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The Creative Act: A Way of BeingPenguin Random House LLC

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Rick Rubin

The Creative Act: A Way of Being

by Rick Rubin (Author) Format: Hardcover

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The #1 New York Times bestseller.

"A gorgeous and inspiring work of art on creation, creativity, the work of the artist. It will gladden the hearts of writers and artists everywhere, and get them working again with a new sense of meaning and direction. A stunning accomplishment.” —Anne Lamott

From the legendary music producer, a master at helping people connect with the wellsprings of their creativity, comes a beautifully crafted book many years in the making that offers that same deep wisdom to all of us.

“I set out to write a book about what to do to make a great work of art. Instead, it revealed itself to be a book on how to be.” —Rick Rubin

Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable. Over the years, as he has thought deeply about where creativity comes from and where it doesn’t, he has learned that being an artist isn’t about your specific output, it’s about your relationship to the world. Creativity has a place in everyone’s life, and everyone can make that place larger. In fact, there are few more important responsibilities.

The Creative Act is a beautiful and generous course of study that illuminates the path of the artist as a road we all can follow. It distills the wisdom gleaned from a lifetime’s work into a luminous reading experience that puts the power to create moments—and lifetimes—of exhilaration and transcendence within closer reach for all of us.

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Print length

432 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Penguin Press
Publication date

January 17, 2023
Dimensions

6.3 x 8.82 x 1.26 inches
ISBN-10

0593652886
ISBN-13

978-0593652886

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From the Publisher

Image of the cover of THE CREATIVE ACT by Rick Rubin. With text that reads: Everyone is a creator.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A work of transcendent literature, one that suggests the universe still smiles upon us despite all indications to the contrary.” —The Wall Street Journal

“It really feels to me like the rare book that’s evergreen . . . It’s a book I wish I would have had on my shelf when I was 25. It’s a book I would give to people who are 25. Maybe it will be the ultimate graduation gift.” —Steve Levitt, People I (Mostly) Admire

“To Rubin, art is the ultimate form of self-actualization, a noble calling that enriches the soul . . . So, how does an artist move from conception to creation? Rubin methodically lays out the process, offering a mixture of encouragement, inspiration and tips . . . Rubin has written a fascinating book infused with deep thoughts, insight and, yes, lots and lots of creativity.” —Los Angeles Times

"Rick Rubin knows what he’s doing…His book is not just for musicians. It’s for everyone . . . A very clear and helpful and thoroughly road-tested vision of the stages of creativity.” —The Atlantic

“A beautiful rumination on the creative process. Guiding readers through '78 areas of thought,' Rubin shares his outlook on creativity, which in turn reflects the way in which he views the world . . . The book does a remarkable job of explaining these deep, philosophical ideas in a way that’s easy to understand.” —Complex

“The legendary producer of artists from Adele to Black Sabbath, Johnny Cash to Jay-Z, distills the insights of a glittering career to reveal how to get the best out of musicians—and offers useful lessons for the rest of us in the process.” —Financial Times

“A distillation of the wisdom Rubin has accrued over decades of bringing records to fruition...[To] creatives in need of a spur – or anyone in proximity to a client, or loved one, approaching a deadline – The Creative Act has just the right level of confident loftiness to provide succour and useful ways of recontextualising problems.” —The Guardian

“An existential enquiry into the nature of creativity, art and being part of the human race . . . a deep look at the most fundamental of human impulses.” —Big Issue

“This is a gorgeous and inspiring work of art on creation, creativity, the work of the artist. It will gladden the hearts of writers and artists everywhere, and get them working again with a new sense of meaning and direction. A stunning accomplishment.” —Anne Lamott

“In this extraordinary book, Rick beautifully captures the sacred but commonplace practice of creating. I find it so powerful when someone gives voice or form to what we know but perhaps don’t understand. Designers from any discipline will find Rick's words profoundly encouraging and inspiring.” —Jony Ive

“Rick Rubin is the definition of a creative genius and he has put his wisdom in one place and it is possibly the most inspiring book on creativity I have ever read. The Creative Act is up there with Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and Stephen King's On Writing . . . The advice in here is brilliant . . . For those wanting to feel some new life and confidence in their creative bones, this book is a godsend.” —Matt Haig

“There is perhaps no one better qualified than Rick Rubin to help people tap into their creativity.” –Ryan Holiday

“A gorgeous, delicious and wildly practical interrogation of the creative process. A master of his craft, Rubin supplies rich insights, sound advice, helpful suggestions and supreme comfort to anyone living to create, or endeavoring to live creatively.” —JJ Abrams

