Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Written by Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat Pray Love fame, Big Magic is a book that focuses entirely on creativity. I’d originally read this when it was published in 2015 and recently felt a pull to return to the book. It’s been in my head since I was a child that I’d love to write something and that urge is stronger than ever lately. I remembered the inspiration that came with reading this book the first time around, and although I’m generally not one for a re-read, this one was definitely worth a second glance. 

Liz describes the creative process in many relatable ways, making the entire endeavour feel less daunting. She reassures us that fear is a natural part of the process and that we shouldn’t take ‘creating’ too seriously. It’s a natural thing as most of our ancestors were creators themselves, and that we’re all heading in the same direction; we’re only here for a short time, why not just make the thing that we want to make. One of my favourite analogies in the book is where Liz describes the desire associated with creating. The notion of the pained artist is a universal one, but we should be feeling inspired and energised by our craft. She tells us to think of the whole thing like an affair - you’d find time in stolen moments to do what you desired to do, so treat your creative endeavour with the same vigour and passion. 

Overall, I really love this book. It has made me feel less alone in my fear and desire to write something. It’s made me reassess the way that I’ve been thinking about certain things and remember that at the end of the day, nobody really cares. There is no failure in trying, the only failure is to not try at all. And having read this again I’ve decided that I’m not willing to fail. 

I’ve read Eat Pray Love and City of Girls by Liz Gilbert and enjoyed both, even though I know that EPL gets a bit of a hammering. However, this book deserves all the love and affection because when you’re feeling like you simply can’t do it, this book will empower you and allow you to believe in your own potential. Worth a read if you’ve got a creative project in mind!