7 Current Writers I’m In Love With

“Time moves in one direction, memory in another.” - William Gibson

I love to read. And I especially love to read good writers, people who are in love with the written word, who can tell great stories, create characters I want to be best friends with, invent new worlds that I can inhabit for a few days.

It’s by reading these writers that I realize what is possible as a writer myself. They bring my imagination alive.

Dream Come True: I’ve Got a Book Deal!

This time next year (give or take) I will be a published author!

This week I mailed out a signed contract for my first-ever book deal, giving me the freedom to announce it to you guys. I will be published by Hyperion, the publisher of fine titles such as the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff series, and of course my favorite author on simplicity, Elaine St. James. Hyperion is distributed by HarperCollins.

The working title of my book right now is “The Power of Less” … I’d like to say more about it, but I’m still fine-tuning the table of contents. Suffice it to say that it will be about simplifying your work and personal life, and doing more with less. What it isn’t is a repackaging of my Zen To Done ebook or Zen Habits content … I want it to be original content, so that you’ll find value in it in addition to what you’ve already read here.

Book review: Simplify Your Life

Every Wednesday is Simplicity Day on Zen Habits.

One of the biggest inspirations for my life, and this site, is Elaine St. James, author of Simplify Your Life and Living the Simple Life, among other titles.

She’s one of my muses, along with David Allen, Stephen Covey and a few others.

St. James taught me to how to simplify, guided me through drastic changes in my life, and showed me the value of voluntary simplicity. I owe her a lot, and today I’ll tell you why I love her books so much.

20 Ways to Get Free or Cheap Books, and Give Away Your Old Ones

Every Wednesday is Simplicity Day on Zen Habits.

If you’re looking to declutter your home and simplify your life, if you’re like me, one of the hardest areas to deal with is books: getting rid of old ones and cutting back on the expense of buying new ones.

But there are plenty of ways to get free or cheap books, and for the true fan of simplicity, these are the only ways to go.

First, let’s address the issue of getting rid of books: you gotta let go. I know, it’s difficult. It’s like getting rid of your children. But as the father of six children, I can tell you, sometimes it’s better with fewer of them in the house. (I’m kidding! About the children. Not the books.)

10 Books That Shaped My Life, and 40 Others I Love

Reader Ed from Ireland recently asked:

I’m still really only a beginner into the Zen Habits lifestyle and your site as given me a great deal of helpful information instantly. Do you think there are any books, sites you could suggest that really made an impression on you?

That’s a tough one. I’m a book lover, to be honest, and to choose just a few books that have influenced me is like choosing among your babies. However, I’ve decided to share a few books that have shaped the way I think, and that I would highly recommend. These are not in order: