Christian Writing & Reading Community discussion

I believe that all authors should be avid readers. Other authors also share this sentiment.

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.” Stephen King

“The only way anybody ever learns to write well is by trying to write well. This usually begins by reading good writing by other people, and writing very badly by yourself, for a long time.” Ursula K. Le Guin

“Read, read, read everything – trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it is good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out the window.” William Faulkner

What books would you recommend for authors?

One of my favorites is a little book by Jerry Ross titled Did God Put a Book Inside of You? You can find out more information about it here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Years ago I read On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft by Stephen King. And I was not a Stephen King fan, I appreciated the knowledge and wisdom on writing he imparted in his memoir. I remember laughing out loud. His journey was not an easy one, but his success is the result of his dedication and diligence to the craft of writing. As authors, we are to do the same.

I love those quotes, James. Especially the idea to “read everything and see how they do it.” I love grabbing books by my favorite authors that I’ve read and reading them again with highlighters and colored pens in hand. I take notes right in the margins, paying attention to sentence structure, chapter layouts, descriptive writing, and more. Not to copy them, but to learn techniques for writing well. They inspire me to keep working on my craft!

If you are serious about Christian writing, then you should read Christian Writers Market Guide. The 2025 edition is out now.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Yes! Love the market guide. I purchase a hard copy every year, but I also subscribe to the online version.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser is also an excellent resource for a writer.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...