Are you set to unlock your imaginative and creative power? If you’re interested in taking your creativity to the next level, our list of books on creativity will give your creative mind a boost. Let’s dive into a world filled with countless opportunities by flipping through the pages of creative books.
These books are your golden ticket to discovering your creative genius, whether you’re an aspiring artist, a curious thinker, or just trying to add more innovation to your daily life.
Hop in on this trip that will ignite your imagination, rekindle your imaginative spirit, and release the artist within you. The journey will include both practical strategies, inspiring stories, and practical tips.
It’s a literary tour you wouldn’t want to miss. Join us as we go through the pages of the best works about creativity, where genius abounds and the avenues for innovation are as limitless as the human mind.
Why Read Books On Creativity?
There are so many reasons to read books on creativity, and we’ll be touching on a few of them below:
Inspirations and new ideas
One of the reasons for reading books on creativity is that they often examine different views, methods, and strategies for coming up with great ideas.
Also, they can motivate you by exposing you to innovative concepts, the lives of accomplished creative people, and real-world instances that can broaden your perspective and stimulate your creativity.
Skill Development
Skill development is also the reason you should read creativity books. In addition to being a natural gift, creativity may also be nurtured and enhanced. Books on creativity offer beneficial workouts, techniques, and resources to help you improve your capacity for creative thinking.
Overcoming Creative Blocks
One of the common roadblocks that can hinder your creativity is creative blockage. Books about creativity frequently discuss these barriers and provide solutions.
Reading books on creativity can inspire and teach you new knowledge that can help you get beyond creative blockages and start living above self-doubt.
Personal Growth and Self-expression
Consistently reading books on creativity can be a life-changing experience. They frequently promote reflection, self-awareness, and personal development.
In addition, you can find fresh avenues for self-expression and develop a more comprehensive grip on your creative potential by studying other creative philosophies and approaches.
Now, let’s take a close look at eight highly recommended creativity books that can enable creative juice to start flowing to help your actions and thought processes.
“Daily Rituals” By Mason Currey
How Artists Work
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Mason Currey, a renowned and seasoned Author of many self-help books, wrote “Daily Rituals: How Artists Work. The book offers insights into the daily habits and customs of several artists, writers, composers, and other creative people throughout history.
Over 150 creative brains were featured in this collection, including well-known individuals like Pablo Picasso, Ludwig van Beethoven, Maya Angelou, Ernest Hemingway, and many more. Current plunged into the respective routines, schedules, and rituals that these people apply to encourage creativity and productivity in their daily lives.
“Daily Rituals” contains collections of the top techniques and routines used by successful people across various industries. The author intends to help anyone improve productivity, get over writer’s block, and work more creatively and efficiently daily.
Also, “Daily Rituals” examines a variety of rituals, showcasing the different approaches used by various artists worldwide. Some people followed rigorous regimens and regimented timetables, while others preferred impromptu and innovative approaches.
The book discusses various components of an artist’s day, including their early morning activities and off-work lifestyle, work schedules, breaks and recreational activities, sleep patterns, and other quirks that affect their effective output.
“Steal Like an Artist” By Austin Kleon
10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
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If you love creativity and desire to embark fully on your creative journey, “Steal Like an Artist” by Austin Kleon will do the big magic. Austin Kleon published this masterpiece in 2012 to help newbie creatives find their ground and enhance their personal lives.
The book offers creative guidance and insights on how to release your creativity and establish your distinctive artistic style. The fundamental tenet of the book is that all artists are influenced by those who came before them.
“Steal Like an Artist” teaches readers that it is natural and beneficial to steal ideas and incorporate them into your work. Being against plagiarizing other people’s intellectual properties, Kleon urges readers to embrace the concept of “stealing” ideas from many sources to learn from them and create something original and unique.
The author highlights the significance of connecting ideas from many fields and sources and finding inspirations in unanticipated settings, as well as the usefulness of having an open mind, being sensitive, and being curious about the world.
