Your Essential Nonfiction Library for Creative Courage
Essential Nonfiction Books that Will Encourage Every Writer to Begin, Take Creative Risks, Keep Writing, and Share Their Work— And a Note on the NEW Daily Drafts & Dialogues Book Club!
July Theme: Creative Courage
Big Question: What does it take to begin, risk, and share what you create?
Week 3: Sharing the Work
As we dig into this week’s focus on ‘Sharing the Work’ as we wind down this month’s discussion of ‘Creative Courage,’ I thought it would be a good idea to share a list of nonfiction books with you that are essential to not only strengthening your own creative courage, but to the craftsmanship of writing overall, regardless of what you’re interested in writing.
You’ll want to add most of the nonfiction books listed below to your personal library on writing because they’ll inspire you to remain creative while also encouraging you to find the joy you’ll need when executing some of the most challenging parts of practicing your craft: drafting, taking creative risks, revising, and sharing your work. They include books on practicing a creative mindset, psychology, journaling, creativity, habit formation, and the writing life. And chances are good you’ve probably read one or two of them already. But chances are also good that you’ll be able to find at least a handful more to add to your writer’s library too.
Full disclaimer: This post was created with the intention for you to scan, pull titles from, share, save, and revisit during those moments you’ll need some creative inspiration or advice or encouragement to keep writing. And if you’re like me, this is probably most days. Because even when the writing flow is going well, it never hurts to have a well-thought-out and inspiring work by another writer who understands the true struggle and beauty of channeling creative courage and living a creative life to its fullest within reach.
What follows are some essential books about finding the courage to create meaningful work despite fear, perfectionism, uncertainty, rejection, and self-doubt, organized by how they will assist you in your writing journey. Make note of the ‘Best read when…’ details for each.
They encourage us to not only be the best writers and creatives we can be but offer some of the most useful and practical insight and guidance available to writers that currently exists. Jot down some of the titles you want to add to your own library, then tell us in the comments if there are any additional titles in your own library we should add to ours.
📚SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POST TO SEE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW DAILY DRAFTS & DIALOGUES BOOK CLUB 📚
Creative Courage Through Mindset and Philosophy
Books about learning to THINK LIKE A CREATOR rather than a perfectionist.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert argues that perfectionism is simply fear wearing elegant clothes. Gilbert presents creativity as a playful partnership with ideas rather than a painful test of worth, encouraging writers to approach inspiration with curiosity instead of anxiety. Best read when you’re feeling paralyzed by perfectionism, afraid to begin a project, or need permission to create without obsessing over the outcome.
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield frames resistance as the universal enemy of every creative person. The book explores the psychological forces that keep artists from doing their work and offers a disciplined framework for overcoming procrastination, fear, and self-doubt. Best read when you’re struggling to write consistently, battling procrastination, or trying to establish a sustainable writing practice.
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin explores creativity as a way of living rather than merely producing art and emphasizes curiosity, attention, and joy in the creative process. Through reflections on observation, intuition, and openness, Rubin encourages creators to see inspiration as something cultivated in everyday life. Best read when you want to reconnect with the joy of creating, find fresh inspiration, or deepen your creative mindset beyond the mechanics of writing.
Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland examines why artists quit and how to continue making work despite inevitable disappointment and imperfection. The book explores the emotional realities of making art and offers practical wisdom for persevering through doubt, criticism, and creative setbacks. Best read when you’re discouraged by slow progress, comparing yourself to others, or questioning whether to continue writing.
Every Writer Has a Thousand Faces by David Biespiel argues that genuine artistic breakthroughs emerge through experimentation, uncertainty, and repeated failure. The book explores the evolving identities writers adopt throughout their creative lives and encourages embracing uncertainty as an essential part of artistic growth. Best read when you’re ready to push beyond familiar habits, experiment with your craft, or redefine yourself as a writer.
