The Best Books About And For Creativity
“What are the best books About And For Creativity?” We looked at 211 of the top books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
The top 22 titles, all on 3 or more “Best Creativity” book lists are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 175+ books, as well as the lists we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.
Happy Scrolling!
Top 22 Creativity Books
22 .) Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (And Reward) of Artmaking by David Bayles & Ted Orland
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Positive Writer
- ChaseJarvis
What is your art really about? Where is it going? What stands in the way of getting it there? These are questions that matter, questions that recur at each stage of artistic development – and they are the source for this volume of wonderfully incisive commentary.
21 .) Art Before Breakfast: A Zillion Ways to be More Creative No Matter How Busy You Are by Danny Gregory
Lists It Appears On:
- Canva
- Multipotens
- Positive Writer
Packed with the signature can-do attitude that makes beloved artist Danny Gregory a creativity guru to thousands across the globe, this unique guide serves up a hearty helping of inspiration. For aspiring artists who want to draw and paint but just can’t seem to find time in the day, Gregory offers 5– to 10–minute exercises for every skill level that fit into any schedule—whether on a plane, in a meeting, or at the breakfast table—along with practical instruction on techniques and materials, plus strategies for making work that’s exciting, unintimidating, and fulfilling. Filled with Gregory’s encouraging words and motivating illustrations, Art Before Breakfast teaches readers how to develop a creative habit and lead a richer life through making art.
20 .) Damn Good Advice (For People with Talent!): How To Unleash Your Creative Potential by George Lois
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Canva
- Multipotens
Organised into inspirational, bite-sized pointers, each page offers fresh insight into the sources of success, from identifying your heroes to identifying yourself. The ideas, images and illustrations presented in this book are fresh, witty and in-your-face. Whether it’s communicating your point in nanosecond, creating an explosive portfolio or making your presence felt, no one is better placed than George Lois to teach you the process of creativity.
19 .) Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon
Lists It Appears On:
- Huffpost
- Canva
- Multipotens
A guide to self-promotion explains how to become more known by letting other artists glean inspiration from one’s original work, sharing illustrations, quotes and stories that demonstrate key strategies in generosity-based self-promotion.
18 .) The Little Spark — 30 Ways to Ignite Your Creativity by Carrie Bloomston
Lists It Appears On:
- Canva
- Huffpost
- Positive Writer
You were born with a creative spark inside. Do you look at yourself now and wonder if the spark has gone out? Ignite that inner fire with the 30 engaging exercises, fun activities, inspirational images, and motivating ideas in this book. Learn what your Little Spark of creative passion looks like, how to capture it, and how to make room for it in your life. Read the book cover-to-cover and use it as a month-long creative roadmap, or just dip into the exercises as your time and inclination allow. Either way, you will change your life.
17 .) Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
Lists It Appears On:
- Canva
- James Clear
- Multipotens
- Positive Writer
Kafka is one of 161 inspired—and inspiring—minds, among them, novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians, who describe how they subtly maneuver the many (self-inflicted) obstacles and (self-imposed) daily rituals to get done the work they love to do, whether by waking early or staying up late; whether by self-medicating with doughnuts or bathing, drinking vast quantities of coffee, or taking long daily walks.
16 .) Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Lists It Appears On:
- AdAge
- BuzzFeed
- Canva
- Goodreads
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s famous investigations of “optimal experience” have revealed that what makes an experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow. During flow, people typically experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life. In this new edition of his groundbreaking classic work, Csikszentmihalyi demonstrates the ways this positive state can be controlled, not just left to chance. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience teaches how, by ordering the information that enters our consciousness, we can discover true happiness and greatly improve the quality of our lives.
