Psychology & Counseling
![Rick Rubin - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_rick_rubin.jpg)
The Creative Act: A Way of Being
From the legendary music producer, a master at helping people connect with the wellsprings of their creativity, comes a beautifully crafted book many years in the making that offers that same deep wisdom to all of us.
"A gorgeous and inspiring work of art on creation, creativity, the work of the artist. It will gladden the hearts of writers and artists everywhere, and get them working again with a new sense of meaning and direction. A stunning accomplishment." -Anne Lamott
"I set out to write a book about what to do to make a great work of art. Instead, it revealed itself to be a book on how to be." -Rick Rubin
Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable. Over the years, as he has thought deeply about where creativity comes from and where it doesn't, he has learned that being an artist isn't about your specific output, it's about your relationship to the world. Creativity has a place in everyone's life, and everyone can make that place larger. In fact, there are few more important responsibilities.
The Creative Act is a beautiful and generous course of study that illuminates the path of the artist as a road we all can follow. It distills the wisdom gleaned from a lifetime's work into a luminous reading experience that puts the power to create moments-and lifetimes-of exhilaration and transcendence within closer reach for all of us.
"A gorgeous and inspiring work of art on creation, creativity, the work of the artist. It will gladden the hearts of writers and artists everywhere, and get them working again with a new sense of meaning and direction. A stunning accomplishment." -Anne Lamott
"I set out to write a book about what to do to make a great work of art. Instead, it revealed itself to be a book on how to be." -Rick Rubin
Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable. Over the years, as he has thought deeply about where creativity comes from and where it doesn't, he has learned that being an artist isn't about your specific output, it's about your relationship to the world. Creativity has a place in everyone's life, and everyone can make that place larger. In fact, there are few more important responsibilities.
The Creative Act is a beautiful and generous course of study that illuminates the path of the artist as a road we all can follow. It distills the wisdom gleaned from a lifetime's work into a luminous reading experience that puts the power to create moments-and lifetimes-of exhilaration and transcendence within closer reach for all of us.
Editorial Reviews
"A work of transcendent literature, one that suggests the universe still smiles upon us despite all indications to the contrary." -The Wall Street Journal
"The legendary producer of artists from Adele to Black Sabbath, Johnny Cash to Jay-Z, distills the insights of a glittering career to reveal how to get the best out of musicians-and offers useful lessons for the rest of us in the process." -Financial Times
"A distillation of the wisdom Rubin has accrued over decades of bringing records to fruition...[To] creatives in need of a spur – or anyone in proximity to a client, or loved one, approaching a deadline – The Creative Act has just the right level of confident loftiness to provide succour and useful ways of recontextualising problems." -The Guardian
"An existential enquiry into the nature of creativity, art and being part of the human race . . . a deep look at the most fundamental of human impulses." -Big Issue
"In this extraordinary book, Rick beautifully captures the sacred but commonplace practice of creating. I find it so powerful when someone gives voice or form to what we know but perhaps don't understand. Designers from any discipline will find Rick's words profoundly encouraging and inspiring." -Jony Ive
"This is a gorgeous and inspiring work of art on creation, creativity, the work of the artist. It will gladden the hearts of writers and artists everywhere, and get them working again with a new sense of meaning and direction. A stunning accomplishment." -Anne Lamott
"Rick Rubin created genres. He is like Oppenheimer; a destroyer and creator of worlds, a true genius. Read this fantastic book The Creative Act: A Way of Being." -Russell Brand
"You'll probably read this extraordinary book four times. The first time, you'll gobble it up. The second time, you'll savour it. The third time, you'll take notes in the margins. But the fourth time, the fourth time it will be part of you as you create the work you were ready to ship." -Seth Godin
"This book is a companion to anyone on the creative path; for me, Rick Rubin's attention, consideration, ideas have dug themselves dow...