In “Steal Like an Artist”, Kleon encourages readers to reach their full creative potential; he also offers practical advice, tips, and tasks throughout the book.
Furthermore, the book covers the usefulness of side projects, the advantages of accepting limitations, the benefits of promoting your work and participating in a creative community, and the relevance of accepting failure and learning new things from it.
“Making Ideas Happen” By Scott Belsky
Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision & Reality
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“Making Ideas Happen” is a book on creativity you should include in your collection if you’re a creative person who wants the creative juices flowing. These creative juices help you to overcome creative blocks. The book was published by Scott Belsky in 2010.
Scott Belsky is one of the personalities behind Behance, a well-known online community for creatives. The community is specifically for creative people who want to be around people of like minds and share intellectual and good ideas.
Belsky offers practical tips for efficient execution based on his own experiences as an entrepreneur and conversations with successful people from a range of industries.
“Making Ideas Happen”‘s primary notion centered around the “Action Method,” a systematic strategy for carrying out ideas.
Belsky strongly stresses actions and also offers strategies for overcoming typical hurdles such as idea development, prioritization, teamwork, and handling continuous difficulties with seeing a project through to completion.
Belsky discusses some principles and tactics to boost output and encourage a creative environment throughout the book. These consist of:
- Organization and project management
- Collaboration and team dynamics
- Overcoming challenges and staying motivated
- Seeking feedback and iteration
“Making Ideas Happen” provides a helpful framework for people and groups wishing to turn their innovative ideas into actionable results, and Belsky covered all of these topics in this book. It’s a book for all creatives who desire a consistent flow of creative juices.
“Lateral Thinking” By Edward De Bono
Creativity Step by Step
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“Lateral Thinking” is one of the best books on creativity that any creative person who desires to succeed in their creative journey should consider. The book was written by Maltese Psychologist, Physician, and Author Edward de Bono.
“Lateral Thinking” is an innovative and problem-solving book that entails finding creative methods for issues and developing imaginative solutions.
De Bono thought that by using lateral thinking, people might overcome these limitations and develop unique creative ideas. He argued that standard linear thinking frequently results in rigid and constrained answers.
This book teaches readers to hold off on judging concepts as being right or wrong or discarding them outright. They consider several options without immediately analyzing them.
Additionally, readers will learn how to challenge presumptions and conventional wisdom related to a situation. It is possible to develop fresh perspectives and answers by challenging preconceived beliefs. Also, the book explores how one can create a more creative mind.
“How We Got to Now” By Steven Johnson
Six Innovations That Made the Modern World
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Steven Johnson is the Author of the book, “How We Got to Now,” which was initially published in 2014. The book explores the interconnectivity of great ideas that have influenced our contemporary society and the Natural history of innovation.
The famous science author Steven Johnson looked at the nexus between technology, science, and culture. Johnson explores six major themes in “How We Got to Now,” which are glass, cold, sound, clean, time, and light.
Each theme stands for a significant development in human civilization and technology. According to Johnson, these somewhat straightforward ideas have substantially impacted society and helped create the modern world.
For instance, Johnson examines how advances in science, communication, and architecture were made possible by the creation of glass. He follows the development of refrigeration and shows how it changed society and spawned new industries.
The book also explores the impact of sound and how it affects communication, technology, and music. If you’re a fan of creativity and an avid reader, this is one of the creativity books you should read. It will boost your creative life and give you a deeper understanding of what being creative is all about in this digital age.
“Big Magic” By Elizabeth Gilbert
Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
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Elizabeth Gilbert, whose memoir “Eat, Pray, Love” became a worldwide bestseller, is the author of the book “Big Magic.” Gilbert discusses the creative process in “Big Magic,” providing advice and inspiration to budding creators.
