What Mason Currey thinks about creativity

@mason-currey · 7 positions · 0 changes of mind

American writer on how artists work; author of Daily Rituals: How Artists Work, Daily Rituals: Women at Work and Making Art and Making a Living, and of the newsletter Subtle Maneuvers.

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Mason Currey did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

2 dated positions, 2026, in their own words. Our reading of what Mason Currey has said — not written or endorsed by them.

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Our readingCreative work proceeds through surges of doubt and confidence; a good practice may keep you cycling between them

Their wordsThat last line really struck me, because of course that’s right—all creative work proceeds through surges of doubt and confidence, and maybe the test of a successful practice is if it keeps you flowing from one state to the other, cyclically, and doesn’t let you get mired in either phase for too long.

↗How to move from doubt to confidence (Subtle Maneuvers)masoncurrey.substack.com
2 months earlier
Our readingIn some fundamental sense, the best creative work happens when you don't know what you're doing and stay outside your comfort zone

Their wordsThis is one of the throughlines of all my books and this newsletter: that in some fundamental sense, the best creative work happens when you don’t know what you’re doing (or how you’re going to pay for it)—when you get yourself outside your comfort zone and then stay there, and keep returning there as much as you can.

↗Seven signs you’re a real artist (Subtle Maneuvers)masoncurrey.substack.com 2nd of 2 in this piece

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