What to read to help your writing (or, really, any other creative pursuit you fancy)
Plus: A few recents including a new fave non-alcoholic spirit and a country song on repeat
I start this post from a very non expert place. I am not an accomplished or experienced writer, or really any type of creative, but I enjoy it and yearn to be better and I have found some great resources along the way that have helped me to build the confidence to just, simply, try. Because that’s the only way to do it: you have to start to get better, and you have to be brave to start. Practice makes permanent.
Regardless of any creative pursuit you have been daydreaming about, the most important step is to just get out of your own way. This is imperative. It doesn’t matter what the result is, there is no result at all unless you start. This is much easier said than done, so to support you I would recommend The Artist’s Way. Julia Cameron’s 12 week course is a master in helping you to conquer those critical voices in your head, start experimenting, and most importantly have fun along the way. Two essential tools she uses are morning pages (3 pages longhand, first thing in the morning) and weekly artist dates (go and do something fun and just for you, on your own, that makes you feel excited). Morning pages have become a non-negotiable for me as a daily practice in getting out of my own head and cutting loose a little more. I’m currently doing her follow up 6 week course Living the Artist’s Way and her writing for guidance is just as excellent. I say these are courses, because you commit to following them, but for the price of a mere book they are much cheaper than any course flogged to you on socials, and potentially the best investment I have ever made.
In a similar vein, I really loved Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic. Full of wisdom on finding inspiration, capturing ideas and writing with passion. This book made me start to long to be not just a writer, but any type of artist, and made me commit even more strongly to doing Artist Dates. It is a book of joy and full of ways to help you get out of your comfort zone, over yourself and live a creative life beyond fear.
My next progression would be to recommend The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, which I found very similar to The Artist’s Way in terms of principles of creativity, but also included a lot about the creative process for music which was really interesting and something I knew little to nothing about. I love hearing about how different industries create great work; to get inspired by different ways and techniques to approach a problem. It is also a really beautiful book, looks great displayed or on a coffee table, and would make a super thoughtful gift.
The Tate Britain also agrees with me that these two books are a good pair :)
Notable mention here also goes to Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. An incredible book, with a real heft to it, but at 500 pages long of quite detailed analysis I would say it’s a book you come to when you feel the time is right or perhaps even refer to as a textbook. In the meantime, I leave you with a little snippet of her wisdom:
It is important to set yourself something in life that you are willing to reach for and therefore take risks for. It is through this that you sharpen your intuitive powers.
It is deadly to be without a confidante, without a guide, without even a tiny cheering section.
It is difficult to sneak little shreds of life…but women do it everyday. When a woman feels compelled to sneak life, she is in minimal subsistence mode.
Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run With The Wolves
Getting more specifically into books on the art of writing, of which I have read many, On Writing by Stephen King is a real standout. His credentials alone should make it a must read, but it’s a beautiful and short(ish) book full of his tips and tricks, with some personal anecdotes along the way. It’s one of the few books that I have actually kept (as mentioned here) and it is one that I go back and reference fairly often.
A final recommendation for those that love the more technical aspects of writing, In the Margins by Elena Ferrante is a lovely read. It is a very clever, academic and amazingly thought out collection of lectures she has given. I am in awe of how her mind works, and I found this such an intellectually enjoyable read. The extended title of the book is In the Margins: On the Pleasures of Reading and Writing, and this is exactly what it explores. Example below, which I adored:
Here’s the list:
The Artist’s Way - Julia Cameron
Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert
The Creative Act - Rick Rubin
On Writing - Stephen King
In the Margins - Elena Ferrante
Bonus: Women Who Run With The Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Bonus: Living the Artist’s Way - Julia Cameron
Read the full list here
A few recents:
Read: Getting stuck into Marking Time - the second in Elizabeth Jane Howard’s Cazalet Chronicles. So far, I love this series.
Watch: Just getting into Slow Horses - a thriller series about M15 agents banished to Slough House for screwing up on the job. Based on a book (Slough House by Mick Herron), which is our favourite type of watch.
Listen: Beyoncé’s new country single - on repeat. Loving country music getting (even more) time to shine
Buy/Drink: The Social Elixir, a non-alcoholic spirit delicious served over ice, with ginger beer and a blood orange slice.
Disclosure: Books linked to above may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.