During December and January, I read the book “Daily Rituals: How Artists Work” by Mason Currey and had a wonderful time doing it! I sincerely recommend this book for its lessons.
I first came in contact with the book from an infographic posted to twitter. The infographic showed a chart of several common habits shared by the artists in the book. This chart is a great way to understand the book. The book discussed many different artists, all with unique backgrounds and styles and examined their work habits and rituals.
Reading the book through gave me as the reader a better understanding of what I could do better and where I could apply myself more. The biggest lesson learned is that creatives spend years developing their craft, but do not spend the entire day doing it. What I found was that most of them spent many years, working a one or two hours a day to perfect their art. Many times we do things the opposite way—we work many hours for a one or two days and expect a higher return. This is a critical lesson.
I read a critical review of the book that said to the effect that the book was dry and repetitive. I disagree. Yes, there are themes that repeat—but the repetition only builds the argument towards the understanding of how artists work. This is a research book. Each individual discussed could be a standalone piece or article, but it is the repetition of one after another that serves to explain truly how artists work. In reading the book, it must be read with the understanding that it is a collection of biographical sketches about how each artist performed their tasks. There are no recommendation of right ways or wrong ways—the facts laid out can direct the reader suggestion for which routine they may wish to follow.
If you are interested in developing an artist worthy life, this book is for you.