Creative Biz Books
This month I am rallying the top books on my shelf that have helped me with my creativity and business mindset. If you have read some, I’d love to hear what you think! If you have questions before buying (or looking at the library) don’t hesitate to ask me about them. You can message me here or check out the related post on instagram.
You can also view my on-going list of On My Shelf books on Amazon and Bookshop.org
Happy Reading!
Mind Your Business | Ilana Griffo
A Workbook to Grow Your Creative Passion Into a Full-time Gig. This book was my go-to when planning to take my business full-time. It is a workbook, though I choose a journal to write in instead. It also has lovely hand written quotes which you could frame! Most importantly, the content doesn’t skim over any aspect of full-time creative biz. It gets the wheels spinning for the fun stuff and the scary stuff too.
Big Magic | Elizabeth Gilbert
Creative Living Beyond Fear. This book is a great pick-me up from any creative slump. It doesn’t have to be design, or even art. It speaks to the urge we all have to be something bigger, but stop ourselves because of fear that we all have. For me, it helped give me the okay to think about what I want and not consider what I should be doing.
Thriftbooks | Amazon | Bookshop.org
Building a Story Brand | Donald Miller
Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen. I actually can’t think of the appropriate words to express how much I recommend this book. Friends and business pals are likely annoyed of me bringing it up. I can’t help myself- it is a game changer. It changed my entire perspective on marketing and being a business owner. I feel like I can make small changes with big impact, I can see the road map ahead. I am still implementing many of the things I read about, as nothing happens overnight!
Secret Lives of Color | Kassia St. Clair
Do you know why royals are known for wearing purple? How about the different shades of yellow? Part history, science and art- this book is fascinating all around! I am in awe of the knowledge Kassia St. Clair has for color, and how much she was able to pack into this book, broken down into easy to read chunks. You will be the super cool (and slightly nerdy) conversation starter at your next party! Don’t pass this one up, it will go down as an all time favorite.
Amazon | Thriftbooks | Bookshop.org
Graphic Artist Guild Handbook
Pricing and Ethical Guidelines. With all the talk in creative industries about pricing, charging what your worth, how to deal with clients. THIS is the book we should all be turning to for a sense of consistency and understanding. I have hardly cracked into this thing (it’s pretty big!) but it is an excellent reference that I think all designers should have (even before a Pantone book!)