Before We Get Started: A Practical Memoir of the Writer’s Life by Bret Lott reflects on writing as an act of courage, attention, and willingness to risk rejection. Through essays and reflections on the writing life, Lott examines the habits, mindset, and commitment required to pursue meaningful creative work. Best read before beginning a new writing project or whenever you need encouragement to write with honesty and vulnerability despite fear of rejection.
If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit by Brenda Ueland is a timeless defense of originality and individual voice that insists everyone possesses creative potential. Combining practical advice with philosophical encouragement, Ueland inspires writers to trust their instincts, cultivate imagination, and write with authenticity. Best read at the beginning of your writing journey or anytime you’ve lost confidence in your unique voice and creative abilities.
Courage Against Perfectionism and Fear
Books that focus specifically on overcoming self-doubt, procrastination, creative paralysis, and the fear of not being good enough, and help writers move from hesitation to consistent creative action.
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott is the classic antidote to perfectionism, famous for advocating “shitty first drafts” and focusing on one manageable step at a time. Through practical advice and personal stories, Lamott shows writers how to make progress by embracing imperfection and breaking overwhelming projects into small, achievable steps. Best read when you’re staring down a blank page, overwhelmed by a large writing project, or trapped by the need to get everything right the first time.
The Courage to Write: How Writers Transcend Fear by Ralph Keyes explores the emotional fears every writer experiences and offers practical ways to continue writing anyway. Drawing from interviews and examples from accomplished authors, the book reveals that fear is a universal part of the writing life rather than a sign of inadequacy. Best read when fear of criticism, rejection, or failure is keeping you from sharing, or even starting, your work.
Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence by William Kenower helps writers shift attention away from self-judgment toward authentic expression. Through mindset shifts and practical exercises, Kenower encourages writers to focus on curiosity, confidence, and connection with readers instead of seeking external validation. Best read when your inner critic has become louder than your creative voice or you’re struggling with self-confidence.
Writing Past Dark: Envy, Fear, Distraction and Other Dilemmas in the Writer’s Life by Bonnie Friedman examines the psychological obstacles that prevent writers from trusting themselves. Blending memoir, psychology, and writing advice, Friedman explores anxiety, insecurity, and perfectionism while offering ways to develop a more trusting relationship with the creative process. Best read when anxiety, comparison, or self-doubt has made writing feel emotionally exhausting.
Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life by Dani Shapiro is a compassionate reflection on sustaining a writing life through uncertainty, disappointment, and change. Combining personal essays with practical insights, Shapiro explores what it means to remain creatively committed through life’s inevitable transitions and setbacks. Best read when you’re rebuilding your writing practice after a setback or trying to stay creatively grounded during periods of uncertainty.
Part Wild: A Writer’s Guide to Harnessing the Creative Power of Resistance by Deb Norton shows how resistance, fear, and vulnerability can become powerful creative fuel instead of obstacles. The book reframes emotional discomfort as an essential ingredient of meaningful artistic work and encourages writers to embrace rather than avoid vulnerability. Best read when fear feels unavoidable and you want to transform it into momentum instead of letting it stop you.
Writing Without a Parachute: The Art of Freefall by Barbara Turner-Vesselago introduces an immersive freewriting practice designed to bypass internal censorship and encourage fearless honesty. The book offers guided techniques that help writers write intuitively without constant editing or second-guessing themselves. Best read when you’re overediting every sentence or want to rediscover spontaneity and creative flow.
The Zen of Creative Imperfection by Alan O’Hashi blends mindfulness with creativity to encourage completion over flawless execution. Through reflections on presence, acceptance, and artistic practice, O’Hashi demonstrates how letting go of perfection can lead to more meaningful creative work. Best read when perfectionism is preventing you from finishing projects or enjoying the writing process.
The Perfectionism Workbook: Proven Strategies to End Procrastination, Accept Yourself, and Achieve Your Goals by Taylor Newendorp uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) exercises to reduce perfectionism and procrastination. Filled with structured activities and evidence-based strategies, the book helps readers identify perfectionistic thought patterns and replace them with healthier habits. Best read when you want concrete exercises and practical tools, not inspiration alone, to overcome perfectionism.
