5 Highly Recommended Books for Artists and Creative Business Owners
‘Learn from experience. Preferably other’s’.
I can’t remember where I saw this quote or who it’s by. But it makes sense. Either we learn only from our own experiences, or we gain hard-fought knowledge from the experience of others as well.
This is where books come in. I myself don’t do as much reading as I would like to. But I find that being able to tap on the collective wisdom of others gives me an edge and helps me avoid unnecessary suffering. So here are some books I have found useful in my journey as a creative.
‘Braving the Wilderness’ by Brene Brown
A book on the power of being your most authentic self. Sometimes as a creative I look back and wonder if this was a stupid idea and should have stuck with my office job. For those struggling to accept themselves and choose a path in life that best reflects who they are, this book might be for you.
‘Big Magic’ by Elizabeth Gilbert
This builds on the previous title but leans more toward creatives in particular. It can be tempting to chase trends and try to mimic other artists who are doing well. But my best art is the art that I both love and reflects me the most. This book helps with that.
‘Nobody Knows What They’re Doing’ by Lee Crutchley
A blunt, honest book about the life of going solo and being an artist. Being a creative may sound glamorous, but anyone who’s been at it for a few months will know that there is a lot of slogging and long hours of bumbling along trying to put together something passable. This book doesn’t shy away from that. In fact, it encourages artists to accept that they’re going to produce something terrible a lot of the time. There’s no need to constantly live in the fear of not meeting your own oftentimes unreasonably high expectations.
‘Happy Money_ Understand and Heal Your Relationship with Money’ by Ken Honda
An art business isn’t just about making good art. It’s also about running a good business. Which means learning to deal with money. I’ve seen many creatives constantly undercharging, almost as if they don’t believe they deserve to be paid well for their great work. This book helps readers examine their perceptions of money and the challenges they might face in achieving a happy relationship with money.
Graphic Artist Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines
Written by the Graphic Artist Guild based in the US, this is admittedly both a heavy and technical book. However, it makes for a great reference if you’re unsure how to price your work. Whether the job is for a mural or an illustration, this book gives very clear guidelines on how to set your prices. If you intend to be an artist for the long-term, this is a must read.
I hope that helps if you’re looking for some reading material. Leave a comment if you’ve got other great book recommendations you’d like to share.
