Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

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Big Magic Book Review

Hello reading friends! Welcome back to my book review blog. Today we’re going to be discussing the book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert, which is all about creative living. In this Big Magic book review we’ll be discussing who the target audience is. (Spoiler alert! I believe readers of all ages and from all walks of life will find different ways to let go of their fear and live a creative life.)

I first read this motivational book back in 2016. I was unfamiliar with Elizabeth Gilbert and saw Big Magic on the new releases shelf at the library. The colorful cover and title intrigued me. I packed it away on a weekend beach trip and spent time reading it while I sat on the beach with my family.

I recently decided to give it another read through to see if it held up to my memories. And it did!

Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic is the culmination of thoughts, ideas, and experiences in relation to creativity. Gilbert’s advice is as solid as I remember it being and I can’t wait to jump in and tell you more about this book. This time I listened to the audiobook which is especially fun because it’s narrated by the author.

About Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth Gilbert is a name you might have heard before. One of her most notable works is Eat, Pray, Love. If you haven’t read it yet (I haven’t), you may have seen the movie adaptation starring Julia Roberts. To be honest, I haven’t seen the movie either. But I remember my friend Kelsey in college really enjoyed it.

Anyway, she grew up in the typical American family. Her father was a an engineer and her mother was a nurse. She knew that she wanted to write but for her first few published books, she still kept a day job. I liked what she said about this. She explained that it was important that she take care of her writing, and not the other way around, which is what would happen if writing were to pay for her bills. At the right time (and I believe it was after Eat, Pray, Love because such a success) she quit her day job and focused on writing.

I think that’s a really interesting outlook. It’s also really good advice for those who are searching for creative careers. If you put too much pressure on yourself to make creative products, you’ll only stress yourself out. I’m sure doing things her way really helped her creative process in the long run.

I did some more research on Gilbert and found out she was a finalist for the National Book Awards in 2002 for a non-fiction book entitled The Last American Man.

What is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert About?

There are all kinds of creators in this world, and in Big Magic Elizabeth Gilbert speaks to all of them. Her ideas about creative work and living a more creative life can be applied by anyone.

Take this quote from pageg 88:

You want to write a book? Make a song? Direct a movie? Decorate pottery? Learn a dance? Explore a new land? You want to draw a penis on the wall? Do it. Who cares? It’s your birthright as a human being, so do it with a cheerful heart.

Elizabeth Gilbert (from Big Magic)

I think that summarizes this book pretty well! Elizabeth uses her own experiences and stories to explain why we shouldn’t let fear hold us back. It’s important for the fate of our creative endeavours that we don’t let anything stop us and just keep going.

I’m going to remember that now whenever I’m feeling hopeless. One of my current creative projects is this blog. I’m working on honing my writing style and creating book related content that others will enjoy. It’s my creative outlet after work. Sometimes I feel discouraged and scared that I don’t know what I’m doing, but Big Magic has reminded me that I should keep going.

Who Should Read This Book?

As I mentioned earlier, this book could be read and enjoyed by any creative person. But I think it is mainly aimed toward people who are looking to apply creativity and hard work to their daily lives.

In one of my favorite anecdotes she tells a story about one of her friends who grew up ice skating, but wound up quitting when they were in their teen years because they knew they weren’t going to be the best. Then, at 40 years old they began skating again because they realized that it was a hobby that really and truly made them feel happy and free.

I love that! And I think that’s a story that anyone can take inspiration from.

Personal Stories with Practical Advice

There are so many interesting stories in this book that Elizabeth shares. Some of them are about people she knows and others are about famous writers that she is friends with. Although I am not like all of these people, I still found their stories to be a good example. It reminded me that all of our creative lives are different, and yet we share similarities.

I may not be able to completely relate to a bestselling author, but I can appreciate that they too struggle with writer’s block, inspiration, and getting words down on a page. Although I’m not really writing fiction anymore, I definitely have trouble coming up with the right thing to write or say sometimes.

We all have creative potential and must learn to harvest it in our everyday life.

My Takeaways

As a perpetually anxious person, I sometimes get too wrapped up in my own head. The entire time that I’m creating I’m also worrying. I worry that I’m not doing enough, or that I’m not creating enough. I question my creative endeavors. I second guess my creative interests. It’s exhausting!

But Big Magic reminds me to slow down and enjoy the process. Creative pursuits cannot be forced. While the finished product is great, one of the best parts of creating is the process.

Let’s Wrap It Up

Have I convinced you to read Big Magic yet? No? If it helps, there’s an audiobook version that is narrated by Elizabeth Gilbert. That’s pretty cool, huh? It means you can listen to it for inspiration while you work on other projects. To be honest, I think that might be the best way to experience this book.

Now that I’ve read this book for the second time, I realize the profound impact it could have on my creative life. It really helps to promote the magic of creativity and remind me that I can do cool things!

But I shouldn’t just make everything about myself. Big Magic can have a big impact on all creative people. If you’re feeling blocked or uninspired I think this book could really help you. I hope you enjoyed by Big Magic book review and I’ll see you in my next post.

xo Marian

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