Praise for The Creative Habit

This blog site pays homage to Twyla Tharp and her book The Creative Habit. I am just beginning to read and work through this book but am already finding myself agreeing with her ideas. So many view creativity as some sort of magic. Tharp challenges us to be disciplined in our approach to our creative work. The quote below from the introduction gives a good summary:

I will keep stressing the point about creativity being augmented by routine and habit. Get used to it. In these pages a philosophical tug of war will periodically rear its head. It is the perennial debate, born in the Romantic era, between the beliefs that all creative acts are born of (a) some transcendent, inexplicable Dionysian act of inspiration, a kiss from God on your brow that allows you to give the world The Magic Flute, or (b) hard work.

If it isn't obvious already, I come down on the side of hard work. That's why the book is called The Creative Habit. Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is a result of good work habits.

I believe that trying to exercise creativity without the discipline of good work habits will not bring the best results. In my area of the visual arts, my best work comes from a foundation of many hours of drawing and painting. It is only with that foundation of skill that I have the freedom to explore new possibilities.

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life