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Are you feeling burnout? Have a brain fog messing up with your ideas?
Not getting to start nor finish all those amazing ideas you want to showcase to the world. Yet, you keep planning, planning and planning but never get to actually finish the task?
Don’t worry, we’ve all been there, and it is never easy to get out of this cycle.
No matter if you’re an artist, copywriter, (any type of) designer, marketing manager, art/creative director and even a journalist… you will stumble this very moment.
But what to do?
If you’re the type of person that can get inspired and motivated through literature. Well, you’re in for a treat!
Here are my top reads for starting creatives that have just entered the creative industry and need insights on experiences, advice and of course more knowledge.
Enjoy the list!
(Most of these books are free to download by signing up via here - no spam I swear 😅)
1. Creative Acts for Curious People: How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways by Sarah Stein Greenberg
Creative Acts for Curious People, written by Stanford d.school Executive Director Sarah Stein Greenberg, is an interesting and practical resource that can help you kick-start your creativity.
It features tales and activities from creative leaders at Stanford, IDEO, and Google, among others.
This book fosters creative experimentation and inquiry via hands-on activities and vibrant pictures.
2. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
You must read The War of Art if you've ever had a creative block (which is virtually all of us).
It's a step-by-step approach to achieving success in your creative activities. Bestselling author Steven Pressfield discusses the "enemy" that every artist must confront: the inner voice that stifles creativity.
This book will give you the kick in the pants you need to overcome your worries and get on with your most essential job if you've ever battled with ambition and creative discipline.
This is a wonderful and inspiring read for anyone who is a writer, painter, or tech entrepreneur.
3. Steal like an Artist by Austin Kleon
You don't have to be a genius to be successful; all you have to do is be yourself.
That's the message from Austin Kleon, a young writer and artist who understands that creativity can be found anywhere and by anybody.
Steal Like an Artist is a credo for the digital era, with a positive message, graphic design and pictures, activities, and examples that will put readers in touch with their artistic side.
4. Offline Matters: The Less-Digital Guide to Creative Work by Jess Henderson
When did being innovative become so uninteresting?
How did the phrase "digital-first" become so prevalent?
Why isn't anyone talking about it?
This book, which is part insider exposé and half worker's handbook, is for any creative looking for help with:
Recovering what you liked about your creative vocation by navigating the option of offline alternatives
Combating overwork culture, exploitation, and dulled ideas
...away from the restrictions of our computers and televisions. We fantasize of being offline. Not as a romanticized past, a punishment, a fast detox, or a coffee shop without Wi-Fi. Offline is not a way of life. It's a place full of possibilities.
By the end of Offline Matters, you'll have a new perspective on the dry digitally that characterizes today's creative work - as well as a set of techniques for breaking free.
5. Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod
MacLeod has thoughts on everything from marketing to the purpose of life, but creativity is one of his core topics.
In a skeptical, risk-averse environment, how can fresh ideas emerge? Where does creativity originate from? What does it take to be a creative person and make a living?
Ignore Everyone builds on MacLeod's best ideas, the wittiest drawings, and most practical counsel.
You'll be ready to unlock your own genius and release it on the world after studying MacLeod's forty keys to creativity.
6. The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
The Anthropocene is the present geological epoch in which human activity has had a significant impact on the planet's biodiversity and climate.
John Green rates various aspects of the human-centered world on a five-star scale in this amazing symphony of essays adapted and extended from his ground-breaking, highly acclaimed podcast, from the QWERTY keyboard to Halley's Comet to Penguins of Madagascar.
7. The Accidental Creative: How to Be Brilliant at a Moment’s Notice by Todd Henry
One of the finest adult creativity books is The Accidental Creative.
This book aims to dispel the myth that creativity is solely dependent on inspiration and is unexpected and uncontrollable.
Todd Henry claims that there are habits and settings that may be developed to promote creativity and boost the chances of creative breakthroughs.
The book encourages readers to manage the energy and relationships that fuel their creativity, and to avoid dulling their flame by overextending themselves and over cramming their calendars.
The Accidental Creative demonstrates that, while we can't always predict when or how inspiration will hit, we may prepare for it by making our surroundings more favorable to creativity.
8. Things Are What You Make of Them: Life Advice for Creatives by Adam J. Kurtz
This cheery rallying cry for creators of all hues comes from designer Adam J. Kurtz's creative mind and heart.
This handwritten and sincere book, based on a series of popular articles, conveys knowledge and empathy from one working artist to others. The perforated tear-and-share pages make it simple to showcase the most important reminders or pass on a piece of advice to someone who could use it.
This deceptively simple, vibrantly full-color book will be a touchstone for authors, artists, entrepreneurs, and anybody else who wants to be more creative—even when it would be simpler to give up and act normal—as sarcastic and humorous as it is compassionate and powerful.
9. Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad by Austin Kleon
Continue to work. Continue to play. Continue to create.
The creative life is a circle, not a straight path to a destination, therefore establish a daily routine, since today is the only day that matters.
Disconnect from the outside world to reconnect with yourself—sometimes all you need to do is put your phone on airplane mode.
Keep Going encourages people to get outside and take a stroll. Pay attention to what you're paying attention to, and especially to what you're paying attention to.
Spend less time worrying about getting things done and more time worrying about the value of what you're doing. Rather of concentrating on leaving your mark, try to leave things in a better state than you found them.
Keep Going, with its ageless, practical, and ethical concepts, is for anybody who wants to live a fulfilling and productive life.
10. Oh Sh*t... What Now? By Craig Oldham
So you've earned your diploma. So, what's next? What city do you call home? Are you able to make ends meet? What are some ways to get money doing design? How do you go about getting a job? Who would you like to work with, and are you qualified?
This book is a comprehensive and informative resource for people trying to break into the creative industries, offering experiences, ideas, guidance, criticism, and support.
This straight-talking, witty, and frequently irreverent handbook is a must-read for all creative arts students, with parts covering education, portfolios, jobs/freelancing, working method, and personal growth.
I hope these books provide you with hope and a new perspective, or they can serve as a reminder of things you already know but need to hear again. & hopefully you'll amass an essential library of wisdom and inspiration from one artist to the next!
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