20 Books to Read to Get Your Creative Spark Back

Get off Pinterest and get your nose in a book!

It’s that time of year where spring hasn’t yet arrived, winter is dragging on in all its gray bland misery. So, you can see why I’m stuck in a bit of a creative rut, and I figured some of you all might be feeling the same way right about now.

This January I did a deep dive into books on creativity (and ordered a ton of them) and I thought I’d share them with you. I felt myself getting into that endless spiral of scrolling Pinterest and Instagram under the guise of “gathering inspiration” and then realizing that I’d spent hours doing that and didn’t actually make anything for myself. Forcing myself out of that feedback loop and sitting down to focus on a book has helped so much, and all the sudden I’m an idea generating machine again!

Just a quick note – after having a few people ask me about it, I took the plunge and opened up 1:1 Office Hours calls where you can get advice on your creative career, brand, or business from someone who has done it all. If you’re interested, they’re $50 off til April. (also my website is a WIP so if you click around, don’t judge me too harshly).

Here’s what’s on my shelf:

The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron

I avoided this book for so long, I think truly because I hated the cover (designer problems). I happened to stumbled upon a special edition UK version with a gorgeous green marbled cover and I special ordered it then and there. I haven’t dug into it super far yet, but I know it is THE seminal text on creativity and being an artist and all that. I’m very excited to dive in. Should we do an Artist’s Way book club?!

The Book of Alchemy, Suleika Jaoud

This book was just released last year, and I’m super excited to dig into it. It seems mostly focused on journaling as a creative practice and has gathered tons of prompts and insight from various writers as well. I really want to start journaling again, so I think this plus the Artist’s Way is gonna kickstart that for me.

The Creative Act, Rick Rubin

I just realized I’d been conflating Rick Rubin (this guy) with Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Life guy) in my head. Glad to learn they are not the same. Anyways! This is another classic, and benefits from being a really beautiful book to display as well.

Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon

I guarantee you’ve come across a quote from this book if you’ve spent more than 10 minutes in an online space geared toward creatives. I first read this in college, and it’s been ringing true ever since. It’s a quick read, definitely more of a coffee table inspo book, but has lots of good food for though on creativity, and how borrowing inspiration from everything is how art gets made (but there is a line that crosses into plagiarism, obviously).

The Art of Noticing, Rob Walker

A newer addition, this book is all about getting your screen out of your face and noticing the world around you. It has a bunch of fun prompts and exercises to try, and it feels like a great companion to the Artist’s Way artist dates.

Welcome to the Creative Club, Pia Mailhot-Leichter

This book focuses on smashing the myth that only some people are creative, or that it’s a talent and not a skill that can be developed, which is something I wholeheartedly believe. It’s somewhat of a memoir as well, but offers a really helpful framework for rediscovering that creative spark we were all born with.

Big Magic, Liz Gilbert

Liz Gilbert is… an interesting person. We all know this now. But I can’t deny that reading Big Magic several years back had a profound effect on me and on the way I think about my creativity. If you’re down to get a little woo-woo, it really is a good read.

Find Your Artistic Voice, Lisa Congdon

I adore the fun and bright art of Lisa Congdon, and I was really excited to find this book. Part manifesto, part workbook, she walks you through the process of finding your unique artistic voice and point of view.

How to Be An Artist, Jerry Saltz

This book skews more towards traditional art, rather than general creativity advice, but it’s still super helpful. Jerry Saltz is a celebrated art critic and writer, so he’s seen and talked to a LOT of artists in his time. This is his primer on what actually matters for an up-and-coming artist, how to break through creativity blocks, how to find your original voice, etc.

Creative Confidence, Tom & David Kelley

Another manifesto on the concept that everyone can be creative, this one skews more towards the design world side, but is super interesting and informative. The writers are co-founders of a super well-known design firm, and have been working in the industry for decades at this point, so they know their stuff.

---

---

Create Dangerously, Albert Camus

The famed writer and Nobel Prize winner Albert Camus gave a speech on the idea of creating dangerously all the way back in 1957 that still rings true today. In it, he argues that making art is something of a civic duty, and that a civil society needs art and artists to exist.

You Are an Artist, Sarah Urist Green

Art curator Sarah Urist Green set out on a journey to visit and interview artists all across the world. This book is the result of her findings, wherein she asked each artist for prompts or tidbits of inspiration that relate to their own personal way of working and creating.

Make Your Art No Matter What, Beth Pickens

This book’s central thesis is that if you’re an artist or creative, you have to make art, or your quality of life is seriously diminished, something I wholeheartedly believe. So this is a guidebook of sorts for problem solving when life gets in the way of you being able to make your art. She covers topics like making money, deciding on education, and coping with feelings of fear and isolation. It’s really in-depth, and a great read for anyone who wants to be a working artist.

Dear Writer, Maggie Smith

Not the one that played Professor McGonagall. 😉 Maggie Smith is a poet who has written some of my absolute favorite poems. In this book, she breaks down creativity into ten essential elements, and explores each of them with essays, prompts, and exercises to help you hone your creative craft.

Writing, Creativity, and Soul, Sue Monk Kidd

Another brand new one that just came out in January, this is a writing craft book by the author of The Secret Life of Bees (and tons of other books, that’s just my favorite). The core belief of this book is that writing is a sacred act, and a wellspring of creativity and emotion. Once you tap into that, you’re golden. It’s part memoir, part guidebook, and I can’t wait to read it further.

Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott

This is the seminal writing guidebook for anyone who feels overwhelmed with the vastness of writing a book (or any other creative act, honestly). I’ll just leave you with the quote that inspired the title of the book:

“Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said, ‘Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.’”

Permission, Elissa Altman

This book is geared towards those who want to write a memoir, or just write about their lives, but who has ever asked themselves the question “Who am I to write this? Why should anyone care about me?”

1000 Words, Jami Attenberg

Another writing-centric book, this one is based on the popular #1000WordsOfSummer, that writer Jami Attenberg started with her friend. They were both up against harsh deadlines and feeling strained creatively, so they decided they just needed to write 1000 words per day for two weeks. No self-editing, no creative block, no worrying about if the words were good or not, just committing to getting 1000 words on a page every single day. This book is part reflection and part user guide to doing the same in your creative practice.

Think Like an Artist, Will Gompertz

After getting up close and personal with some of the world’s leading creative thinkers, Gompertz discovered traits that are common to them all. In this book, he outlines basic practices and processes that allow your talents to flourish and enable you to embrace your inner Picasso – no matter what you do for a living.

We Need Your Art, Amie McNee

This book is a manifesto on the vital importance that creation plays in the human race. Using her own experiences, Amie guides you on why we need your art and how you can make it happen – starting with a two-week reset plan to help you kick-start your creative habit. This isn’t about writing your great novel in a month or painting a masterpiece in a flurry of inspiration. Rather, this process is about practicing small, sustainable creative steps every day over time so that you avoid burnout, produce consistent, reliable content on your own terms, and begin to see yourself as an artist.

Parenthetical is a newsletter for creative women who care about what they read, how they live, and what they’re building – without the #girlboss energy. Paid subscribers get access to the full resource library, plus The Well-Designed Life curriculum.