My Favourite Books for Everyday Creative Inspiration
You may remember a while back I shared a blog post all about where I love to find creative inspiration. But just in case you missed it, you can read it here.
I’m a huge book lover, and in the post I mentioned a little bit about how I find inspiration in the books I read, which is always A LOT! And I know that so many of my lovely readers are huge book lovers too. We’re kindred spirits after all! (You’ll find lots of Anne of Green Gables references across my platforms by the way!)
So I thought it would be really lovely to share with you some of my favourite books that beautifully gift lots of inspiration throughout their pages that inspire storytelling, content creation and how I show up online. Perhaps they’re ones that are on your bookshelf too? Or maybe you have a few favourites of your own, which I would love to hear all about… I’m sure I can squeeze a few more into my ever-growing reading pile!
Little Stories of Your Life by Laura Pashby
“If we don’t see the value of tiny moments, we will miss the little stories. If we fail to notice them, they will fly, unobserved, into the ether, but if we learn to pay attention, we can gather them up and keep them close.” Laura Pashby
…and this is what this book so beautifully does. The pages guide us to notice the small moments of our days, to soak in the stories that they tell. It also encourages us look at the stories that are already within us. It’s a lovely companion for helping us see the world around us a little differently. It’s also a lovely reminder of how our stories hold so much magic. And this book is simply wonderful for helping us find our voice, while slowing down a little and focusing on the moments that matter most in life.
It’s a brilliant book for not only gathering inspiration, but also discovering the everyday moments that can inspire us and for finding some much needed creative confidence too. Plus I love the writing prompts and the many storytelling and photography tips dotted throughout. Although it’s so hard to choose, I particularly love the sections titled ‘Looking Inwards’ and ‘The Mystery of Creativity’.
Hashtag Authentic by Sara Tasker
“Connection, communication and community are the underrated secret weapons of social media. Quiet and gentle, the nevertheless have the power to slowly shape our world.” - Sarah Tasker
Again, such a beautiful look (quite literally - as it’s filled with so many incredible images) about finding creativity and turning everyday moments into something so special. Although the main focus is on Instagram, I feel that the contents of this book can be applied to so much more.
Sara shares the lessons she’s learned and provides lots of valuable tips, advice, examples and guidance on storytelling, photography and building a community, while reminding us to create what brings joy, to embrace our beautiful unique selfs and that our words and our stories are important and have the power to beautifully shape our world.
I love how there’s a section for getting the most out of your phone camera! A lovely reminder that no matter what camera you have, or even the tools you use, you can create beautiful content.
How to Live an Artful Life by Katy Hessel
This is quite a new addition to the bookshelf and a birthday treat to myself!
I hadn’t actually heard of this book before, although it is still fairly new, and you know when you go into a bookshop and right in front of you there’s a book that catches your eye, so you flick through the pages and immediately want it, but you try to say to yourself that you’ve already got a very large reading pile… So you put it back, but you can’t stop thinking about it as you make your way around, so it somehow then magically appears back in your hand and you come out with a new book (or two)!
What else grabbed my attention, other than the fab title, was the pages inside, which are filled with 366 daily inspirations (one for each day of the year - I also appreciate how they’ve added in an extra for February 29th!) from artists on bringing creativity to your daily life. As a little taster here’s a snippet from today’s:
“We need the glimpsing moments in our life just as much as we need the more long-lasting ones. While we can stop, focus and pause on something, it’s also important to simply glance at something, or look at it almost subconsciously. Not everything is about that long look, nor is everything long-lasting.”
It’s filled full of ideas, quotes, lovely prompts and lots to inspire, encourage and take away.
Pretty Little London by Sara Santini & Andrea Di Filippo
You may be wondering why I’ve included this one, and yes, it’s a little different with a slightly different twist, but it’s such a beautiful book to help inspire, discover and create.
It’s a seasonal guide to the city’s most Instagrammable places, but what I love about it the most, is that it inspires the reader to capture daily moments which may seem quite ordinary, but in fact hold so much beauty - in the places with visit, the buildings we pass, the food we eat and the good company who we share all of these lovely moments. It’s also a gorgeous book to inspire a day out (or weekend away), experience new things and go on a seasonal mini adventure around London.
There’s tips for capturing the moment, along with some helpful advice for using Instagram and a photography guide too. You’ll also discover where to find the best blooms and the most beautiful nature-filled places, along with lovely spots to rest for a while, pause and even grab a bite to eat.
I wonder if any of these have made it on to your reading pile?
If you’d like some more bookish inspiration, I’d love for you to join me over on my Journal of Soulful Reflections, for my monthly series called From the Book Corner… It’s all about books!