By special request, Rick Rubin – The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Here is another special request from one of my daughter’s friends to review something, this time it is Rick Rubin’s book on creativity.

I am a fan of Rick Rubin, first as a record producer and second as a podcaster. His career as a record producer is unusual in that he has produced all kinds of genres (hip hop, rock, country, etc.) and artists (new, established, and legacy). He has some curveballs too – he was the unlikely guy to resurrect the career of Johnny Cash. From everything I have read about him and listening to him on his podcasts, his skill as a record producer is not technical (he is not a musician or engineer), but rather by being the king of the vibe: he helps creative people be the best version of themselves. On his podcast, Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin, he has long conversations with creative people. You get a sense of how he coaches creatives by witnessing the conversations.

In his book, you learn that he is a student of the creative process. He has developed an understanding of how creativity works and has documented his understanding. The book is meant to show that there are techniques to be creative and it is not magic. At the beginning of the book, Rubin says:

Nothing in this book is known to be true.

It’s a reflection on what I’ve noticed

Not facts so much as thoughts.

I believe that some people are more gifted than others, whether it is intellect, sports, visual arts, music, or whatever. However, I also believe that most gifted people squander their gift and less gifted people could do more if they put their mind to it and had good guidance/coaching. This is why a book like Rubin’s is so important: it is aimed at artistically gifted people to maximize their gifts and at less artistically gifted people to reach their potential. I don’t see myself as an artist, but I do see myself as creative. I found the book useful to me in enhancing my creativity. As an appreciator of artists, it helped me understand them more.

The book is arranged in short chapters and is easy to read and understand. The book can be read from beginning to end, but it also can be read randomly, that is, read a chapter that catches your fancy or meets an immediate need. It is a hipster version of Chicken Soup for the Soul. When Rubin explains things, it sounds obvious. His understanding of creativity is achievable by anyone who puts their mind to it and follows Rubin’s tips.

Here are some example quotes from the book to give you a feel for Rubin’s approach:

How differentiates craft and art: “If you know what you want to do and you do it, that’s the work of a craftsman. If you begin with a question and use it to guide an adventure of discovery, that’s the work of the artist.”

Another quote: “Creativity is something you are, not only something you do. It’s a way of moving through the world, every minute, every day.”

There is one key concept that Rubin talks about that I could not grasp. He calls it The Source. There is a quote early in the book where he says:

We begin with everything: everything seen, everything done, everything thought, everything felt, everything imagined, everything forgotten,
and everything that rests unspoken and unthought within us.

This content does not come from inside us. The Source is out there. A wisdom surrounding us, an inexhaustible offering that is always available.

I never got The Source. The important point, one that I struggle with (the same way I struggle with spirituality/faith), is that The Source is not from inside us but from outside us. Rubin is saying that the source of creativity is not internal but external. My gut is it is both inside and outside. Maybe The Source will make sense to true creatives. But other than that, most of Rubin’s words make a lot of sense to me.

If you are artistic, creative, or interested in artists and creatives you will find Rick Rubin’s book worth your time.