15 .) Ignore Everybody: And 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod
Lists It Appears On:
- Shout Me Loud
- Goodreads
- James Clear
- Multipotens
When Hugh MacLeod was a struggling young copywriter living in a YMCA, he started to doodle on the backs of business cards while sitting at a bar. Those cartoons eventually led to a popular blog-gapingvoid.com-and a reputation for pithy insight and humor, in both words and pictures. MacLeod has opinions on everything from marketing to the meaning of life, but one of his main subjects is creativity. How do new ideas emerge in a cynical, risk-averse world? Where does inspiration come from? What does it take to make a living as a creative person? Ignore Everybody expands on MacLeod’s sharpest insights, wittiest cartoons, and most useful advice.
14 .) It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be by Paul Arden
Lists It Appears On:
- AdAge
- BuzzFeed
- Shout Me Loud
- Multipotens
It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be is a handbook of how to succeed in the world – a pocket ‘bible’ for the talented and timid to make the unthinkable thinkable and the impossible possible. The world’s top advertising guru, Paul Arden, offers up his wisdom on issues as diverse as problem solving, responding to a brief, communicating, playing your cards right, making mistakes and creativity, all notions that can be applied to aspects of modern life. This book provides a unique insight into the world of advertising and is a quirky compilation of quotes, facts, pictures, wit and wisdom, packed into easy-to-digest, bite-sized spreads. If you want to succeed in life or business, this is a must!
13 .) Manage Your Day-to-Day by Jocelyn K. Glei
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Canva
- Positive Writer
- Goodreads
“Are you over-extended, over-distracted, and overwhelmed? Do you work at a breakneck pace all day, only to find that you haven’t accomplished the most important things on your agenda when you leave the office?
The world has changed and the way we work has to change, too. With wisdom from 20 leading creative minds, Manage Your Day-to-Day will give you a toolkit for tackling the new challenges of a 24/7, always-on workplace.”
12 .) On Writing by Stephen King
Lists It Appears On:
- AdAge
- BuzzFeed
- Product Hunt
- Goodreads
Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work.
11 .) Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Positive Writer
- Canva
- Multipotens
With insight, humor, and practicality, Natalie Goldberg inspires writers and would-be writers to take the leap into writing skillfully and creatively. She offers suggestions, encouragement, and solid advice on many aspects of the writer’s craft
10 .) Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision & Reality by Scott Belsky
Lists It Appears On:
- Hat Rabbits
- Inc
- Canva
- Positive Writer
- Goodreads
“According to productivity expert Scott Belsky, no one is born with the ability to drive creative projects to completion. Execution is a skill that must be developed by building your organizational habits and harnessing the support of your colleagues.
As the founder and CEO of Behance, a company on a mission to empower and organize the creative world, Belsky has studied the habits of especially productive individuals and teams across industries. Now he has compiled the principles and techniques they share, and presents a systematic approach to creative organization and productivity.”
9 .) Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- AdAge
- Goodreads
- Multipotens
- Positive Writer
- Shout Me Loud
Did you know that the most creative companies have centralized bathrooms? That brainstorming meetings are a terrible idea? That the color blue can help you double your creative output?
8 .) Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Canva
- Positive Writer
- Shout Me Loud
- CNBC
- Goodreads
In the international bestseller, Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman, the renowned psychologist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. The impact of overconfidence on corporate strategies, the difficulties of predicting what will make us happy in the future, the profound effect of cognitive biases on everything from playing the stock market to planning our next vacation―each of these can be understood only by knowing how the two systems shape our judgments and decisions.
7 .) Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Lists It Appears On:
- Huffpost
- Nicola Newman
- Product Hunt
- Goodreads
- Positive Writer
- Signature
- CNBC
Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.
6 .) The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Goodreads
- Nicola Newman
- Positive Writer
- Product Hunt
- Shout Me Loud
- Multipotens
The Artist’s Way is the seminal book on the subject of creativity. An international bestseller, millions of readers have found it to be an invaluable guide to living the artist’s life. Still as vital today—or perhaps even more so—than it was when it was first published twenty five years ago, it is a powerfully provocative and inspiring work.
