“Big Magic,” written by Elizabeth Gilbert (the author of Eat, Pray, Love), is a masterpiece. Gilbert has once again written an anecdotal self-help book without sounding preachy, and appealed to the empathetic creative in all of us.

The novel is broken into seven parts: Courage, Enchantment, Permission, Persistence, Trust, and Divinity. Gilbert articulates the creative process in a remarkably easy way, by slicing her advice into short essays that follow one arching theme, and breaking up the text with sweet and relevant anecdotes. She walks you through finding the courage to be creative, being open to inspiration, taking the opportunity to embark, persisting through difficult times, trusting in your abilities, and leaving a little bit up to faith. The one common question is this: how do I create Big Magic?

My favorite quote appears right at the beginning of the book:

Q: What is creativity?

A: The relationship between a human being and the mysteries of inspiration.

Gilbert will be speaking in Jacksonville on April 25th. For more information, visit http://floridatheatre.com/event/theatre-jacksonville-presents-elizabeth-gilbert/