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown encourages wholehearted living through vulnerability, authenticity, and self-acceptance that naturally supports creative work. Drawing on years of research into shame, courage, and resilience, Brown explains how embracing imperfection creates the emotional freedom necessary for creativity. Best read when your self-worth has become tied to achievement and you need to reconnect with authentic, wholehearted creativity.
Creative Recovery and Self-Discovery
Books that help writers rediscover their artistic identity, rebuild trust in their own voice, and reconnect with the deeper reasons they create. They are especially valuable during periods of burnout, transition, or creative uncertainty.
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron combines journaling, Artist Dates, and creative exercises to unblock artistic confidence. Through its renowned twelve-week program, Cameron guides readers in identifying creative barriers, recovering from self-doubt, and developing sustainable habits that nurture imagination and self-expression. Best read when you’re recovering from creative burnout, feeling disconnected from your artistic identity, or looking to establish a regular creative practice.
The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation Into the Writing Life by Julia Cameron treats writing as an innate human capacity rather than an elite talent, encouraging readers to reclaim their voice. Blending personal reflections with practical exercises, Cameron challenges limiting beliefs about who “gets” to be a writer and inspires readers to write with greater freedom and authenticity. Best read when you’ve convinced yourself you’re “not a real writer” or need encouragement to trust that your voice deserves to be heard.
Writing Creativity and Soul by Sue Monk Kidd explores writing as a spiritual and personal journey toward authenticity. Through essays, reflections, and writing practices, Kidd invites writers to cultivate self-awareness, embrace vulnerability, and view creativity as a path to deeper personal growth. Best read when you’re seeking greater meaning in your writing or hoping to align your creative work with your authentic self.
The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad uses reflective journaling prompts to transform uncertainty, grief, and transition into creative discovery. Featuring thoughtful prompts and contributions inspired by artists and writers, the book demonstrates how reflective writing can foster healing, resilience, and renewed creative insight. Best read during major life transitions, periods of grief or uncertainty, or whenever journaling can help you reconnect with your creativity and inner voice.
The Daily Practice of Writing
Books that emphasize how a sustainable writing life is built through consistent practice rather than occasional inspiration. They encourage writers to develop habits, routines, and perspectives that make creativity a regular part of everyday life.
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg encourages freewriting, mindfulness, and trusting instinct over internal criticism. Blending Zen practice with practical writing advice, Goldberg teaches writers to silence the inner critic, write with honesty, and discover authentic ideas through continuous practice. Best read when you’re trying to establish a daily writing habit, overcome self-censorship, or reconnect with the simple joy of putting words on the page.
Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life by Natalie Goldberg expands her philosophy by encouraging radical honesty and deeper creative risk. Through essays, writing prompts, and reflections, Goldberg challenges writers to move beyond polished surfaces and write with greater emotional truth, curiosity, and vulnerability. Best read when you’re comfortable with a writing routine but want to deepen your voice, take greater creative risks, or write with more authenticity.
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard meditates on the beauty, difficulty, obsession, and discipline required for serious writing. Through lyrical essays and personal reflections, Dillard explores the sacrifices, rewards, and enduring commitment involved in pursuing a life devoted to writing. Best read when you’re reflecting on what it truly means to commit yourself to writing or need perspective during a challenging season of creative work.
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp demonstrates that creativity is built through deliberate routines, preparation, and consistency rather than inspiration alone. Drawing on decades of experience as a choreographer, Tharp provides practical exercises and strategies for developing the habits that support sustained creative excellence across any artistic discipline. Best read when you’re ready to replace waiting for inspiration with intentional routines that help you write consistently and finish more projects.
Learning from Writers’ Journals, Diaries, and Letters
The following journals and books offer an intimate look at the private thoughts, struggles, and daily practices of accomplished writers, revealing that self-doubt, creative uncertainty, false starts, and persistence are universal parts of the artistic process. Rather than offering traditional writing instruction, they remind readers that even literary masters wrestled with the same fears and challenges every writer faces.