5 .) The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Canva
- ChaseJarvis
- Positive Writer
- Goodreads
- James Clear
- Multipotens
One of the world?s leading creative artists, choreographers, and creator of the smash-hit Broadway show, Movin? Out, shares her secrets for developing and honing your creative talents?at once prescriptive and inspirational, a book to stand alongside The Artist?s Way and Bird by Bird.All it takes to make creativity a part of your life is the willingness to make it a habit. It is the product of preparation and effort, and is within reach of everyone. Whether you are a painter, musician, businessperson, or simply an individual yearning to put your creativity to use, The Creative Habit provides you with thirty-two practical exercises based on the lessons Twyla Tharp has learned in her remarkable thirty-five-year career.
4 .) Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley and David Kelley
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Inc
- Positive Writer
- Product Hunt
- Shout Me Loud
- Canva
- Goodreads
- Multipotens
Too often, companies and individuals assume that creativity and innovation are the domain of the “creative types.” But two of the leading experts in innovation, design, and creativity on the planet show us that each and every one of us is creative. In an incredibly entertaining and inspiring narrative that draws on countless stories from their work at IDEO, the Stanford d.school, and with many of the world’s top companies, David and Tom Kelley identify the principles and strategies that will allow us to tap into our creative potential in our work lives, and in our personal lives, and allow us to innovate in terms of how we approach and solve problems. It is a book that will help each of us be more productive and successful in our lives and in our careers.
3 .) Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Canva
- Inc
- Shout Me Loud
- Multipotens
- ChaseJarvis
- Goodreads
- Positive Writer
- Signature
“Creativity, Inc. is a book for managers who want to lead their employees to new heights, a manual for anyone who strives for originality, and the first-ever, all-access trip into the nerve center of Pixar Animation—into the meetings, postmortems, and “Braintrust” sessions where some of the most successful films in history are made. It is, at heart, a book about how to build a creative culture—but it is also, as Pixar co-founder and president Ed Catmull writes, “an expression of the ideas that I believe make the best in us possible.”
For nearly twenty years, Pixar has dominated the world of animation, producing such beloved films as the Toy Story trilogy, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Up, WALL-E, and Inside Out, which have gone on to set box-office records and garner thirty Academy Awards. The joyousness of the storytelling, the inventive plots, the emotional authenticity: In some ways, Pixar movies are an object lesson in what creativity really is. Here, in this book, Catmull reveals the ideals and techniques that have made Pixar so widely admired—and so profitable.”
2 .) Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Product Hunt
- Shout Me Loud
- Canva
- ChaseJarvis
- CNBC
- Goodreads
- Multipotens
- Positive Writer
“You don’t need to be a genius, you just need to be yourself. That’s the message from Austin Kleon, a young writer and artist who knows that creativity is everywhere, creativity is for everyone. A manifesto for the digital age, Steal Like an Artist is a guide whose positive message, graphic look and illustrations, exercises, and examples will put readers directly in touch with their artistic side.
When Mr. Kleon was asked to address college students in upstate New York, he shaped his speech around the ten things he wished someone had told him when he was starting out. The talk went viral, and its author dug deeper into his own ideas to create Steal Like an Artist, the book. The result is inspiring, hip, original, practical, and entertaining. And filled with new truths about creativity: Nothing is original, so embrace influence, collect ideas, and remix and re-imagine to discover your own path. Follow your interests wherever they take you. Stay smart, stay out of debt, and risk being boring—the creative you will need to make room to be wild and daring in your imagination.”
1 .) The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
Lists It Appears On:
- BuzzFeed
- Canva
- Positive Writer
- Product Hunt
- Shout Me Loud
- ChaseJarvis
- Goodreads
- Multipotens
- James Clear
A succinct, engaging, and practical guide for succeeding in any creative sphere, The War of Art is nothing less than Sun-Tzu for the soul. hat keeps so many of us from doing what we long to do? Why is there a naysayer within? How can we avoid the roadblocks of any creative endeavorâbe it starting up a dream business venture, writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece? Bestselling novelist Steven Pressfield identif ies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success. The War of Art emphasizes the resolve needed to recognize and overcome the obstacles of ambition and then effectively shows how to reach the highest level of creative discipline. Think of it as tough love . . . for yourself. Whether an artist, writer or business person, this simple, personal, and no-nonsense book will inspire you to seize the potential of your life.
