Your Creative Path Workbook: An Artist’s Guide to Goal Setting, Career Planning, and Creating Intentional Art

by Libby Copa

You live life on your terms. You want to step out of your comfort zone and find creative success. Easier said than done, right?

Engaging with the guided journaling exercises and questions in this workbook will help you to:

• Focus your intentions for your art practice
• Identify and overcome self-sabotaging beliefs
• Set goals that are both ambitious and realistic
• Grow your abundance in all areas of your artistic life
• Ground your art in social change

Your Creative Path is for the slam poets, the travel photographers, the experimental musicians, the digital nomads. This workbook is for the creatives. Whether your medium is avant-garde or old school, this workbook will push you to unlock your fullest potential. Grab this workbook and manifest the creative life of your dreams!

Genres: Nonfiction

63 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2021

About the author

Libby Copa is a writer, educator, and rebel. She is the author of both fiction and nonfiction books, and her short stories, poetry, and essays have appeared in publications across the country, including Hanging Loose, Sin Fronteras, Matter, Hobart and The Blue Mountain Review. You can visit her online at www.LibbyCopa.com.

Reviews

[Ricardo Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished "Your Creative Path: Workbook" by Libby Copa after reading it with the kindle unlimited subscription of my girlfriend.

Since I'm also a creator, I decided to give it a go to this book and see what kind of suggestions and good practices it could provide me, and after going totally through it, I can say that it delivers a lot!
Libby goes through different methods, motivations, good practices, it doesn't matter what kind of creative mind you are (painter, writer, illustrator, song writer, you name it), to produce a guide of steps to make you reach your goal. Going through all the steps, I found it quite enlightening.

I read it on my 10" tablet but I recommend you getting the paperback edition since you may fill a lot of gaps on the different exercises Libby gives and use them as brain storming workbook for the benefit of your creations.

Are you a creator? Then I totally recommend you the reading of this book.

[Karen Inkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ideas, information, encouragement!

I have always been toying with the idea of doing something creative when I retired but I just need guidence, advise and a good old kick up the backside to get myself motivated. I saw this book and was hoping it would give me a helping hand, a plan of attack and a path to follow.
Starting with a list of questions, it helped me focus on what I really wanted to do with my time and to establish if I was really committed to doing it or would give up at the first hurdle.
Throughout the book, a series of questions are given which get you thinking about your dream and how you will start your journey. But it also raises points that you may never have thought of, which then increase the ease of your journey. These can be returned and added to as you read through the book and understand more but they are the foundation to start building upon.
It gives you positive mind set, visual ideas to promote your dreams and how to set your goals and stick to your targets.

This book however is doing the craft more as a carer, maybe quiting your job and not as a hobby, pastime or just to do that one thing you've always dreamed about. A lot of the information given would not apply to me as I don't have any time restrictions, financial issues etc but if you are seriously considering following your dream, changing your career path and bringing your creative side to the forefront then this book gives you some helpful hints, tips and many things to take into consideration to become a sucessful artist. I particularly liked the Ideas of how to engage with different people in your community to prompt your work.
Overall, some sound, positive information for you to take that dream and make it reality.

[Maryellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This workbook has been such a gift 💗 as I embark on transitioning my writing life toward publication.

It is geared toward any creative soul, whether you sing, dance, paint, take photos, or write. Each section includes journal questions that encourage you to dig deep & tell yourself the truth. There are also affirmations, visualizations & suggested readings. Mine has turned into a scrapbook of thoughts, ideas, and inspirational ways to move forward with my goals. Everyone defines success differently & this is helping define my success.

A fantastic workbook to plan your creative career.

[Patrycja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a guide for all artists and creatives out there. There are questions that author wants the reader to answer. They help with setting goals, planning and creating. Topics included in the book are: manifestation, finances, education, art community, and more.
It’s a very helpful and motivating read.

I have won this ebook in GoodReads giveaway

[Kristina Parro · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome workbook for any creative, including topics like manifestation, finances, and goal setting! I love the format, prompts, and guidance Copa sprinkles throughout.

