One of the best ways to hone your writing skills is to read. Simple as that.

 

Back in 1997, when I launched into my first book, I decided to write in the style that I preferred when I read books. I didn’t know the ins and outs of writing—I just knew what I liked from the books I had read.

 

That's why I believe that good writers are healthy readers.

 

That said, this week and next, Karen Bouchard and I are going to share with you the books we found most helpful in 2019—and why we liked them.

 

In no particular order, here's my list:

 

In Pieces by Sally Field

As a ghostwriter, I realize that many of the books we know and love weren’t actually written (at least word-for-word) by the authors. Sally Field’s memoir was pure joy for me. The Academy Award-winning actress’s honesty and vulnerability were surprising and the writing, masterful. Whoever she hired to write her book was a pro.

 

The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger

Robert Iger rose from ABC News flunky to the CEO of The Walt Disney Company. His book shares stories of his rise to the top and the lessons he learned along the way. I decided to read this book because I’d read that he was one of the most admired CEO’s in the business world. I now understand why. His portrayal of how he acquired Pixar and the Star Wars franchise is riveting.

 

Home Work by Julie Andrews

True confession: my favorite movie of all time is Mary Poppins. Julie Andrews was my first childhood hero, so reading her memoir about her Hollywood years brought me back to my wistful, innocent years. Did you know that Julie Andrews started supporting her family financially when she was an early teen?

 

Medium (blog)

I realize this post is all about reviewing books, but the benefits of reading the Medium blog are too great to ignore. Truth be told, I probably spent more time reading their blog posts in 2019 than I did reading books. For only $5 a month, you can read informative articles about writing, productivity, leadership, branding…you name it.

 

Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg

When it comes to writing, I love talking about how the Internet has changed the way we read (see The Shallows below), which in turn affects the way we should write. Verlyn Klinkenborg confirms my hypothesis and far surpasses anything instructive I could offer about writing.

 

Letters to the Church by Francis Chan

Most of you probably know that I served as a pastor for 30 years. Chan challenges his readers to move from observers to living out God’s magnificent and beautiful vision for his church. When I finished reading his book, I said to myself, If I agree with his premise, it demands that I completely change the way I live my life. I think he’s spot-on.

 

How to Deliver a Ted Talk by Jeremy Donovan

If you want to create a talk that sells books, then you NEED to read this. Jeremy Donovan’s book provides more than 100 invaluable tips—everything from opening with an explicit statement of audience benefits to framing your idea as an action-outcome response to a question worth asking. All in 18 minutes or less.

 

Wall Street to the Well by Stuart Fuhlendorf

True confession part II: I ghostwrote this book. Nevertheless, the story is so compelling and so inspiring—and the writing is pretty darn good if I should say so myself ; )—that I can’t help but recommend it. Stu Fuhlendorf tells the captivating story of his journey from success as a Wall Street executive and riches to losing everything. It’s a true story about self-sufficiency, wealth, excess, a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit, possible jail time, financial failure, alcoholism, faith, and finally dependency on God. An Illumify release.

 

Since I could only name eight books from 2019 that I recommend, here are two additional books from previous years:

 

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brains by Nicholas Carr

In 1999, I began writing for the web and realized that the Internet was going to change the way we read. Carr’s Pulitzer-nominated book proved my suspicions. Every writer and every speaker needs to read this fascinating book.

 

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

This is my all-time favorite book on creativity. Who knew that the author of Eat, Pray, Love could offer such inspiration? If you ever feel stuck, uncreative, or wrestle with writers block, then you need to read this book. And if you don’t, you still read this book.

 

For Illumify Authors only: next week Thursday (January 23) for our monthly authors training, I'm going to be interviewing Jason Jones with the Jones Literary Agency. A publicist, Jones has directed the PR campaigns for 11 New York Times bestsellers. During our time together he's going to share his secrets for building a PR campaign around your book. More information to come!

 

Happy writing!

Mike

Michael J. Klassen

President

Illumify Media

 

To schedule a chat with Mike Klassen, click here.

 

To schedule a chat with Karen Bouchard, click here.