This audio book was short enough for me to listen in one sitting. Let me start by saying that Big Magic was and wasn’t what I expected. I expected a lot of whoo-whoo. And there was some, but not so much that I was shaking my head in disbelief.

Gilbert had some intriguing ideas about how inspiration or ideas work. Basically, they flit around the cosmos looking for a someone willing open to the bringing them to fruition. While I’m not opposed to that idea and her ideas of how many people in different places came to the same conclusions or ideas in science or other ventures. Her theories may have some merit.

That said, I could appreciate that she recognized the fact that putting in the work was a huge part of the equation. While she pointed out that hard work does not equal success, she wanted us to consider our why. We do not control luck and talent, but the willingness to be diligent to do the work needed was the one thing we could control. She said that this is how she believed the arts and creating worked. I can get on board with that concept.

Gilbert explained that she never put the pressure on herself to make writing her career. She further to explains that by career, she means the thing to support her monetarily. Years ago I would have disagreed with that concept, but after failing to turn another passion into a money maker and losing my passion for that creative endeavor for a few years after because of my failure to make money. I agree 100%.

I don’t need my writing to support me. If one day it gives me extra money, that’s great, but I will not put that pressure on myself again. As I agree with Gilbert that it destroys the creative process. Just as turning my passion for fiber arts into a business destroyed my love of fiber arts for a while. I love to write and while I may never be famous. I enjoy the process and write stories I want to read and hope that maybe others enjoy them too.

I think hustle culture has ingrained into us that we need to take everything we are passionate about and about and turn it into our dream career. So we can work for ourselves and so on. I love the idea that some people prefer to work to so they can fund the things they love without the added the pressure of using that thing you love to fund your life.

Over all I enjoyed this book. There are some whoo-whoo ideas at the beginning, but they are tempered with reasonable physical actions. I would suggest Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert for other creatives even though the book is slanted toward authors.