A Writer’s Diary by Virginia Woolf presents selections from Woolf’s personal journals, chronicling her creative process, literary ambitions, and reflections on the challenges of writing. The diary provides a candid portrait of the discipline, self-questioning, and perseverance behind some of the twentieth century’s greatest literature. Best read when you need reassurance that even brilliant writers questioned their work and struggled through the creative process.
Journal of Solitude by May Sarton reflects on the relationship between solitude, creativity, aging, and emotional resilience. Through deeply personal journal entries, Sarton explores how a rich inner life can sustain both artistic work and personal growth. Best read when you’re learning to embrace solitude as a source of creative strength rather than isolation.
Reborn: Journals and Notebooks, 1947–1963 by Susan Sontag chronicles Sontag’s intellectual and artistic development from adolescence into adulthood. Filled with reflections on literature, philosophy, identity, and ambition, the journals reveal how one of America’s most influential thinkers cultivated her creative mind. Best read when you’re developing your own artistic identity or seeking inspiration from a writer’s lifelong commitment to learning.
The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath offers an unfiltered account of Plath’s creative ambitions, insecurities, relationships, and relentless pursuit of artistic excellence. Her journals reveal the emotional complexity behind her poetry and fiction while documenting the realities of balancing creativity with everyday life. Best read when you’re wrestling with self-doubt, perfectionism, or the emotional intensity of the creative process.
The Diaries of Franz Kafka provides an intimate record of Kafka’s struggles with writing, work, self-criticism, and artistic purpose. His journals demonstrate that extraordinary literary achievement often exists alongside profound uncertainty and persistent creative frustration. Best read when you’re convinced your self-doubt means you’re not meant to be a writer.
Working Days: The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck documents the daily writing process behind one of America’s most celebrated novels. Through candid journal entries, Steinbeck records his goals, frustrations, fatigue, and determination, offering a remarkable behind-the-scenes view of how a masterpiece was written one day at a time. Best read when you’re drafting a long project and need encouragement to keep showing up despite setbacks or slow progress.
Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters by John Steinbeck collects the daily letters Steinbeck wrote to his editor while composing East of Eden. The correspondence captures his evolving thoughts about craft, discipline, family, and the emotional highs and lows of writing a major novel. Best read when you’re working on an ambitious project and want insight into the mindset of a writer creating one of his most personal works.
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien gathers Tolkien’s correspondence about his creative process, mythology, language invention, and the development of Middle-earth. The letters illuminate both the painstaking craftsmanship and joyful imagination behind his enduring works, while revealing the practical realities of a lifelong writing career. Best read when you’re building expansive fictional worlds or looking for encouragement that meaningful creative work develops over many years.
No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters by Ursula K. Le Guin is a collection of essays and reflections on writing, aging, literature, community, and everyday life. Written with Le Guin’s characteristic wisdom and wit, the book demonstrates how curiosity and thoughtful observation continue to nourish creativity throughout a lifetime. Best read when you’re seeking perspective on sustaining a creative life over the long term rather than chasing quick success.
Writing Exercises and Creative Play
The books here encourage writers to reduce fear through experimentation, curiosity, and playful exploration. By shifting the focus away from perfection and toward discovery, they help writers build confidence, unlock creativity, and enjoy the process of writing again.
Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith turns the blank page into a playground by inviting readers to embrace messiness and imperfection. Through unconventional prompts that encourage readers to scribble, tear, stain, and otherwise “wreck” the pages, Smith challenges the fear of making mistakes and demonstrates that creativity flourishes when perfection is abandoned. Best read when you’re feeling creatively stuck, afraid of making mistakes, or need a playful reminder that not every page has to be perfect.
