Creativity can take you places, and there is no denying that. But, you might be wondering what route to take to achieve success.
Today, multiple award-winning books and bestsellers can help you develop creative confidence. You may want to start writing or invest in creating art, for that matter.
For this, there are step-by-step guidebooks that will help in maintaining schedules and practicing the art of creating. However, the market is flooded with many such books; hence, we decided to make our own list of the top options.
So, read on to know all about them.
Best Books on Creativity
So, without further ado, here’s the list of the 39 best books on creativity.
Making Ideas Happen will teach you how to understand ideas that come to you and the method of developing the right skills to achieve them repeatedly. The author, Scott Belsky, believes in the power of determination and willpower that will help nurture your creative abilities.
In this book, Daniel Kahneman discusses human’s two different thinking patterns. One system is slower and more deliberative, while the other system functions based on intuition.
While your emotional side may prompt you to make decisions all at once, sometimes it is better to take some time and reassess. Kahneman will tell you about how to explore your own creative process while using the correct system to do so.
Steven Johnson writes about how there is a connection between great success stories and how fate and chance drive you there. In the real world, we may not know where we are proceeding, but our creative abilities can help us achieve a lot of things.
This is a perfect read for anybody facing creative blocks, as the book will take you through stories of creative geniuses and their thought processes.
If you are a graphic designer who is struggling to bring forward your creative talents, this book can act as an inspiration. Stefan Sagmeister is known to be one of the most renowned graphic designers in the world, and this book will exhibit different artworks created by him.
You can use this book to learn more about his creative life and the incredible designs that were made.
Up next is a professor at MIT Media Lab who is also known as one of the most excellent graphic designers in the world. His book, The Laws Of Simplicity, talks about balancing complexity and simplicity in ensuring a proper creative life. This can be followed by designers, people in business, and creative artists in the same way.
Also, we love how the author spoke about the laws of simple design, which will work out even for beginner artists.
If you are looking to explore your creativity on paper, then this can be a great choice. The book The Elements Of Style talks about words that are often not used properly or are misspelled.
Plus, it will educate you about grammar and the use of punctuation in the right way. For all the budding writers, this book can boost your creative writing skills while you learn to omit needless words.
This book is going to be a great addition to the life of students who want their inner artists to come out. It will give you practical advice and tips on how to embrace your creativity and personal touch without letting go of originality.
Everything in this world is inspired, but you can always explore the inner creative side by adding your own flair.
Where Good Ideas Come From talks about the seven patterns that have led to the greatest success stories and innovations of all time. Steve Johnson looks into the top companies, societies, and people who have contributed to some of the best creative ideas. You can develop a better creative thinking process after reading this book.
This book is for all those who are exploring creative careers and want to know more about the line that they are choosing. Adrian Shaughnessy talks to a number of leading designers and uses his own experience it to provide helpful tips and practical ideas to people.
Yoris Sebastian will tell you about the importance of small changes that can make great things happen in time. Innovation is present everywhere and is also needed by every individual. So, you should always work on your great ideas, even if they are small, as that may lead to excellent results.
Are you constantly trying to fight through your creative block in order to come up with better creative ideas? This book by Steven Pressfield can be a game changer as it will keep pushing you to win the battle and embrace your creative side.
This book is geared towards telling big companies how to solve problems in their institutions. It will encourage you to convert every idea into action. We found this to be an incredible addition to the bookshelf written by a creativity and innovation expert.
This book mainly deals with the field of academia and how creative thinking plays a role in it. One of the critical thinkers in this field, Cynthia Burnett, is an editor of this book who will guide you through the hurdles that can occur.
As a creative person, have you ever felt that there are phases where one great work follows another and your creative potential is at its best?
But then, the phase passes, and you are unable to explore further creative processes. Well, that is where this book comes in, as Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi writes about how to engage in creative thinking every day through certain exercises.
One of the best books on creativity has to be the memoir of Patrick Ross. He talks about his journey from being a journalist to leading a creative life as a storyteller. His story spans a cross-country road trip along with details about his mental problems. If you are looking for inspiration, this book can be of great help.
Imagine getting wisdom and knowledge from the original (M)Ad Man! Yes, George Lois will be sharing his experience about the creative revolution of the ’60s. He will also be offering more information about advertising and design through his story.
If you are a designer looking to learn, then this is going to be your big book of inspiration.
Creative people often get bogged down with too much work on their plate, and that can affect their creativity levels. However, this book can help in building your productivity while ensuring you have a routine that can be worked with every day. It will also help you stay more focused so that you can have time to invest in creativity while not abandoning other work.
If you are feeling creatively challenged, this book can become an integral part of your shelf at home. Here, Twyla Tharp, who is a very famous creative artist, talks about how she developed her skills.
Not everybody is born creative, and we, as a community, accept that. Twala Tharp gives some practical tips about making creativity a habit. She has been a leading choreographer and she has herself learned the art of consciously making creativity a part of life.
Hence, you can learn a lot about her personal life, rituals, exercises, and routines that can help her embrace her creative self.
Have you ever felt that you are burdened by anxiety and are unable to think of new ideas? Jack Foster addresses this very issue when he talks about the mystery and anxiety attached to coming up with new ideas every day. You can learn a lot more about inventive concepts and the process of flooding your head with new ideas each day.
