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Today’s book recommendation is a new release that might just be the kick in the pants many of us need. The author is the creative behind the incredibly popular InspiredToWrite Instagram account, an account that has given its over 480,000 followers small but firm nudges to get off our asses and make art. This is not just about art like painting or drawing but anything from writing to ceramics to sewing—any and all art.
We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something by Amie McNee
Amie McNee is a writer and creative coach, and this book she has written is such a gift to all of us. So often, books on creative advice, whether that be writing or otherwise, rarely apply to many people. These books are often just what has worked for that writer specifically. This book, however, pushes the boundaries of what creative advice can be, and I find that I can apply what they have written to anything from writing to playing piano to baking something beautiful.
The InspiredToWrite Instagram account’s primary style of posting is of handwritten or painted signs with text that is of the creative advice and inspiration flavor. Similar images are featured every few pages in this book, which offers the delightful feature of being able to pick up this book at any time and flipping through the pages to get a jolt of inspiration.
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In addition to telling you why the world needs your art, McNee offers a two-week creative reset plan that is incredibly accessible. This is not for you to write an entire novel or play in two weeks or anything like that. This is a plan to help jump-start your creative habit, something that can be incredibly difficult to do for many reasons (which McNee also writes about). Finding that onramp and getting unstuck can be the hardest part of making art but making excuses is easy. This reset plan is focused on very small sustainable bits of creativity that help avoid burnout while cultivating a consistent creative habit. This book also contains plenty of advice beyond that reset on building an abundant creative practice, which I deeply appreciate. She helps you get going, helps you continue, and helps you finish projects.
The author writes in detail about some of the major blocks that people can run into, like procrastination, burnout, perfection, jealousy, and comparison. They deeply recognize that starting and continuing a creative habit can be difficult for so many reasons, so they gently and purposefully hold the hands of readers in a way that really makes a reader feel like this is all within their reach.
This is a great read and also would make a great gift for a wide range of creatives, from your friends you just know have great creative ideas to new graduates.