[sureshot · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are many books like this one. That being said, it really needs to stand out to be recommended. This particular book had some good and bad. It talks in length about the law of attraction. Many books do this, but I found this one more elucidating and easy to follow. It also talks about affirmations and gives helpful examples throughout the book.
The author describes several exercises. She does and exceptional goal of helping the reader with setting goals and visualization. You can get about all you need on those two things by reading the book. Other self help books, but not all of them, talk about these two things but don’t show how to use them.
This book does have a few significant problems. For one, the other brings up finances while being an artist. She seems to suggest playing the stock market, writing off supplies, and believing your work is worth money will be major solutions. If only it were so simple, but it is not. You probably don’t want to play the stock market without a lot of personal or formal education. Writing off supplies will help a little, but the amount is not even worth talking about. And believing your work is worth money probably won’t be nearly as hard as convincing others it’s worth money. Overall, the author netted zero help on the financial front or possibly negative.
Also, the author seems to suggest everyone can be successful at being creative. That’s simply not true. Some people have all the will in the world, are willing to take all the right steps, but simply lack artistic talent and should go try something else.
Overall, I couldn’t give this book a general recommendation. But I might recommend it to someone new to the artistic world, if I knew them and could tell them what parts of the book to ignore.

[Charity Tober · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your Creative Path Workbook by Libby Copa is a great self-help and motivational book for creatives of all types. You’ll need a pen and notebook to fully use the book as there are a lot of questions in each chapter that you’ll answer based on your own creative dreams and goals. The questions and your answers can give you insight into all aspects of your creative goals, so answering truthfully and honestly can really help you see where you are and where you want to be.

Each chapter starts with an inspirational quote from a famous person (from all throughout history) and ends with questions and affirmations to boost your confidence and motivation of your goals. The chapters are not super long, so you can read a little each day, and also you can skip around and read out of order if you want to hit the chapters you are most interested in first. The topics touch on setting achievable goals, manifesting dreams, financial considerations, using social media connections, and other things.

I found this workbook inspiring and I really like how it can apply to creatives of all types. If you’re a writer, painter, illustration, musical artist, or really anything along those lines, then this workbook is applicable. The content goes into all kinds of things that creatives struggle with - feeling not good enough, getting criticism from family and friends, people thinking you’re wasting your time, not making money, never feeling like you can ever take a day off from creating and so on. But then the author lays out how to change your way of thinking and find solutions for all of these negative aspects that can take away from the enjoyment of creative endeavors. Motivational read, highly recommended.

[Leslie Salamander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me and hopefully it can help you too. If you’re someone who is an acting and/or an aspiring artist, take heed of Your Creative Path Workbook. The author takes the time to lay out actionable advice that can help you to visualize future success and ways in which you can line yourself up to achieve that same future success. In particular, I loved the ideas of using different affirmations in order to create your own personal mantra. These are concepts that I’ve been introduced to in other works, but never really considered fully. One other thing that I enjoyed about this novel is the way in which it’s laid out. It is written in an inviting manner and doesn’t take up too much of your time. Other works fall victim to that problem. Instead, the author focuses more on giving you easy to follow advice and easy to follow instructions to help you grow as an artist. One part of the workbook that waned my interest a bit was the budgeting section. I understand its value, but it felt a little long-winded for my taste. The laws of attraction are not some fairy-tale thing that only famous actors and musicians talk about. It’s something that everyone can practice in an effort to reach their own forms of success. Your Creative Path Workbook can help in leveling your mind and achieving this.

[Melisa Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short and sweet book with great questions to ask yourself if you are a writer. I enjoyed several sections, including those about manifestation and visualizing your goals. Even the really big ones! It keeps your desires close and reminds you of them too. I also enjoyed the section where Copa talks about putting yourself in a good community. I've struggled with this in the past, and there were good questions to ask. For those struggling with living your artistic life to the fullest and how it relates to finances, this book offers a short chapter on the importance of budgeting and dreaming. I felt a few sections were a bit rushed, but I think it's because I wanted to know more about the author's journey. What drew her to write this book, and how she related to each topic she oversaw. Otherwise, it was an easy read with a lot of things that left me to ponder my life as a writer.

[Alejandro Gamen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little inspirational book

Disclaimer: I'm a writer and most of the things in here I kinda knew about or I don't need to work on, but for the artists just starting out, or struggling to find a goal, this may be just the right book for you. It's clear, to the point, not wasting time or words in bullsh*t, it asks the questions you need to answer yourself, the rest is work you need to put in. Kinda like an abridged version of the kind of talking-to a writing coach would give you.
I think it accomplishes what it sets out to do, just know it's for a specific kind of artist that needs to get their things in order, or people who want to start on their path.

