Read This: to become a better writer

The first in my new 'Read This' series

Hello! If you’re new here, welcome to The Greater Conversation. I’m Alya Mooro, an Egyptian-born, London-raised writer, author and all-around storyteller. This newsletter is my continued attempt to question the world and the structures that supposedly hold it up, in hopes of finding a place in it that better suits. If you’re a regular reader, thanks for having me in your inbox again.

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I read *a lot*, as my monthly recommendations may suggest, and I often receive messages asking for specific book recommendations. Moving forwards, I’ll be sporadically sharing some these with paid subscribers. This month, I’m sharing my recommendations for what to read in order to become a better writer.

As I wrote in my Ask Me Anything on how to become a better writer, one of the most important steps is getting in touch with your inner voice, and learning to trust it. Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way is a massive bestseller for its ability and track record for helping creatives across disciplines do just that. I’ve just started the course again (I didn’t quite get through it last time) but for the last couple of years I’ve adopted the Morning Pages ritual outlined in the practice - what is essentially freestyling 3 pages first thing every morning, without reading it back or thinking about what you’re writing or judging it in any way - and it’s proved utterly transformative. I would highly recommend.

Before we get into books on craft - important, too, obviously - I want to speak on the importance of mindset and approach. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert is one of my favourite books on a creative life, encouraging readers to approach creativity with a sense of wonder, openness, and resilience. The book provides insights and anecdotes