Creativity is something that everyone can do and that everyone can enhance. We are all born with the ability to be creative and it is certainly something that we can nurture through creativity tools, practice, and by changing the way we participate in the world. The idea is that in order to improve our creativity, we need to give ourselves permission to do so.
My own creativity has ebbed and flowed. I’ve had creative burnout. I’ve had periods of extreme creativity. I learned that the best moments of creativity are gentler. They are consistent. Developing consistent creative practices are how to become more creative.
That’s where these books come in. Here’s a look at my top five favorite books that can help you become more creative.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
The Artist’s Way is one of the books that has changed the way I think about creativity. I have gone through periods of happy creativity thanks to this book. It’s also helped me heal from creative burnout.
I love Julia Cameron’s approach, which is based on the idea that creativity needs regular care and attention. Rather than waiting to feel inspired, she encourages us to create practices that keep us connected to our creative selves. It’s these practices that have helped me so much over the years.
My two favorite practices are the Morning Pages and Artist Dates, and both have helped me enjoy and embrace the creative beauty of everyday life. This book has helped me become consistent with my own creativity, and I believe it can help anyone do the same.
Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
Steal Like an Artist is another book that helped me loosen up concerning creativity. One of my favorite ideas in the book is that creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We are always being influenced by the books we read, the art we see, the conversations we have, and the experiences we collect along the way. We can use this material to inspire us.
I also find this idea very freeing. Sometimes I put so much pressure on myself to be original, it paralyzes me and gets in the way of creating. Austin Kleon reminds us that creativity is often about taking in what inspires us and allowing those influences to become something new through our own perspective.
This is also a very easy book to pick up when you need a little creative encouragement. It’s short, visual, and full of ideas that can help you get out of your head and start thinking about creativity in a more relaxed way.
Succulent Wild Woman: Dancing with Your Wonder-Full Self by Sark
Succulent Wild Woman is a book I return to when I need to remember that creativity can be playful. SARK has a very colorful, expressive way of writing about life, and that alone can help shift the way you think about your own creativity. This book has also reminded me that creativity can be healing.
What I like most about this book is that it is not really about producing more. It is about giving yourself permission to be curious, expressive, joyful, and a little unconventional. Sometimes creativity gets buried under responsibility and routine. This book can help bring some of that lightness back.
I also love the idea that creativity is part of how we experience everyday life. We don’t need to be working on a major project to be creative. We can follow our curiosity, notice what delights us, and allow ourselves to explore without always needing a practical reason.
You Are an Artist: Assignments to Spark Creation by Sara Urist Green
I just love the way this book is formatted, and the assignments are fun. I usually enjoy creativity more when I have something interesting to explore, and this book gives me plenty of ways to do that. The assignments are challenging in a fun way, and I love that I can work at my own pace to complete them.
What I also like about it is that the assignments encourage experimentation. I don’t have to worry about creating something polished or important. I can simply try something, see what happens, and enjoy the process. That takes a lot of the pressure off, which usually helps me feel more creative.
I like returning to this book when I feel like my usual creative practices are getting a little stale. It helps me approach creativity from a different direction and reminds me that sometimes trying something new is enough to get the ideas flowing again.
How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day by Michael J. Gelb
Although I listed this as last on the list, it is the first one I read. It was the first time I realized that it was okay to be a person of many interests, and it was okay to chase the whims we have. For me, these whims are the foundation of creativity.
Michael J. Gelb explores Leonardo da Vinci’s curiosity, observation, experimentation, and willingness to keep learning throughout his life. I loved seeing creativity presented this way because it made it feel like something that could influence the way we live, not just the things we make.
This book also helped me understand how important curiosity is to my own creative life. Some of my best ideas have come from following an interest simply because I wanted to know more about it. I didn’t always know where it would lead, and that was part of the fun. This book gave me permission to trust that process more.
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All five of these books have influenced my creativity in different ways. Some helped me build practices, some helped me loosen up, and others helped me understand that curiosity, play, and experimentation are all part of the creative process.
I have learned that I don’t need to force creativity in order to have more of it. In fact, I usually feel more creative when I give myself room to explore, pay attention to what interests me, and stay connected to practices that make creativity feel like a natural part of my life. These are the books I return to when I need help doing exactly that.
Note: This article contains affiliate links, but I have read every one of these books and loved them!