The 175+ Additional Best Books To Inspire Creativity
| # | Book | Author | Lists |
| (Titles Appear On 2 Lists Ech) | |||
| 23 | A Technique For Producing Ideas | James Webb Young | Hat Rabbits |
| Goodreads | |||
| 24 | A Whole New Mind | Daniel Pink | Inc |
| Multipotens | |||
| 25 | Applied Imagination | Alex F. Osborn | Hat Rabbits |
| Goodreads | |||
| 26 | Bird by Bird | Anne Lamott | Product Hunt |
| BuzzFeed | |||
| 27 | Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity | David Lynch | BuzzFeed |
| Multipotens | |||
| 28 | Creativity On Demand: How to Ignite and Sustain the Fire of Genius | Michael J. Gelb | Positive Writer |
| Canva | |||
| 29 | Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention | Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi | Inc |
| Goodreads | |||
| 30 | Disciplined Dreaming A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity | Josh Linkner | Positive Writer |
| Canva | |||
| 31 | Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain | Betty Edwards | BuzzFeed |
| Multipotens | |||
| 32 | How to Get Ideas | Jack Foster | Positive Writer |
| Canva | |||
| 33 | My Stroke of Insight | Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D. | Positive Writer |
| BuzzFeed | |||
| 34 | Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool’s Guide to Surviving with Grace | Gordon Mackenzie | BuzzFeed |
| Multipotens | |||
| 35 | Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World | Adam Grant | Inc |
Positive Writer | |||
| 36 | Story | Robert McKee | AdAge |
| Canva | |||
| 37 | The Accidental Creative: How to Be Brilliant at a Moment’s Notice | Todd Henry | Inc |
| Goodreads | |||
| 38 | The Art of Work | Jeff Goins | Positive Writer |
| Inc | |||
| 39 | The Book of Doing | Allison Arden | AdAge |
| Canva | |||
| 40 | The Copywriters Bible–How 32 of the World’s Best Advertising Writers Write their Copy | Canva | |
| AdAge | |||
| 41 | The Doodle Revolution: Unlock the Power to Think Differently | Sunni Brown | Positive Writer |
| Canva | |||
| 42 | The Elements of Style | William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White | BuzzFeed |
| Canva | |||
| 43 | The Opposable Mind: Winning Through Integrative Thinking | Roger Martin | AdAge |
| Canva | |||
| 44 | Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques | Michael Michalko | Positive Writer |
| Goodreads | |||
| 45 | Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation | Steven Johnson | Canva |
| Multipotens | |||
| 46 | Zig Zag: The Surprising Path to Greater Creativity | Keith Sawyer | Inc |
| Canva | |||
| (Titles Appear On 1 Lists Ech) | |||
| 47 | 33 Artists in 3 Acts | Sarah Thornton | Signature |
| 48 | A Kick in the Seat of the Pants: using your explorer, artist, judge, & warrior to be more creative | Roger Von Oech | Goodreads |
| 49 | A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative | Roger Von Oech | Goodreads |
| 50 | About Writing: Seven Essays, Four Letters, & Five Interviews | Samuel R. Delany | Signature |
| 51 | Air Guitar | David Hickey | BuzzFeed |
| 52 | Are the Androids Dreaming Yet? Amazing Brain. Human Communication, Creativity and Free Will. | James Tagg | Goodreads |
| 53 | Awakening Genius in the Classroom | Thomas Armstrong | Goodreads |
| 54 | Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits—to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life | CNBC | |
| 55 | Big Questions in Creativity 2014 | Mary Kay Culpepper & Cynthia Burnett | Canva |
| 56 | Biomimicry; innovation inspired by nature | Janine Benyus | Hat Rabbits |
| 57 | Bossypants | Tina Fey | BuzzFeed |
