Reading books, in itself, will make you more creative. Read some classics!
Particular-Treat-650 on
Nothing will “make you creative” exactly, but Range by David Epstein provides interesting coverage of how having a broad base of knowledge to draw from in a variety of areas allows you to pull ideas from one sphere into another to solve problems.
Catdress92 on
I’m not sure any book can make you creative systematically — you might just need to look around and read things until you feel inspired.
But if you’re looking for books that incite you to be creative, you could look for books of writing prompts or drawing challenges. There are lots of these out there, and pretty much any one of them could be a good place to start.
Chitown_mountain_boy on
Stephen King’s _On Writing_ maybe? But really, just put your phone down read more in general.
Admirable-Brief-984 on
The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp
unsuspectinggoose on
What kind of creativity are you looking for? General open-mindedness? Writing creativity?
Defenestrated_Viola on
The Artist’s Way is like a how-to book on creating.
PresidentBirb on
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders uses classic Russian writers to teach writing.
What It Is by Lynda Barry is a creative exercise on expressing yourself. It’s a strange book to get into, and it will take a while to read in full, but the last third of it is full of prompts and exercises that might work for you.
But mostly, like others said, just read more. While you read, pay attention to how the story makes you feel, start picturing how you would have written it differently, or how you would add it, how it inspires you to make your own.
Sage_Planter on
I liked “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert. It won’t make you creative, but it talks about the art of creativity.
9 Comments
Reading books, in itself, will make you more creative. Read some classics!
Nothing will “make you creative” exactly, but Range by David Epstein provides interesting coverage of how having a broad base of knowledge to draw from in a variety of areas allows you to pull ideas from one sphere into another to solve problems.
I’m not sure any book can make you creative systematically — you might just need to look around and read things until you feel inspired.
But if you’re looking for books that incite you to be creative, you could look for books of writing prompts or drawing challenges. There are lots of these out there, and pretty much any one of them could be a good place to start.
Stephen King’s _On Writing_ maybe? But really, just put your phone down read more in general.
The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp
What kind of creativity are you looking for? General open-mindedness? Writing creativity?
The Artist’s Way is like a how-to book on creating.
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders uses classic Russian writers to teach writing.
What It Is by Lynda Barry is a creative exercise on expressing yourself. It’s a strange book to get into, and it will take a while to read in full, but the last third of it is full of prompts and exercises that might work for you.
But mostly, like others said, just read more. While you read, pay attention to how the story makes you feel, start picturing how you would have written it differently, or how you would add it, how it inspires you to make your own.
I liked “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert. It won’t make you creative, but it talks about the art of creativity.