For every person who produces creative works there are legions who do not because of their fear of failing or of producing bad work. Werker (Crochet Me ) encourages everyone to push through that fear and just go ahead and make something, no matter how it turns out. Divided into three parts: name the demons, make stuff, and keep on making stuff, the book highlights the most common creative demons and discusses how to move beyond them in an engaging and friendly manner. The author uses prompts, exercises, and her own and others' personal experiences to show that creativity does not have to be beautiful; in fact, it can be mighty ugly. VERDICT Werker provides a thoughtful look at the internal voices that keep people from expressing their creativity in a book that will work well beyond the crafting world; anyone needing to identify their own blocks will find this inspiring title useful in their own lives.
Library Journal
Make It Mighty Ugly: Exercises and Advice for Getting Creative Even When It Ain't Pretty, by Kim Werker, has us aim directly for failure so we can get it over with. Upbeat without being saccharine, Kim invites us to identify our personal monsters and listen to what they have to say in a series of exercises designed to loosen up our creative muscles. Even if you think you don't have any creative blocks, you may find the exercises to be a little scary. You didn't think there was a monster under your bed...until you really looked, and found one. The author is up front about this, and says you are on the right track if you are feeling anxious when you start to look. Sprinkled throughout the book are recommendations for additional material, including links to projects and talks, as well as anecdotes and quotes from people Kim interviewed about their creative demons.
Knitty.com
So you want to live a more passion-filled, pur pose ful and cre ative life...rii i ight after you watch that Sein feld re-run, orga nize your Tup per ware drawer, talk to your cat Pro fes sor Snug gles, and water your cac tus plant. Sound famil iar? The anx i ety over start ing a cre ative project and mak ing it per fect can be so over whelm ing at times that we'd rather do almost any thing else. Solu tion? Do it-and make it ugly. In fact, Make it Mighty Ugly says Kim Piper Werker, the author behind the moti vat ing hand book for van quish ing cre ative demons.
Sad Mag
Even if you're living your passion at a full time job and looking for a guide to help you become a creative person this book is absolutely worth the buy. . .you don't have to have been a girl scout with a sewing machine to be creative! And Make It Mighty Ugly teaches readers how to do just that. How to embrace your inner child who wasn't afraid to make ugly things (and mistakes) and create.
Hands Occupied
The Mighty Ugly project is about making things that are ugly on purpose, in a continuing effort to challenge our definitions, perceptions, and expectations of failure. Creator Kim Werker has a whole book coming out on the subject in 2014, if you're moved to make some of your own (very liberating) failure-successes.
BuzzFeed
If you are creative, you need this book. If you want to be creative? You needed this yesterday. I seriously love it. I would read a page or two and then launch myself off my couch to Do Something Awesome.
Rachael Herron, Yarn-a-Go-Go
I haven't read a book this helpful to artists and other creative types since reading a little book called The Artist's Way. . .
Sew Country Chick
A great book for anyone who creates or wants to (from writers, crafters, painters, etc.), with a step-by-step approach using exercises that gently instruct readers to push their boundaries, identifying strengths and weaknesses and encouraging readers to get their hands dirty, working though creative blocks, procrastination, and finally sharing one's work.
Poppytalk
. . .What we loved most about Mighty Ugly is that it retains its inspiration and effectiveness even as you return to it time and again. It's rare to find a self-help-for-creativity book that is so very accessible, with the perfect mix of humor and thoughtfulness. . .
Crafting Connections
At the root of so many human endeavors is creativity and this book is here as a guide through the messy, uncomfortable, untidy spectacular mess of it all.
A Happy Stitch
Kim does an amazing job of connecting with us as creative readers. I really believe that this book can be useful to more than just the creatives that it is geared towards. The exercises challenge you to dig deep and gather all of your demons and then tell them off.
Casa Crafty
