The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

'The Creative Act', published just this year (2023), is filled with pearls of wisdom!  I've done one read-through without marking up the book.  But I will be re-reading it to digest it much more fully.  

With so much in the book, I sometimes felt like I was hearing familiar voices communicating similar thoughts. That includes art course instructors, Ardith Goodwin and Louise Fletcher; words spoken by Goenka-Ji when leading Vipassana meditation retreats; and books by others.  Some of those authors include Brene Brown, John Cleese, Lynda Barry, David Bayles & Ted Orland, Cat Bennett, Austin Kleon, etc.  Without a bibliography or reading recommendations list, I'm really curious about the breadth of reading done by the author.  What/who were his favorite books/authors?  How did he develop his insights into the creative process?    

The book is well-suited for marginalia.  If you're wondering what that is, it is writing in the margins to restate what you've read, write definitions of words, reiterate or take issue with a point or the writing, make notes about linkages, or anything that comes up for the reader when reading.  

Conveniently, this book has several pages at the end of the hardbound edition to make notes, plus the typewritten pages are double-spaced with generous blank space -- also for doing so.  In my re-read of the book I'll probably use the pages along the way for notes rather than the blank ones at the end.  I want to highlight lines I like throughout the book, note links to those authors, teachers or others I've heard communicate a similar message, and to note how certain situations in my own creative life may align with the author's points, etc.

The book, to me, is more of a philosophical look at the creative process that focuses on a creative's pre-inspiration posture in the physical, mental and spiritual realms in order to receive.  How do we ready ourselves to be clear channels of that which wants to come through us?  How do we explore it fully and curiously?  How do we ready the work for sharing or decide not to share it?  

Then there is embracing the gift.  What is the gift?  It may not be a great piece of art.  In fact, it may be a total flop. But there is a gift, even in that which doesn't live up to what was envisioned or of our expectations.  Seeing each piece of work as a gift, whether successful or not, ripens our ability to receive ideas and inspirations more abundantly in the future, because we are not judging the creative energy that inspires our action.  

More to come after re-reading and notating the book....