| 58 | Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation | Tim Brown | Canva |
| 59 | Choose Wonder Over Worry: Move Beyond Fear and Doubt to Unlock Your Full Potential | Amber Rae | Goodreads |
| 60 | Collabetition: 3 Principles For The Creative Person In All Of Us | Tai | Goodreads |
| 61 | Collective Genius | Linda Hill, Greg Brandeau, Emily Truelove, and Kent Lineback | Inc |
| 62 | Committed: A Memoir of the Artist’s Road | Patrick Ross | Canva |
| 63 | Conscious Creativity; Mindfulness Meditations (Alchemy of Love Mindfulness Training Book #7) | Nataša Nuit Pantović | Goodreads |
| 64 | Conscious Parenting: Mindful Living Course for Parents (Alchemy of Love Mindfulness Training, #5) | Nataša Nuit Pantović | Goodreads |
| 65 | Contagious | Jonah Berger | BuzzFeed |
| 66 | Control Switch On: The Untold Story Of The Most Powerful Man In The World-Ryan Moran-Who Shaped The Planet For Peace | Ira Teller | Goodreads |
| 67 | Conversations with Wilder | AdAge | |
| 68 | Cracking Creativity | Michael Michalko | Hat Rabbits |
| 69 | Creative Advertising | Mario Pricken | Goodreads |
| 70 | Creative Cognition: Theory, Research, and Applications | Ronald A. Finke, Thomas B. Ward, and Steven M. Smith | Psychology Today |
| 71 | Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life | Shakti Gawain | Goodreads |
| 72 | Creative You: Using Your Personality Type to Thrive | Otto Kroeger | Goodreads |
| 73 | Creativity for Life: Practical Advice on the Artist’s Personality, and Career from America’s Foremost Creativity Coach | Eric Maisel | Goodreads |
| 74 | Creativity in Product Innovation | Jacob Goldenberg and David Mazursky | Psychology Today |
| 75 | Creativity Is Forever | Gary A. Davis | Goodreads |
| 76 | Daring Greatly: How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead | Dr. Brené Brown | ChaseJarvis |
| 77 | Daydreams at Work: Wake Up Your Creative Powers | Amy Fries | Goodreads |
| 78 | Design a Better Business | Patrick Van Der Pijl, Justin Lokitz and Lisa Kay Solomon | Small Business Trends |
| 79 | Design Thinking (Basic Design #8) | Gavin Ambrose | Goodreads |
| 80 | Designed Leadership | Moura Quayle | In The Books |
| 81 | Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self | Julia Cameron | Goodreads |
| 82 | Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work, and Never Get Stuck | Jon Acuff | Positive Writer |
| 83 | Draw to Win | Dan Roam | Small Business Trends |
| 84 | Drive: The Surprising Truth of What Motivates Us | CNBC | |
| 85 | Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within, Book & CD | Kenny Werner | Goodreads |
| 86 | Ender’s Game | AdAge | |
| 87 | Everyday Smart: 30 Ways To Spark Your Inner Genius | Eric Maisel | Goodreads |
| 88 | Everyone’s An Artist (or At Least They Should Be) | Ron Tite, Scott Kavanagh and Christopher Novais | Small Business Trends |
| 89 | Exploring the Nature of Creativity | Jon Michael Fox | Goodreads |
| 90 | Fearless Creating | Eric Maisel | Goodreads |
| 91 | Finish This Book | CNBC | |
| 92 | Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art | Stephen Nachmanovitch | Goodreads |
| 93 | GENIUS INTELLIGENCE: Secret Techniques and Technologies to Increase IQ (The Underground Knowledge Series #1) | James Morcan | Goodreads |
| 94 | Glimmer: How Design Can Transform Your Life, Your Business, and Maybe Even the World -Warren Berger | Canva | |
| 95 | Hacking Growth: How Today’s Fastest-Growing Companies Drive Breakout Success | Sean Ellis & Morgan Brown | In The Books |
| 96 | Hammer Head: The Making of a Carpenter | Nina MacLaughlin | Signature |
| 97 | Handbook of Creativity | Robert J. Sternberg | Goodreads |
