Really well said. I get frustrated on occasion, as I know all creatives do, when a book is selling wildly and so much of it is exactly the same set of ideas that countless others have written about previously for the longest time. It happens frequently in all the arts, that the next big thing is regularly a rework (too often not as good or fresh as the previous iteration). Yet, if the publicity budget and publicity network surrounding it are big enough to create a buzz around it, it sells. I acknowledge some of my reaction is probably envy but there's also genuine sadness that often it's only the access to a big publicity network and large publicity budget to get the word out, that separates the success of one work from another - not the idea, not the originality and not the quality of the work. That being said, I'm not having a go at this particular book. I liked the way you expressed the duality of your feeling around it. I hold dear Twyla Tharp's rich work on creativity in daily life. I'm not personally leaning towards the circle book.
Thank you for another really interesting post and the book review, which I’ll probably pass on buying, albeit I like cover, as I’ve so much other reading still to do having started so late in life! 😉 And thanks even more for the Six of Wands message - gratefully received. I publicly published my first ever short story this week at the age of 64 and the feeling of success was, a double fist pump in the air, big smile at self, sublime! I loved how you said ‘Success as an attitude has no limit’. That thought will stay with me now. 👌🏼
I had conflicted feelings about this book as well. While I deeply respect the creative energy of Rick Rubin, he's often saying the same thing that so many before him have said. And yet, isn't that the case of so many writers? I worry constantly about my lack of originality, lack of new ideas, lack of saying anything different than what's already out there. So I'm torn as well. I have been enjoying doing bibliomancy with the book - when I'm feeling a surge of creative stuckness, or need a prompt, or nudge, I'll turn to a random page and see if there's a sentence or word or sentiment that sticks. It's actually been pretty useful!
It's funny you say that, because I've done the same thing a couple times now, and you're right — the structure makes it perfect for bibliomancy! It's been a helpful way to begin the day or dive back into a project.
Funny thing on the cover art of the book; long ago in Scouting, that symbol stood for “gone home”. It is used also in Scouting to indicate those who have passed on to the next “home”. It will most likely be on my grave marker. Haven’t read the book yet. Perhaps I will. Thank you for a thought provoking article.
I'm reading The Creative Act now, thank you for putting into words how I feel about it. I do wish there was more of him in it, more personal stories. It feels like I already know all of what's in these essays, but I also don't mind being reminded. I think I was ready to have my mind blown more. But I'm not going to complain about a book that reminds me to be open and ready to receive inspiration.
I feel the exact same way. It's not a rave, but it's definitely not a pan. I suspect many of the people blown away by this book maybe haven't read the canon of creativity texts, and I'm happy if these ideas are finding a wider audience. I also expect I'll return to it in the future. I just wanted more HIM. Maybe in a future book...
Yes, definitely, I realize my consumption of creativity and writing craft and self help books has maybe put me in a place to not exactly be the best audience for this book. Still -- I'm enjoying it.
But I'm thinking too about the bit you quoted about specificity. I haven't gotten to that part of the book yet, so I may be taking it out of context, but I always feel like specificity creates understanding, because so often our emotional reaction to something lives in those specific details, and so being very specific ends up being more relatable. I suppose there's something to the lack of specificity in The Creative Act (I'm sure he intended to make it more of a hymnal of the creative life rather than a memoir), but that "dissipation of the emotional charge" has deflated some of the life from it. In my reading, at least. I think about, like, Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch, and so many of the parts that resonated with me from that were the stories from his life. I'm not going to direct Dune, but I get how that experience shaped him and his creativity.
That's an excellent point. Sometimes when I've interviewed people, there is a tendency to hold back on details because they want their words to be relatable to all, or to feel timeless in some way, and I always explain that specificity is actually what endears people to you, because even if their lived experiences are different it's your humanity they connect to. But I guess I'm not surprised that a figure who is a mystery even to those he works with wouldn't be, for lack of a better term, an open book. And I laughed at the Dune reference - perfectly put.
As I was reading The Creative Act more over lunch, I had this sense that if Rick Rubin is talking these things out loud to you in the same room, while you're working on an album, it would be lovely and profound. He seems like someone who has a certain amount of...gravitas? And I totally get that they tried to convey that to the book. And maybe it's a simple preference thing. I would have preferred he told more stories like about when he didn't have his appendix taken out. And yes! Don't hold back on details!
I've talked before when talking about writing and revision, that "she was hungry for pizza" is not as relatable as "she was hungry for butternut squash pizza with caramelized onions and a balsamic reduction." Not only because the second one reveals more about the character, but even if squash pizza isn't your thing, you think, "oh yeah, I get it, it's more than hunger, it's a specific craving, and I have that too."
