Creativity is a fundamental resource that influences the aesthetic, utilitarian, and developmental aspects of our lives. However, doubts and fear may appear, and creative barriers can be erected in the form of a shield. No matter whether one is a writer, an artist, or a musician and a simple person who wants to live life more creatively, some books can be very inspiring.

The books listed below are all useful in giving different outlooks on creativity and how one can conquer fear and be more productive in their art. Whether it’s dealing with resistance or incorporating creativity into your life as a new way of thinking, these books will help you to unlock your creativity and become an artful person.

1. Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert

All about: Overcoming Fear and Embracing Creativity

Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear is a motivational book that is written with passion and a lot of positive energy. She urges artists to shed the fear that has a tendency to inhibit creativity and embrace curiosity and fun. In this chapter, Gilbert poses the thought that ideas are alive and look for a suitable host to help them be realized. She wants the reader to know that perfectionism is the killer of creativity and that waiting for the perfect moment will only mean missing out on the perfect chance.

2. The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron

All about: Journaling and Tackling Creative Blocks

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is a twelve-step program that aims at helping the reader free his or her spirit to unlock creativity. Its most famous method is “Morning Pages,” which is the practice of writing three pages of stream of consciousness every morning to purge one’s mind and get back to the creative zone. Another important ritual is the “Artist Date,” which is basically going on a solo date for the purpose of rejuvenation and fun. Cameron stated that everyone is creative, but society, critics, and personal restrictions demoralize people and hinder creativity. The various exercises in The Artist’s Way include affirmative statements and a critical understanding of the individual’s creativity and past traumas to foster creativity.

3. Steal Like an Artist – Austin Kleon

All about: Creative Thinking and Finding Inspiration

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon is a book that questions the concept of originality and offers an insight on the true spirit of creativity as copying. He continues to posit that all musicians, writers, and designers have their inspirations from the preceding artists. The thing is, though, that it is important not only to borrow but to do it carefully and then create a derivative work that is not a direct copy of the original source. There are many helpful tips, like collecting a ‘swipe file’ with the examples of inspiring works and regarding side projects as the key to extraneous ideas. For those who are looking for a solution on how to break the creative block and create without hesitation, Steal Like an Artist will come in handy due to its positive tone.

4. The War of Art – Steven Pressfield

All about: Beating Resistance in Creative Work

Steven Pressfield’s ‘The War of Art’ offers an excellent system of identifying and combating resistance. He used the term “Resistance,” which he defines as the internal force against which we struggle when we resist doing our best creative work. Pressfield goes further to say that Resistance is most powerful when we are attempting to create something—to write, to paint, to start a company. To this, the man suggests that the problem is that people do not approach their creativity professionally: they do not arrive at their desk every day and work; creativity is not a one-time occurrence. The War of Art is one of the simplest guides out there with an almost militaristic tone, and it is recommended for those who have trouble with discipline and motivation

5. Creativity: Unleashing the Forces Within – Osho

All about: The Spiritual Side of Creativity

In Osho’s Creativity: Unleashing the Forces Within, the author presents creativity as not being limited to the art creation but as a way of living. He thinks that creativity is the innate ability that is within everyone, but civilization, fear, and preconceived notions starve it. It is possible to learn from the lessons of Buddhism and the modern world and return to the source of creativity—the heart. Osho also says that creativity can only be freely created; it cannot be pressured or compelled by any sort of competition. His ideas subvert mainstream ideas of efficiency and success and inspire the readers to free their creativity. For everyone who would like to combine spirituality and creativity, Creativity is full of insights on how to live a more creative and unencumbered life.

6. The Art Spirit – Robert Henri

All about: Creating with Passion and Purpose

The Art Spirit by Robert Henri is a book of lectures and letters that will surely have an eternal appeal for aspiring artists and professionals as well, as it encourages artists to be true to themselves and to their art. Published in 1923, the book is still helpful for contemporary readers, focusing on the idea of artistic purity, creativity, and the idea of an artist’s individuality. Henri, thus, underlines that great art is not acquired by drawing and coloring but by passion and truth. He wants readers to look at the world carefully, be creative, and stay in art for most of their lives. Whether one is an artist in the field of painting, writing, composing music, or any other form of art, The Art Spirit remains a source of inspiration to nurture the spirit of art in one’s heart and soul.

7. The Creative Act: A Way of Being – Rick Rubin

All about: Seeing Creativity as a Lifestyle

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin changes the notion of creativity as a state of mind or a manner of being in the world rather than as a craft belonging to artists. Furthermore, Rubin, as a music producer, states that creativity is openness, stillness, and awareness. He goes further into how to listen to the inner voice, work with the unknowns, and let ideas grow organically instead of imposing on them. His method is contemplative, which helps to find inspiration in the ordinary and encourages the readers to look at the world through the lens of art. If you have been looking for a book that gives practical advice on how to be creative in every aspect of your life, this is for you because the book gives a very relaxed and rather calming approach to creativity.

Creativity is a process of perceiving, conceptualizing, and practicing within an environment.

Here are seven books that provide ways on how to face the fears, deal with procrastination, and address self-doubts. Big Magic encourages wonder, The Artist’s Way offers the practice, and Steal Like an Artist reimagines the concept of stealing. The War of Art describes the force that opposes creativity. Creativity is an attempt to understand its essence. The Art Spirit creates enthusiasm, and the Creative Act sees creativity as a process

7 Books to Spark Your Creativity & Inspire an Artful Life