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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
a lot of the concepts talked about in this book are true but they’re not presented in a big welcoming way for people struggling with their creativity imo. and maybe that’s not the audience but ….. idk who else would pick up this book. some parts of this are good reminders — how there’s a different energy between collecting seeds of inspiration and refining/crafting, how it helps to change up parts of your process to see what floats to the surface, how competing with other people doesn't make sense for a creative project because the goal is self-expression and answering to yourself. i think if i picked up this book when i was mega-blocked, it would’ve gone right over my head because these lessons aren’t gonna unblock me. while listening to this book, i kept remembering julia cameron’s “the artist way” and the gentle and methodical way she coaxed out my inner artist. this book, in contrast, is like the bullet point lifehack version of that. basically, some of these tips are useful, some aren't, there's a lot in here to pick from, most of these tips aren't never-before-heard but it could be useful to have them all in one spot. for me though, this kind of voice isn't the kind i like for creative process books. and frankly there are so many guides written by artist men about the creative process that i have to question if we need another one
i’ve spent the past year trying to find my way into the interiors of the idea of ‘artistry’ and what it means for me to be a poet and what the expressions of this world are,,,,,, and mr rubin helped,, eh,,,, feels like,, good but,,, smth needed the walls to move more,, maybe, idk i’m done trying to figure this out rn
reflective
medium-paced
3.5 stars. I liked this book. It was useful for centering my thoughts around my approach to my own work— it was surprisingly applicable to academic research. A few cringey moments (not getting an appendectomy when it burst??) and a bit repetitive by the end but otherwise an enjoyable, thought-provoking read.
As much as it's good to see what can be extracted or learnt from, I don't find this book treading pretty unfamiliar ground dealing with creativity. One critical issue, especially the audiobook, is how monotonous and repetitious the book becomes over time. The other side of the problem comes from Rick Rubin's approach. I respect the sentiment of selflessness, though the book turns out lacking due to "personal vagueness," not delving into his personal journey. Rubin's concepts would resonate more strongly with connection through personability.
I think it's important, then, to give an idea of what you might be getting into with this book: The Creative Act serves best as a general manual for approaching creativity and your craft, as well as a means of reflection. You'll get the most out of the book if read in short bursts instead of treating it as a traditional read. Overall, it was difficult to appreciate this work as a whole. I'll be glad for people to find value in the message of Rick Rubin's book; it's just unfortunately not for me.
Related recommendations: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and Make Your Own Rules by Andrew Huang
I think it's important, then, to give an idea of what you might be getting into with this book: The Creative Act serves best as a general manual for approaching creativity and your craft, as well as a means of reflection. You'll get the most out of the book if read in short bursts instead of treating it as a traditional read. Overall, it was difficult to appreciate this work as a whole. I'll be glad for people to find value in the message of Rick Rubin's book; it's just unfortunately not for me.
Related recommendations: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and Make Your Own Rules by Andrew Huang
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
What a good book!
slow-paced
There wasn’t much to this book in regards to useful of inspiring information surprisingly, considering the size of the book. This is a great coffee table book. The aesthetics of the cover might be the most creative thing about this book. It’s not bad, it’s average/okay for me. Rating it a 2.5 out of 5.
each chapter has a couple verses that can be used as good mantra but generally…feels like self indulgent pseudo philosophical bs. there are definitely parts that were relevant to my individual practice and mindset, but i wouldn’t consider the majority of teachings to be very insightful. cute meditations, but not a real resource for the physical labor or real world consequences of being an artist.
Really good... though more applicable to good friends of mine than to me myself