InkStained: On Creativity, Writing, and Art

by John Urbancik

John Urbancik has written an exploration of our personal creativity that intends to inspire, encourage, and challenge.Part autobiography, part conversation, part field guide to creativity, part treatise on writing, filled with exercises and explorations, InkStained, from the InkStains project and podcast of John Urbancik, is at times humorous, at times brutal, and always honest.“InkStained is a brilliant and fascinating exploration of the range of creative expression. In a series of stories of all kinds, John Urbancik takes us on a wonderful journey. Dark, disturbing, uplifting, and very well done.”- Jonathan Mayberry, New York Times Bestelling author of V-Wars and Rage. “It’s as if Urbancik graciously cracked open his skull, handed over the scalpel and told us to have at ’er.”- Rick Hipson, Rue Morgue Magzine“Not only is John Urbancik giving sound advice about writing and inspiration, he’s adding so many personal anecdotes and stories about his own journey...and this is where this book shines. An invaluable addition to your book collection.”- Armand Rosamilia, author of Dirty Deeds ”The InkStains podcast was the definitive lecture series on how to motivate and hone your create skills.InkStained is the accompanying textbook.”- Thomas R Clark, Podcaster and Author

319 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2019

About the author

Writer of ghost stories and fairy tales. Born on a small island in the northeast United States called Manhattan, John went on to live in places like Orlando, Richmond, Sydney, and Madrid. He's circled the US in a car, and he recently started learning to play the bass.

But he may be best known for InkStains, the year-long project in which he wrote a story a day every day by hand with a fountain pen. This led to a podcast and then a nonfiction book (InkStained: On Creativity, Writing, and Art).

As of this writing, he's isolated somewhere in Florida working on the end of the DarkWalker series, a vampire novel, and Gothic romance.

Reviews

[Armand Rosamilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is John Urbancik giving sound advice about writing and inspiration, he’s adding so many personal anecdotes and stories about his own journey...and this is where this book shines. An invaluable addition to your book collection

[Tom A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for any creator.

This is an inspiring, hopeful, and practical guide to the brutal process of writing. Urbancik comes across as a modern-day martyr of writing, testing the limits of the creative mind everyday (!) through all of life's problems and challenges. There have been many books on writing in the past by King, Morrell, and Laymon; add this to the list.

[Jonathan Gensler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top shelf discussions concerning the artistic life. Urbancik's heartfelt words immediately jump to the top of my favorite books on craft, alongside King's On Writing and Bickham's Scene and Structure. It is at once heartfelt and encouraging, while telling a subtle tale all its own.

Read, peruse, contemplate, then go do your thing. Create.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Repurposed from his podcast using scripts and transcripts as the source, these 140 or so essays are as expansive as a spiral galaxy. A fascinating tour of his process. Plenty of techniques and exercises to try. He throws down some tough challenges, too.

[Erin Louis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you find a book that seems to speak to you. Like the author happened to write it just for you to read at the exact moment you picked it up. This book was that for me, and I suspect will be to many others.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A likeable book. I would recommend if you are interested in the lives of creative people, writers in particular, as John Urbancik is good company here. If you are looking for insight into the nuts and bolts of writing, I don’t think you will find what you are looking for here. In structure this is much like many of the books I read in the 90s on creativity and inspiring the artist within, etc. and there are no earthshattering insights to be found here. The best pratical advice comes early on, the process of writing the Ink Stains themselves, basically first draft short stories or vignettes done in a single day, every day, for a set period of time. Much like the daily notes in another book like this, basically freeing your mind up to create. Beyond that, the book is interesting as a memoir or biography of where John is at in his writing life, and I find his voice here pleasant company, but the best writing advice is to put down this book, and write.

[Horror DNA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books about the craft of writing are everywhere. There are probably thousands of them, and some are more helpful than others. InkStained: On Creativity, Writing, and Art is the new book by dark fantasy and horror writer John Urbancik. The title of the book comes from his self-created challenge to write a story every day for 365 days of the year, but this book is actually an updated transcript of a podcast the author did concurrently with his challenge.

You can read R.J.'s full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[J. Henry Gilchrist · Rating 5 out of 5]

 Adapted from his podcast, John Urbancik's book InkStained is what any person looking to be more creative needs. Whether you are a novice or a professional creator, John is the mentor and advocate you may not have been looking for, but will be glad you found.

  His advice is practical, honest and forgiving.
He explores the intersection of inspiration and motivation through decades of personal experience.  John Urbancik dispenses guidance aimed at stimulating and culitivating creativity in the form of diverse challenges that are easily adaptable to any form of art.

  InkStained is the most complete exploration of creativity and the creative process I have come across.