Hello fellow creative,
Ideas don’t exist in a vacuum; they have to come from somewhere.
If you want to create interesting things, you have to intentionally feed your brain interesting things.
Your output is only as good as your input.
One of the easiest ways to prime the inspiration pump is to look at what other creative minds have curated.
Here are 10 exceptional newsletters that will provide endless inspiration:
1. Austin Kleon’s 10 Things Weekly
What is it? - An eclectic collection of art, writing, and internet rabbit holes.
Why read it? - The author of Steal Like an Artist shares 10 things he found worth sharing each week, ranging from rare book recommendations to philosophical insights on the creative process.
2. It’s Nice That
What is it? - A showcase of new projects, exhibitions, and trends across art, design, film, photography, and publishing.
Why read it? - To keep you in the loop and up-to-speed with everything new and interesting going on in the creative world.
3. The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker
What is it? - A masterclass in looking at the mundane world and finding creative angles.
Why read it? - Rob Walker literally wrote the book on paying attention. Expect odd art projects, quirky cultural artefacts, and weekly ‘noticing’ exercises designed to break you free from creative purgatory.
4. Recomendo by Kevin Kelly
What is it? - Six brief, practical recommendations of interesting tools, websites, books, and life hacks.
Why read it? - Kevin Kelly (co-founder of Wired) is a legendary thinker. This newsletter is a great source of cross-pollination with a wide and unrelated range of topics each week.
5. Marketing Examples by Harry Dry
What is it? - The gold standard for bite-sized, real-world marketing brilliance.
Why read it? - Harry shows you a brand that did something wildly creative and explains why it worked. Every issue contains three short examples, two copywriting tips, and one visual breakdown.
6. Alex & Books
What is it? - 5-minute book summaries, curated reading lists and practical takeaways to help you get the most out of what you read.
Why read it? - Alex reads broadly and deeply across non-fiction (focusing on biographies, psychology, business, history, and philosophy) and distils the heavy lifting for you.
7. Casual Archivist by Elizabeth Goodspeed
What is it? - A collection of beautiful, forgotten visual treasures from the past.
Why read it? - Goodspeed, a designer, dives deep into design history, showcasing everything from vintage concert stubs to obscure mid-century packaging.
8. The Browser
What is it? - A curation of the internet’s most interesting, hidden writing.
Why read it? - The Browser curates five brilliant articles every day on completely unrelated topics, forcing disparate ideas to marry up in your subconscious.
9. Chicken Shed by David Hieatt
What is it? - A weekly dose of ideas and inspiration for creators and entrepreneurs.
Why read it? - Born out of ‘The DO Lectures,’ it’s a highly practical, action-oriented cousin to Austin Kleon’s curations.
10. The Profile by Polina Pompliano
What is it? - In-depth profiles of the world’s most successful and interesting people.
Why read it? - To stand out from the crowd, you have to think differently. This breaks down how top performers operate and the exact creative leaps they made.
Big love,
Chris & the 42courses team x
P.S. What are some other great newsletters you can recommend? We’d love to hear about them.
