7 of the Best Life-Changing Creativity Books

Let’s talk about creativity books!

I absolutely love reading and, of course, creativity is one of my favorite subjects. So today I wanted to share with you 7 of my favorite creativity books that are on my shelf right now,  that I refer to again and again over the years to have a pick me up and to find inspiration in my creative life.

Video Transcript: 7 of the Best Life-Changing Creativity Books

I thought a fun way to go through this list would be to share with you the books in the order in which I’ve read them during my life.

Book #1: Inspiration Sandwich by SARK

Starting with one of my absolute favorites of SARK’s. I own basically all of SARK’s books, but this was the very first one that I picked up back when I was 18, and it’s called Inspiration Sandwich.

Now, what I loved about her book was not so much that she was telling me exactly how to make a painting or do anything specific, but it was permission to live my life in a creative, unconventional and unusual way. She has this beautiful truth in the way she writes and she’s very self-nurturing and very kind to herself.

I found this book opened my eyes up to traveling and using travel to fuel my creativity.

Book #2: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Book number two is the absolute classic by Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way. Now, one of my teachers at Tafe put me onto this book when I had been painting only for perhaps a year and I’d had my first exhibition and it had gone well.

I started to freeze up because I didn’t want to mess up. It was like having second book syndrome.

I didn’t know what to paint because I started to think about what other people might think about my paintings. He photocopied, which you’re probably not supposed to do, but photocopied a chapter in there on fame. I went out and bought the book and devoured it.

Now, different people have different experiences of going through The Artists’ Way and it’s full of a lot of creative exercises.To be honest, I’ve never done all of them. I’ve dabbled with them and I’ve found them useful, but if you pick it up, don’t feel the pressure that you have to finish every exercise because you’ll still get great value just from reading what she’s written.

Book #3: The Path of Least Resistance by Robert Fritz

The third book was a bit more of an intellectual book around creativity, and it’s called The Path of Least Resistance.

Now, this one is quite different to the other books I’m showing you today, but it did leave a really lasting impression with me when Robert Fritz talks about setting up tension in your creative life so that the tension forces you to follow the path of least resistance and actually make your creative dreams happen.

Book #4: Make Your Creative Dreams Real by SARK

Make Your Creative Dreams Real is where I picked up on the term micro-movements, meaning tiny steps, which I just love.

SARK talks about a whole range of processes and mindsets and specific tools that help her to write her books and produce the things her heart is calling for. There’s really tons of valuable information in this book and it’s a delight to read, as are all of SARK’s books.

She’s really funny. She actually hand-writes, not so much in this one, she hand writes a lot of her own books and does these squiggles. They’re really an unusual type of book. I think they’re fabulous. They give you permission to be imperfect.

Book #5: Trust the Process by Shaun McNiff

This is a really wonderful book about starting to pick up some art materials. In Trust the Process, Shaun McNiff includes some exercises that you can start with right away at home that will help you to tap into your creativity and literally trust the process.

You can start right at home and be delighted by what you can create.

He helps you to build your artistic muscles in a way that’s fun and completely accessible no matter how much art experience you have. So, Trust the Process is a lovely, practical, inspiring and nurturing book that talks about the principles of creativity as well as gives you some exercises you can try at home.

Book #6: The Artist’s Rule by Christine Valters Paintner

The sixth book is a beautiful book that actually combines a little bit of spirituality along with creativity. I love The Artist’s Rule by Christine Valters Paintner because she combines monastic wisdom, she calls herself a monk in the world, with beautiful creative exercises of writing and photography and painting and drawing.

The exercises help us to slow down, to notice what’s around us. She talks about practicing inner hospitality with our inner selves, and does some lovely meditation exercises.

It’s a really forward thinking, Christian based, but forward thinking Christian based, book. I just absolutely loved this book. It’s beautiful.

Book #7: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Finally, the most recent book I read on creativity I have talked about before on the blog and that’s Liz Gilbert’s Big Magic, which was a romp stories of her life and her experience as a writer producing work, and then overlaying those principles with what she sees are ways to be creative in our lives every-day.

I think Liz is gorgeous, in fact, I started watching Eat, Pray, Love last night I think for the second time just for fun, and was thinking how much this book is a real ripper when it comes to books on creativity.

There you have it. Those are 7 of the books I’ve found really life changing and supportive in my creative life.

Your Questions & Comments for My New Book on Creativity

I’m in the process of writing a book myself about creativity, which I’m super excited about.

I’d love to hear from you in the comments below this video with any points that you feel you would love to hear from me in the book. Perhaps about my creative process, or how to break things down, or where to get started.

I’d love to hear from you because I’m in the process of actually mapping out the overall structure of the book, and now’s the time to put those question in. Feel free to put them in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them in the structure of the book.

Have a great day, be gentle with yourself, nurture your creativity, and I’ll see you next week.

With love,

-Nicola

Did you miss last week’s post? Check it out here: A Cuppa & Chat with Katherine Mackenzie-Smith