A few years ago, I received a gift that has become a surprising staple for me as a writer, and as a creative person in general.
In 2016, I was writing The Quiet is Loud, my novel featuring a woman who uses tarot cards as a cover for her prophetic dreams. I bought a tarot card deck and researched tarot reading so I could make her job believable.
At the time, a friend of mine gave me “The Creative Tarot: A Modern Guide to an Inspired Life” by Jessa Crispin. It was partly to help in tarot-reading research, but also as a guide for navigating creative projects.
In this book, Crispin offers interpretations of the cards specifically for creative people looking for guidance and inspiration with their projects. I don’t believe that tarot cards predict the future, but I found this book’s creative guidance really helpful. I’ve referenced it a lot when writing my novel, and with my other creative projects. Even if a reading doesn’t exactly apply, I always come away with a new question or option to pursue. It’s helped to get me out of creative blocks and reinvigorated my creative process.
I’m a big fan of trying different ways to unlock creativity, so I’m really glad this book came into my life. It’s helped me think about projects from angles I never would have before. Unless you’re an avid tarot-hater, I’d encourage you to check it out for yourself!
What unusual or unorthodox things do you use to access your creative mind?