The book comprises six sections, each focusing on a distinct aspect of creativity and how to have a creative life. Gilbert offers a thorough understanding of creativity by sharing her own experiences as a writer and by drawing from a variety of sources, such as literary works, history, and philosophical thought.
One of the main concepts of “Big Magic” is that creativity is a power that lives outside of us and yearns for collaboration with interested people.
Gilbert urges his audience to embrace creativity and follow their passions without self-doubt or fear. She rejects the idea that creating art requires pain and advocates an attitude of curiosity, play, and joy. Everything a creative person needs to know is in this book. It can also benefit business leaders.
“The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” By Betty Edwards
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Many times, people find it hard to choose the right book on creativity that has the actual teachings they are looking for. However, Betty Edwards’ book, “The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain,” addressed many things that creatives need to know to erase self-doubt.
“The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” was initially published in 1979 and has established itself as a classic in art education. Using the right side of the brain’s creativity and intuition, the book also aims to teach readers how to draw.
Based on her observations and research, Art Instructor and Psychologist Betty Edwards have created a unique method for teaching drawing. Creatives can also learn design thinking while reading this book.
In addition, the Author argued that while most individuals can draw effectively, their left-brain dominance, which frequently focuses on intellectual and verbal processes, often prevents them from doing so.
The activities and approaches Edwards offers in this book can help readers change their perspective and activate their left brain, which is responsible for creative expression, spatial relationships, and holistic thinking.
To avoid preconceived views and produce more precise drawings, she introduced the idea of “drawing upside down,” in which students replicate an image while observing it from the other direction.
“Creative Confidence” By David M. Kelley and Tom Kelley
Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All
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“Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All” is a book by David M. Kelley and Tom Kelley. David M. Kelley is the founder of IDEO, a global design and innovation company, and Tom Kelley is a partner at IDEO.
The book was published in 2013 and aims to inspire individuals to tap into their innate creativity and develop their creative confidence. The central idea of the book is that everyone has the capacity to be creative, and creativity is not limited to a select few.
The authors argue that society often undermines people’s confidence in their creative abilities by instilling fear of judgment, failure, and the pressure to conform.
They believe that by adopting a mindset of creative confidence, individuals can overcome these barriers and unleash their full creative potential.
“Creative Confidence” is not only a guidebook for individuals seeking to unlock their creative potential but also a directory for a culture that values and nurtures creativity.
By challenging conventional concepts of creativity and offering practical insights, the authors aim to empower readers to overcome self-doubt and make a positive impact through their creative journey.
This book is also written in a way that will spark up vertical thinking that can help generate great ideas. All human beings are wired to be creative.
Frequently Asked Questions On Best Books On Creativity
Is Creativity The Key To Success?
Creativity can certainly contribute to success in various aspects of life. While it may not be the sole determinant, creativity often plays a significant role in problem-solving, innovation, and adaptability, which are highly valued in many fields.
Which Books Offer Practical Exercises and Techniques to Enhance Creative Thinking?
Several books offer practical exercises and techniques to help boost creative thinking, and they are as follows:
- “Steal Like an Artist” by Austin Kleon
- “A Whack on the Side of the Head” by Roger von Oech
- “Thinkertoys” by Michael Michalko
- “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards
- “Creative Confidence” by Tom Kelley and David Kelley
What Are Some of The Best Books On Creativity For Beginners?
If you’re searching for creativity books to read as a beginner creative, check out the following books:
- “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron
- “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” by Eckhart Tolle
- “Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative” by Austin Kleon
- “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott
Final Thought On Books On Creativity
Finally, reading books on creativity can be an enriching and transformative experience. The best books on creativity offer invaluable insights, practical techniques, practical advice, and inspiring stories that encourage readers to tap into their creative potential and embrace innovation in various aspects of life.
These books emphasize the importance of curiosity, open-mindedness, and the willingness to take risks as essential elements in nurturing creativity. Readers can cultivate creative habits, which can also help in generating creative ideas for personal growth.
