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  Your favorite creativity books

  (Feel free to add them to the shelf too)
  
  What are your favorites? What have you actually worked with? What has helped you?
  
  I have had a lot of success with the Morning Pages part of the Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, during various periods in my life. I'm not doing them now, though, and though I value the rest of her ideas I never did the whole "program."
  
  I found the writing exercises - and the idea of writing practice like meditation practice - very helpful in Natalie Goldberg's books.

  akmbloom started this discussion 2 years ago. ( reply )

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  Roma 

  My Favorite Book is "The Creative License" by Danny Gregory. I read this book a couple of years ago and it catapulted me into the artistic life I had always dreamed of but was afraid to live. Danny writes of "...the art of allowing ourselves to fail, giving up the expectation of perfection and opening our eyes to the beauty around us".

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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    James L 

    I like your post. If you want creativity i suggest you read my book of poems which only a creative left handed aries could write ;)

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  Bloom Radio 

  I haven't read very many creativity books, so I don't know how it stacks up, but one that I did read that I like a lot is Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones:
  
  http://tinyurl.com/34twnj
  
  If I remember right there's kind of motivational talk in there but also some pretty nuts-and-bolts exercises. I think I remember one in particular that I found helpful, which was to pair verbs from cooking with non-cooking subjects.

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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  apokalypsis 

  Finding Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (This book blew my mind - brilliant!)
  
  The Path of Least Resistance by Robert Fritz

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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    Jeffrey A 

    I'm thinking of reading the Fritz book. Can you tell me what you got out of it? I'm an entrepreneur looking for new business ideas. Thanks.

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  Chaigirl 

  I recently became interested in mixed-media art in the form of; inspired sorts of collages, journals, cards, etc. The thing is... it's an attraction that surprises me because you see I'm an artist in the loosely applied interpretation of the word, meaning that I am creative and imaginative, I've been known to collage, and enjoy writing in my journal or blog too. Yet, I'm not engaged in producing ART. Yet, I feel so drawn to the form of mixed-media art and recently purchased two great books that are so fanciful and enlightening to me! (well, one is a bit of a journal or magazine.)
  
  1. Artful Blogging: Visually Inspriing Online Journals , Published by Stampington & Company
  
  2. Living The Creative Life: ideas and inspirations from working artists, by RiceFreeman-Zachery.
  
  I love hearing what other great books or links inspire other group members! :)

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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  Abigail 

  I just read "Secrets of the Zona Rosa" by Rosemary Daniells. The Zona Rosans are a group of writer's, mostly women but a couple men, who get together regularly to go over their writing and to get critiquing from each other. Why it is a favorite of mine is that Rosemary stresses not having to be perfect when you're writing. Her emphasis is on the act of writing itself, not the actual writing. Some people, like me, are so scared to start writing because it won't be perfect. Then they never start. Well this book was the first in my writing books to really get me started! She has sections at the end of each chapter called 'Pilates on Paper' that are exercises to get you going. I have been working on some with no restrictions.
  The other thing I like about her is not to think about publishing the work you are doing. Write for pure creativity and enjoyment and for yourself. For what it does for your soul to just be expressing yourself. When she said that I realized that somewhere in my mind I always thought that what I was writing had to be publishable. Now that wall has come down and I can write!

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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  Chaigirl 

  aluvme4me,
  That book sounds like a very clever one!! :) I'll have to check that it out! Writing just for you and not for an "imagined" audience has been just the ticket to stir your creativity, 'eh? I love it!
  Chai Girl

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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    Abigail 

    Sometimes its just a simple thing that makes me have an Ah-ha moment....then open the floodgates!

    posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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  Chaigirl 

  I know what you mean, Abs!
  I'm the same way...

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

• Pumpkin12pm 

  Twyla Tharp's book "The Creative Habit" was compelling enough that after I returned it to the library I needed to buy my own copy. It's also a different take from many of the artist/writer oriented ones becaus she relates the basic concepts to her experiences as a dancer and choreographer.

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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  chris w 

  So many great books on this topic. One I've not seen mentioned; Orbiting the Giant Hairball by Gordon Mackenzie

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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  StoryHeart 

  An old book but one I've found very inspirational is "If You Want to Write" by Brenda Ueland. Though it's intended for writers, I think it's a worthwhile read for anyone engaged in creative activities.

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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  EToy or Angel 

  In my collection I have a blank book with a strange cover. A rubber dragon's hand and one eye. I haven't written in it as everytime I open it up a story appears on the page in my mind's eye to be read alowed...now that's what I call a creativity book.

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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  EToy or Angel 

  Mom just added a new book on sponge art.. I'm looking forward to trying out the ideas and seeing just what I may express from my spirit.

  posted 2 years ago. ( reply )

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  Andra 

  I found a whole new take on the origins of creativity in "Touched by Fire" by Kay Redfield Jamison. She examines the links between manic depression and the drive to be creative. For someone who has lived her life around a few artists who find a mania in creativity it was quite interesting!

  posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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    Dan 

    Jamison is amazing. I've read several of her books, have started "Exuberance." Denise Shekerjian wrote a fantastic book about MacArthur Fellows entitled "Uncommon Genius." "You Are Here: Personal Geographies and Other Maps of the Imagination" is a remarkable book. It's great for college & high school classes too. Unfortunately there are a lot of mediocre books about creativity. I read Rollo May's "The Courage To Create" years ago. I wanted to love the book, because "The Courage To Create" is a great title. But it wasn't as amazing as I hoped it would be. You don't know how good a book is until you read it!

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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    Cindy / Coffeelatte 

    I want to read that! "Touched by Fire" sounds like it's one I'd like.
    
    I agree on Dan's comment about "The Courage to Create" -- I was disappointed.
    
    Above is a note on Twyla Tharp's book, and that was a great one for me.
    
    I also like the books by Sark, esp. if I need a little jumpstart.

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  Riaz Farhanian 

  after i read THE CREATIVITY by OSHO it really changed many things in my life
  this book doesn't talk about a creativity in u r job , or in u r furniture , it talks about being in creativity in all of the moments of u r life
  so i think it opens many doors to whom wants 2 be really creative !
  i hope u'll all enjoy it as i did

  posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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