5 (Not So Typical) Books To Help You Be a Better Writer

So you want to be a better writer? Maybe you don’t know where to start and English wasn’t your best subject. Some things can’t be taught in a textbook. We have to experience them for ourselves.  

Hard work. Long hours. Believing in yourself. Showing up. Writing the proposal, then the book. No one else can do those things but you. 

Refining our craft as writers is multifaceted. It’s more than good grammar or spelling. There’s an art to writing well. With practice, we’ll get better. Over time, we’ll develop our voice and find our niche. 

Some of being a good writer happens on the page. Much of being a better writer happens in our heart before we ever put pen to paper.  

As I looked at my bookshelf (yes, one), I realized how few books I have in my temporary, tiny barn office. All my beloved Bible study books are still in storage. I miss my concordances and commentaries. But I realized something interesting, I’ve grown as a writer. Even without my textbooks, I’m being schooled by some of the best. 

So here’s a list of five (not so typical) books to help you become a better faith-based writer. I’ve included a few notes about why I think they’re beneficial. 

1. Stuff I’d Only Tell God: A Guided Journal of Courageous Honesty, Obsessive Truth-Telling, and Beautifully Ruthless Self-Discovery, by Jennifer Dukes Lee. 

JOURNAL. When we get to know ourselves better, we’re able to express ourselves more accurately. The writing prompts, activities and questions may uncover some felt needs resonating with our story. The work of inner healing allows us to write from a place of wholeness, which helps our readers. 

1. The Pursuit of God, by A.W. Tozer. 

PURSUE. When we know God better, we’re better prepared to tell the gospel and lead people to Him. The overflow of our relationship with God spills onto the page; our writing becomes Spirit-led. Tozer makes us think deeper and helps us understand ourselves, God and others in light of the cross. 

1. Dirt: Growing Strong Roots in What Makes the Broken Beautiful, by Mary Marantz. 

DIG. When we know good writing the minute we come across it, we’ve become better writers too. I listened to this book, read by the author, and it was delightful. You could hear how she used words, phrases, cadences, repetition, alliteration and more throughout this incredible book. Mary dug deep to write her best story. Writing is hard, and it’s going to be messy doing the hard work of digging out our best too. *The author’s cut BONUS on Audible was extremely insightful. 

1. Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication, by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones. 

SPEAK. When we know how to communicate with others in a way that connects with their heart, we bring transformation. Geared toward speaking, this book is helpful for writing a message, story or testimony. These simple and effective keys will transfer to our writing. Remember, traditional publishers expect authors to promote books. 

1. Any book by Lysa TerKeurst. 

STUDY. When we study under the best, we’ll get better. Anything Lysa writes has a proven method behind it: patterns, punctuation, structure, titles, questions, etc. Grab a copy, write in the margins, highlight quotes, make notes, circle stories and statistics, etc. Mark it up. Break it down. Study it out. Learn from it.

Writing is more than ink on a page; writing is the overflow of the heart. 

Amy Elaine Martinez 

Which of these experiences would benefit your writing now: JOURNAL, PURSUE, DIG, SPEAK, STUDY? Share in the comments!