“I am reading Rick’s book and truly loving it. I want my kids to read it, want everyone to read it. It is a manual for creativity and creative thinking. A reference book for now and will continue to be of service in the future.”—Mike D

“Rick Rubin created genres. He is like Oppenheimer; a destroyer and creator of worlds, a true genius. Read this fantastic book The Creative Act: A Way of Being.” —Russell Brand

“You'll probably read this extraordinary book four times. The first time, you'll gobble it up. The second time, you'll savour it. The third time, you'll take notes in the margins. But the fourth time, the fourth time it will be part of you as you create the work you were ready to ship.” —Seth Godin

“This book is a companion to anyone on the creative path; for me, Rick Rubin's attention, consideration, ideas have dug themselves down deep into my consciousness and grown with my work, so that over time, I have found myself in the shelter of a huge resplendent tree, and remembered that it all started with a word or two from a person who really, really listened. May it start something similar in you.”—Kae Tempest

“What makes Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: A Way of Being great (and it IS great) is not so much the content (though that is extraordinary for sure) as Rick’s own personality and his essence as a man and an artist. What I would call the Muse, Rick calls Source. Source in Rick’s view is infinite and constant, a nonstop, 24/7/365 trade wind of ideas and inspiration that flow through all of us—not just artists, not just 'creative' types. Rick’s whole life and philosophy are about opening himself and others (from the Beastie Boys to Run-D.M.C. to LL Cool J to Metallica and a thousand more) to that cosmic radio station. The Creative Act comes from the pure dojo of Rick Rubin’s heart. A lot of the book is technical, there’s tons of practical wisdom and nuts-and-bolts throughout, but the essence of the work is love—a belief in Source, of that which cannot be known or defined but that we live our lives by, and most importantly, a tremendous respect and honor toward all artists and toward the process and the mystery itself.” —Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art

“Enlightening . . . You can imagine Rubin in the studio gently reassuring an artist of all the insight he shares here.”—Pigeons & Planes

About the Author

Rick Rubin is a nine-time GRAMMY-winning producer, named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time and the most successful producer in any genre by Rolling Stone. He has collaborated with artists from Tom Petty to Adele, Johnny Cash to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys to Slayer, Kanye West to the Strokes, and System of a Down to Jay-Z.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Everyone Is a Creator

Those who do not engage in the traditional arts might be wary of calling themselves artists. They might perceive creativity as something extraordinary or beyond their capabilities. A calling for the special few who are born with these gifts.

Fortunately, this is not the case.

Creativity is not a rare ability. It is not difficult to access. Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human. It's our birthright. And it's for all of us.

Creativity doesn't exclusively relate to making art. We all engage in this act on a daily basis.

To create is to bring something into existence that wasn't there before. It could be a conversation, the solution to a problem, a note to a friend, the rearrangement of furniture in a room, a new route home to avoid a traffic jam.

What you make doesn't have to be witnessed, recorded, sold, or encased in glass for it to be a work of art. Through the ordinary state of being, we're already creators in the most profound way, creating our experience of reality and composing the world we perceive.

In each moment, we are immersed in a field of undifferentiated matter from which our senses gather bits of information. The outside universe we perceive doesn't exist as such. Through a series of electrical and chemical reactions, we generate a reality internally. We create forests and oceans, warmth and cold. We read words, hear voices, and form interpretations. Then, in an instant, we produce a response. All of this in a world of our own creation.

Regardless of whether or not we're formally making art, we are all living as artists. We perceive, filter, and collect data, then curate an experience for ourselves and others based on this information set. Whether we do this consciously or unconsciously, by the mere fact of being alive, we are active participants in the ongoing process of creation.

To live as an artist is a way of being in the world. A way of perceiving. A practice of paying attention. Refining our sensitivity to tune in to the more subtle notes. Looking for what draws us in and what pushes us away. Noticing what feeling tones arise and where they lead.

Attuned choice by attuned choice, your entire life is a form of self-expression. You exist as a creative being in a creative universe. A singular work of art.

Tuning In

Think of the universe as an eternal creative unfolding.

Trees blossom.

Cells replicate.

Rivers forge new tributaries.

The world pulses with productive energy, and everything that exists on this planet is driven by that energy.

Every manifestation of this unfolding is doing its own work on behalf of the universe, each in its own way, true to its own creative impulse.

Just as trees grow flowers and fruits, humanity creates works of art. The Golden Gate Bridge, the White Album, Guernica, Hagia Sophia, the Sphinx, the space shuttle, the Autobahn, "Clair de lune," "Respect," the Roman Colosseum, the Phillips screwdriver, the iPad, Philadelphia cheesesteak.

Look around you: there are so many remarkable accomplishments to appreciate. Each of these is humanity being true to itself, as a hummingbird is true to itself by building a nest, a peach tree by bearing fruit, and a nimbus cloud by producing rain.

Every nest, every peach, every raindrop, and every great work is different. Some trees may appear to make more beautiful fruits than others, and some humans may appear to compose greater works than others. The taste and beauty are in the eye of the beholder.

How does the cloud know when to rain? How does the tree know when spring begins? How does the bird know when it's time to build a new nest?

The universe functions like a clock:

To everything-

There is a season-

And a time to every purpose under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die

A time to plant, a time to reap

A time to kill, a time to heal

A time to laugh, a time to weep

A time to build up, a time to break down

A time to dance, a time to mourn

A time to cast away stones

A time to gather stones together

These rhythms are not set by us. We are all participating in a larger creative act we are not conducting. We are being conducted. The artist is on a cosmic timetable, just like all of nature.

If you have an idea you're excited about and you don't bring it to life, it's not uncommon for the idea to find its voice through another maker. This isn't because the other artist stole your idea, but because the idea's time has come.

In this great unfolding, ideas and thoughts, themes and songs and other works of art exist in the ether and ripen on schedule, ready to find expression in the physical world.

As artists, it is our job to draw down this information, transmute it, and share it. We are all translators for messages the universe is broadcasting. The best artists tend to be the ones with the most sensitive antennae to draw in the energy resonating at a particular moment. Many great artists first develop sensitive antennae not to create art but to protect themselves. They have to protect themselves because everything hurts more. They feel everything more deeply.

Often art arrives in movements. Bauhaus architecture, abstract expressionism, French New Wave cinema, punk rock, Beat poetry to name a few from recent history. These movements appear like a wave; some artists are able to read the culture and position themselves to ride that swell. Others might see the wave and choose to swim against the current.

We are all antennae for creative thought. Some transmissions come on strong, others are more faint. If your antenna isn't sensitively tuned, you're likely to lose the data in the noise. Particularly since the signals coming through are often more subtle than the content we collect through sensory awareness. They are energetic more than tactile, intuitively perceived more than consciously recorded.

Most of the time, we are gathering data from the world through the five senses. With the information that's being transmitted on higher frequencies, we are channeling energetic material that can't be physically grasped. It defies logic, in the same way that an electron can be in two places at once. This elusive energy is of great worth, though so few people are open enough to hold it.

How do we pick up on a signal that can neither be heard nor be defined? The answer is not to look for it. Nor do we attempt to predict or analyze our way into it. Instead, we create an open space that allows it. A space so free of the normal overpacked condition of our minds that it functions as a vacuum. Drawing down the ideas that the universe is making available.

This freedom is not as difficult to achieve as one might think. We all start with it. As children, we experience much less interference between receiving ideas and internalizing them. We accept new information with delight instead of making comparisons to what we already believe; we live in the moment rather than worrying about future consequences; we are spontaneous more than analytical; we are curious, not jaded. Even the most ordinary experiences in life are met with a sense of awe. Deep sadness and intense excitement can come within moments of each other. There's no facade and no attachment to a story.

Artists who are able to continually create great works throughout their lives often manage to preserve these childlike qualities. Practicing a way of being that allows you to see the world through uncorrupted, innocent eyes can free you to act in concert with the universe's timetable.

There's a time for certain ideas to arrive,

and they find a way

to express themselves through us.

The Source of Creativity

We begin with everything:

everything seen,

everything done,

everything thought,

everything felt,

everything imagined,

everything forgotten,

and everything that rests unspoken and unthought
within us.

This is our source material, and from it, we build each creative moment.

This content does not come from inside us. The Source is out there. A wisdom surrounding us, an inexhaustible offering that is always available.

We either sense it, remember it, or tune in to it. Not only through our experiences. It may also be dreams, intuitions, subliminal fragments, or other ways still unknown by which the outside finds its way inside.

To the mind, this material appears to come from within. But that's an illusion. There are tiny fragments of the vastness of Source stored within us. These precious wisps arise from the unconscious like vapor, and condense to form a thought. An idea.

It may be helpful to think of Source as a cloud.

Clouds never truly disappear. They change form. They turn into rain and become part of the ocean, and then evaporate and return to being clouds.

The same is true of art.

Art is a circulation of energetic ideas. What makes them appear new is that they're combining differently each time they come back. No two clouds are the same.

This is why, when we are struck by a new piece of art, it can resonate on a deeper level. Perhaps this is the familiar, coming back to us in an unfamiliar form. Or maybe it is something unknown that we didn't realize we were looking for. A missing piece in a puzzle that has no end.