"The legendary producer of artists from Adele to Black Sabbath, Johnny Cash to Jay-Z, distills the insights of a glittering career to reveal how to get the best out of musicians-and offers useful lessons for the rest of us in the process." -Financial Times
"A distillation of the wisdom Rubin has accrued over decades of bringing records to fruition...[To] creatives in need of a spur – or anyone in proximity to a client, or loved one, approaching a deadline – The Creative Act has just the right level of confident loftiness to provide succour and useful ways of recontextualising problems." -The Guardian
"An existential enquiry into the nature of creativity, art and being part of the human race . . . a deep look at the most fundamental of human impulses." -Big Issue
"In this extraordinary book, Rick beautifully captures the sacred but commonplace practice of creating. I find it so powerful when someone gives voice or form to what we know but perhaps don't understand. Designers from any discipline will find Rick's words profoundly encouraging and inspiring." -Jony Ive
"This is a gorgeous and inspiring work of art on creation, creativity, the work of the artist. It will gladden the hearts of writers and artists everywhere, and get them working again with a new sense of meaning and direction. A stunning accomplishment." -Anne Lamott
"Rick Rubin created genres. He is like Oppenheimer; a destroyer and creator of worlds, a true genius. Read this fantastic book The Creative Act: A Way of Being." -Russell Brand
"You'll probably read this extraordinary book four times. The first time, you'll gobble it up. The second time, you'll savour it. The third time, you'll take notes in the margins. But the fourth time, the fourth time it will be part of you as you create the work you were ready to ship." -Seth Godin
"This book is a companion to anyone on the creative path; for me, Rick Rubin's attention, consideration, ideas have dug themselves dow...
Readers Top Reviews
Keenan BranchJ
I’ve been trying to process my own experiences for decades. This book is full of life changing information. If you struggle with creative energy, this is your jam.
Dylan_S Keenan
Rick Rubin is one of the greatest music producers of all time. More than that, his approach can be used in all areas of creating. This book is digestible. Easy to reference when feeling stuck. I'm positive this book will be around and talked about for many years to come.
Isaac SchultzDyla
Every page is a refreshing view on life the provokes thoughts possessing the power to push us into motion if we so chose. I’m not even finished yet, but it’s clear that this book is coming from someone who has a prominent grasp on what it means to think creatively.
Michael LoughIsaa
I had a feeling about this book and the wisdom that exudes from Rick Rubin... It is an inspiring meditation and reflection of a lifetime of supporting people create authentic and moving pieces of art. We are all creators...we are all worthy expressions of something deep within, source, spirit, GOD (Give Own Definition). While this may be seen as purely a book for artists and those seeking to explore creativity, I feel that honestly it is a timely and powerful manifesto for a changing world and for all of us humans to create from our hearts. Gratitude to you Rick and love to you all human family!!! Here's to more creations together yewwwwww❤️
Nicole CorbettMic
Rick, what an incredible gift you have given us all by writing this book. Thank you, thank you, thank you. For artists like me (and everyone) this book is a deeply wise reminder of why we are making art. Not for the “market” not to achieve something, but because it is our nature and is inherently a spiritual act. Reading just the first couple chapters of this book so far, I’m compelled to let others know the beauty that’s waiting for them in this book. Buy it for you or gift it to a creative person in your life who maybe has stopped creating. This will revive them.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Everyone Is a Creator
Those who do not engage in the traditional arts might be wary of calling themselves artists. They might perceive creativity as something extraordinary or beyond their capabilities. A calling for the special few who are born with these gifts.
Fortunately, this is not the case.
Creativity is not a rare ability. It is not difficult to access. Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human. It's our birthright. And it's for all of us.
Creativity doesn't exclusively relate to making art. We all engage in this act on a daily basis.
To create is to bring something into existence that wasn't there before. It could be a conversation, the solution to a problem, a note to a friend, the rearrangement of furniture in a room, a new route home to avoid a traffic jam.
What you make doesn't have to be witnessed, recorded, sold, or encased in glass for it to be a work of art. Through the ordinary state of being, we're already creators in the most profound way, creating our experience of reality and composing the world we perceive.
In each moment, we are immersed in a field of undifferentiated matter from which our senses gather bits of information. The outside universe we perceive doesn't exist as such. Through a series of electrical and chemical reactions, we generate a reality internally. We create forests and oceans, warmth and cold. We read words, hear voices, and form interpretations. Then, in an instant, we produce a response. All of this in a world of our own creation.
Regardless of whether or not we're formally making art, we are all living as artists. We perceive, filter, and collect data, then curate an experience for ourselves and others based on this information set. Whether we do this consciously or unconsciously, by the mere fact of being alive, we are active participants in the ongoing process of creation.
To live as an artist is a way of being in the world. A way of perceiving. A practice of paying attention. Refining our sensitivity to tune in to the more subtle notes. Looking for what draws us in and what pushes us away. Noticing what feeling tones arise and where they lead.
Attuned choice by attuned choice, your entire life is a form of self-expression. You exist as a creative being in a creative universe. A singular work of art.
Tuning In
Think of the universe as an eternal creative unfolding.
Trees blossom.
Cells replicate.
Rivers forge new tributaries.
The world pulses with productive energy, and everything that exists on this planet is driven by that energy.
Every manifestation of this unfolding is doing its own work on behalf of the universe, each in its own way, true to its own creative impulse.
Just as trees grow flowers and fruits, humanity creates works of art. The Golden Gate Bridge, the White Album, Guernica, Hagia Sophia, the Sphinx, the space shuttle, the Autobahn, "Clair de lune," "Respect," the Roman Colosseum, the Phillips screwdriver, the iPad, Philadelphia cheesesteak.
Look around you: there are so many remarkable accomplishments to appreciate. Each of these is humanity being true to itself, as a hummingbird is true to itself by building a nest, a peach tree by bearing fruit, and a nimbus cloud by producing rain.
Every nest, every peach, every raindrop, and every great work is different. Some trees may appear to make more beautiful fruits than others, and some humans may appear to compose greater works than others. The taste and beauty are in the eye of the beholder.
How does the cloud know when to rain? How does the tree know when spring begins? How does the bird know when it's time to build a new nest?
The universe functions like a clock:
To everything-
There is a season-
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
These rhythms are not set by us. We are all participating in a larger creative act we are not conducting. We are being conducted. The artist is on a cosmic timetable, just like all of nature.
If you have an idea you're excited about and you don't bring it to life, it's not uncommon for the idea to find its voice through another maker. This isn't because the other artist stole your idea, but because the idea's time has come.
In this great unfolding, ideas and thoughts, themes and songs and other works of art exist in the ether and ripen on schedule, re...
Those who do not engage in the traditional arts might be wary of calling themselves artists. They might perceive creativity as something extraordinary or beyond their capabilities. A calling for the special few who are born with these gifts.
Fortunately, this is not the case.
Creativity is not a rare ability. It is not difficult to access. Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human. It's our birthright. And it's for all of us.
Creativity doesn't exclusively relate to making art. We all engage in this act on a daily basis.
To create is to bring something into existence that wasn't there before. It could be a conversation, the solution to a problem, a note to a friend, the rearrangement of furniture in a room, a new route home to avoid a traffic jam.
What you make doesn't have to be witnessed, recorded, sold, or encased in glass for it to be a work of art. Through the ordinary state of being, we're already creators in the most profound way, creating our experience of reality and composing the world we perceive.
In each moment, we are immersed in a field of undifferentiated matter from which our senses gather bits of information. The outside universe we perceive doesn't exist as such. Through a series of electrical and chemical reactions, we generate a reality internally. We create forests and oceans, warmth and cold. We read words, hear voices, and form interpretations. Then, in an instant, we produce a response. All of this in a world of our own creation.
Regardless of whether or not we're formally making art, we are all living as artists. We perceive, filter, and collect data, then curate an experience for ourselves and others based on this information set. Whether we do this consciously or unconsciously, by the mere fact of being alive, we are active participants in the ongoing process of creation.
To live as an artist is a way of being in the world. A way of perceiving. A practice of paying attention. Refining our sensitivity to tune in to the more subtle notes. Looking for what draws us in and what pushes us away. Noticing what feeling tones arise and where they lead.
Attuned choice by attuned choice, your entire life is a form of self-expression. You exist as a creative being in a creative universe. A singular work of art.
Tuning In
Think of the universe as an eternal creative unfolding.
Trees blossom.
Cells replicate.
Rivers forge new tributaries.
The world pulses with productive energy, and everything that exists on this planet is driven by that energy.
Every manifestation of this unfolding is doing its own work on behalf of the universe, each in its own way, true to its own creative impulse.
Just as trees grow flowers and fruits, humanity creates works of art. The Golden Gate Bridge, the White Album, Guernica, Hagia Sophia, the Sphinx, the space shuttle, the Autobahn, "Clair de lune," "Respect," the Roman Colosseum, the Phillips screwdriver, the iPad, Philadelphia cheesesteak.
Look around you: there are so many remarkable accomplishments to appreciate. Each of these is humanity being true to itself, as a hummingbird is true to itself by building a nest, a peach tree by bearing fruit, and a nimbus cloud by producing rain.
Every nest, every peach, every raindrop, and every great work is different. Some trees may appear to make more beautiful fruits than others, and some humans may appear to compose greater works than others. The taste and beauty are in the eye of the beholder.
How does the cloud know when to rain? How does the tree know when spring begins? How does the bird know when it's time to build a new nest?
The universe functions like a clock:
To everything-
There is a season-
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
These rhythms are not set by us. We are all participating in a larger creative act we are not conducting. We are being conducted. The artist is on a cosmic timetable, just like all of nature.
If you have an idea you're excited about and you don't bring it to life, it's not uncommon for the idea to find its voice through another maker. This isn't because the other artist stole your idea, but because the idea's time has come.
In this great unfolding, ideas and thoughts, themes and songs and other works of art exist in the ether and ripen on schedule, re...
