Big Magic: How to Live a Creative Life, and Let Go of Your Fear

In so doing, I became my own patron; I became my own studio wife.

There’s probably never going to be any such thing in your life or mine as “an arts emergency.” That being the case, why not make art?

It has taken me years to learn this, but it does seem to be the case that if I am not actively creating something, then I am probably actively destroying something (myself, a relationship, or my own peace of mind).

I work either way, you see—assisted or unassisted—because that is what you must do in order to live a fully creative life. I work steadily, and I always thank the process.

“Do you have the courage? Do you have the courage to bring forth this work? The treasures that are hidden inside you are hoping you will say yes.”

I bought index cards—my preferred method of keeping track of notes—and I allowed myself to begin dreaming of this new world.

Don’t let go of your courage the moment things stop being easy or rewarding. Because that moment? That’s the moment when interesting begins.

Creativity wants to flip the mundane world upside down and turn it inside out, and that’s exactly what a trickster does best.

And bringing those treasures to light takes work and faith and focus and courage and hours of devotion, and the clock is ticking, and the world is spinning, and we simply do not have time anymore to think so small.