a writer’s christmas wish list
As a little girl I spent hours poring over the Sears catalog during the holidays, circling pictures of Barbie dream houses and Easy Bake ovens hoping they’d show up on Christmas morning. By the time I was in middle school, I was turning down the corners of pages with the Sony Walkman and Top Gun posters. In high school, I was more interested in Guess jeans (tight rolled at the ankles, of course) and Coca-Cola rugby shirts. I suppose I’ve now revealed with no uncertainty that I’m a child of the 80s, right?
My Christmas lists over the years have contained countless different items … but there’s always been one category of perfect gift for me—books.
I remember receiving The Black Stallion books when I was in 4th grade. I think I had them all read before we started back to school in January. I cannot remember a single Christmas where I didn’t receive at least one book.
So, this week I thought I’d share A Writer’s Christmas Wish List … some books you might want to add to your Christmas list this year. {Or just link to this post on your Facebook wall and hope someone gets the hint to pick up one or two—or all—of the items on the list!}
- On Writing, by Stephen King
- On Writing Well, by William Zinsser
- The Writing Life, by Annie Dillard
- You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One), ebook by Jeff Goins
- Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott
- Beyond the Basics: 30 Tips for Better Writing, an e-book by Sandra Peoples
What’s on your writing wish list?
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Definitely a fan of Zinssser’s book, but can’t stand anything by Anne Lamott. Could’t get through Bird by Bird because of her worldview. My wish list would include some dictionaries, like word meanings and quotes. An editor friend of mine recommends a book called The Careful Writer and Merriam Webster’s Concise Dictionary of usage as great tools for writers.
Great book suggestions! I’ll have to check out a couple of them I haven’t read yet.
Great list! I have almost all of those! 🙂
Oh! and I would totally add Walking on Water, and Circle of Quiet, both by Madeline L’Engle, and Breath For The Bones By Luci Shaw. 🙂
Great list! I’ve read them all except the one by Annie Dillard. I’ll have it on my Kindle within a few minutes! Thanks.
Good suggestions. I also liked “The Courage to Write” by Ralph Keyes.