Turning something from an idea

into a reality

can make it seem smaller.

It changes from unearthly to earthly.

The imagination has no limits.

The physical world does.

The work exists in both.

Awareness

In most of our daily activities we choose the agenda and develop a strategy to achieve the goal at hand. We create the program.

Awareness moves differently. The program is happening around us. The world is the doer and we are the witness. We have little or no control over the content.

The gift of awareness allows us to notice what's going on around and inside ourselves in the present moment. And to do so without attachment or involvement. We may observe bodily sensations, passing thoughts and feelings, sounds or visual cues, smells and tastes.

Through detached noticing, awareness allows an observed flower to reveal more of itself without our intervention. This is true of all things.

Awareness is not a state you force. There is little effort involved, though persistence is key. It's something you actively allow to happen. It is a presence with, and acceptance of, what is happening in the eternal now.

As soon as you label an aspect of Source, you're no longer noticing, you're studying. This holds true of any thought that takes you out of presence with the object of your awareness, whether analysis or simply becoming aware that you're aware. Analysis is a secondary function. The awareness happens first as a pure connection with the object of your attention. If something strikes me as interesting or beautiful, first I live that experience. Only afterward might I attempt to understand it.

Though we canÕt change what it is that we are noticing, we can change our ability to notice.

We can expand our awareness and narrow it, experience it with our eyes open or closed. We can quiet our inside so we can perceive more on the outside, or quiet the outside so we can notice more of what's happening inside.

We can zoom in on something so closely it loses the features that make it what it appears to be, or zoom so far out it seems like something entirely new.

The universe is only as large as our perception of it. When we cultivate our awareness, we are expanding the universe.

This expands the scope, not just of the material at our disposal to create from, but of the life we get to live.

The ability to look deeply

is the root of creativity.

To see past the ordinary and mundane

and get to what might otherwise be invisible.

The Vessel and the Filter

Each of us has a container within. It is constantly being filled with data.

It holds the sum total of our thoughts, feelings, dreams, and experiences in the world. Let's call this the vessel.

Information does not enter the vessel directly, like rain filling into a barrel. It is filtered in a unique way for each of us.

Not everything makes it through this filter. And what does get through doesn't always do so faithfully.

We each have our own method of reducing Source. Our memory space is limited. Our senses often misperceive data. And our minds don't have the processing power to take in all the information surrounding us. Our senses would be overwhelmed by light, color, sound, and smell. We would not be able to distinguish one object from another.

To navigate our way through this immense world of data, we learn early in life to focus on information that appears essential or of particular interest. And to tune out the rest.

As artists, we seek to restore our childlike perception: a more innocent state of wonder and appreciation not tethered to utility or survival.

Our filter inevitably reduces Source intelligence by interpreting the data that arrives instead of letting it pass freely. As the vessel fills with these recast fragments, relationships are created with the material already collected.

These relationships produce beliefs and stories. They may be about who we are, the people around us, and the nature of the world we live in. Eventually, these stories coalesce into a worldview.

As artists, we want to hold these stories softly and find space for the vast amount of information that doesn't fit easily within the limits of our belief system. The more raw data we can take in, and the less we shape it, the closer we get to nature.

One can think of the creative act as taking the sum of our vessel's contents as potential material, selecting for elements that seem useful or significant in the moment, and re-presenting them.

This is Source drawn through us and made into books, movies, buildings, paintings, meals, businesses-whatever projects we embark on.

If we choose to share what we make, our work can recirculate and become source material for others.

Source makes available.

The filter distills.

The vessel receives.

And often this happens beyond our control.

It is helpful to know this default system can be bypassed. With training, we can improve our interface with Source and radically expand the vessel's ability to receive. Changing the instrument is not always the easiest way to change the sound, but it can be the most powerful.

No matter what tools you use to create,

the true instrument is you.

And through you,
the universe that surrounds us
all comes into focus.

The Unseen

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 17, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593652886
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593652886
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.3 x 8.82 x 1.26 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2 in Creativity (Books)
- #2 in Music (Books)
- #2 in Popular Psychology Creativity & Genius
Customer Reviews:
(11,650)

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Customer reviews

11,650 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book compelling and inspiring, with great insight into creativity and an impressive understanding of the creative process. Moreover, the writing style is thoughtfully written and accessible, making it easy to read, and customers appreciate its practical advice and guide for living life. Additionally, the chapters are short, making it convenient to read. However, the comprehensiveness receives mixed reviews, with some finding the explanations wonderful while others find them too abstract.

