It's Official!

On July 27th, exactly 30 days from today (if my math is correct), my first book will be released.

UNTITLED: Thoughts on the Creative Process

I’ve mentioned before my ambivalence between terror and excitement in regards to the book, but today the scale tips more towards excitement. I’m excited to share with you a project I’ve been curating for the last year from ultimately 10+ years of daily notes on the creative process as an actor and creative director.

When I was approached by Clark (the sponsors of the book) to write something, I immediately thought of this blog. Why write a book when I can just keep writing here?

And then I read this from Seth Godin:

A book is a container for an idea.

The web isn’t/can’t be a book because it has no edges, no start, no finish. Crowdsourcing and comments and multimedia to infinity all take away something about a book’s nature. On the other hand, a book on the Kindle is clearly a book. Paper has nothing to do with it.

I was convinced and got back to work.

UNTITLED is my container for the following idea:

It is the artist’s job to accept that the work will be very, very hard; to understand the importance of deep reflection and fight the forces of fear and resistance, all in the name of filling blank pages and creating beauty.

The first version of the book will in fact be electronic and available at 30+ e-bookstores including Amazon and iTunes. It is intentionally short - about 16,000 words, so under 60 pages (I think). It is something you can read on a plane and something I hope you return to often.

It is my first manifesto and I can’t wait for you to read it.

Have a look at the cover below and what people are saying about it:

“Blaine Hogan layers depth and pointedness, observation and aspiration into each essay. His practical contemplation of the creative process provides an effective mirror for anyone wanting to do brilliant work.” - Todd Henry, author of The Accidental Creative

“If you read this book, be warned. The genius and art locked inside you will be shipped. Blaine has an innate, uncanny understanding of the creative process and his manifesto UNTITLED outlines it perfectly.” - Clay Herbert, Chief Engagement Officer of Tribes Win

“I know why Blaine Hogan named his collection Untitled. It’s because the title, You Have To Read This Book If You’re A Creative, Want To Be A Creative, Or Know Anyone Who Wants To Be A Creative, wouldn’t fit on the jacket!” - Erin Loechner, Writer & Founder of designformankind.com

Cover design by Zach McNair