each of the books they read than I, or any professor, can teach them in a semester of lectures.
Congrats on the 52 consecutive weeks of writing. James Clear would be so proud! :)
As a lifelong reader and writer with several degrees in English ("bartending 101") I LOVED every word of this! One piece of advice: if a book is long and intimidating, like War and Peace, just make it into a mini-series. Read one chapter a night, and set up a schedule, soon enough, you'll be far enough in that you won't be able to put it down. Epic books are amazing. They do require a commitment and effort, but War and Peace, Brothers Karamazov, East of Eden, and so many others of their ilk are worth reading because these fictional explorations of humanity use metaphors and allegories to reach us in ways that non-fiction simply cannot, but in shorter novels, you don't have time to get into the real nuances that can change our lives...
Thank you for a year of consistent inspiration, Tarek!!
Great suggestions! I love marking up my books; I feel like they are really mine that way. Not to mention that it validates my extensive post-it and highlighter collection. One suggestion I have is that I think all writers should read Stephen King’s “On Writing.” I’ve read it through all the way once but I find myself revisiting it often for inspiration.
I used to teach creative writing and the only book on the syllabus was "On Writing." It's the best book on writing I've ever come across, and i've read at least fifty! Great post, Nicole!
Thanks, Mike! I love that it was the only text on your syllabus! Now I feel like I’m in good company with my recommendation. Just subscribed to your Stack…I’m a sucker for smart, slightly snarky writing!
Wow! Thank you!!!! Means a lot to me!
I will have to pick that one up Nicole! And do share a picture of your highlighter collection.
Great thoughts, Tarek. I started requiring my college students to read 2 books during the semester, chosen from a curated list I provide. Many of the books you’ve shared are on that list. I also “confess” that they will learn more in each of the books they read than I, or any professor, can teach them in a semester of lectures.
Congrats on the 52 consecutive weeks of writing. James Clear would be so proud! :)
Thank you Mike! What other books would you recommend adding to a reading list?
Everybody Matters by Bob Chapman and The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor are high on my list. :)
As a lifelong reader and writer with several degrees in English ("bartending 101") I LOVED every word of this! One piece of advice: if a book is long and intimidating, like War and Peace, just make it into a mini-series. Read one chapter a night, and set up a schedule, soon enough, you'll be far enough in that you won't be able to put it down. Epic books are amazing. They do require a commitment and effort, but War and Peace, Brothers Karamazov, East of Eden, and so many others of their ilk are worth reading because these fictional explorations of humanity use metaphors and allegories to reach us in ways that non-fiction simply cannot, but in shorter novels, you don't have time to get into the real nuances that can change our lives...
Thank you for a year of consistent inspiration, Tarek!!