Read. Write. Reflect.: Inspiration for Creative Minds

by Monica Saigal Bhide, Therese Walsh (Foreword)

“How do I write the great book that’s inside me, dying to get out?” This is a question that Monica Bhide has been asked thousands of times when speaking everywhere from the Smithsonian to leading blogging conferences to Les Dames d’Escoffier, from London to Dubai to Washington, DC. There’s no boilerplate or blueprint for being a successful creative artist. But Ms. Bhide, through her decade of writing and teaching, has formulated easy-to-follow principles to help you unleash your creativity, whether it be writing a book, painting a canvas, or composing a musical opus. Read. Write. Reflect. will show you how to face your fears, shoot down your demons, get yourself started, and follow through with persistence until you complete your creative project. Be still. Believe. Persevere. Ms. Bhide uses stories and anecdotes as reflecting ponds to elucidate these basic actions that will set you on YOUR path to creativity. She guides you to the place where YOU make the commitment to apply these ideas daily to get your work out into the world. Read. Write. Reflect. is a guide to, in Ms. Bhide’s words, “being led by your dreams, not your demons.” You can’t wait for inspiration. Don’t hang around expecting your muse to show up. Don’t sit and hope for someone to discover you. Use the tools in this book to understand yourself and your motivations, to reflect, and then work and persevere to become a creative artist who produces art that is straight from the heart.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

211 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 10, 2018

About the author

Monica Saigal Bhide is an internationally renowned writer known for sharing food, culture, love, and life with a lyrical voice and universal appeal. She has built a diverse and solid audience through the publication of three cookbooks and a collection of short stories, her website, MonicaBhide.com, and articles in top-tier media, including Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Saveur, The Washington Post, Health, the New York Times, Ladies Home Journal, AARP The Magazine, Parents, and many others. Her books have been published by Simon & Schuster and Random House(India). The Chicago Tribune named Bhide one of the seven food writers to watch in 2012. In April 2012, Mashable.com picked her as one of the top ten food writers on Twitter. Her work has garnered numerous accolades and has been included in four Best Food Writing anthologies (2005, 2009, 2010, 2014). Monica released her debut short story collection, The Devil in Us, in October 2014. Monica is a frequent presence on NPR, and serves as a speaker and teacher for organizations such as Georgetown University, the Association of Food Journalists (AFJ), London Food Blogger’s Connect, and the Smithsonian Institution. Her sixth book, A Life of Spice, released on April 27th, 2015

Reviews

[Kristin Boldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, inspirational daily guide to living the creative life intentionally.

[Ilana · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no such thing as enough inspirational books for writers. As writing is a process which involves constant changes and practice, one may need different kind of inspiration corresponding to the current stage of professional development. There are also different aspects covered by writing in general, as nowadays it does not mean exclusively producing literature or non-fiction tomes. It means also writing for a newspaper or for a blog. For me, as long as you keep yourself busy with words on a daily basis, you are a writer.
Read.Write.Reflect, the 10th book by the very talented Monica Bhide is another important contribution to the list of references for writers, regardless the domain covered. Monica herself has a complex experience in various fields, from poetry to cookbooks and interviews with other inspiring women like her or works of fiction. The diversity of writing experiences give her authority to share her lessons learned and also inspire people looking for the right sources of inspiration and support. Most ideas were developed through a program - Powered by Hope - initiated through her website.

But what can you find in this book with a beautiful cover created by the artist of images Simi Jois? I personally liked that after each topic approached, you have to answer a question and eventually develop a new theme. It is an instant brain storming which leads to a different level of creativity. Each chapter is concise, mostly created around a personal story or moment of inspiration Monica experienced herself. Such an approach gives authenticity and connects with the readers on a more direct personal level. Last but not least, at the end of each section there is a list of recommended readings or resources - including podcasts - which may diversify the creative shift.

Read.Write.Reflect by Monica Bhide is a work worth the experience of a complex writer that reached a professional level allowing her to share her experiences and inspire other people in search of fulfilling their creativity. Recommended to any writer with a curious mind and keen to improve the quality of his or her work and reach a new creative level.

Disclaimer: Book offered by the author in exchange for an honest review

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each chapter has a brief inspirational story, questions to get the reader thinking, space to write in a specific step the reader can take to improve their creativity based on the concept of the chapter, and a selection of resources such as books, web sites, and podcasts that will help reinforce the topics of the chapter. Ideally it could be read one chapter a day or even one chapter a week so that there's time to really absorb the suggestions and learn new habits.

Although I read through the book quickly so that I could write the review, I still found it inspirational and have added a number of new books to my reading list. I will absolutely be going back to the book to use it in a slower and more thoughtful way because I believe it has excellent tips to help build creativity and focus on creative works.

Obviously not every suggested idea will work for everyone. For instance several of her suggestions and stories had a sports theme, and I hate sports so watching sports movies will serve only to help me nap. But there were always points in the chapters that I think can help me grow.

I thought the book was intended specifically for writers, but after reading it I think it would be helpful to anyone who wants to engage in creative activities whether professionally or as a hobby. Whether it's cooking, visual arts, writing, singing, starting a business or anything else requiring creative drive I think the book would be a useful tool. Especially for those feeling burnt out or who like to procrastinate.

I received this book free from Goodreads giveaways, but that does not impact my review in any way.

[Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is for writers and readers who want to flourish and be the best version of their creative selves. The book has bite-sized, easy-to-read essays packed with powerful prompts for writing, creating and living. I can open the book on any page any day and always find something helpful for my writings or simply to keep inspired.

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and it really has helped me to get out of my head and create.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. The stories are very interesting and thought provoking.

[Kimberly]

Great inspiration for creatives!

I admit I took my time reading this. Each short inspiration needs to be absorbed before you move on to the next one. Monica does an amazing job inspiring creatives and helping them to find hope, keep going and inspire the next generation. I highly recommend this book.