Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

Loved this. And paid it back by buying the same for two of my close friends. Worth reading and keeping to go back to when you need a some inspiration.

Loved it

Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic is a refreshing take on creativity, fear, and the delicate dance between the two. As someone who has wrestled with self-doubt when chasing passions, this book felt like a friend guiding me back to my creative roots. Gilbert's conversational tone makes the book approachable, almost like sitting across from her over coffee. She doesn’t preach but shares personal anecdotes and universal truths about creativity. One of her core ideas is that creativity is not reserved for the “special few”—it’s for everyone. Her emphasis on curiosity over passion struck a chord with me, offering a more accessible path to creative fulfillment. I loved how she described ideas as living entities, seeking willing collaborators. It was whimsical yet profound, encouraging me to treat inspiration with respect and urgency. The sections on fear were particularly relatable. Gilbert doesn’t advocate eliminating fear but coexisting with it, a concept I found empowering and practical. While the book brims with inspiration, it occasionally veers into repetition, and some metaphors felt a bit too abstract. However, it doesn’t take away from the overall impact of her message. Big Magic is perfect for anyone looking to unlock their creativity or rediscover the joy in pursuing a passion. Whether you're an artist, writer, or someone seeking inspiration in daily life, this book nudges you gently but firmly toward embracing your creative potential.

One of the best books on inspiration and how to find it ne most important- how not to chase it away when it comes looking for you

lot of lessons in between ...Its like sugar coated pill that could cure chronic head/ heart ache ....will help in navigating through life better

I was recommended to read this book. But I feel there are better books than this on creativity Eg. The Creative Act. The good thing about The Big Magic is that the chapters are divided into small sub-sections which makes it easy to read for people with short attention spans. The writer has expressed her thought processes rather than guiding how to develop one, that's probably why I lost interest.

The best thing about this book is that it busts the myth of the struggling artist who is always penniless and suffers in her or his painful albeit admirable obsession for perfection. We put artists on a pedestal for sinking into melancholic lives of broken relationships, substance abuse, mental illness, and even suicide. From van Gogh to Robin Williams, our hearts go out to artists who met bad ends. We have subconsciously been led to believe that to be genuinely artistic is to suffer in the most horrid ways. A side-effect of propagating that myth is that we don't see the playful risks artists take to create their art. We don't associate serious art with fun. We don't see that if you can find ways of keeping at it, continuing to have fun, you get better at it. This book brings back the fun and play and joy of making art, even serious art. It tells you what you need to remember if you don't want to suffer, but still do art that is meaningful to you. in short, it helps you unlearn a lot of unnecessary stuff. It removes a lot of perceived obstacles that lie between you and the art you want to make.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Big Magic. I never thought someone could manage to write about creativity, inspiration and looking beyond fear so nicely! It is simple, nicely put with touch of witty humour where needed. Loved loved reading this book! If you are stuck in life, going through a creative dry spell or suddenly finding your life mundane, if you are looking for inspiration and not ‘Preaching’ , THIS BOOM IS A MUST READ!