A Reading List for Writers & Creatives
By Ashlee Gadd
I used to think of creativity solely in terms of output—a tangible end product, like a painting or a piece of hand-spun pottery or a finished book sitting on a shelf. I never gave quite as much thought to input, or the inspiration that fills us up before we create. But creativity is both a give and take, a balancing act between consumption and creation. Rich, vibrant art is only born out of a rich and vibrant inner life.
Input affects output, for better or for worse.
Good writers read good books. Good musicians listen to music that's stood the test of time. Good painters study the masters. Artists who take their craft seriously know how to bathe themselves in beauty, in stories and lyrics and photos that take their breath away.
If we want to create inspiring art, we have to consume inspiring art.
While writing my book Create Anyway: the Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood, I got up every morning at 5 a.m. and read Anne Lamott. This became an essential part of my routine: drink coffee, light a candle, read a few chapters by my all-time favorite writer. Last year I finally had the honor of meeting Anne at a conference. I was thrilled and grateful to be able to tell her in person that for two whole years, she was my daily writing vitamin.
If you’re feeling stuck in your writing or creativity, or simply need a pep talk or a solid dose of inspiration, here are my favorite books to nourish your inner artist.
For the Writer’s Writer: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
No book makes me want to sit down and write more than Bird by Bird. Lamott’s honesty is beyond refreshing; it’s almost shocking at times. One part mentor, one part big sister who’s not afraid to tell you the truth, Lamott’s voice rotates between encouragement and brutal candidness about the writing life—all based on her own experiences. Equal parts inviting and convicting, you’ll walk away from Bird by Bird with a whole new appreciation for the act of writing itself.
Favorite quote: “I just try to warn people who hope to get published that publication is not all that it is cracked up to be. But writing is. Writing has so much to give, so much to teach, so many surprises. That thing you had to force yourself to do—the actual act of writing—turns out to be the very best part.”
For the Creative Seeking a Quick Dose of Inspiration: Textbook by Amy Krause Rosenthal
This delightful, quirky read is not explicitly about writing or creativity, but the book itself is written so creatively, inspiration abounds. I don’t think I have ever smiled more while reading a book in my entire life. The format is amusing, charming, and a little bizarre (but in a good way!). You’ll be captivated from the first to last page and can easily finish this book in one sitting. Textbook is a master class in paying attention to the ordinary details of life, joy, and what it means to be human.
Favorite quote: “People often share anecdotes with me. I know you will appreciate this, they say. Indeed, I can be counted on to validate the remarkableness of their tales, bringing my hands to my cheeks and exclaiming in all the right places.”
For the Creative Who’s Feeling Lost or Stuck: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
I didn’t want to believe Cameron when she claimed writing three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness thoughts first thing in the morning could change your life. But then I tried it. The Artist’s Way hinges on two main creative practices: morning pages and artist dates. I’ll confess, I’ve had an on-again, off-again relationship with morning pages, but any time I get into a consistent rhythm with them, I am shocked at how much creative fruit is born from such a simple practice. Not only have I made significant strides in working through perfectionism, but I’ve also discovered a handful of passions and dreams that seem to have been hiding in the crevices of my brain, simply waiting for an opportunity to come out. For example, I realized during morning pages that I had a secret desire to learn how to shoot film. Within the same year, I purchased a film camera, watched 20 hours of YouTube videos, and shot over eleven rolls. I’m honestly not sure I would have taken up that new creative hobby without the nudge of morning pages.
Favorite quote: “No matter what your age or your life path, whether making art is your career or your hobby or your dream, it is not too late or too egotistical or too selfish or too silly to work on your creativity.”
For the Creative Looking to Soulfully Connect: Let There Be Art by Rachel Marie Kang
This is not just an anthem for art; it’s an anthem for living. Let There Be Art invites you to take the broken and beautiful pieces of your life and offer them to a hurting world in the form of creativity. I got lost in these pages in the very best way and then—even better—found. Kang’s poetic, lyrical voice draws you in like a song. You cannot help but dance. I closed this book and immediately opened my journal, wildly inspired to create something beautiful myself.
Favorite quote: “You are not just a body of bones and blood and breath, you are a heart bending to hear, you are a soul straining to see something beautiful in the midst of all that breaks.”
