Book Reports, Creative Business, Creative Clarity Series
Published on May 15, 2025

Book Report No. 3: The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp

written by

2186 words // 12min read time

Hello, fellow creative! Today, I’m going to share a book review/report with you. I look forward to sharing many titles in these reports and connecting them to my Creative Journey Series. I believe as creatives it is so important for us to study the works of others, and use the creative tools that other artists have provided. Seeing the field of art through many perspectives and lenses is crucial to growing ourselves as artists.

Whether you purchase these books second-hand, or check them out from a library, I can say that I recommend perusing them, taking them in, and processing their contents. I like to purchase them second hand and see the underlining, highlighting, and notes in the margin from the previous owner. Plus, reduce, reuse, and recycle!

Sometimes I will review a book that is written by an author who means to help us with our art, and sometimes I will review a curated art book that has a few editors and focuses on the artworks of a certain artist. In both cases, there is something to be learned and inspiration to be gathered.

Without further ado, I present:

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life, by Twyla Tharp

–

Why This Book?

I reached for The Creative Habit while building the foundation of my Creative Journey blog series first phase, Parts 1-4, where structure and ritual often mean the difference between stalled ideas and sustained making. I was seeking out a voice that didn’t romanticize creativity but instead treated it like a muscle to train and flex. This book met me right there. It felt like a conversation with a no-nonsense mentor to show up and do the work.

This book aligns perfectly with my creative journey’s first phase, especially in moments of seeking inspiration through unexpected sources. You can read more in the Part 4 blog post.

–

This is 100% a book that you can also use as a source of inspiration during Part 1 of the Creative Journey, “Starting with informed inspiration.” Here is a link to that post to take a deep dive into getting started.

About the Author/Artist

Twyla Tharp is a world-renowned choreographer with decades of experience creating for ballet companies, Broadway, and film. Her background is rigorously physical, and it shapes her worldview: creativity is not something that happens to you. It’s something you do. She writes like a dancer trains: with repetition, discipline, and clarity. The book blends personal memoir with practical instruction, built on the rhythms of her own creative life. She offers tough love instead of just rhetoric.

From her website: “Since graduating from Barnard College in 1963, Ms. Tharp has choreographed more than one hundred sixty works: one hundred twenty-nine dances, twelve television specials, six Hollywood movies, four full-length ballets, four Broadway shows and two figure skating routines.  She received one Tony Award, two Emmy Awards, nineteen honorary doctorates, the Vietnam Veterans of America President’s Award, the 2004 National Medal of the Arts, the 2008 Jerome Robbins Prize, and a 2008 Kennedy Center Honor.  Her many grants include the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship.  She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

In 1992, Ms. Tharp published her autobiography PUSH COMES TO SHOVE. She went on to write THE CREATIVE HABIT: Learn it and Use it for Life, followed by THE COLLABORATIVE HABIT: Life Lessons for Working Together. In 2019, her fourth book was published, KEEP IT MOVING: LESSONS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

Today, Ms. Tharp continues to create.”

I simply love this sentiment that she never has stopped creating.

–

Their Websites and Links

Overview and Core Themes

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life is part memoir, part manual, written by acclaimed choreographer Twyla Tharp to debunk the myth that creativity is only for the gifted or inspired. Instead, she asserts that creativity is a habit that anyone can cultivate through discipline and ritual. Drawing on her decades-long career in the dance world, Tharp shares strategies, exercises, and real-life examples to show how professionals create even when motivation runs dry.

The book balances pragmatic advice with personal anecdotes, offering a rare window into how an artist of Tharp’s caliber builds a sustainable creative life and long-term output. Her tone is deeply encouraging.

Core Themes:

  • Creativity is a habit, not a moment. Don’t wait for inspiration, and instead prepare for it daily.
  • Rituals matter. Establishing a consistent creative routine trains your body and mind to enter a flow state.
  • Constraints are creative fuel. Limitations help you focus, make decisions, and discover new solutions.
  • Scratching is sacred. Gathering fragments and following curiosity is part of the process.
  • You are your own creative resource. Your memories and experiences are already rich with material.

A Sample of the Chapters

Here are some of the chapters and a short summary.

Chapter 2: Rituals of Preparation

Establishing rituals is key. Tharp describes her own routine (a 5:30 a.m. gym trip) and explains how rituals trigger readiness. They’re very functional. Your body learns that when the ritual starts, the work begins.

From this chapter, I realized how small, consistent actions create a dependable rhythm for creative work. Rituals are about telling your body, “It’s time to begin.” For me, even setting out yarn and a notebook the night before can serve as my version of Tharp’s cab ride to the gym.

–

Chapter 7: Accidents Will Happen

Here, Tharp embraces mistakes. Surprises and failures often lead to breakthroughs. She encourages artists to stay alert and open when things go “wrong”, because that’s where originality often hides.

Mistakes are the compost of creativity. I’ve frogged enough stitches to know this, but Tharp helped me reframe accidents as discoveries. Some of my favorite design elements were born from a misstep I leaned into.

–

Chapter 11: An “A” in Failure

Failure is a badge of effort. Tharp shares personal stories of failed performances and how she reframed them. The message: if you’re not failing, you’re not risking enough. Adjust and keep moving.

Failure is feedback. I’m learning to detach from outcome and instead ask: What did this teach me? What did I try that I wouldn’t have before? Tharp helped me see that every “flop” is proof that I dared to stretch.

–

–

Author/Artist’s Purpose

Twyla Tharp wrote The Creative Habit to challenge the myth of the “creative genius” and replace it with something far more accessible: the idea that creativity is a skill you build, not a gift you inherit. Her purpose is to equip, not just to inspire. Through this book, she offers artists and makers a toolkit for developing a repeatable and deeply personal creative practice.

Coming from the high-stakes world of professional dance, Tharp knows that waiting for inspiration isn’t a luxury most working creatives can afford. Her goal is to show that creativity can be summoned through preparation and self-discipline. She writes to demystify the process, emphasizing that the muse often arrives after the work has begun.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“The routine is as much a part of the creative process as the lightning bolt of inspiration, maybe more.”

“Scratching is what you do when you can’t wait for the thunderbolt. You dig through everything to find something.”

“Whom the gods wish to destroy, they give unlimited resources.”

These lines hit hard. They clarified that constraints are creative companions, not the enemy as artists can believe. They also reminded me that you don’t need to feel ready. You need to begin, and the readiness will follow. At its heart, the book is a call to action: to stop romanticizing creative work and start engaging with it as a daily ritual.

Here is a screenshot of her website.

–

And a 6-pack of pics from her Instagram. Lovely!

–

Each grid of 6 photographs tells a story on its own. Love these photos.

–

Creative and Artistic Takeaways

While not about color directly, this book holds visual resonance in the way it talks about rhythm, space, and constraint. It made me think differently about the composition of a crochet motif or blanket layout and how repetition builds meaning over time. Tharp’s idea of “boxes” for collecting inspiration also has a visual parallel: what colors, motifs, and stitches am I mentally storing before they make their way into a design?

Some more nuggets of wisdom:

  • Creativity is a habit, not a gift
  • Start with a ritual
  • Harness memory
  • Scratching is idea-gathering
  • Constraints breed innovation

If you’re a crocheter, designer, or hands-on maker, this book reinforces the value of deliberate practice. It reminds you that even your “off” days are part of something larger. For those in fiber arts especially, where tactile repetition meets visual artistry, Tharp’s lessons land beautifully: a daily stitch is a ritual, and a motif can grow from structure just as much as from spontaneity.

–

Visual Impact

Though this book isn’t image-heavy, The Creative Habit offers a powerful conceptual framework that can shape the way artists approach visual work. Tharp’s emphasis on discipline and structure lends itself beautifully to the idea of pacing of elements within a piece.

Reading this book challenged my own inner narrative. I’ve often treated creative energy as something to protect, nurture, or wait for, but Tharp reminded me that the creative spark comes after the commitment, not before. Her tone helped me reframe my own relationship with structure. I realized that what I sometimes call “burnout” might just be disconnection from habit.

Try this: Start your own version of a creative “box.” It could be a real container, a digital folder, or even a sketchbook. Fill it with fragments. No themes, no pressure. Just gather. When you’re stuck, go scratching.

–

Critical Lens

I’m no critic, but here are a few words to hold space for nuance. This is what’s missing for me.

Strengths

One of the greatest strengths of The Creative Habit is its actionable practicality. Tharp gives you exercises that you can implement immediately. Her tone is refreshingly grounded, offering both tough love and encouragement, especially for those who feel stuck or overwhelmed. It’s especially helpful for artists who want to move beyond sporadic bursts of energy and build a reliable, sustainable practice.

Limitations

That said, the book may not resonate equally with every creative personality. Tharp writes from a highly structured, almost athletic perspective, which might feel rigid to artists who thrive on spontaneity, emotion, or intuitive flow. The emphasis on discipline and habit, while empowering to some, may feel inaccessible to those navigating creative burnout or neurodivergence. Additionally, because the book draws heavily from her experience in dance, some anecdotes may feel less immediately applicable to visual or textile artists without a bit of mental translation. Not all creatives are this way.

–

Final Thoughts

Would I recommend it? Yes, but especially for artists who struggle with consistency or feel creatively blocked. This book is ideal for those who crave structure, or who think they need a grand idea before they can begin. It’s probably less suited to those seeking emotional catharsis or heavily spiritual creative texts and it’s more gym coach than guru. I’d reread it during any time I feel disconnected from my creative rhythm.

The Creative Habit is a toolkit for anyone ready to stop waiting and start working.

–

Cross-Pollination

Pairs well with:

  • The War of Art by Steven Pressfield / another discipline-first book, though more combative in tone.
  • The Creative Act by Rick Rubin / a more spiritual, meditative counterpoint.
  • The Creative Clarity blog posts / especially those on resistance, ritual, and the invisible labor of creativity.

Thanks so much for checking out my analysis of this book. The free crochet motif that goes along with this book report will be released soon! Hope you have a great week, and happy crafting!

Rachele C.

Order my crochet pattern book: The Art of Crochet Blankets

You may also enjoy:

Support My Work

You’re supporting by just being here! You can read my blog (Start Here!), like and comment on socials, and message me for a chat. All of this supports my work free of charge!

Where to Find Me

Most Popular Free Crochet Patterns