Fearless Creating: A Step-by-Step Guide To Starting and Completing Your Work of Art

by Eric Maisel

For writers, painters, or performers in any field, new hope for overcoming creative blocks and finishing the art of their dreams.

The blank page, empty canvas, or uncarved stone will often fill artists with dread. But so may the thought of finishing, showing, or even selling their work. It is in this "artistic anxiety" that creative blocks begin.

With an understanding that could only be gained through years of experience in counseling artists, writers, and performers, Eric Maisel, Ph.D. discusses each stage of creation-wishing, choosing, starting, working, completing, selling--and the anxieties particular to each. He then shows how these inhibiting tensions can be turned to artistic advantages, how truth and beauty arrive in the work of art precisely because, and only when, anxiety has been understood, embraced, and resolved.

Fearless Creating guides the reader, whether an experienced artist or someone just starting out, past the pitfalls that appear in each stage of the process. By following Dr. Maisel's exercises related both to the world at hand and the ongoing struggles of artistic life, readers will emerge from this book with a completed work of art and a new perspective on their potential to be a fearless creator.

Genres: Art, Writing, Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Reference

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 1995

About the author

Eric Maisel, Ph.D., is the author of more than 40 books in the areas of creativity, coaching, mental health, and cultural trends. He is a psychotherapist and creativity coach, and writes for Psychology Today and Professional Artist Magazine and presents workshops internationally.

Reviews

[Madly Jane]

Still relevant. Best book on dealing with anxiety associated with creatives. Beautiful book. I need to reread this in 2026 while I finish the novel!!!

This is the book that changed my life. It's not about making art, but the psychology of making art, all kinds, painting, writing, and so forth. I would not be the person I am today if I had not bought this book and did each and every exercise with deliberate purpose. I just re-read it because I needed a boost to work when ill. Or when life gets in the way of art. It stays on my desk. I just reread it and yes, I've learned new things, because I have more experiences with understanding how resistance to art works, and how the brain works as resistance keeps a creative person stagnant.
For more understanding, see my review of Van Gogh Blues by Maisel. It tells it all.

[Hella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik heb dit boek gelezen in het kader van Vrouw en Kunst , al gaat het daar niet over, het gaat over de specifieke blokkades die bij iedereen kunnen optreden bij het creatieve proces.
Het is een boek dat je echt bij de hand neemt om een werk op te zetten en af te maken, met veel invullijstjes. Ik ben er nog niet over uit of ik dat voor Vrouw en Kunst ook wil.
Er staan goede tips en nadenkvragen in om deze blokkades de baas te worden, zoals:
• stop met lezen en ga NU een half uur creëren
• bedenk een mantra die jou inspireert
• begin met babystapjes: 1 zin, 1 verfstreek
• remt of stimuleert jouw persoonlijke geschiedenis je in het creatieve proces?
• heb je last van te veel ideeën?
• misschien ooit … als ik …
• maak eenzaamheid een veiligere plek
• leer jezelf om altijd aan het werk te zijn
• de prijs van een ongeleefd leven
• voel je je schuldig omdat je de tijd hebt om te creëren?
• probeer niet meer dan 2 dagen per week "vrij" te nemen
• vind criteria en woorden om te beoordelen of je werk "af" is

[Jessica Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone who creates. It breaks the process down into 6 stages and details how to overcome the various problems encountered at each stage. Eric Maisel provides encouragement and advice, and the book is full of useful exercises which will help you complete your masterpiece. An inspiring book that helps you work through your anxiety with courage and discipline. To read more about this great book, visit my blog: http://jessicadavidson.co.uk/2013/12/...

[Tom Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book on creativity!

[Kate Arms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fearless Creating is a powerhouse of a book. It looks at the phases of the creative process and how the specific forms of anxiety that are triggered in each phase, and then gives tools, techniques, and exercises for working despite fear and anxiety.

There is too much in this book for one reading. It is a book to read once and then go back to over and over again.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally loved this book. It divides the creative process into six steps, each of which has it's own psychological challenges. I also liked how his analysis of the creative the process applies to a variety of the arts, whether it be music, art, writing, etc.

[Ed Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book picked me at a garage sale. I put it aside for the future, thinking it might not be too bad.

Self help books on creativity are a weird topic, and they often degenerate into cheerleading. Which I suppose is fine for people who need somebody to tell them "you can do it", but have nobody handy. Another kind, usually written by a writer, concentrate exclusively on getting unblocked, something that happens to all types, but especially writers.
This is not really either type of book. It does cover a lot of not getting blocked talk, which is kind of boring if you aren't. What it specializes in are two things that some other books don't cover. One is a pretty good breakdown of different stages in the creative process, and discussing the anxieties attendant on each. The title is a little deceptive, as "fearless" does not mean without anxiety.