For the Writer Who Needs a Swift Kick in the Pants: Writing Down The Bones by Natalie Goldberg
This book reads like a collection of pep talks, and each chapter is short enough to read in a minute or two. From the craft of writing itself to the heart and soul behind a life of writing, this is a book you can pick up and put down and read in 5-minute spurts. Goldberg effortlessly bounces back and forth between a bird’s eye view of the writing life and nitty-gritty tips that will take your writing to the next level. More often than not, I found myself shutting the book and opening up a blank page. I’m not sure there’s higher praise than that.
Favorite quote: “Basically, if you want to become a good writer, you need to do three things. Read a lot, listen well and deeply, and write a lot. And don’t think too much. Just enter the heat of words and sounds and colored sensations and keep your pen moving across the page. If you read good books, when you write, good books will come out of you.”
For the Creative Who’s Terrified to Start: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
If you dabble in creative work, you have no doubt heard of Big Magic, which was probably the first creativity book I ever read that unlocked an eerie sense of familiarity in me. Gilbert addresses the ups and downs of the creative process, putting language to the vast emotions any artist feels, but perhaps has not been able to name. This is a book where you instantly feel seen, known, and understood. GIlbert’s greatest strength in this book, in my opinion, is her dedication to accepting mystery as an essential part of making art.
Favorite quote: “What do you love doing so much that the words failure and success essentially become irrelevant?”
For the Writer Who Needs a Poetic Pep Talk: You Are Only Just Beginning by Morgan Harper Nichols
This illustrated collection pulled me in through a combination of poetry and art that only Morgan could blend so effortlessly. You Are Only Just Beginning takes readers through a reimagined heroine’s journey—from the very first call to adventure, through trials and hardships, and all the way back home. Whether you’re just starting a new creative journey or smack in the middle of one, Morgan’s words on fear, grace, and wonder will surely resonate.
Favorite quote: “Say goodbye to striving for ‘expert.’ Say hello to curiosity and inviting others in.”
For the Writer Who’s Lacking Discipline: Deep Work by Cal Newport
This is not a book about writing, or creativity, per se, but I found this book so incredibly helpful in terms of thinking through discipline, boundaries, and eliminating distractions. If you wish you had more time to write or create but often find yourself falling down rabbit holes on social media or wasting time frantically bouncing from task to task, I cannot recommend this book enough. Newport will help you see the hours of your life in a whole new way, brimming with potential.
Favorite quote: “Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not.”
For the Writer Who Loves to Feed People: Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist
It is perhaps worth noting that I regularly eat cereal for dinner, so when I tell you this book made me want to bust out cutting boards and kitchen tools, that is saying a lot. Niequist has a way of making the most ordinary acts—in this case, making and eating food—sound nothing short of holy. This gorgeous collection of essays made me want to cook, eat, and then write. I’m not sure there’s a better way to spend a weekend.
Favorite quote: “Food matters because it's one of the things that forces us to live in this world—this tactile, physical, messy, and beautiful world—no matter how hard we try to escape into our minds and our ideals. Food is a reminder of our humanity, our fragility, our createdness.”
For the Writer Pursuing Art in the Margins of Motherhood: Create Anyway by Ashlee Gadd
Shameless plug alert: this book written by yours truly is a love letter to mothers creating in the margins. One-part commissioning, one-part pep talk, Create Anyway explores the intersection of motherhood, art, and faith—propelling readers forward with a renewed sense of energy, purpose, and enthusiasm for their creative dreams. This book was written during the pandemic with three small children at home, so you can rest assured: the author truly lived out the message while writing it (if I do say so myself, wink).
Favorite quote: “Both motherhood and creativity have taught me to be brave, to relentlessly seek beauty and joy among the mundane, to notice the remarkable grace flooding my unremarkable life.”
Ashlee Gadd is the author of Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood and the founder of Coffee + Crumbs—a beautiful online space where motherhood and storytelling intersect. As a writer and photographer, Ashlee has spent her entire motherhood creating in the margins. When she's not writing or vacuuming Cheerios out of the carpet, she loves making friends on the internet, eating cereal for dinner, and rearranging bookshelves. She and her husband have three kids and live in Northern California. Learn more at ashleegadd.com.