Review by Stacey O’Carroll
Author: Holly Ringland
Publisher: HarperCollins
RRP: $32.99
Release Date: 4 October 2023
“Sitting at my desk and writing, I feel two forces again: joy and fear.”
Never has there been a book, fiction or non-fiction, that so aptly captured my current state that the moment I finished reading the last page, I flicked to the beginning again. Until I randomly came across Holly Ringland’s beautiful book on writing, creativity and overcoming fear blocks. The House That Joy Built is Ringland’s beautiful first non-fiction novel after her captivating works of fiction. A book, she has stated in interviews, inspired by readers and other writers asking her the same questions about her writing process.
“This inner country of creativity is one we innately know and frequently inhabit as children.”
Inside the pretty and bright floral cover of The House That Joy Built, Ringland combines memoir with tips and discussions on engaging with creativity to help writers (and other creatives) overcome fear blocks. There are so many aha moments and pages flagged in my copy, that deciding which sections to discuss in this review is quite challenging. However, this review may never do justice to her beautiful book and the whimsical illustrations scattered throughout like seashells on the shore.
“In that single act of writing, I had, for just one night, changed an old inner story that had oppressed me into a new one that liberated me: I’d given myself permission to write.”
One of the fantastic tools for helping overcome self-doubt or fear Ringland offers in The House That Joy Built is her “Toolkit of Unfuckable-with Magic.” The toolkit is a list of sayings to switch up our thinking and actions, such as “when I feel fear, I meet it with play.” However, the reader can add alternatives to the list to create a more tailored toolkit. Alongside such inclusions, at the end of each section, there are question prompts that act as rumination points on the topics covered, rather than a list of questions that require answers.
“What if fear wasn’t the first thing I listened to?”
Rather than create a book with only tips and academic research on overcoming fear and getting into a creative flow state, the inclusion of Ringland’s own journey from fear to writing the first line of The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart is inspiring and relatable. By including her own experience, the reader can see these tools and tips in action and the subsequent results. Something lacking in many other writing manuals. Where Ringland’s book stands out, is her distinct and evocative descriptions and the melding of her poetic prose. These inclusions could easily shift The House That Joy Built into a work of creative non-fiction.
“When it comes to your creativity and your life, your inner fan is yours. Let them show you how much there is about you to love.”
The House That Joy Built is not a book to pick up once and then shelve (although the vibrant hardcover is a cheery and artistic addition to any bookshelf). Instead, Ringland’s book can be picked up at any point to help shift fear and reignite your creative spark. When we are children, we live by our imaginations. Yet, as adults, the reality seems to dampen our playful nature. What Ringland invites readers to do is tap into our “inner fan” (shout out to all the My Little Ponies dug out of childhood boxes) to help overcome the overbearing inner critic that says we aren’t good enough or talented enough to write.
“Creative block is the often-overwhelming experience of wanting to create but feeling utterly stuck in the process, without any ability to gain traction.”
I could rave about how fantastic The House That Joy Built is for hours. Instead, if you are a writer, whether aspiring or published, I urge you to get yourself a copy of The House That Joy Built for your writer’s toolkit. Not only will the illustrations of the cover look gorgeous on your desk or bookshelf, but you will find yourself with a way out of the dreaded writer’s block and imposter syndrome that likes to creep over authors like ivy. Give yourself permission to buy this book and watch the seeds of inspiration grow.