Lately, my desk is a conversation between three books.
Cane's Fiction Writing Masterclass — I read it to understand how the writers I edit think. How they build tension sentence by sentence, how they make a reader feel before they understand why.
Norton's Developmental Editing — the quiet mentor I turn to when a manuscript is almost there but not quite. He reminds me my job is to see the book the author hasn't written yet.
Sugarman's Copywriting Handbook — I picked it up for the clarity. He writes like he's across from you, explaining why people pause, why they finally say yes. It's teaching me about attention.
Three shelves. One thread: I'm always learning how stories work.
When I moved from Upwork to Contra, I wasn’t sure whether I was making the right decision.
Now? I’m never going back.
Contra has given me more than a place to find work. It has connected me with clients who value my professional perspective, trust my expertise, and invest...
This past summer, I read 10 books on thinking like a business and becoming more intentional with time and resources. Here are a few takeaways:
Built to Sell and The Business of Expertise challenged me to focus on specialization instead of trying to be everything to everyone.
Win Without Pitching's main point is we shouldn’t have to convince everyone to work with us. The goal is to become valuable enough to attract the right clients on the right terms.
Never Split the Difference drove home that the skill of negotiation is understanding what someone actually needs to get what you want in return.
The Greatest Salesman in the World Parts 1 & 2 both explore the mindset and personal responsibility behind lasting success.
Matisse in Nice and The Matisse Stories were personal reads because I love his art.
Die With Zero asks how we can use our money and time to create meaningful experiences while we're alive. Die Empty challenges us to stop sitting on our ideas and put our potential into the world.
If you're a reader, what books have improved the way you approach your work?