Books That Fuel My Creativity
I often find myself scrolling through social media feeds lazily when I cannot find the strength to be creative or think creatively. Despite seeing hundreds of creative posts, I cannot reconcile any of that content with my perfectionist creative mentality. I know myself. I know how when I create it in any way, I’ll think to myself why didn’t I do it this way or that way? I get pretty exhausted creatively.
I have found that books are a lot less critical of my creativity and more inspirational. Getting inspired by words coming together to form beautifully descriptive sentences can journey you to a new world of imagination. And it’s not only non-fiction, self-help books that have helped me through the journey of creative awareness, it was actually more the fictional books that raised my levels of critical thinking and brought a new understanding of what creative thinking means.
In order to figure out the ways in which I can perform better creatively, I sought the guidance of certain books that have helped fuel my creativity:
The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant
The Story of Philosophy has been at the heart of my philosophic journey. It’s what got me to want to read more and more of philosophy and to dive deeper into the world of asking hypothetical questions for the sake of hypothetical situations. It has also been a book that has developed my way of thinking and the way I link ideas together, hypothesize, and solve problems. Whenever I have been stuck creatively, I always sought the help of a philosophical idea. The Story of Philosophy helps as a foundation for philosophy.
1984 by George Orwell
George Orwell is undoubtedly a master of writing. His books have influenced some of the best works in literature in the late 20th and 21st century. The dystopian imagery he conveys through his writing and the allegories that are hidden within the elements of his novels are imaginative, to say the least. George Orwell’s books are the perfect place for creative development, as they allow you to interpret the scenes within the book on your own, which would in turn develop your critical thinking, which you can then direct towards your creativity and your creative endeavors.
Turtles All The Way Down by John Green
John Green is an author and knowledge enthusiast known all over the world by youths and adults. His books, however, are more enjoyed by Young Adults, mostly in their late teen years. Angsty and edgy, these teens often find solace in John Green’s books. His writings, through his characters, resonate with them. But what John Green has taught me specifically, especially through his book Turtles All The Way Down, is how to be more empathetic in my writing. How to be emotional in my creativity. Emotional Intelligence is an important step forward in your creative journey, and having a fictional book teach you something about emotional creativity is the best way to go.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho is a master of modern mystic philosophy. The way he delves deep into the world of mystery and spirituality, and how he can make one sit in contemplation of things that are thought of as minutiae. When I delved into the world of mysticism and philosophy, thanks to Paulo Coelho, I found myself stunned at how meaningful the world is and how the way we interpret one thing can change our perspective of everything.
