Creativity is the act of turning new ideas into reality, connecting patterns, and identifying perceptions that are uniquely our own. Anyone can be creative — sometimes we just need a little help getting started. Below are three great books on the subject that will help you get rolling and stay motivated:
The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield — This book identifies resistance as the enemy of creativity, and gives steps to overcome it. Pressfield is a pro artist who understands that the most difficult part of the creative process is simply taking the first steps. From there inspiration will come.
Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod — Hugh is a cartoonist who became famous for doodle-style drawings that nobody thought he could become famous for. He did so anyway (the basis for his advice “ignore everybody”) and 39 other counter-intuitive and thought-provoking ideas.
Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon — This should be essential reading for anyone who creates and brings art into the world. It contains 10 pointers about originality and what it means for your work (or life). To quote rapper Nas: “No ideas original, there’s nothing new under the sun. It’s never what you do but how it’s done”. That sums up a lot of the philosophy behind this book. Other thought-provoking ideas include “use your hands”, “geography is not your master”, and “creativity is subtraction”.