Find Your Voice: A Guided Journal for Writing Your Truth by Angie Thomas provides guided prompts and practical exercises that help writers discover authentic stories. Drawing on her own experiences as a bestselling author, Thomas encourages readers to explore personal experiences, values, and perspectives while developing confidence in their unique voice and storytelling abilities. Best read when you’re searching for your authentic voice, brainstorming story ideas, or looking for guided inspiration to begin writing.
Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction by Jeff VanderMeer is an imaginative, highly visual guide that encourages fearless experimentation with storytelling, worldbuilding, and narrative possibility. Filled with illustrations, essays, interviews, and creative exercises from accomplished writers and artists, the book inspires readers to take creative risks and approach storytelling with greater imagination and curiosity. Best read when you’re developing speculative, fantasy, or science fiction projects, or anytime you want to stretch your imagination, experiment with new storytelling techniques, and rediscover the joy of creative play.
Craft with Courage
Books that emphasize how developing technical skill and embracing artistic risk go hand in hand. They encourage writers to master the craft of storytelling while remaining bold enough to challenge conventions, pursue truth, and trust their own creative instincts.
Damn Fine Story: Mastering the Tools of a Powerful Narrative by Chuck Wendig blends energetic storytelling instruction with encouragement to break conventions intentionally. Through humor, practical examples, and accessible craft advice, Wendig explores the essential elements of compelling fiction (from character and conflict to structure and theme) while reminding writers that rules are most valuable when they understand how and why to bend them. Best read when you’re strengthening your storytelling fundamentals, revising a draft, or looking for permission to take bold creative risks with confidence.
On Moral Fiction by John Gardner challenges writers to pursue artistic excellence through fiction that seeks truth and meaning. Blending literary criticism with philosophical reflection, Gardner argues that enduring stories engage readers not only through skillful craftsmanship but also through their capacity to illuminate the complexities of human experience. Best read when you’re thinking deeply about the purpose of your writing, exploring theme, or striving to create stories with lasting emotional and moral resonance.
The Blue Lantern by Colette demonstrates how close observation and lived experience become enduring literature. Through essays and reflections rich with sensory detail and emotional insight, Colette reveals how careful attention to ordinary moments can be transformed into extraordinary writing. Best read when you’re seeking inspiration from everyday life, hoping to sharpen your observational skills, or learning how to turn personal experience into vivid, memorable prose.
Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg challenges conventional ideas about writing instruction and encourages writers to think more deeply about sentences, structure, and the choices behind every word. Through concise reflections and practical observations, Klinkenborg explores how writers can develop greater awareness of language, break free from formulaic approaches, and create prose that feels precise, intentional, and alive. Best read when you’re refining your craft, questioning writing rules, or looking to strengthen the clarity, rhythm, and emotional impact of your sentences.
Sharing Your Work and the Writing Life
Books to help writers find the courage to move from private creation to public expression. They explore the emotional realities of sharing creative work, navigating revision and rejection, building an audience, and sustaining a writing career with resilience and authenticity.
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon reframes self-promotion as generously sharing your creative process rather than simply promoting finished work. Through practical advice and memorable illustrations, Kleon encourages creators to document their journey, contribute to creative communities, and build meaningful connections by openly sharing what they are learning. Best read when you’re ready to publish your work, build an audience, or overcome the fear of being seen as a writer.
The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers by Betsy Lerner explores the emotional realities of revision, rejection, and publishing. Drawing on her experience as a literary editor, Lerner offers candid insights into the personalities, struggles, and habits of writers while demystifying the publishing process and encouraging resilience through its inevitable challenges. Best read when you’re revising a manuscript, preparing to query agents or publishers, or recovering from rejection.
First You Write: The Worst Way to Become an Almost Famous Author And The Best Advice I Got While Doing It by Joni Rodgers offers a candid and humorous look at surviving the writing profession with persistence and resilience. Through personal stories and practical observations, Rodgers explores the realities of balancing creativity, deadlines, rejection, and the business of writing while maintaining a sense of humor and determination. Best read when you’re pursuing writing professionally or need reassurance that perseverance matters more than perfection.
