Why reinvent the wheel? If you're feeling challenged in your creative endeavors (good old-fashioned block?) some excellent advice and guidance can be found in an ever-expanding library's worth of books on, precisely, creativity. Herewith, my top ten picks:
Burnham, Sophy, The Art of Intuition
An in-depth overview of intuitive methods and experiences from a leading mystic and literary novelist.
Baum, Kenneth, The Mental Edge: Maximize Your Sports Potential with the Mind-Body Connection
Also applicable to writers.
Butler, Robert Olen, From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction
No book better captures the feeling of the process.
Cameron, Julia The Artist's Way
New Agey and at the same time highly practical.
Flack, Audrey, Art & Soul: Notes on Creating
Deep. The artist as shaman.
Iglesias, Karl, The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters: Insider Tips from Hollywood's Top Writers
I'm not a screenwriter (yet?), but I love this book. It was like reading about distant but kindred tribe. Lots of useful tips.
Lamott, Anne, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Hilarious. For anyone at any stage in their writing.
Pressfield, Steven, The War of Art: Winning the Creative Battle
The best. If you're blocked and you want to buy one book to help yourself, this is the one.
Ricco, Gabriele Lusser, Writing the Natural Way: Using Right-Brain Techniques to Release Your Expressive Powers
Revolutionary.
See, Carolyn, Making a Literary Life
Painfully won (and fun) advice from another highly accomplished and prolific writer -- this one from LA. It's a hoot.
>> More recommended reading here
P.S. Dancing Chiva Literary Arts offers my 50 page e-book, "C.M. Mayo on Creative Writing: The Best from the Blog" free for anyone who signs up for the (also free) newsletter.I'll be offering the 2 day "Techniques of Fiction" workshop next winter in the San Miguel Writers Workshops. For more information, visit my workshop page.
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