| 98 | Hello World: Where Design Meets Life | Alice Rawsthorn | Canva |
| 99 | Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: A Guide to Creating Great Ads | Luke Sullivan | Goodreads |
| 100 | How to Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul | Adrian Shaughnessy | Canva |
| 101 | How to Set Up Photography Lighting for a Home Studio | Amber Richards | Goodreads |
| 102 | How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day | Michael J. Gelb | Goodreads |
| 103 | How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World | Steven Johnson | Canva |
| 104 | Hunch: Turn Your Everyday Insights Into The Next Big Thing | Bernadette Jiwa | In The Books |
| 105 | Ideas Like Shoes Take You Places | Debra Langley | Goodreads |
| 106 | In The Blink Of An Eye | Walter Murch | BuzzFeed |
| 107 | Increasing Intuitional Intelligence: How the Awareness of Instinctual Gut Feelings Fosters Human Learning, Intuition, and Longevity | Martha Char Love | Goodreads |
| 108 | Inspiration Sandwich | SARK | Nicola Newman |
| 109 | Intellectual Property | Alexandre Montagu | Goodreads |
| 110 | Jack’s Notebook | Gregg Fraley | Canva |
| 111 | Jamming: Art and Discipline of Corporate Creativity, The | John J. Kao | Goodreads |
| 112 | Just Kids | Patti Smith | BuzzFeed |
| 113 | Keep Your Lights On! | Yoris Sebastian | Canva |
| 114 | Leading On The Creative Edge: Gaining Competitive Advantage Through The Power Of Creative Problem Solving | Roger L. Firestien | Goodreads |
| 115 | Letters to a Young Poet | Rainer Maria Rilke | BuzzFeed |
| 116 | Liminal Thinking | Dave Gray | Small Business Trends |
| 117 | Little Bets | Peter Sims | Inc |
| 118 | Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries | Peter Sims | Multipotens |
| 119 | Live From New York | AdAge | |
| 120 | Make Your Creative Dreams Real | SARK | Nicola Newman |
| 121 | Make Your Mark: The Creative’s Guide to Building a Business With Impact | Jocelyn K. Glei | Goodreads |
| 122 | Mapping Innovation: A Playbook for Navigating a Disruptive Age | Greg Satell | In The Books |
| 123 | Mastering Creative Anxiety: 24 Lessons for Writers, Painters, Musicians, and Actors from America’s Foremost Creativity Coach | Eric Maisel | Goodreads |
| 124 | Mastering the Dynamics of Innovation | James M. Utterback | Psychology Today |
| 125 | Maximize Your Potential: Grow Your Expertise, Take Bold Risks & Build an Incredible Career (The 99U Book Series) | Jocelyn K. Glei | Goodreads |
| 126 | Messy | Tim Hartford | Small Business Trends |
| 127 | Mindful Being (Alchemy of Love Mindfulness Training, #4) | Nataša Nuit Pantović | Goodreads |
| 128 | Mozart’s Brain and the Fighter Pilot: Unleashing Your Brain’s Potential | Richard Restak | Goodreads |
| 129 | Negotiating with the Dead | Margaret Atwood | Goodreads |
| 130 | O’s Little Book of Happiness | Huffpost | |
| 131 | Oh, the Thinks You Can Think | AdAge | |
| 132 | Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative | Ken Robinson | Goodreads |
| 133 | Outsmart the Unexpected: Grow Your Creativity the Edge-Of-Your-Seat Way | Regina Pacelli | Goodreads |
| 134 | Pick Me Up: A Pep Talk For Now & Later | Adam J. Kurtz | Signature |
| 135 | Play | Stuart Brown | Shout Me Loud |
| 136 | Powers of Two | Joshua Wolf Shenk | Inc |
| 137 | Predictably Irrational | Dan Ariely | BuzzFeed |
| 138 | Save The Cat | Blake Snyder | BuzzFeed |
| 139 | Scribbling in the Sand | Michael Card | Goodreads |
| 140 | Self-Employed: 50 Signs That You Might Be An Entrepreneur | CNBC | |
| 141 | Serious Creativity | Edward de Bono | Hat Rabbits |
| 142 | Simply Brilliant | Bernhard Schroeder | Small Business Trends |