[txncupcake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway. The author gives many insightful methods on how to set goals and plan for your creative career/hobby. The workbook forces you to think when answering a variety of questions regarding your creativity. Recommended readings and affirmations are included in each chapter.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This practical guide for potential creative entrepreneurs is an interactive journal and self-help reference. It covers everything from business to motivation. It is useful for a broad range of art careers including crafters and writers. I'll be keeping this book for future reference.

[Melissa Lassen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone that left the medical field after years of schooling to pursue ventures in real estate development/design and e-commerce, this book was right up my alley. I know the pressure that we all feel - pressure to go to college and get a good job. But guess what - millennials (speaking as one) often don’t even use their degrees in their professional lives. I’m glad I got my degrees and feel like college teaches you a lot about independence, being held accountable, and keeping promises to yourself, but it’s not the end all be all. Like you’re going to come out the other side knowing exactly how you want to spend the rest of your life. And when I told my family and friends that I was leaving my profession (after getting 2 degrees and working in it for a few years), in search of something that would actually make me feel passionate and fulfilled again….I wasn’t met with much support. And it’s taken me a while and a lot of soul-searching to figure out why I even care that some aren’t supportive. I'm finally at a place where my journey is more important to me than someone else’s opinion. Life isn’t one size fits all, and once you realize that - it’s quite freeing. Success is whatever YOU want it to be.

Love the discussion about the Law of Attraction, and also the exploration that just BELIEVING in something and willing it to be true doesn’t mean that it’ll happen. It takes hard work. I’ve never worked harder and longer hours than I do now. But I don’t mind it because I make my hours, my rules, my schedule. It’s up to me whether my business succeeds or fails. I also enjoyed the affirmations this author used and the idea of a gratitude journal.

I also really liked their “Big Vision” chapter because this is something I often think about. What legacy am I leaving behind? How can I make my work more meaningful and impact the lives of more individuals? At a certain point, your mission is beyond yourself. But figuring out how to enact a broader vision can be challenging.

I don’t specifically make art myself, but a very broad form of it. The author’s ideas about defining success within yourself, and then setting yourself up for success (even financially) are all spot on. There’s so much more to the life of an entrepreneur than just doing their work.

10/10 would recommend this to anyone looking for help finding a direction in life.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a self-published independent author—one of the ‘late-night writers’ for whom author Libby Copa is writing here, although actors, artists, musicians and other creators in the arts are also included—I’m always on the lookout for ways in which I might increase my target audience and grow my readership, not to mention my bank balance. Your Creative Path Workbook caught my eye as potentially having something to offer in that area, so I gave it a whirl.

It's a well-organised text, stressing the steps to be taken by those who wish to create their own path to success—not forgetting to sit down and work out what exactly success constitutes for them. We all have our own individual journeys to make, and what works for one artist may not work for another—this is also underlined, along with the fact that the measures given here may not need to be used in the order in which they are given. It would be useful though to first address the list of reasons for why we do what we do, to help us focus on what comes after: the Law of Attraction, Manifestation of our dreams, use of vision boards and gratitude journals, to name but a few. Focus on what we desire is important, as is overcoming fear and setting goals. Not just any old goals, but SMART goals, and the author sets out in depth how to work these out.

The difficult question of how to achieve financial success through our art is covered, and the honing of skills to this end. There’s advice on how to find the correct target audience, and—something which is often missed—how to building a community of other artists, in the same or a different sphere(s), with the aim of mutual support. What you want to say, and how you want to say it—arguably the most important question any artist can ask themselves—is kept to the end. However, as the chapters of this text can be taken in any order, it’s up to the reader which order they read them in.

Overall a useful and thought-provoking text for creative individuals in all disciplines and genres.

