A dedicated creative practice is riddled with demons. Let's befriend them. Your creativity has the potential to change lives for the better, and not just your own. It carries its own rewards but also unique challenges, many of which should be embraced rather than avoided. Yet widespread narratives about the creative practice undermine creativity, reinforcing unhealthy habits and mindsets: real artists must create obsessively and suffer to be true to their art, but they’re doing something wrong if their practice isn’t easy and joyful. Which challenges are useful and which are not? And how do you keep going when confronted with uncertainty, blocks, and exhaustion? Grounded in compassion and self-discovery, this book will help you identify, understand, and befriend your creative challenges. It’s a guide to discover a deeper and healthier connection to your creativity.

Friendly Demons is an insightful, empowering, and practical resource that shows how transforming fear and obstacles into positive forces can help artists of all kinds carve out a meaningful and sustainable creative life, on their own terms.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marie-Alice Harel is an award-winning author and illustrator who knows the ups and downs of a creative life. After working as a researcher and earning a PhD in geosciences, she began a freelance illustration career at thirty. Being self-taught, she knows the value of empowerment in forging one's own creative path. With Friendly Demons, she shares the insights learned on her journey and hopes that they will help you carve your own.