I forget where I first heard of Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, but I’m very grateful to that unknown source. I’ve been writing my whole life–I’m no master, but I have always enjoyed creating stories. It’s a hobby of mine I hope to focus on now that the big wedding is done and that I have a little bit more time on my hands. But writing, or being creative in general, isn’t as easy as putting pen to paper (or brush to canvas or hands to flowers)–though, technically that’s what you need. Sometimes, you need a little bit of inspiration. This book more than does that.
I’m afraid I won’t be able to say enough good things about this book. Basically, the premise is to encourage creative people of all backgrounds to just get up, face your fears, and BE CREATIVE. The author is Elizabeth Gilbert, the creator of Eat, Pray, Love so she has valid experience through the entire creative process from failing to outrageous success. All the way through the book, using anecdotes and explanations, she urges people to live creatively. She strips away the “Tormented Artist” and breaks creative living down in a wonderful, funny, consumable way.
The book is split into six parts: Courage, Enchantment, Permission, Persistence, Trust and Divinity. The sum of being able to freely write creatively is those six parts which she dives into with different stories. Although I don’t necessarily agree with everything Gilbert writes, I appreciate her earnest encouragement and draw inspiration from what she writes. We all find our own creative path and to get to that journey, we must struggle, explore, and endeavor in our own ways.
Her humor, real anecdotes, and divulging of creative living creates real inspiration and encouragement. You may be a writer, but you also may be a florist, a creative coder, an ice skater, a painter, a sculptor–the list of how to live a creative life is endless. This book may help you along a little in your journey and help free you from all your fears and burdens when it comes to your creativity. If not, it’s still a fun read. And as always, stay hungry and fit!
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