Big Magic & The Moment Inspiration Strikes
Big Magic & The Moment Inspiration Strikes
A Reflection on Creativity, Habits, and Catching the Divine Spark
I recently finished reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, and let me tell you—it was absolutely awesome. Witty, honest, and deeply encouraging, it’s a book I’ll be rereading. Gilbert doesn’t romanticize creativity. Instead, she reminds us that creativity is magical, but also available every day for anyone willing to show up for it.
Creativity Doesn’t Wait for You
One of the biggest takeaways for me? Creativity doesn’t care about your schedule. It shows up when it wants to—while you’re walking into work, mid-meditation, or right after vocal exercises. It doesn’t wait for your coffee to brew or your notebook to be open. It arrives like a flash. Swift. Precise. Demanding attention.
Gilbert writes that inspiration is not precious—it’s abundant. And while we often give it too much weight, treating it like something exclusive or rare, it’s actually infinite and available to everyone. But it will pass you by if you’re not open or prepared to receive it.
“Ideas are driven by a single impulse: to be made manifest.” – Big Magic
That means we have to practice the art of catching inspiration in motion. For me, that’s been about forming new habits that create space for ideas to land—and stick.
The Practice of Catching It
Lately, I’ve started recording improvised melodies right after my vocal warmups. No overthinking. No prep. Just pressing record and letting it flow. Sometimes it’s beautiful. Sometimes it’s chaos. But either way—it’s documented.
There was one morning in particular where inspiration really caught me off guard. I was walking into work after doing vocal exercises in the car. I started humming a melody that kept repeating in my head. I had just finished reading Big Magic, so I knew I couldn’t let this one slip by. I found a quiet space on the roof, sat down, and wrote the lyrics as they came.
The words poured out effortlessly.
Then I paused. I almost stopped.
But something inside reminded me: Finish it. Our minds don’t like open loops, and I’ve been challenging myself lately to see things through. I stayed a few more minutes and finished the song. That was a first for me—writing a full piece in one go.
One mistake, though? I didn’t record the melody. So now it’s just lyrics on a page, waiting for me to find their sound again.
Lesson learned: Always record when you can. Still, I’m calling it a creative win.
Creating Space for the Muse
Since then, I’ve made a few changes to the way I work. I give creativity space to arrive—whether that’s through journaling, humming melodies, sketching lyrics, or building an app. And when it does arrive, I try to capture it right away.
I’m even creating an app to be that hub for creative moments, because let’s be honest—I’ve got ideas scattered across journals, voice notes, sticky notes, and dreams. Some of those ideas deserve a second look. Maybe even a life.
Final Thoughts
Big Magic is a must-read for anyone on a creative path. It’s funny, insightful, and deeply grounding. If you’re looking for encouragement to start—or to keep going—this book delivers.
I also created a book score inspired by one of the excerpts from the book: Border Collie Mind It gave me a chance to practice scoring, share my interpretation, and create something in the spirit of the book’s message.
Watch it. Read the book. And most importantly, leave space for the magic to show up.
Resources
📖 Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
🎥 Watch the Video: Border Collie Mind
