How to Avoid Making Art (or Anything Else You Enjoy) by Julia Cameron

I read the ebook of this, expecting it to be a longer, with more details. Among illustrations, it illuminates all the excuses people make for not doing creative work, no matter how passionate they are. Often alleged artists don’t know how to get back on track, especially once they’ve gone into adult mode. The need to be artistic is often trumped by the need for security.

It is commonly considered responsible to follow every suggestion made by our parents, employers, and the fear-mongering media. Why should we be troubled to make art? We are exhausted from doing everything we are told and if we are doing everything we are told, then why should we need to do anything else? Due to our lack of creative fulfillment, we find ourselves compelled to follow even more responsible suggestions.

By eliminating creative outlets, I find people tend to remedy their lack of satisfaction by consuming more instead of creating anything. Why not? Don’t you sometimes feel guilty in the face of so much targeted advertising? Tangent over. This book doesn’t go into any deep theories, however it does show that excuses can take a lot of time and effort to validate. I know what it’s like to want to make more art and to not do it. If you find yourself in that situation, I strongly recommend this little book. It's probably at the library.