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The Fire Inside: A Companion for the Creative Life (2)
Wherever you are in your creative life---just tiptoeing in or fully immersed, The Fire Inside can be a source of encouragement and inspiration.
Rodin said that "The main thing is to be moved, to love, to tremble, to live." In other words, to be fully engaged in life and the creativity that exists within.
The Fire Inside, through a well-researched collection of essays and heart-opening personal stories, invites readers to uncover their unique talents and live out their individual dreams.
Within each one of us are vast untapped reservoirs of creativity, and when we connect with that potential, our lives will open in wonderful and joy-filled ways.
Few books on creativity are so inclusive, so welcoming as this book, offering insight not only for furthering one's abilities in the traditional arts, but also in the day to day creativity which so enriches our lives. Based on the authors' combined fifty-five years of teaching and presenting workshops on writing and creativity, The Fire Inside is written in a spirit of warmth and generosity. It invites the reader to say yes to creativity, choose to live a bigger life, and discover how "the magic" happens.
These writers have great authority and expertise on this topic. They write ideas that are fresh and new with profound potential for empowering readers as well as writers, connecting them with their honest, authentic peers." - Mary Pipher, author of The Green Boat: Reviving Ourselves in Our Capsized Culture and Writing to Change the World
Rodin said that "The main thing is to be moved, to love, to tremble, to live." In other words, to be fully engaged in life and the creativity that exists within.
The Fire Inside, through a well-researched collection of essays and heart-opening personal stories, invites readers to uncover their unique talents and live out their individual dreams.
Within each one of us are vast untapped reservoirs of creativity, and when we connect with that potential, our lives will open in wonderful and joy-filled ways.
Few books on creativity are so inclusive, so welcoming as this book, offering insight not only for furthering one's abilities in the traditional arts, but also in the day to day creativity which so enriches our lives. Based on the authors' combined fifty-five years of teaching and presenting workshops on writing and creativity, The Fire Inside is written in a spirit of warmth and generosity. It invites the reader to say yes to creativity, choose to live a bigger life, and discover how "the magic" happens.
These writers have great authority and expertise on this topic. They write ideas that are fresh and new with profound potential for empowering readers as well as writers, connecting them with their honest, authentic peers." - Mary Pipher, author of The Green Boat: Reviving Ourselves in Our Capsized Culture and Writing to Change the World
- GenresWritingNonfiction
328 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2021
9 people are currently reading
2799 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 29, 2021
"Lets go overboard with the contentment of spending long hours doing what we love. This is wealth beyond any other"
The Fire Inside is a collection of essays and stories with exercises and activities for creativity at the end of each chapter. This book is a beautiful reminder that our art (in whatever form it may be) does not have to be perfect and that the creative process itself is where the magic is. It touches on our fears and insecurities and explores other things that may stop us from pursuing our passions.
The Fire Inside is full of tips, techniques, quotes and ideas for uncovering our creativity. Some of these I was familiar with and others were new to me. I definitely picked this book up at the right time, as I've been in a creative slump for months now. Although some stories resonated more than others, I felt inspired and encouraged after reading this. I absolutely recommend this book for self discovery and creative inspiration.
Many thanks to Netgalley and BQB Publishing for this ARC. Pub date is June 1st, 2021!
The Fire Inside is a collection of essays and stories with exercises and activities for creativity at the end of each chapter. This book is a beautiful reminder that our art (in whatever form it may be) does not have to be perfect and that the creative process itself is where the magic is. It touches on our fears and insecurities and explores other things that may stop us from pursuing our passions.
The Fire Inside is full of tips, techniques, quotes and ideas for uncovering our creativity. Some of these I was familiar with and others were new to me. I definitely picked this book up at the right time, as I've been in a creative slump for months now. Although some stories resonated more than others, I felt inspired and encouraged after reading this. I absolutely recommend this book for self discovery and creative inspiration.
Many thanks to Netgalley and BQB Publishing for this ARC. Pub date is June 1st, 2021!
October 19, 2021
A wonderful book with stories of a wide range of creative people and what creativity means to them.
It is one of those books you'll put down beside your bed to read a story every day. And that is exactly what I did!
It is one of those books you'll put down beside your bed to read a story every day. And that is exactly what I did!
May 3, 2022
We could all use a spark to ignite that fire inside
Reading the fire inside by Lucy Adkins and Becky Breed made me feel like I was back in high school and college again -- and in a wonderfully good way! Adkins and Breed trigger curiosity and stoke the fire of creativity within us with quotes, essays, and stories by people who themselves have found a wide range of inspiration and imagination. While there were parts of every chapter that I connected to, Chapter 12: JUST DO IT made me feel a way I vividly remember in 5th grade when my teacher passed out written theme papers and there was an A+ on mine. I'd written about a passion of mine, horses, and Mrs. Schafer scribbled under the grade that she would not be surprised if someday I became a writer. That was the 1st time in my life someone suggested that. While it took me many years to become an official author, I always enjoyed reading and secretly dreamed of writing a book. So fire yourself up! Creativity comes in all different varieties. Whatever your passion, turn that spark into the very essence of your being. You'll be glad you did!
Reading the fire inside by Lucy Adkins and Becky Breed made me feel like I was back in high school and college again -- and in a wonderfully good way! Adkins and Breed trigger curiosity and stoke the fire of creativity within us with quotes, essays, and stories by people who themselves have found a wide range of inspiration and imagination. While there were parts of every chapter that I connected to, Chapter 12: JUST DO IT made me feel a way I vividly remember in 5th grade when my teacher passed out written theme papers and there was an A+ on mine. I'd written about a passion of mine, horses, and Mrs. Schafer scribbled under the grade that she would not be surprised if someday I became a writer. That was the 1st time in my life someone suggested that. While it took me many years to become an official author, I always enjoyed reading and secretly dreamed of writing a book. So fire yourself up! Creativity comes in all different varieties. Whatever your passion, turn that spark into the very essence of your being. You'll be glad you did!
