In recent weeks I’ve written a lot about habits, mindsets, forging the creative path, books that have helped me better understand myself, etc., and in that time I’ve noted a few creative individuals along the way that I’ve found to be influential.
Granted, there are countless individuals I could point to from throughout my life (authors, musicians, artists, athletes, etc.) who have inspired me. Today, though, I want to take a deeper dive into those I look to most frequently these days for my own inspiration. These are the individuals I follow on social media, and whose blogs or platforms I read, follow, and subscribe to on a regular basis. They continue to give me that nudge I need to keep moving forward with this blog and my own creative efforts.
There are a lot of things I have planned on the way, and a lot of these awesome folks have provided me the inspiration to dig deep and get moving. Hopefully they can provide value and inspiration for you, too.
Enjoy.
Jeff Goins — Jeff provides valuable insights on living a creative life and making a living off one’s art. I’ve followed Jeff’s work for a long time, first pulled in by his Writer’s Manifesto, then following his blog and social media channels, and eventually reading several of his other books (his new book, Real Artists Don’t Starve, arrives June 6, and I’m highly looking forward to it). Great resource here for building a solid, creative path in your life.
Jennifer Blanchard — I’ve followed Jennifer’s work for some time, and a while back read her book Butt-In-Chair: A No-Excuses Guide For Writers Who Struggle To Get Started, which provides tips and guidance on overcoming procrastination. Her blog and platform have evolved to focus on developing an ideal creative mindset, as well as going full speed ahead with one’s creative life, and it’s actually because of her blog that I’ve started studying more on the elements of fiction writing craft (specifically that of Larry Brooks of StoryFix.com). Her daily posts are a fantastic source of inspiration.
Lauren Sapala — Lauren is a writing coach and author of The INFJ Writer: Cracking the Creative Genius of the World’s Rarest Type. Her message predominantly focuses on the introverted writer, but is applicable to any creative writer looking for motivational insight. Her work continues to inspire and motivate my own message.
Jacob Nordby — Author of the ever-phenomenal Blessed of the Weird: A Manifesto for Creatives, Jacob also runs the Creative UnBootcamp course for writers. I was fortunate to take part in this year’s class and it’s one of the most inspiring workshops/courses I’ve taken. Jacob frequently posts inspiring, creative, and humorous content on social media; be sure to check his work out.
Ksenia Anske — I stumbled upon this fantasy writer back in early 2015 and have since become a big fan of her novels and blog, which she focuses on the writing craft, self-publishing, editing, and her own writer’s journey. Awesome, unique stuff here.
Hal Elrod — Author and creator of The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life, Hal’s main focus is self-development and living to your utmost potential (and he provides a blueprint for how to get there with a specific morning routine). I’ve recently returned to The Miracle Morning as a resource for my own habit revisions and every time I look to the book, I find excitement and inspiration. I’ve also read The Miracle Morning for Writers, which takes The Miracle Morning practice and applies it to writers, and am next about to check out The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs. All books in the The Miracle Morning series take the wisdom and practice of the first book and implement it for a specific group (such as writers and entrepreneurs). Hal also hosts a great, motivational podcast that’s worth a listen.
Rich Roll — An endurance athlete, host of The Rich Roll Podcast, and author of the incredible Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World’s Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself, Rich Roll provides incredible guidance and insight on how to tap into your true potential. His delivery, not to mention his podcast interviews, are highly inspiring and I’ve become a huge fan of his work over the last few years.
Chuck Wendig — In addition to being an incredible fiction writer, Chuck also runs the ever-humorous and enlightening blog Terribleminds.com, which frequently focuses on writing. His book The Kick-Ass Writer: 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience (this one being nonfiction) is one I highly recommend. He’s also got an engaging and enlightening presence on Twitter.
If you have suggestions for others that aren’t on this list, please weigh in below, would love to hear your thoughts.