Really well said. I get frustrated on occasion, as I know all creatives do, when a book is selling wildly and so much of it is exactly the same set of ideas that countless others have written about previously for the longest time. It happens frequently in all the arts, that the next big thing is regularly a rework (too often not as good or fresh as the previous iteration). Yet, if the publicity budget and publicity network surrounding it are big enough to create a buzz around it, it sells. I acknowledge some of my reaction is probably envy but there's also genuine sadness that often it's only the access to a big publicity network and large publicity budget to get the word out, that separates the success of one work from another - not the idea, not the originality and not the quality of the work. That being said, I'm not having a go at this particular book. I liked the way you expressed the duality of your feeling around it. I hold dear Twyla Tharp's rich work on creativity in daily life. I'm not personally leaning towards the circle book.
Thank you for another really interesting post and the book review, which I’ll probably pass on buying, albeit I like cover, as I’ve so much other reading still to do having started so late in life! 😉 And thanks even more for the Six of Wands message - gratefully received. I publicly published my first ever short story this week at the age of 64 and the feeling of success was, a double fist pump in the air, big smile at self, sublime! I loved how you said ‘Success as an attitude has no limit’. That thought will stay with me now. 👌🏼
“What if all this time, we’ve been sold the idea that success is an outcome, when it’s really a frame of mind?” 💯
SAY THE THING. Yes to that!
I had conflicted feelings about this book as well. While I deeply respect the creative energy of Rick Rubin, he's often saying the same thing that so many before him have said. And yet, isn't that the case of so many writers? I worry constantly about my lack of originality, lack of new ideas, lack of saying anything different than what's already out there. So I'm torn as well. I have been enjoying doing bibliomancy with the book - when I'm feeling a surge of creative stuckness, or need a prompt, or nudge, I'll turn to a random page and see if there's a sentence or word or sentiment that sticks. It's actually been pretty useful!
It's funny you say that, because I've done the same thing a couple times now, and you're right — the structure makes it perfect for bibliomancy! It's been a helpful way to begin the day or dive back into a project.
If only he connected each area of thought to a tarot card.... there are 78 of them, after all!
This is an excellent point!
Funny thing on the cover art of the book; long ago in Scouting, that symbol stood for “gone home”. It is used also in Scouting to indicate those who have passed on to the next “home”. It will most likely be on my grave marker. Haven’t read the book yet. Perhaps I will. Thank you for a thought provoking article.
Genius writing, as always, Caroline. ⭐️
Thank you, Megan! ❤️
I'm reading The Creative Act now, thank you for putting into words how I feel about it. I do wish there was more of him in it, more personal stories. It feels like I already know all of what's in these essays, but I also don't mind being reminded. I think I was ready to have my mind blown more. But I'm not going to complain about a book that reminds me to be open and ready to receive inspiration.
I feel the exact same way. It's not a rave, but it's definitely not a pan. I suspect many of the people blown away by this book maybe haven't read the canon of creativity texts, and I'm happy if these ideas are finding a wider audience. I also expect I'll return to it in the future. I just wanted more HIM. Maybe in a future book...
Yes, definitely, I realize my consumption of creativity and writing craft and self help books has maybe put me in a place to not exactly be the best audience for this book. Still -- I'm enjoying it.
But I'm thinking too about the bit you quoted about specificity. I haven't gotten to that part of the book yet, so I may be taking it out of context, but I always feel like specificity creates understanding, because so often our emotional reaction to something lives in those specific details, and so being very specific ends up being more relatable. I suppose there's something to the lack of specificity in The Creative Act (I'm sure he intended to make it more of a hymnal of the creative life rather than a memoir), but that "dissipation of the emotional charge" has deflated some of the life from it. In my reading, at least. I think about, like, Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch, and so many of the parts that resonated with me from that were the stories from his life. I'm not going to direct Dune, but I get how that experience shaped him and his creativity.
That's an excellent point. Sometimes when I've interviewed people, there is a tendency to hold back on details because they want their words to be relatable to all, or to feel timeless in some way, and I always explain that specificity is actually what endears people to you, because even if their lived experiences are different it's your humanity they connect to. But I guess I'm not surprised that a figure who is a mystery even to those he works with wouldn't be, for lack of a better term, an open book. And I laughed at the Dune reference - perfectly put.
As I was reading The Creative Act more over lunch, I had this sense that if Rick Rubin is talking these things out loud to you in the same room, while you're working on an album, it would be lovely and profound. He seems like someone who has a certain amount of...gravitas? And I totally get that they tried to convey that to the book. And maybe it's a simple preference thing. I would have preferred he told more stories like about when he didn't have his appendix taken out. And yes! Don't hold back on details!
I've talked before when talking about writing and revision, that "she was hungry for pizza" is not as relatable as "she was hungry for butternut squash pizza with caramelized onions and a balsamic reduction." Not only because the second one reveals more about the character, but even if squash pizza isn't your thing, you think, "oh yeah, I get it, it's more than hunger, it's a specific craving, and I have that too."
excellent piece
Thank you!
So good. Grazie. The unintended...
Thank you.