In her latest book, Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, invites us into her creative world. It is the creativity that lies deep within you, the one that can sometimes be hard to grasp, or that disappears if you don’t capture it at the very moment it appears.
Most of the time, when an author writes a book, it is for others—it is meant to pass on knowledge. Elizabeth Gilbert states clearly that she writes this book, like her others, first for herself. And if other people enjoy it as well, all the better.
Do not expect a list of chapters laying out the rules of creativity. Instead, the author shares a series of stories from her life, explaining how she discovered creativity and how she manages to overcome the difficulties she encounters. She does not attempt to draw parallels with other artistic fields but remains focused on her own experience as a writer.
I must admit that this is where I was disappointed. I expected a broader perspective from a book devoted to creativity. Interviewing other people might also have added value to the work. Personally, I did not find what I was looking for in this book. While it may motivate aspiring writers, my overall feeling remains one of disappointment. I believe creativity emerges from unexpected encounters and improbabilities, and that element is missing here.
However, it is still easy to apply some of her advice to your own artistic activity, as many of her ideas are interdisciplinary.