A stack of books full of ideas, encouragement, and perspective for creative people (+free PDF)
Today’s book recommendation topic is close to my heart.
The past 6 years have been a creative revival for me. I’ve read stacks of books about the creative life but these are the ones I keep coming back to.
[note: this post is NOT sponsored, I just sharing what I’ve enjoyed reading]In Defense of Dabbling by Karen Walrond
- A fun, encouraging reminder to try new things without worrying about being an expert. It’s a short read packed with practical ideas you can put into practice right away.
Find Your Unicorn Space by Eve Rodsky
- I read this when my creative life was in a slump, and it gave me exactly the perspective and encouragement I needed to move forward.
Your Blue Flame by Jennifer Fulwiler
- Jennifer’s hilarious stories and unique perspective on creativity made this such an enjoyable read. I loved seeing how someone in a completely different creative field approaches her work.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
- This is one I return to again and again. I especially love Elizabeth’s ideas about where creativity comes from and the strange, beautiful obstacles that come with a creative life.
She Builds by Jadah Sellner
- If you’re building a creative business, this book is full of practical wisdom. I especially appreciated her thoughtful approach to balancing creativity and business.
Subtle Resistance by April Edwards
- Shameless plug 😉: My book is all about making space for a creative life by building supportive routines, creating margin, and making personal growth feel approachable with plenty of compassion.
The PLAN by Kendra Adachi
- A gentle, practical guide to time management that offers simple, doable changes without making you feel like you’re failing.
Finish by Jon Acuff
- This book helped me realize that perfectionism was what had been keeping me stuck. Jon’s humor and practical advice make it easy to finally start finishing the things you care about.
Create Anyway by Ashlee Gadd
- One of my favorite books for mothers trying to balance creativity and family life. It’s compassionate, beautifully photographed, and always helps me recenter when I feel pulled in too many directions.
and my idea notebook
- Maybe my most unconventional recommendation, but one of my most important. Keeping every idea in one place gave my creativity room to grow and helped turn scattered inspiration into finished projects. I know, it’s kinda cheating.. but seriously you need one of these! 😜
In creative work it is crucial to pay attention to what sparks interest. So if any of these books grab your attention, and put them on your TBR list.
And don’t miss the video for more details on what I loved about each book.
➡️ I would love to hear from you!
What books on creative work or creativity have you read that changed the way you think?
For those of you who are still reading…
Bonus Creativity Tip –
Use trackers to keep up your momentum.
There is something powerful about coloring in a row of squares and seeing progress on a monthly scale.
I made these back when I was doing word counts for my book. I hope you find them helpful for whatever creative project you show up to often.
📚Happy Reading! –
check out my latest creative project😁
My online course will give you direction without adding more noise to your life. I’ll walk you through the exact steps to build a Personal Curriculum that actually fits your busy schedule (including some roadblocks that will keep you stuck).