But as a result of the clarity in examining these components, this book could prove helpful to many painters, musicians, writers and other creative types, that are actually productive, as it also covers how some things of value can get lost at the different stages, and it made me more aware of some aspects of my creative process.

It does have some exercises that I refused to do, but may prove helpful to some people as well.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

My review is based on a partial reading. I'm not going to continue. I don't find the book inspiring. To me, it's a basic book on how to not procrastinate things you feel anxious about. It does not strike as anything that particularly applies to art. And I did not find anything in it that was inspiring. In fact I found it too dull to continue with. I bought it because I have enjoyed Maisel's column in an art magazine. But it was disappointing. It was done in a similar format to Julia Cameron's The Artist Way. But it's totally devoid of her extraordinary insight and inspiration.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really didn't like this book. I read it for a class. He just rubbed me the wrong way. Not sure why. Different kind of rubbed the wrong way than Sark. I think he made me grumpy because he thought he had the pipeline to getting around artist's block.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A workbook on dealing with anxieties that arise during the creative process. Some good lessons here. I didn't do the exercise, but this is a book that I'll keep for my entire life. I'm sure I'll turn to some of the lessons again and again.

[VeeDawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed, both at and with, Eric Maisel in this book. He values creativity so much and is so determined to inspire your creativity that some of his valuing rubs off, and you do feel more creative. I'm glad I read this book.

A favorite passage:
"It is entirely possible that my work stinks.'
'I may capture the radiance of light in only one out of ten of my paintings.'
'I will produce many ugly, stupid things.'
'My work can stink.'
Is that enough confessing? I doubt it. I think we could profitably spend hours and hours admitting that we are human."

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my “Bibles.”

[Silvio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential Books to Read before You start to burn bridges behind you.
Number_10/20

[Yaaresse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not even sure where I got this since it's not really the sort of thing I would buy. I just remember it felt like a cross between being lectured to and being held hostage in one of those corporate "team building" type meetings where people who would really just rather be back at their desks are forced to do something "fun" and "trust building" because the CEO read about it in a book somewhere. These types of books are weird anyway in that they seem to either be written by bloggers who are far too chirpy or by academics who think everything is doable if you just apply the right formula.

[Elizabeth]

I love the introduction to this book. He doesn't seem like a bullshit artist, but rather someone who's worked with a lot of artists. I've continued on. Trouble is, he is really convincing about stopping to do the exercises, but I am often holding a sleeping baby, or nursing, or snatching a little snack in the middle of the night when I can't sleep, and am more than the usual amount resistant to doing the exercises, which then makes me feel kind of badly. But hey, I'm reading!

[Debbie Hoskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of Eric Maisel's that I read. Although you will find other reviews of Maisel's books in my book list, I am making this one of my favorite books. It got me through my first art show step by step. I have found Maisel to be especially helpful with dealing with the frustrations and struggles involved in working on creativity. An athiest, he has helped me develop my spituality which is not athiestic. He is a thoughtful guide.

[Rebecca Schwarz · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my many "writing devotional" books. Lots of good thoughts about why we procrastinate and how to overcome that special fear of creating. Most of the exercises were not something I would do, but a couple are meaningful. Overall worth it.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, but I found more ways of breaking artistic blocks through Stephen King's ON Writing than this thing. Some of the practice exercises even seem juvenile. I just can't agree with all the 4 to 5 stars. Sorry.

[Traveler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I underlined, made copious notes and laminated the cover so it wouldn't fall apart.
Helps to read some of his other books. Found it a good mix of art, pullout quotes
and headings so it wasn't so laborious. Helped me stay on a creative path.

[Brandon Dalo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. Great concepts to help artists of all types get through the creative process successfully. Lower stars due to long passages that felt too long. But would recommend to other creative types for sure.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr Maisel was doing a nice email newsletter for a long time, dont know if he still does it. Good book if you need help getting going on that creating!

[Sarah Mariah]

Ha, ha - it says "finishing." That's one bold promise, but we'll give it a try....the book is actually in my posession....more later....

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

All books I have read by this author are extremely helpful, full of excellent ideas and practices. I often pull his books from my shelf to re-read again and again.

[Author G D Grace]

Another book that I'm excited about reading.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff - now, if only I could stop procrastinating and actually put it into practice.

[Colleen Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want some support from the beginning to the end of your creative project, this book is a great choice. Guides you from beginning to end with helpful exercises and constant encouragement.

[Tom Britz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A step by step approach to becoming more creative.