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ecooper99 's review for:
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life
by Twyla Tharp
informative
inspiring
reflective
I’ve read a LOT of books on creativity, and I’m always hoping for something fresh when I pick up a new one. I want something that feels like a conversation with someone who gets it. Twyla Tharp delivered on this in many ways, even if she took some detours that didn’t quite land for me.
Tharp is big on the idea that creativity isn’t some magical gift bestowed by the universe, and I couldn't agree more! Creativity -- and in particular, work in a creative field -- boils down to the skills you develop through discipline, preparation, and showing up consistently. She makes the case that rituals and routines are your best friends when it comes to building a creative habit, and that part made me want to stand up and cheer.
Now here's the thing: Tharp opens the book by saying it’s not about dance, but, well, it's most definitely about dance. A lot about dance. To be fair, dance is her life’s work, so of course, it’s the lens through which she views creativity. But for someone like me, who knows next to nothing about choreography, the constant dance analogies were often more confusing than enlightening. There were moments where I could see her trying to make the leap to other creative fields, but she didn't quite get there.
That said, the book wasn’t a miss for me. Far from it! I highlighted and annotated 63 distinct quotes as I went along, which speaks volumes about the quality of the ideas Tharp is sharing. What really worked for me were the universal truths buried in her personal anecdotes. The stuff about persistence, overcoming blocks, and finding inspiration. It’s just that some of those lessons take a little effort to untangle from the dance-heavy context.
Overall, The Creative Habit is a solid, practical guide to building discipline in your creative life. It’s not perfect, but it’s packed with useful ideas and plenty of inspiration. Just be prepared to wade through a lot of dance talk along the way.
Tharp is big on the idea that creativity isn’t some magical gift bestowed by the universe, and I couldn't agree more! Creativity -- and in particular, work in a creative field -- boils down to the skills you develop through discipline, preparation, and showing up consistently. She makes the case that rituals and routines are your best friends when it comes to building a creative habit, and that part made me want to stand up and cheer.
Now here's the thing: Tharp opens the book by saying it’s not about dance, but, well, it's most definitely about dance. A lot about dance. To be fair, dance is her life’s work, so of course, it’s the lens through which she views creativity. But for someone like me, who knows next to nothing about choreography, the constant dance analogies were often more confusing than enlightening. There were moments where I could see her trying to make the leap to other creative fields, but she didn't quite get there.
That said, the book wasn’t a miss for me. Far from it! I highlighted and annotated 63 distinct quotes as I went along, which speaks volumes about the quality of the ideas Tharp is sharing. What really worked for me were the universal truths buried in her personal anecdotes. The stuff about persistence, overcoming blocks, and finding inspiration. It’s just that some of those lessons take a little effort to untangle from the dance-heavy context.
Overall, The Creative Habit is a solid, practical guide to building discipline in your creative life. It’s not perfect, but it’s packed with useful ideas and plenty of inspiration. Just be prepared to wade through a lot of dance talk along the way.