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📚 books for writers, readers, artists, and everyone in between
17
items I'm always reading to grow my skills as a writer, so I have plenty of recs. mostly for horror, thrillers, and sci-fi as that's what draws me in best. plus: a few decorative coffee table books for good measure!
Sections
3
fiction
craft books
coffee table reads
fiction
more than anything, I love a weird story, weird characters, and tense plot. these books are all unique and interesting in their own way. I truly hung onto every word!
JUST finished this and it was an intense, ripping ride all the way through
Hot Wax: A Novel by M. L. Rio
I still think of this book's ending every now and again. it's one of those that never really leaves you
Recursion: A Novel by Blake Crouch
tight, expressive read about a mother who undergoes an experimental procedure after being automated out of her job & the consequences of her decision
Hum: A Novel by Helen Phillips
I want to talk about this boom so badly but doing so might spoil something. easily in my top 5 books of all time. read it before the Laika movie comes out! 👀
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
THE sci-fi classic. dense, classic prose and one of the most iconic opening lines in fiction. I think about Gibson's worldbuilding and its impact a LOT.
Neuromancer by William Gibson
Sabine pls step on me. next question.
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab
one of my absolute favorites: a story about how women exist in the world with men, adjacent to their lives, and how community is a personal labor of love
Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder by Asako Yuzuki
what happens when a whaling vessel fishes up a catch and finds a man inside its belly? supernatural, unsettling, and a perfect read for the winter chill
From the Belly by Emmett Nahil
existential horror as told through an office's slack messages. funny and I felt insane reading it in the best way
Several People Are Typing: A GMA Book Club Pick by Calvin Kasulke
craft books
ever heard of The Artist's Way? we're not doing that here. it has its time and place, but these are the craft books I return to because they treat writing as a thing you can't help but doing instead of something you have to hustle for
of all the books about artistry I've read, this one has left the most lasting impact. we're not meant to hustle every day, our creativity ebbs and flows, and we have to trust that it will return
A Year in Practice: Seasonal Rituals and Prompts to Awaken Cycles of Creative Expression
similarly, this collection of letters from other writers is split seasonally & holds gentle encouragement for actually getting the words on the page. writing is such a solitary activity & this helps alleviate some of that
1000 Words: A Writer's Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round
I've only just started but already it's filled with advice I wish I had read years ago
A Long Game: Notes on Writing Fiction by Elizabeth McCracken
for the nuts and bolts of story: this book is the holy grail. I wouldn't recommend using it to draft, but keep it close when editing
The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller
coffee table reads
large, sprawling volumes filled with art & essays. I may have a small collection of these books but I love them so, so much
absolutely stunning to see in person! plenty of extra to study about Lee's career and the thematic elements of her work
Mire Lee: Open Wound (Hyundai Commission)
covers so much more than the exhibit had on display & the curators' essays are phenomenal
Electric Dreams: Art and Technology Before the Internet
simply gorgeous overview of some of the most notable minds in video art today
Vitamin V: Video and the Moving Image in Contemporary Art
interior design & cats all in one. what's not to love?
Where They Purr: Inspirational Interiors and the Cats Who Call Them Home