August 9, 2022
The Fire Inside: A Companion for the Creative Life
In the Introduction to The Fire Inside the authors explain that they want their book to “be a companion on your creative journey, to encourage and inspire you, and provide a gentle prodding to help you continue the creative work you love.”
I read it on a Kindle and started off bookmarking pages that I thought had gems that I would like to return to, but I soon realized I was bookmarking almost every page.
This is an incredibly well-researched and well-written book. There is no fluff or padding – it is dense with substance - the Grape Nuts cereal version of a self-help book. (There is a section on metaphor and as a metaphor-deficient writer the text inspired me to try one; this one probably doesn’t work if you are not familiar with Grape Nuts, but I tried.)
This is definitely a five star work and I would have given them an extra star if I could for quoting one of my favorite artists – Steve Earle.
In the Introduction to The Fire Inside the authors explain that they want their book to “be a companion on your creative journey, to encourage and inspire you, and provide a gentle prodding to help you continue the creative work you love.”
I read it on a Kindle and started off bookmarking pages that I thought had gems that I would like to return to, but I soon realized I was bookmarking almost every page.
This is an incredibly well-researched and well-written book. There is no fluff or padding – it is dense with substance - the Grape Nuts cereal version of a self-help book. (There is a section on metaphor and as a metaphor-deficient writer the text inspired me to try one; this one probably doesn’t work if you are not familiar with Grape Nuts, but I tried.)
This is definitely a five star work and I would have given them an extra star if I could for quoting one of my favorite artists – Steve Earle.
November 13, 2024
I was stuck in a rut, desperate to get moving down the creative path again. Discovering this book was the spark I needed. Full of essays and thoughts on the creative life, it was just what my dusty and parched soul needed. It talked about how it's never too late to start, and not living with the regret of lost years. Both things I had been struggling with in the recent past. This book was a perfect antidote to the letdown after a lifetime journey to write and publish my first novel. I powered through it in just a few days and plan to revisit the short chapters with regularity. After rushing through in a flood, I want these important lessons to soak in and fuel the rest of my creative life. If you're looking for a spark of inspiration, I highly recommend.
May 4, 2021
A pleasant and helpful book diving into the abstract ways to be creative. Though some messages seemed to have dragged on for some time, this book has a wide range of helpful tips and stories to connect to—a way for almost anyone to connect with their artsy/creative side they may have forgotten as they’ve gotten older.
I enjoyed some of the stories and insights on how you can exercise your mind to be that much more creative. I know I’ve lost quite a bit of imagination since childhood as the author also mentions in the book. Anyone needing another perspective on creativity and how art impacts the human life, I highly recommend this book would be it.
I enjoyed some of the stories and insights on how you can exercise your mind to be that much more creative. I know I’ve lost quite a bit of imagination since childhood as the author also mentions in the book. Anyone needing another perspective on creativity and how art impacts the human life, I highly recommend this book would be it.
June 12, 2021
Reading this book is like having a group of creative friends get together and chat.
The conversation flows, escalates, crescendos, ebbs, and continues to move along.
So many wonderful references and examples and quotations add to the enjoyment and appreciation for this book.
It is a valuable and enjoyable resource for any creative endeavor, writing (all formats) or visual arts, movement arts, music and more. Having just lived through a year when many in person creative events were canceled, this book helped fill the void.
I can see myself reading various portions of it again and again.
The conversation flows, escalates, crescendos, ebbs, and continues to move along.
So many wonderful references and examples and quotations add to the enjoyment and appreciation for this book.
It is a valuable and enjoyable resource for any creative endeavor, writing (all formats) or visual arts, movement arts, music and more. Having just lived through a year when many in person creative events were canceled, this book helped fill the void.
I can see myself reading various portions of it again and again.
June 3, 2021
Whether you're looking to rekindle your creative spark while in a slump, or reconnect with the creativity that may have fallen by the wayside as you got older, this book is for you. With quotes, essays, and exercises, there's a bit of everything, all meant to bring your imagination to life, no matter what form your art may take. I enjoyed reading through this, and I definitely feel a bit more connected to my creative side again. While I didn't connect to each of the stories, overall I found it to be an inspiring and helpful read.
June 20, 2021
I liked this. The authors have a friendly writing tone and includes lots of good ideas and quotes about creativity. This is mostly for people that don't think they're creative or have lost confidence in their creativity or just need some add'l motivation to be creative. This won't meet everyone's needs and will not instantly make you a creative genius. But it is one tool of many that could be helpful. I'd also recommend Eliz Gilbert's Big Magic on this topic.
I really appreciate the review copy!!
I really appreciate the review copy!!
March 13, 2022
With crisp prose and compelling anecdotes, Lucy Adkins and Becky Breed make a convincing case for the importance of nurturing our creativity in today's world. I read The Fire Inside at a time when my own creative fire was burning low, and this inspiring, clear-eyed book was the gust of fresh air I needed to reignite the flame. Carefully-selected and thought-provoking quotes from a cast as diverse as Emily Dickenson and Cheryl Strayed are the icing on the cake of this delicious and satisfying book.
June 27, 2021
Small essays that are really neat. Advice and things to consider with 'find your journey' questions to answer. Overall a decent book.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews