Finding “Big Magic” in Writing: A Book Review

You ever feel like you were meant to find a book? I know I have!

There have been countless times when I have been wanting or yearning for a type of book to walk into my life and it does at the most perfect time.

One of the big takeaways I learned from the Konmari Method last year was that when a book finds you that is the time to read it, not wait until weeks, months, or years down the road. I have felt this when I have been interested in a book however when I finally got around to reading it the draw to read it had passed. This can be the same thing with creativity which is the biggest thing “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert drives home.

I first caught eye of this book when I was looking at different types of self-help books earlier in 2019 to read. If there is any genre of books I enjoy reading besides fiction it is the self-help and development genre. To me that type of reading is much like writing with how it makes me tap into my inner self and reflect on where I am at with the topic at hand. I had never thought about reading a book regarding creativity though. I had read Elizabeth Gilberts “Eat Pray Love” which is one of my favorite books, so I had a good feeling I would enjoy another book by her. When I read the back cover I knew it was the book for me.

Prior to reading this book I knew that my writing was something I wanted to get back to doing. For me writing is a way for me to process my emotions and how I am feeling, and in its own way a form of therapy. Combining that with the possibility of maybe helping one person through my blog by sharing my personal stories and truth, it is enough for me to make sure I practice this creative art of mine.

The biggest and most important take aways for me while reading this book is that:

1) I need to find the time to write and to write when the “Big Magic” strikes
2) I shouldn’t put pressure on writing

For the past two years I have been saying “I don’t have time to write.” The truth is though I don’t always make the time to write. I realized that a hurdle for me was that I need to just make my writing more accessible. For example, in my prior post “Reflection by the Lake” I started writing that post right then and there at Jordan Lake. I knew if I was gonna wait until the next day or when I was home all the inspiration would be gone. So I opened the notes app on my IPhone and I started typing out my thoughts. I realized that this may be a strategy for me with making my writing more accessible because my phone is with me everywhere, and the notes tab syncs up to my iPad and MacBook, so no matter what or where I am at I can work on a post from anywhere. It is something I am trying to make sure I do when I feel inspired to write.
I know that writing at a drop of a hat isn’t always ideal though, because I have places to go or other obligations. I have found that the best time for me to write is on Saturday and Sunday morning while the house is quiet and I am enjoying my cup of coffee. If I have time in the mornings during the work week that is another time when I feel most fresh and reflective to write. However, it is not ideal when I am trying to write something new since I don’t have unlimited time, but is a good time to review things I am in the process of writing.

I am still in the process of trying to figure out when I will dedicate time throughout the week to my writing and to my blog. Being a planner at heart I know that I am going to have to plan days and deadlines for myself to actually write and to hold myself accountable. This has been a struggle for me since I started this blog three years ago. I will say though that my partners motivation to his creative outlet with his YouTube channel has been an inspiration to me with dedicating more time to mine. Hopefully soon I will find the schedule and overall flow that works best for me and this blog of mine.

In regards to my second biggest takeaway with not putting pressure on my writing…this hit me real good.
Since I was in 7th grade I have talked with my friends about how I want to write a book one day. When I originally started my blog in 2017 I saw it as a preliminary thing to writing a book, and it was part of a bigger goal in mind. Without realizing it I felt this internal pressure in regards to my writing. Not only was I just starting to flex my writing muscle actively in life, but I was expecting instant results in regards to having likes, comments, and shares to my blog post or things I would post on Instagram. I felt discouraged before I even got started.
In the book, Gilbert drove home the fact that it is rare to make a living salary as an author until you are well established and that if the goal is to be a best selling author, you might as well stop now. This was shocking to me but is exactly what i needed to hear.

Writing is a beautiful, personal, and a creative art. Like with most art, you gotta be inspired and come from a good place when making it because if not, the audience will notice. With writing a personal blog, I know that I have to go deep into my heart and mind to write something that will be moving to my audience and make a lasting impression on them.

You got to also actively practice it, and enjoy it at the heart of it. I think for me all this was a good reminder that sure I would love to maybe gain a following, or one day make money for my writing, but that shouldn’t be the goal from the start. The goal should be practicing my creative writing muscles and writing because I simply enjoy it….and I do. Like I have said countless times in different posts, writing to me is a form of therapy and way for me to just process what all is going on in my inner world. I just hope that by sharing that inner process through this platform, I can maybe help or inspire somebody along the way.

Thank you for reading my first book related post and biggest takeaways from it. I hope to make this a thing with books I am reading and what I want to work on after reading them, or just my overall thoughts. What good is self-help books if you don’t reflect and put things into practice right?

Let me know if you had read “Big Magic” yourself and what your biggest takeaways were. It is a book I would highly recommend if you have a creative passion and are stuck in a rut with it. This is certainly a book I will keep and reference whenever I am needing some inspiration, or a kick in the butt, when it comes to my writing. Thank you Elizabeth Gilbert for being real and sharing your wonderful wisdom and work of art with all of us.

Until next time,