I received ‘The Creative Act’ as a Christmas gift. I appreciate books as gifts. When someone chooses a book curated just for you, it’s an impactful way of telling someone they care. This was a book I’d wanted to read since it dropped. I was waiting to wander across a used copy, because it’s not cheap. After reading it though, it’s well worth the money.
Rick Rubin has had great success in the arts and in business. He’s seemingly cracked the code to keep them separated. To not allow financial pressure to impact his ability to create art. Creating with financial, life, and social pressures is difficult. The book is filled with keys to evade the distractions, and create like we’re meant to.
Main Takeaways
This has to be the most subjective main takeaway section I’ve done thus far. If I reread the book, I think I would get a whole new list. The first idea that really stuck in my mind is the idea of having a “beginner’s mind” when creating. Being creatures of habit, it’s so easy to get caught up in processes and thoughts that previously worked. We’re taught to create a certain way and tend to continue to do just as we’re told. We must be willing to reinvent our methods and ourselves. Willing to learn as a beginner does, knowing and assuming nothing. It’s okay to tear things down and build them from scratch. You never know what you’ll create.
Art isn’t really about efficiency as much as it is effort. Putting in effort and creating the best piece we can at the time. The best art isn’t churned out like a machine, but crafted. Crafting takes at least a somewhat open mind. Rubin writes about becoming as childlike as possible when creating. Children are the most open of all of us. A part of being open is allowing space for new ideas.
My next takeaway is the importance of accepting new ideas as novel. Whether a personal idea or someone else’s, we must always remember it’s just an idea. Ideas don’t need to be immediately attacked nor accepted. They can live in the moment. Ideas can be jumping off points for other ideas. If we don’t allow space for ideas to cultivate, how can we ever turn ideas into projects?
Once new ideas turn into new projects, we as creators can’t expect people to immediately understand. Novel ideas are rarely accepted by the public. We must protect ideas in infancy. Protect them until they’re ready to endure public criticism. Ideas are sacred and should be treated as such. They can grow into much more. Rubin stresses the fact that ideas must have space to grow in order to become finished projects.
For ideas to turn into projects, there is a requirement of action. We think of the idea, work on the idea, then finish and release the idea. The book highlighted how there is no way around these steps. No art can really be created if we don’t take the initial action of starting. Then we must persevere through some of the harder less exciting steps of the creation process. Finally we must separate ourselves from it, and release it into the world.
In regards to releasing, another point I remember is, we cannot aim for sincerity. If it’s what the artist wants to release, the sincerity will be seen through the art. When we aim for sincerity, we’re aiming for a story we tell ourselves. This story can be and often is, inaccurate. All we can do is release what we want to create. Then the art belongs to everyone.
My last takeaway is, artists must learn to adapt their lives to their art. This book is essentially a guide to existing in a state of perpetual creativity. That changes many of our lives day to day. We can’t be more creative and keep the same uncreative routines. Just like any other discipline. Creating at a high level takes a shift in perspective and action to make it a reality.
Who It’s For
The word “art” encompasses so many different materials, mediums, goals, and communities. No matter what medium we use, the creation of art takes process. This book is for anyone looking to develop their own artistic process. People who want to create what they love. Perhaps even more consistently. There’s tips throughout this book that will help you on your path.
This book is also great for artists who feel blocked in any type of way. There’s steps we can all take to become unblocked. Rubin has many, sometimes very simple tricks to unblock. I’ve learned through books that sometimes the key to getting unblocked is a shift in perspective. Sometimes nothing needs to change in a situation, but how we think about it. This book provides plenty of examples and new perspectives that anyone can draw from.
I also suggest this book to the person that says “I’m not creative”. But who really wants to be. There are many angles to getting involved in the arts. Perhaps Rubin can introduce you to a new avenue. I find reading any book about artists insightful and potentially eye-opening to a new way of thinking. Rubin himself has a skill that can’t really be quantified, perhaps yours is hidden too.
Lastly, this book is great for those readers with a short attention span. Most of the chapters are very short and digestible. I’m not a fan of 20 page chapters. What can I say? After 15 minutes of reading this book you’ll feel so accomplished. You’ll think to yourself. “WOW, I just read 3 chapters.”
Marching Orders
Walking away, I want to remember to create what I want. And no matter what, to simply continue. It doesn’t have to be good, nor great, just the best I can do at that time. It just must be created so I can go to the next thing.
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