| 143 | Six Thinking Hats | Edward de Bono | Goodreads |
| 144 | Sketching User Experiences | AdAge | |
| 145 | Slouching Towards Bethlehem | Joan Didion | BuzzFeed |
| 146 | So You Want to Vlog?: How to start from scratch, find your voice & share your stories | Andrea Valeria | Goodreads |
| 147 | Source Book for Creative Problem Solving : A Fifty Year Digest of Proven Innovation Processes | Sidney J. Parnes | Goodreads |
| 148 | Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration | CNBC | |
| 149 | Start with Why | Simon Sinek | BuzzFeed |
| 150 | Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, the Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists Are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work | CNBC | |
| 151 | Steve Jobs | Walter Isaacson | BuzzFeed |
| 152 | Stimulated!: Habits to Spark Your Creative Genius at Work | Andrew Pek & Jeannine McGlade | Canva |
| 153 | Taming Your Gremlin: A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way | Rick Carson | Goodreads |
| 154 | The Act of Creation | Arthur Koestler | Psychology Today |
| 155 | The Art of Innovation | Tom Kelley | Hat Rabbits |
| 156 | The Art of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from IDEO, America’s Leading Design Firm | Tom Kelley | Goodreads |
| 157 | The Art of Opportunity | Dr. Marc Sniukas, Matt Morasky and Parker Lee | Small Business Trends |
| 158 | The Artist’s Date Book | Julia Cameron | Goodreads |
| 159 | The Artist’s Rule | Christine Valters | Nicola Newman |
| 160 | The Audacity to be a Writer: 50 Inspiring Articles on Writing that could Change your life | Multiple Authors | Positive Writer |
| 161 | The Cheat Code | Brian Wong | Small Business Trends |
| 162 | The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right | AdAge | |
| 163 | The Creative Mind: Myths and Mechanisms | Margaret A. Boden | Psychology Today |
| 164 | The Creative Spirit | Daniel Goleman | Goodreads |
| 165 | The Creativity Book: A Year’s Worth of Inspiration and Guidance | Eric Maisel | Goodreads |
| 166 | The Designing for Growth Field Book | Jeanne Liedtka, Tim Ogilvie and Rachel Brozenske | Small Business Trends |
| 167 | The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson | Ralph Waldo Emerson | Positive Writer |
| 168 | The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the ModernWorld | Lewis Hyde | Signature |
| 169 | The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are | Brene Brown | Positive Writer |
| 170 | The Good Creative: 18 ways to make better art | Paul Jarvis | Goodreads |
| 171 | The Immoralist | André Gide | BuzzFeed |
| 172 | The Innovative Leader: How to Inspire your Team and Drive Creativity | Paul Sloane | Goodreads |
| 173 | The Laws of Simplicity | John Maeda | Canva |
| 174 | The Medici Effect | Frans Johansson | Hat Rabbits |
| 175 | The Mind Map Book: How to Use Radiant Thinking to Maximize Your Brain’s Untapped Potential | Tony Buzan | Goodreads |
| 176 | The Myths of Creativity | David Burkus | Inc |
| 177 | The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain | Betty Edwards | Canva |
| 178 | The One Device: The Secret History of the iPhone | Brian Merchant | In The Books |
| 179 | The Paris Review Interviews, Volume 1 | Signature | |
| 180 | The Path of Least Resistance | Robert | Nicola Newman |
| 181 | The Power of Habit | Charles Duhigg | BuzzFeed |
| 182 | The Power of Positive Deviance | Richard Pascale & Jerry en Monique Sternin | Hat Rabbits |
| 183 | The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement | AdAge | |
| 184 | The Soul of Creativity: Insights Into the Creative Process | Tona Pearce Myers | Goodreads |
