10 x books on Creative Process
There’s nothing better than a good book to supercharge motivation levels.
Here are 5 x creativity books I continue to return to:
Big Magic-
Elizabeth Gilbert
“The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.”
I hope to one day be friends with Liz Gilbert and have her on the podcast. She so warmly and gently reminds us to follow our curiosity over our fear. A beautiful, light read.
The Artist’s Way-
Julia Cameron
“People frequently believe the creative life is grounded in fantasy. The more difficult truth is that creativity is grounded in reality, in the particular, the focused, the well observed or specifically imagined. As we lose our vagueness about our self, our values, our life situation, we become available to the moment. It is there, in the particular, that we contact the creative self.”
A 12-week self guide to creative recovery- a commitment I have made twice, and both times it changed my life.
Bird by Bird-
Anne Lamott
“You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should've behaved better.”
Don’t think you’re a writer? Maybe just give it a try. Write a couple of pages every day. Read this warm and funny book and start to explore your world through writing.
Make Time for Creativity-
Brandon Stosuy
“I still feel weird about saying that I’m an artist, just because people assume that you’re well- off or you’re taken care of, and you don’t actually have a job.”
An inspiring and practical workbook that explores how to find time to express ourselves and develop our talents. The author draws from his diverse network of working artists to provide perspective on how creativity can be prioritised among the other demands on our time.
On Writing-
Stephen King
“Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.”
Part memoir, part masterclass by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this book is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade.
And 5 x creativity books up next on my bedside table:
Faith, Hope and Carnage-
Nick Cave and Sean O’Hagan
The Untethered Soul-
Michael A. Singer
The Creative Act: A Way of Being- Rick Rubin
Every Day is a Poem-
Jacqueline Suskin
Conversations with Artists II- Heidi Zuckerman
Making Music Q&A
In this episode, I answer questions from my community on my creative process, specifically around making music.
This isn’t a technical deep dive, but a sharing of my philosophies on creative living, that can be applied to all areas of life.