[Megan Bushree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your Creative Path Workbook: An Artist’s Guide to Goal Setting, Career Planning, and Creating Intentional Art is brief but filled to the brim with helpful guidance for anyone who wants to take their art seriously. This is the first ‘workbook’ I’ve come across but have read similar books detailing the value of creative work and I was pleased with the results. There are questions author Libby Copa asks for the reader. The purpose of these questions is to better understand how to use the creative endeavors that are our genuine passions and cultivate them in a way that best serves us. I took out a notebook and answered these questions. In practice, these were perfect questions. They were practical, and those questions allowed me to truly understand what I wanted while being assured that it was acceptable to want these things. Once you read the book and answer those questions, you will certainly understand what I mean.
Each chapter focuses on aspects of achieving these goals and includes wonderful quotes from great creatives in history. The first few chapters deal with vision boards, affirmations, and the Law of Attraction, which were concepts I’ve learned from Oprah (who is referenced), but these things may not work for everyone. Where I think this book really soars is when Copa writes about obtaining the proper skills and education for your chosen art, financial management, the importance of social media, supporting the arts community and activism. Not everyone thinks about how social media is the necessary evil (my words not hers) to build a community, or how supporting other artists is just as, if not more, important than worrying about your own. This was a fascinating read with useful tools for every artist, or secret creative who’s too nervous to take the leap. Copa knows what she’s talking about and I highly recommend this workbook

[Lyndi Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your Creative Path Workbook: An Artist’s Guide to Goal Setting, Career Planning and Creating Intentional Art by Libby Copa accomplishes its purpose to encourage artists to take control of their path and achieve their dreams. I’m already enjoying some benefits from beginning to work through it. The author correctly suggests that everyone has a unique journey and she provides prompts, affirmations and further reading to help artists design their ideal artist life using techniques from the Law of Attraction teachings.

Already in process with designing my artist’s life as an author and facilitator, I appreciated the reminder to state my affirmations and picked up a few new ones to speak to myself. I’m currently exploring the lives of several authors whose careers I appreciate and from whom I think I can learn and also writing a few affirmations of my own that are specific to my journey.

This workbook was a timely read and resource. I expect it will inspire new insights and inspirations as I write on more of the prompts and I’ll make lasting changes. I recommend it to other artists who would like to be nudged, affirmed and encouraged as they focus on setting out their unique path.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful

This is a pro active guide to achieving your goals and manifesting success as an artist, whether that is in the form of drawing, writing, dancing or something else. It is designed to help you unleash your creativity, and look within to see where your own improvements can be made.

I liked the workbook. The questions inside were designed to make you think about what you want, and also how you can achieve your goals. Parts of it ask you to look at others who you look up to and think are successful, then without comparing yourself to them, consider what makes them successful, and ask yourself why you aspire to be like them.

I especially enjoyed chapter three “Fear and Release” which talks about the challenges of self doubt creative people often face, and ways in which to overcome them, and I found the goal setting chapter to be useful too. I liked how the book is sprinkled with positive affirmations for the reader to recite, to remind us of the positives.

All in all I found this to be an insightful read.

[Cathy Lynn Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently completed The Rebel Writer’s Workbook and found it inspiring so I decided to try Your Creative Path Workbook and was not disappointed. I’m a big believer in the laws of attraction and manifesting your goals, so this workshop was right up my alley. I enjoyed the lessons and “work” that the author presents. It is for all creative people including authors, musicians, playwrights, and all artists.

It encourages us to set goals and use positive affirmations and let go of our fears so we can achieve our dreams. The author asks realistic questions and explains why gratitude is essential for achieving success in all endeavours. If we want abundance in our lives we must be thankful for everything we have. Then more good things will come into our lives and we can gain everything we desire.

Working through these lessons made me stop and really think about what I want in my life and how to achieve it.

[Book Muncher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must have for anyone with creative goals. It's for artists, singers, dancers, authors, and anyone who creates art in some form. This isn't just book to read and forget about next week. It’s a workbook, and while this wasn't a physical copy, it's easy to simply write on paper or use something like a notes app on your phone.

It asks all sorts of questions like yours goals, what you are doing to get there, etc. It gets more defined in the chapters so you can particularly focus on area of your life that may need improvement or special focus.

I especially liked the explanation of the law of attraction and how it works. Some books don't explain it very well or use a bunch of gimmicky language. This was all straight forward, everything else was broken up into easy chunks to manage so you don't feel bombarded by it all. I found the affirmations to be helpful too.

[Aubrey Cleeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

This handy little notebook is aimed at artists of all kind, finding within them the similarities and the struggles, and then applying some useful advice and tips. I liked how the book deals with a wide range of topics in a succinct manner, with advice on setting and reaching goals, aiming for financial security and reward, as well as wider tips around social media and finding your audience. The author delivers this information in a friendly and professional way, not coming across as domineering or bosy, but genuine and helpful, and I got the feeling she has her readers best interests to heart. I will take away from this book a handful of advice which I really found useful and will help better some of my ideas and traits surrounding my craft.