"Without passion, all the skill in the world won't lift you above craft. Without skill, all the passion in the world will leave you eager but floundering." ~Twyla Tharp, The Creative Habit
Earlier this week, I finished reading The Creative Habit: Learn It And Use It For Life by Twyla Tharp (hat tip to Lauren for the recommendation). Like Lauren, I'm not big on super-abstract theories about creating art. I'm much more practical than that. My approach is to do, not to pontificate about doing.
But The Creative Habit really got me thinking about the creative process.
Tharp says that the brilliant artists, writers, musicians, etc. are the ones who work their butts off, not necessarily the ones who are the most naturally gifted. And by making creativity a consistent habit, they achieve brilliance. But wait! Habits can become dull and repetitive, so the famed choreographer suggests ways to prevent creative ruts. For instance, she challenges herself by following a large-scale ballet with a modern dance commission for two dancers. Having different parameters each time keeps her on her toes (literally and figuratively), just like working with different writing clients keeps me from getting bored.
There's a beautiful lyricism and rhythm to The Creative Habit, and it made me wonder if Tharp hired a ghostwriter to collaborate with. Either way, she certainly understands the challenges of the creative life, and I'd recommend The Creative Habit to any writer, dancer, composer, musician, or other artistic type.
What about you? What books or other tools fuel your creative process?