If you’re alive, you’re a creative person. You and I and everyone you know are descended from tens of thousands of years of makers. Decorators, tinkerers, storytellers, dancers, explorers, fiddlers, drummers, builders, growers, problem-solvers, and embellishers—these are our common ancestors. The guardians of high culture will try to convince you that the arts belong only to a chosen few, but they are wrong and they are also annoying. We are all the chosen few.
Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic
A recent prompt asked for a “non-craft book that you would recommend to other writers”.
While Elizabeth Gilbert’s writing is not usually my thing, her book about creativity, 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜, made a huge impact on me. It is a kind, motherly kick in the ass to stop making excuses to put your creativity to use.
This isn’t just for writers, it is for literally anybody, because the premise is that we are all creative in some way and owe it to ourselves (and the universe, sort of) to use our creativity without holding back.
I read this after listening to a few episodes of her short-lived podcast “Magic Lessons” (which is incredible, listen to it – each episode is a one-on-one discussion with a creative person from dancers to writers to photographers to comedians who need a push). She is wholeheartedly encouraging and does not accept excuses such as “I’m not ready”, “nobody will like this”, “my ideas aren’t original”, etc.
Probably not the recommendation you would expect from this oft-surly horror writer, but give it a whirl!