Creative Systems and Sustainable Practice
Books that focus on building reliable habits, systems, and ways of thinking that support lifelong creativity. Rather than relying on inspiration alone, they help writers create environments and routines that make consistent creative work possible.
Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential by Tiago Forte introduces a practical system for capturing, organizing, and reconnecting ideas. Using his PARA method and knowledge-management framework, Forte demonstrates how writers can build an external repository for notes, research, and inspiration that reduces overwhelm and makes creative thinking more efficient. Best read when your notes, ideas, or research feel scattered and you want a reliable system for supporting long-term writing projects.
Shut Up and Write: The No-Nonsense, No B.S. Guide to Getting Words on the Page by Natasha Khullar Relph offers straightforward strategies for building a consistent writing practice. Through practical advice on productivity, mindset, and habit formation, Relph helps writers overcome procrastination, establish routines, and spend more time writing instead of waiting for inspiration. Best read when you’re struggling to write consistently, establish a routine, or make writing a regular part of your life.
The Art of Creative Thinking by Rod Judkins presents practical exercises and unconventional thinking techniques that cultivate originality as a repeatable practice. Drawing on examples from art, design, literature, and innovation, Judkins encourages readers to challenge assumptions, embrace curiosity, and generate fresh ideas through deliberate creative habits. Best read when you’re looking to spark new ideas, escape predictable thinking, or develop a more inventive and flexible creative mindset.
Final Thoughts on Mastering Creative Courage and An Invitation
The greatest lesson across this Essential Nonfiction Library for Creative Courage to note is that creativity is not reserved for those who feel fearless but belongs to those who are willing to create despite their fears.
The writers, artists, and thinkers of these books reveal over and over again that creative courage is not a personality trait you are either born with or without. It is a practice built through small, repeated choices that include showing up, experimenting, revising, learning, and beginning again.
A sustainable creative life is not built in a single afternoon but one day, one book read, and one draft written at a time… and by repeatedly choosing to be courageous through learning, reflecting, practicing, taking intentional risks, and sharing your work. Especially when it feels hard.
Please remember that you do not have to wait until you feel ready to begin. Creative confidence often arrives because you have taken action and doesn’t usually work the other way around. Every imperfect draft, unfinished idea, rejection, and creative setback provides information that helps you grow and sustain your creative practice. The goal behind living a sustainable creative life is not to avoid failure or uncertainty, but to develop the resilience to continue creating and writing through those failures and uncertainties time and time again.
The most important practices these books will help you carry forward are simple but worth remembering and reading about often, so they’re always fresh in your mind each time you sit down to write:
Create before you critique. Allow ideas to exist before asking whether they are ‘good enough.’
Embrace imperfect beginnings. Messy first drafts are not failures but the foundation of meaningful work.
Build creative practice instead of dependence on inspiration. Consistent effort creates opportunities for creativity to appear.
Protect your curiosity. Reading, observing, questioning, and exploring are essential parts of the creative process.
Learn from resistance. The projects that challenge you most often point toward the work that will help you grow.
Finish and share your work. Completion builds skill, confidence, and courage in ways that endless perfection never can.
Study the struggles behind great work. The journals, letters, and reflections of accomplished creators remind us that doubt and uncertainty are part of every artistic journey.
Treat creativity as a lifelong journey. Creative courage is not something you achieve once but something you get the opportunity to practice every time you return to the page.
Ultimately, the writers in this collection remind us that creativity is less about producing flawless work and more about developing the willingness to keep showing up. Your voice becomes stronger the more you develop it and use it. Your creative confidence grows through the creative actions you take. And your writing craft only improves through diligent and intentional practice.
Save this collection as a resource to revisit whenever you need encouragement, inspiration, or a reminder to keep creating— especially as we explore The Creative Life next month!
And if you know a writer, artist, or creative person who could use support in overcoming their fear, perfectionism, or self-doubt right now, share this post with them!
