Book Review: The Elements of Creativity

I usually post my weekly ramblings on Thursday, but I wanted to get this one out today because this is the release date for this new book.

I’ve known Nikki for a number of years, and her work is always inspiring. She’s one of those people who can find a positive side to just about any situation - not unrealistically so, but in a way that helps you get through to the other side. So when she offered me a pre-publication review copy of her latest book, I was happy to read it and share my thoughts with you all.

If I had to sum up this book in a single sentence, I’d call it “book midwife in a bottle.” For those of us who can’t afford a writing coach or who are intimidated by the idea, this book is a valuable tool.

It’s an enjoyable read full of creative ideas that are absolutely practical for getting the job done - the job being writing your own book. The Elements of Creativity could probably also serve as the inspiration for other kinds of creative projects, but it’s aimed specifically at writers and will work best for birthing “book babies.”

As you might guess from the title, the book uses the modern Neopagan version of the classical element system (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit) as a framework to organize the information and provide steps along the path of creation. But you don’t have to be Pagan to use the book; it will work for anyone who’s open to the magic of their own creativity.

I’ll be the first to admit that I get a little annoyed at the heavy cheerleading in a lot of self-help books. In this book, Nikki manages to provide motivation without being overwhelmingly Pollyanna about it - she’s been through the wringer herself and understands that it’s not all rainbows and unicorn farts. That’s refreshing.

Acknowledging the struggle is important. A great many of the issues writers face are personal, inner work kinds of problems. Nikki recognizes that and provides methods and resources to work through those issues so that in the end, you become not just a better writer but also a more whole and healed human being.

The aspect of Elements that I enjoyed the most is that the how-to part of the book is woven together with storytelling, both fictional and real-life. The characters in the fictional stories are working through their own challenges, in writing and in life. And the anecdotes that the author shares from her own life, her personal struggles and triumphs, ground her advice in the lived reality of a writer who has made it through the storm. The stories change the pace nicely and liven up the nuts-and-bolts parts of the book.

So if you’re finding writing to be a challenge, or if you’d like to write a book but don’t even know how to begin, I recommend The Elements of Creativity. It can take you on a worthwhile, fulfilling journey.