As you grow up, the mind gets bogged down with a lot of things, which can be an obstruction to creativity. The Book Of Doing by Allison Arden is the perfect read that talks about how to streamline thoughts and ideas and get back to the innocent state you may have lost.
Alice Rawsthorn, who has been part of the International Herald Tribune as a design critic, talks about her own geographical and historical path to creating fantastic designs. She discusses how design plays a crucial role in shaping the world and how the world plays a role in shaping design.
If you have observed one common thing among famous artists, it is that they have the power to imagine. Lehrer will help with facts and ideas and will teach about how to free your imagination. Creativity can be achieved anywhere as long as you keep practicing to let yourself go.
In De Bono’s words, “It may be necessary to be on the top of a mountain in order to find the best way up.” Yes, this book will tell you about the practical ways or routes that you can take to practice lateral thinking. It will help you understand your creativity better, making it a perfect coffee table book.
Chris Barez-Brown encourages readers to invest time in creative works without the use of words. You can make collages, paint, sculpt, or find other ways to express yourself. This book will help you with a number of simple methods that can get the creative juices flowing.
The author also goes on to discuss case studies picked from real life where the methods are tested so that you can understand the concepts better.
If you have chosen to advertise among the many creative fields out there, then this book can be helpful. Written by the famous Paul Arden, who is known to be one of the top advertising experts in the world, this book will help in problem-solving and creating concepts.
You can learn more about how to respond to a brief and avoid making mistakes. In today’s world, there are real problems, and then there are clients who have huge demands. However, once you learn the right problem-solving method, you can ace it.
You may have heard many times that creativity is only for creative individuals. But it is time to break the myth, which Tom and David Kelly have done in this book. Their book will talk about how to invest in creativity and innovation without losing yourself to what the world has to say.
This is a book that will inspire you to step inside the creative processes of 50 different brands that have reached the pinnacle of success. You will be learning about Procter & Gamble, Four Seasons Hotels, and eBay, to name a few.
So, if you are planning to create a brand, this book may have the entire battle plan chalked out for you.
In the book, Predictably Irrational, Dan Ariely, who is a behavioral economist, provides you with information regarding the illogical decisions that one makes as an artist. The author uses witty and interesting facts to talk about this. Irrationality can often take over but overcoming that and replacing it with rational thought is the key.
Predictably Irrational is a New York Times bestseller that can become an essential part of your bookshelf.
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Art Before Breakfast: A Zillion Ways To Be More Creative No Matter How Busy You Are By Danny Gregory
In this digital age, we know that time is very crucial, and you may often find yourself struggling to come up with creative ideas. At the same time, you might want to create art as an artist.
Danny Gregory steps in here with this incredible book that talks about the practical ways of dealing with time. The only thing that matters for those who are creatively inclined is to be able to invest in creativity, and Gregory can help in this journey.
If you have creative confidence, then you can use it to achieve big success in this field. Josh Linker will tell you all about how organizations and individuals can make a mark through the ideas that they have.
Here you will find interviews of creative leaders from various disciplines who have achieved a lot through practice, trials, inspiration, and skills. If you are looking for encouragement, then you are in the right place.
The world can learn a lot from designers, according to the author. So, Warren Berger will tell you about the process that designers indulge in to take their ideas and work to fields like engineering, science, and medicine.
The head of Pixar, Ed Catmull, has been a part of creating Finding Nemo and Toy Story to name a few top animated films. He talks about the work process at Pixar and how writers, designers, animators, and programmers perform their best.
Tim Brown will tell you how to invest in creative examination and determination. He discusses how design works, making this a very inspirational read. If you have been intrigued by how organizations work and transform, you can learn a lot from here.
Plus, Tim Brown talks about how large organizations inspire innovations in the long run.
Going by the name, this book talks about how doodling helps in keeping your creative muscles functioning. The author is known to have started the doodle revolution and is a must-read for artists.
If you are facing a creative block, then this book can help you get back on track. It comes with a set of interviews that will throw light on design and advertising. For those who feel that they are facing a creative block, this book can provide them with new and helpful information. The author talks about the best advertising writers’ work and the thought processes that go behind it.
Drawing is an incredible talent to have, and Betty Edwards will tell you just that. It explains how drawing can be a problem-solving mechanism where you can express yourself better. Betty Edwards takes the help of neuroscientific research to understand the importance of drawing in general and in professional spheres.
Keith Sawyer has penned this empirical read, where he determines how successful business heads are so creative. The author uses his own research to draw connections between both. You will learn a step-by-step method that will help in increasing your creative potential.
Plus, there is information about 100 new techniques along with 30 practices to ensure that you can indulge in your creativity.
Are you unable to get out of your creative block phase? Then this book can help you with the five habits that can change your life. It is time to get out of the hole and get back onto the road again.
Besides, the authors will tell you that creativity can no longer be considered a luxury. It has become a survival skill that can make your life a lot better. You can draw inspiration and engage in fun-filled enriching activities.
Conclusion
We feel that one does not have to be born with creativity to become an artist in the future. If you can invest the right amount of time and follow a schedule, you can become as successful as some of the top business leaders today.
Finally, it is time for us to wrap up, and we will be back with such informative reads. We hope you can do wonders after having trained the mind to invest in the art form that interests the inner artist in you.
Take care and all the best!
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