Against Popularity

First, apologies. Last week I didn't keep my promise for a blog update- I updated my new YouTube channel instead. I found it's a bit much to do both (to create and/or take in!) so I will be alternating the updates each Tuesday! Second, I banged the hell out of my right elbow so my numbness in that hand is not helping my creative process, plus it's my bleed time. So this post should be short. "Should". That doesn't usually happen. My muse doesn't really give a shit if I'm in discomfort or it's 2am! And that's ok, 'cause I'll still indulge her! She's fucking awesome. Now what about popularity? Why the knock? I'm not exactly against popularity. But I do often have a knee-jerk reaction against the main stream popular books and music. But it honestly depends. Because I love me some Beyonce and Taylor Swift and I don't *just* like things because no one else seems to. (That's annoying as hell.) What I do dislike is that so many kickass things don't get the spotlight they deserve. (Anyone read WA Hoffman's Raised By Wolves series? Anyone? Bueller?) What I have to admit is that I began Elizabeth Gilbert's book Big Magic and it's fucking stellar thus far. (Yep, only halfway through it and already singing its praises!) I remember when The Artist's Way was big. I just couldn't get into the book or groups or perspective, for whatever reason. Popular fiction usually isn't my thing and I don't always go for popular non-fiction. But Big Magic has been popular. Very. Given it's so specific to creatives, the popularity is interesting to me. Maybe it's just because I hang more with creative types?

Let me say I have never read any of Elizabeth Gilbert's fiction. Eat, Pray, Love was so big I just got tired of hearing about it, like an overplayed song on the radio. But this non-fiction of hers about the creative process? It's so right on! I gave it a shot because I really dug her TED talk about creative muses. The lady knows what she's talking about!

Which means I'm curious who else has read the work and what did you think? Did you feel it spoke to you or was the book interesting because it shed light on a world you aren't familiar with? Give you thoughts because my hand is going numb! XD