| 185 | The Ten Faces of Innovation: Strategies for Heightened Creativity | Tom Kelley | Goodreads |
| 186 | The Tenacity of the Cockroach | AdAge | |
| 187 | The Vein of Gold: A Journey to Your Creative Heart | Julia Cameron | Goodreads |
| 188 | The World Beyond Your Head: On Being AnIndividual in an Age of Distraction | Matthew B. Crawford | Signature |
| 189 | The Writer’s Art | James J. Kilpatrick | Goodreads |
| 190 | The Writing Life | Annie Dillard | BuzzFeed |
| 191 | The Zen of Creativity: Cultivating Your Artistic Life | John Daido Loori | Goodreads |
| 192 | Things I have learned in my life so far | Stefan Sagmeister | Canva |
| 193 | Think!: Before It’s Too Late | Edward de Bono | Psychology Today |
| 194 | Tinker, Dabble, Doodle, Try: Unlock the Power of the Unfocused Mind | CNBC | |
| 195 | Trust the Process | Shaun McNiff | Nicola Newman |
| 196 | Turning Pro | Steven Pressfield | Positive Writer |
| 197 | Uncommon Genius | Denise Shekerjian | Goodreads |
| 198 | Understanding Comics | Scott McCloud | BuzzFeed |
| 199 | Unmistakable | Srinivas Rao | Inc |
| 200 | Weird Ideas that Work | Robert I. Sutton | Hat Rabbits |
| 201 | Well of Creativity | Julia Cameron | Goodreads |
| 202 | What It Is | Lynda Barry | BuzzFeed |
| 203 | Whole Lotta Creativity Going On: 60 Fun and Unusual Exercises to Awaken and Strengthen Your Creativity | Regina Pacelli | Goodreads |
| 204 | Why Didn’t I Think of That?: A Guide to Better Ideas and Decision Making: A Fable | Roger Firestein | Goodreads |
| 205 | Wired to Create | Scott Barry Kaufman and Carolyn Gregoire | Inc |
| 206 | Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to CreatingImaginative Fiction | Jeff VanderMeer | Signature |
| 207 | Work for Money, Design for Love: Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Starting and Running a Successful Design Business (Voices That Matter) | David Airey | Canva |
| 208 | Writer’s Doubt: The #1 Enemy of Writing (And What You Can Do About It) | Bryan Hutchinson | Positive Writer |
| 209 | Writing Flash Fiction: How to Write Very Short Stories and Get Them Published | Carly Berg | Goodreads |
| 210 | You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life | Jen Sincero | Positive Writer |
| 211 | Your Creative Mind | Scott Cochrane | Small Business Trends |
19 Best Books For Creativity Sources/Lists
| Source | Article |
| AdAge | WHAT’S THE BEST BOOK ON CREATIVITY YOU’VE EVER READ? |
| BuzzFeed | 37 Books Every Creative Person Should Be Reading |
| Canva | 40 Books To Unlock Your Creativity And Get You Started On Your Life’s Best Work |
| ChaseJarvis | 6 BOOKS GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOU MORE CREATIVE |
| CNBC | 10 life-hacking books that will power your way to more creativity |
| Goodreads | Books on Creativity |
| Hat Rabbits | Top 10 boeken over creativiteit & innovatie |
| Huffpost | The Best Books for Inspiring Your Creative Journey |
| In The Books | The Best Innovation & Creativity Books of 2017 |
| Inc | 15 Best Books on Coming Up With Genius Ideas |
| James Clear | Best Creativity Books |
| Multipotens | 20 Best Creativity Books (To Help You Generate Useful Ideas) |
| Nicola Newman | 7 of the Best Life-Changing Creativity Books |
| Positive Writer | 31 OF THE BEST BOOKS ON CREATIVITY: EVER! |
| Product Hunt | These 7 Books Are Necessary Reading for All Creatives |
| Psychology Today | The Six Best Books on Creativity and Innovation |
| Shout Me Loud | 10 Must Read Books to Inspire Creativity in You |
| Signature | Let It Flow: 10 of the Best Books on Creativity |
| Small Business Trends | 10 Books on Creativity to Spark Your Inner Genius |
