Quick Pick if You’re Impatient
Start with Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. It will flip your perspective on influence and teach you that nothing is truly original (which is actually freeing). If you want something deeper and more meditative, Art & Fear offers the philosophical backbone that keeps you going when the blank page stares back.
The List: 10 Books That Taught Me How to Stop Copying and Start Creating
1. Steal Like an Artist – Austin Kleon
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
- Who this is for: Anyone paralyzed by “not being original enough,” beginners, and creators stuck in self-doubt
“This book gave me practical tools I could use right away.” — ReadPlug reader
My take: I stumbled across this little book three years ago when I was convinced every idea I had was stolen. Kleon’s message that “every new idea is just a mashup or a remix of one or more previous ideas” felt like permission to create without guilt. The book’s design is playful, with handwritten notes and crude illustrations that make you feel like you’re reading someone’s honest diary. It gave me the courage to quote my influences openly rather than hide them. Now I collect ideas shamelessly, but I credit them honestly — that’s the difference it made.
2. Art & Fear – David Bayles & Ted Orland
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
- Who this is for: Artists at any stage struggling with self-doubt, creative blocks, and the meaning of artistic practice
“This book gave me practical tools I could use right away.” — ReadPlug reader
My take: This was the book that kept me creating when everything felt pointless. Bayles and Orland dive into the psychology of art-making with brutal honesty: “The function of the overwhelming majority of your artwork is simply to teach you how to make the small fraction of your artwork that soars.” When you’re in the studio late at night questioning why you bother, this book is like having wise mentors sitting beside you saying, “Keep going anyway.” It’s not about genius; it’s about persistence and learning to trust your process.
3. Show Your Work! – Austin Kleon
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
- Who this is for: Artists who need to build an audience, overcome perfectionism, and share their process
“This book gave me practical tools I could use right away.” — ReadPlug reader
My take: The follow-up to “Steal Like an Artist” hit me right where I was hiding: my studio. Kleon argues that the process itself is the product — and sharing your daily work builds community and momentum. I started posting my sketches and miskakes online, and something shifted. People connected more with my struggles than my finished pieces. This book taught me that vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s what makes art human. The chapter “You don’t have to be a genius” alone is worth the price.
4. The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
- Who this is for: Procrastinators, perfectionist, anyone who starts but never finishes creative projects
“This book gave me practical tools I could use right away.” — ReadPlug reader
My take: Pressfield names the enemy: Resistance. That inner voice telling you to check email instead of painting, that fear of inadequacy masking itself as “not feeling ready.” This book made me furious in the best possible way. It’s not gentle; it’s a boot camp for creatives. “The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome.” That changed how I approach my studio. Now I sit down even when terrified, because that’s what professionals do.
5. Creative Confidence – Tom Kelley & David Kelley
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
- Who this for: Anyone who believes they “aren’t creative” or needs confidence to pursue ideas
“This book gave me practical tools I could use right away.” — ReadPlug reader
My take: Reading this felt like taking the lid off my self-imposed creative cage. The Kelley brothers argue that creativity isn’t a rare gift but a skill you can develop. Their stories from IDEO and Stanford’s d.school show how curiosity and empathy drive innovation more than raw “talent.” The exercises throughout the book got me sketching again after years of telling myself I couldn’t draw. “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” That stuck with me. This book is permission to call yourself creative.
6. Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
- Who this is for: Dreamers, idea-chasers, anyone who wants to create with joy rather than suffering
“This book gave me practical tools I could use right away.” — ReadPlug reader
My take: Gilbert, known for Eat, Pray, Love, brings a refreshing lightness to the creative life. She tells you it’s okay to create without the tortured-artist narrative. “Done is better than good” liberated me from perfectionism. Her take on ideas as living entities that want to be made real fascinated me. If you’ve ever felt that a project almost chose you rather than the other way around, this book will resonate. It’s about curiosity over fear, and giving yourself permission to create simply because it interests you.
7. The Creative Habit – Twyla Tharp
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
- Who this is for: Organized minds who want practical frameworks for creative work
“This book gave me practical tools I could use right away.” — ReadPlug reader
My take: Choreographer Tharp treats creativity like a muscle, and her exercises range from digital rut-busting to physical rituals (she starts every day with a cab ride to the gym). As someone who gets paralyzed by too much freedom, this book provided structure. Her “spine” exercise for projects became my go-to method for developing series. Tharp writes, “Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is the result of good work habits.” If you like schedules and systems but think they kill creativity, this book will prove you wrong.
8. Keep Going – Austin Kleon
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5.5)
- Who this is for: Overwhelmed creatives, those disillusioned with social media, anyone who needs sustainable practices
“This book gave me practical tools I could use right away.” — ReadPlug reader
My take: The third in Kleon’s trilogy, this one focuses on stamina rather than starting. In our age of infinite input and comparison, it offers practitable advice like “Every day is groundhog day” (show up today, the work doesn’t care about your ‘streak’).” The section on making a ‘bliss station’ for yourself liberated me from feeling guilty about dedicated creation time. His take on ‘Airplane Mode’ as a creative tool? Revolutionary for this digital-age artist.
9. Making Ideas Happen – Scott Belsky
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
- Who this is for: Doers and executors who struggle with organization and follow-through
“This book gave me practical tools I could use right away.” — ReadPlug reader
My take: This book turned my chaotic idea collection into an action system. Belsky, co-creator of Behance, emphasizes that success lies in execution, not inspiration. His ‘old newsroom method’ and ‘pressure dynamics’ concepts gave me the tools to actually complete projects instead of endlessly starting new ones. If you’re drowning in half-finished work like I was, this book teaches ruthless prioritization and sustainable creative output.
10. Ignore Everybody – Hugh MacLeod
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
- Who this is for: Misfits, rebellious artists, those tired of seeking validation from others
Macleod’s book feels like a kick in the pants wrapped in sarcastic cartoons. “Good ideas alter the power balance in relationships, that’s why good ideas are always initially resisted.” This hit hard when I realized that sharing my honest work would upset some people in my life. The chapter “Don’t try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether” became my manifesto. This isn’t a gentle book, but sometimes brutal honesty is what you need to stop comparing and start creating your own path.
In Conclusion: Stop Collecting Books and Start Creating
By all means, reading these books will change your creative life. I know they changed mine. But here’s the thing nobody warned me about: eventually, you have to stop reading about creativity and start being creative.
Pick one of these books that spoke to your current struggle. Read it deeply. Take one idea from it that makes you uncomfortable and try it tomorrow. That’s when the real work begins.
Remember: The world doesn’t need more people who talk about being creative. The world needs what only your unique perspective can create. So go make something. Now.
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“This book gave me practical tools I could use right away.” — ReadPlug reader
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