Finding Your Bipolar Muse

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Finding Your Bipolar Muse: How to Master Depressive Droughts and Manic Floods and Access Your Creative Power by Lana R. Castle

A book review of Finding Your Bipolar Muse by Lana R. CastleStars: *****

Marlowe & Company (2006)
Psychology/Self-Help
320 pages

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Summary: Do creativity and mental illness truly go hand in hand, as many people believe? Or are all creative artists a bit “crazy”? Do psychotropic medications cause creative droughts? Are suffering and deprivation necessary for creative work? Or is there a better approach? Lana Castle draws from research, interviews, surveys, and her own experience to examine what bipolar disorder and depression bring to the creative mix. Drawing from forty-five years experience in the arts, Castle shares first-hand knowledge, tools, and resources to help both aspiring and professional “creatives” affected by mood disorders overcome challenges and move forward. Illuminating and inspiring, Castle’s new book helps artists of all types deal with depressive droughts and manic floods. With sensitivity and grace, Castle explains how “creatives” can tap their talents to recover their lives. Readers will learn how to: manage medications and treatment without thwarting creativity; find focus; set daily, weekly, and monthly goals; develop self-esteem and independence; use their creative talents to generate income.

Finding Your Bipolar Muse

I bought this book on my own because I have Bipolar and I loved the idea of a positive book about the condition and using it to my advantage.

I was very impressed with the book and the amount of real life advice and study that went into this book. Although it is written for those with Bipolar, it could easily be used as a guide to tapping in to your creative side, no matter what.

The author includes TONS of information on all steps of being a creative from dealing with ideas, focusing, setting goals, scheduling creative time, finding/organizing your creative space, staying afloat financially, managing products productively, promoting yourself and your work, communicating and collaborating effectively and starting and running your own creative business.

Each of these topics is covered by talking about the basics and then adjusting how you might deal with doing them depending on if you are stable, manic or depressed. The author includes real life shares from people with Depression and Bipolar so you can see how others deal with these issues.

She also created a Creative Life Toolkit which is included in the back of the book. This is just a set of blanks to fill in as you go through the book, to evaluate where you are and where you want to be. It’s very comprehensive.

HIGHLY recommended if you have Bipolar and want to pursue your creative side.

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About Kathleen

I've been a nonfiction lover for as long as I can remember. I love children's nonfiction as well and love to share my knowledge and the books I gained them from, with the world. I wish more people would give nonfiction a chance.