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457 customers mention content, 418 positive, 39 negative

Customers find the book compelling and inspiring, describing it as lovely to read.

Great book. Validates a lot of my stubbornness about thinking I am an artist because we all are. Excellent. Highly recommendedRead more

...with why you enjoy making things in the first place, this is a great read.Read more

...It’s broadly spiritual, instructive, inspiring, loose & specific and cathartic. It’ll definitely be a book I come back to and quote often.Read more

I love Rick Rubin. Amazing book. Condition of book (cover) not so good. The front was marred, by a couple of (grease?) spots.Read more

149 customers mention creativity, 143 positive, 6 negative

Customers praise the book's deep understanding of creativity, describing it as one of the best books on the subject and providing great insight into the creative process.

...Each chapter is short and covers a variety of topics including: Creativity, Awareness, Self-Doubt, Experimentation, Momentum, and Success, just to...Read more

Must read for creativesRead more

I’ve been challenged, inspired, humbled and blessed during the reading of this book....Read more

...I particularly enjoyed the areas of thought addressing Seeds, Experimentation, and Cooperation. The book is mystical, philosophic, and scientific....Read more

60 customers mention practical, 58 positive, 2 negative

Customers find the book practical, with many noting it provides valuable guidance for living life and includes real exercises.

...understand and practice the creative life that is both spiritual and practical....Read more

...It has practical advice, lots of anecdotal evidence, but it comes from a man who's been deeply involved in the creation of decades worth of good and...Read more

Informative and insightful. Love this book. Short chapters allow for quick reading. Good gift for creative people!Read more

Thought provoking, beautifully crafted, holy, inspiring, helpful. I LOVED this book. If you create in any way (and I bet you do) read this.Read more

52 customers mention writing style, 47 positive, 5 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as thoughtfully and simply written, with one customer noting the magnificent narration in the audiobook version.

...It's beautifully written, a mixture of poetry, storytelling, personal insights. It's very inspirational and one I will go back to again and again.Read more

Well written. Dense in meaning.Read more

...Simple and elegant. I love this book. It’s simply written, easy to read, and gives a little glimpse into a famous music producer’s...Read more

A wonderfully written book packed full of useful information. Great for getting back into your creative groove!Read more

51 customers mention readability, 45 positive, 6 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, describing it as butter-smooth and motivating, with one customer noting it's best consumed in small chunks.

...And ended up sending it to friends and family. Easy to read full of positive energy. I bought it after listening to a pod cast of the authors....Read more

...So, I bought the book. I have read it ... it is an easy read ... there are some things that don't apply, and others that really resonated with me....Read more

Amazing book. Great author. It's an easy reading but very insightful. Deep content. I read it over and over again....Read more

...It reads like butter, the new ideas melt and merge into the reader’s mind, giving them the sense that “I knew that.” Which we do....Read more

38 customers mention artwork, 37 positive, 1 negative

Customers appreciate the artwork in the book, describing it as beautifully crafted, with one customer noting its balanced approach to producing art and design works.

...The chapters are powerful but succinct. It’s a work of art. It’s a beautiful looking book as well. It just looks fantastic....Read more

Thought provoking, beautifully crafted, holy, inspiring, helpful. I LOVED this book. If you create in any way (and I bet you do) read this.Read more

...Rick Rubin did an amazing job with this book. Such a great book to revisit or flip to a random page on and read....Read more

...Rick Rubin is a master of his craft, and his experience and knowledge is evident in every word....Read more

30 customers mention chapter size, 22 positive, 8 negative

Customers appreciate the book's short chapters, with one mentioning that they allow for quick reading, while another notes that they make it easy to read a small chapter every day.

Great book! Short chapters which identify various aspects of the creative process which, for me, is perfect, as I like to absorb and reflect on the...Read more

...It's an easy book to pick up, put down, and resume later. The chapters are short and are packed full of simple, quiet advice that you can consider...Read more

Very short chaptersRead more

...Each chapter is short and covers a variety of topics including: Creativity, Awareness, Self-Doubt, Experimentation, Momentum, and Success, just to...Read more

39 customers mention comprehensiveness, 26 positive, 13 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the comprehensiveness of the book, with some praising how it incorporates everything in a wonderful explanation, while others find it too abstract.

Rick Robin's book on creativity is part Zen, part Art, part instructional manual and part philosophy. Worth reading more than once.Read more

...No examples, nothing concrete, no research....Read more

Great Quality in binding and concepts. Short chapters, easy to read with great insights. Love it.Read more

...The book is mystical, philosophic, and scientific. I was encouraged to expand my thinking about creativity....Read more

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The Creative Act: A Way of Being

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