Five Books Every Author Should Read

No matter how many years you've been writing or how many books you've published, a great writer knows there's always room for improvement. Here are my top five books of 2025 and how they can benefit you.

#1 Write Better Sentences

Do you pay attention to how you write your sentences? Not just in the punctuation and grammar, but in how the words are strung together and the overall message each sentence conveys? Are there too many words or not enough? Is it clear or muddled? What verbs did you use? With this book, each sentence can become an experience. It’s an excellent tool to add to an author's arsenal.

#2 Write "Deeper" Characters

Tried and true, and probably found on many an author’s bookshelf. It’s the perfect way to help show rather than tell. Super easy to use too. Once you know what emotion your character is trying to convey, look it up, and check for the body language and internal mindset. Even if you don’t use it, it offers insights into the character's emotional state. It’s good to flip through every once in a while.

#3 For the Creative You

Be the Lobster. Read it and you’ll understand what this message means. Big Magic is what I recommend to creatives when the ‘I’m stuck’ conversation comes up, or when writer’s block is in full force. It has helped more than one person find their genius. It’s an easy read, with humor and some excellent advice on how to nurture your relationship with creating.

#4 Enhance Your Plot Skills

This might be something blasphemous for developmental editors everywhere, but here it goes: I’m not a stickler for by-the-book plot structure. What do I mean? Well, there are so many ways to craft a beautiful story. Sometimes mixing plot points, adding to them, muddling the mystery, and omitting key points until later can actually drive the book forward. Of course, I believe there are checks every book needs to mark off, but not always so cookie-cutter. I believe in reading multiple plot books (there are many out there). This one is an excellent starting point.

#5 Speak Like You Mean It

 

We do it every day, yet when writing, the words can come out stiff and boring. Bad Dialogue is probably one of the toughest critiques an author can receive.  It can also be a time-consuming edit, and going through each line of dialogue to make it pop can undoubtedly be frustrating. But the truth is, that dialogue can make or break a story. It's always a good idea to better your dialogue game. Reading this can help offer a way to analyze, adjust, and start creating more dazzling dialogue.