Sometimes the right book, idea, or reminder at the right time can provide the encouragement someone needs to begin or even begin again.
Do you have any books to add to this library? Leave a comment so we know about it.
📚Read with us!📚
In August, the NEW Daily Drafts & Dialogues Book Club will be reading the following books as we explore the month’s theme: The Creative Life.
Now is the time to reserve your copies through Libby and the local library or order them so you receive them in time.
Stay tuned for Friday’s Books post for all the details, reading schedules, and Buddy Read links to join book discussions!
Week 1 (Aug. 1-7) : Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Why we’re reading it: As a massive global bestseller with hundreds of thousands of five-star reviews, this book will likely appeal to a lot of readers interested in exploring The Creative Life. Because it is widely circulated, readers who are not writers can easily grab a copy and will be swept away by the fast pacing and emotional drama, while readers who are writers will appreciate the deep dive into the mechanics of collaboration.
Week 2 (Aug. 8-14): The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath
Why we’re reading it: By adding Plath’s actual diaries alongside the three novels we’ll be reading this month, we’ll be able to explore a fascinating real-world application of The Creative Life. This will allow readers to contrast the fictional depictions of artistic struggle in Possession and The Cemetery of Untold Stories with the raw, unfiltered creative doubts, perfectionism, and habits of a real literary icon.
Week 3 (Aug. 15-21): The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez
Why we’re reading it: Written by an acclaimed Dominican-American author, this novel follows a writer who inherits a plot of land in the Dominican Republic and decides to literally bury her unfinished manuscripts and drafts there. It is a beautiful, magical realism-infused look at how stories refuse to stay dead, giving readers a vibrant perspective on cultural storytelling and creative legacy.
Week 4 (Aug. 22-28): Possession by A.S. Byatt
Why we’re reading it: This Booker Prize-winning masterpiece follows two modern scholars unearthing a secret romance between two Victorian poets. It is a masterclass in structural ambition. The text is packed with faux-Victorian poetry, letters, and academic diaries that will leave writers swooning over their sheer craft and stylistic mimicry, offering a perfect culmination to The Creative Life monthly series.
Please Note:
Moving forward, the NEW Daily Drafts & Dialogues Book Club will read and discuss books that align with monthly themes on Daily Drafts & Dialogues to offer more in-depth opportunities to see how authors embody, explore, and practice those themes we’re covering and discussing. Each month, there will be four book options to choose from. And each book option will include a Buddy Read that you can join. But you can also choose to read only one or two of the books with us, if that’s your preference. Reading schedules will be included in Friday’s Books post and will offer you options that allow you to read what you want and at your own pace.
I look forward to reading with you!
Continue Exploring July’s Creative Courage Theme
This Week: Sharing the Work
Writing Prompts That Encourage You to Share Your Work
Drafting Diaries: Creative Courage
ICYM Week 2: Taking Creative Risks
Taking Creative Risks: Writing Prompts to Build Creative Courage
Should writers prioritize creative risks or readers’ expectations?
20 Books That Prove Creative Risks Are Worth Taking
Balancing Artistic Vision and Creative Risks with Readers’ Expectations
Stories I’ve Read Recently That Made Me See Something Differently
Popular Posts from Week 1: Beginning Before You Feel Ready
Beginning Before You Feel Ready: Writing Prompts
Why Beginning Feels So Difficult, But Doesn’t Have to Be
Books That Made Me Want to Write and Take Creative Risks
Consider going more in depth with this month’s theme with July’s Creative Courage Writing Collection.
The writing collection is designed to help you explore creative courage from different angles: discovering your voice, strengthening your craft, experimenting with new approaches, and reflecting on the writer you are becoming.
The free posts that will be published every day this month will explore the outward side of creative courage—beginning, risking, and sharing— and should complement this collection quite well, which invites you to go much deeper into the internal work of creativity with 30 guided writing prompts and craft exercises, reflections, as well as three options for guided monthly writing challenges for those who want to go even further than that.