I wanted to share with you some books that have inspired me and helped me in my writing journey. I’ve put them categories, so you can find what you’re looking for easier.

On Writing and Creativity

Writing Down The Bones: Freeing the Writer within by Natalie Goldberg.

This book is super helpful to read when you are feeling like you’re writing isn’t perfect – and it’s making you procrastinate. Natalie Goldberg inspires writers to “write your first thoughts – keep your hand moving, don’t cross out, just get it on paper.” And she also reminds us that writing is 90% listening; the deeper you listen the better you write.

If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland.  Really amazing and inspiring book… definitely a book I’ll be re-reading every year. The author’s words inspired me to believe in myself once more – to understand that everyone is talented because everybody who is human has something to express. She encourages writers to speak their words from their true self and that will make you an original. She says, “only when you are playing in a thing do people listen and hear you and are moved. It is because you are moved, because a queer and wonderful experience has taken place… it is suddenly yourself, your voice and your eloquence.”

The Right to Write by Julia Cameron. This book, along with The Artist’s Way, both by Julia Cameron, makes writing a playful, relaxed and creative event. She has the ability in this book, to turn blocked writers into practical and active writers who write everyday. This book will give you a reason to start understanding who you are as a writer and motivate you to write that book you’ve been dreaming of.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. This is one of favourite books! It has helped me get unblocked and to free my creativity. The author gives tips on how to write 3 pages of handwritten words each morning – on absolutely any topic – to get rid of the critic and free your imagination. After a few years of writing morning pages, I can definitely say this works!

STORY: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee. This book is incredible for authors and screenwriters because the principles of storytelling are universal. It’s definitely on my re-read once a year ‘list.’ Super helpful for storytellers 🙂

Story Engineering: Mastering the six core competencies of successful writing by Larry Brooks. This book along with Larry’s blog at storyfix.com, has really helped me dig down deeper into the nitty gritty of story structure. For me, it was how Larry broke down the 4 parts of story structure – where I had my real aha moment that has helped me understand storytelling in a new and simpler way.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. By reading this book it has helped me to live a life that is driven more by curiosity than fear. Elizabeth encourages writers to measure your worth by your dedication to your path, not by your successes or failures. To really find joy in your work – and work with all your heart. The author reminds us that frustration is not an interruption of the process; frustration IS the process. There’s a ton of wisdom for creatives in this book. A must read.

On Productivity

Turning Pro: Tap your inner power and create your life’s work by Steven Pressfield. This is a book I re-read constantly – every six months or so. I finally understood how to take my thinking from being an amateur to being a pro writer. So, if you want to be a professional writer and super productive, this book is for you!
Lifelong Writing Habit: The Secret to Writing Every Day by Chris Fox. An excellent book to help you create a permanent writing habit -everyday- in your life. This book will really help you set and achieve your writing goals… and teach you to harness discipline and motivation. 

Rising Strong: The Reckoning, The Rumble, The Revolution by Brene Brown. This is an amazing book to help you be okay with imperfection and to embrace and own your own story. How to have courage in your writing and being willing to show up and be seen  with no guarantee of the outcome. This has been super helpful – and freeing – for me and I hope this book helps you too.

Finish Your Book: A 7 C Formula to Unblock Your Creativity and Accelerate Your Writing Goals (The Storyteller’s Roadmap Book 2) by Lorna F. Kopp.  If you are struggling to write your first book or if you have set aside your half-written book because of self-doubt, worry or fear, this book will help you get beyond frustration to write and finish your book. Each chapter in this book, will inspire you to inspire your passion for your story and help connect you with a new level of self-compassion to help you express your truest self onto the page and finish your book!

On Self-Publishing

Write. Publish. Repeat. The No-Luck Required Guide to Self-Publishing Success  by Johnny B. Truant & Sean Platt. This is a book that teaches writers the business of self-publishing. These authors are super prolific and in this book they teach you how to write fast, publish quickly and get your book to your unique readers. Super helpful read.

Write and Publish Your First Book: A Step-by-Step Blueprint to Write, Self-Publish and Market Your Fiction and Nonfiction Book by Lorna F. Kopp. If you’re a first-time writer and are struggling to write and self-publish your book, this book will help you. It’s the nuts and bolts you need to create your best book, get it out into the world to connect with and attract readers for your unique book.

On Book Marketing

Let’s Get Visible: How to Get Noticed And Sell More Books by David Gaughran. If you want to take the sales of your book to the next level, this is an advanced guide that will help you get there!  This book will help you get your book noticed online and he talks about Amazon algorithms, categories and how to optimize your sales page.

Platform: Get noticed in a noisy world. A step-by-step guide for anyone with something to say or sell by Michael Hyatt. This is a book that is super helpful for any creative entrepreneur who are want to build an online business. Michael does a great job of listing the steps of what it takes to reach an audience through a online platform.
How to Market A Book by Joanna Penn. This book really helps authors to understand themselves and how generosity and networking with other authors really helps you to get more eyes on your book. Joanna talks about short-term marketing as well as long-term marketing and building your author website and content marketing. Super helpful for author entrepreneurs.

On Being an Author Entrepreneur

The Success Principles – 10th Anniversary Edition: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield. This is a practical and inspiring guide to help you make a mindshift so you can achieve success in your goals. This books teaches you how to live with passion and purpose, to overcome obstacles and how to increase your confidence. A great book for author entrepreneurs.

The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin. This book teaches you how your art is a result… and not a journey. Seth inspires creatives to pick themselves. If you are a writer who has self-doubt about your stories or your writing, this is a must read and will help you get unstuck.

Choose Yourself: Be Happy. Make Millions. Live the Dream by James Altucher. This book will inspire you to to invest in yourself. And how the world is changing with the new tools and economic forces that have made it possible for individuals to create art and make a lot of money without having to seek permission from gatekeepers. He includes caste studies and interviews from real people that are super inspiring.

Business for Authors: How to Be An Author Entrepreneur by Joanna Penn. In this book, Joanna Penn shares her own journey of starting from scratch to consistently writing books and creating content online to make a living as an author. Really helpful if your goal is make a living with your writing.

Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus and Sharpen Your Creative Mind by Jocelyn K. Glei and 99U.  This book will teach you to dream and to see your creativity and writing as a time to play. It also is motivating and inspiring to show you how to organize your own production schedule and workspace. Many chapters in this book will help you with production.

 

I hope these books help you to find your author voice, write stories you love and be happily productive doing what you love 😉 I’m definitely going to read these all again!