Creation right now feels like a mandatory output as opposed to a strike of inspiration. Since we have all this free time, we should be writing and learning and drawing or whatever else! That is not really true—we’re all stuck in the same highly stressful situation that restricts our ability to devote relaxed brainspace to creativity. Nonfiction about creativity and giving yourself some time has been extremely helpful in 2020 as well. I also hugely enjoy fiction about struggles in creativity because it feels like the author is dramatizing their own concerns about creating and the expectations of community. Writing, and creating in general, can be as wonderful as it is frustrating and scary. Young adult books about creativity also tend to deal with the explosive emotions of teenagerhood that can drive a character forward or cause them to come to a screeching halt. None of these books is only about the artistic struggles of the protagonist, but I see that theme linking them together because that’s what I’m thinking about right now. This assemblage is a matter of subjectivity, but I’m always looking for books about young artists.
All Kinds of Creative
Getting the Juices Flowing
I’m clearly in a YA groove right now. This is not entirely different from other difficult periods in my life because young adult books are comforting. Pandemic books have their place as well for processing everything. Reading helps me start writing and sparks creative interest in my brain, even if it’s just to put together another list for Book Riot (which I love to do). If I’m having trouble on a writing project, I always pick up another book to remind myself why writing can be a struggle but ultimately rewarding. Whether it’s books, comics, crafting, or unboxing videos, I hope there’s something that sparks your creative brain.
