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Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Nonfiction (2019)An instant New York Times bestseller
In Embrace Your Weird , New York Times bestselling author, producer, actress, TV writer, and award-winning web series creator, Felicia Day takes you on a journey to find, rekindle, or expand your creative passions.
Including Felicia’s personal stories and hard-won wisdom, Embrace Your Weird offers:
—Entertaining and revelatory exercises that empower you to be fearless, so you can rediscover the things that bring you joy, and crack your imagination wide open
—Unique techniques to vanquish enemies of creativity like: anxiety, fear, procrastination, perfectionism, criticism, and jealousy
—Tips to cultivate a creative community
—Space to explore and get your neurons firing
Whether you enjoy writing, baking, painting, podcasting, playing music, or have yet to uncover your favorite creative outlet, Embrace Your Weird will help you unlock the power of self-expression. Get motivated. Get creative. Get weird.
In Embrace Your Weird , New York Times bestselling author, producer, actress, TV writer, and award-winning web series creator, Felicia Day takes you on a journey to find, rekindle, or expand your creative passions.
Including Felicia’s personal stories and hard-won wisdom, Embrace Your Weird offers:
—Entertaining and revelatory exercises that empower you to be fearless, so you can rediscover the things that bring you joy, and crack your imagination wide open
—Unique techniques to vanquish enemies of creativity like: anxiety, fear, procrastination, perfectionism, criticism, and jealousy
—Tips to cultivate a creative community
—Space to explore and get your neurons firing
Whether you enjoy writing, baking, painting, podcasting, playing music, or have yet to uncover your favorite creative outlet, Embrace Your Weird will help you unlock the power of self-expression. Get motivated. Get creative. Get weird.
272 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2019
About the author
Felicia Day
43 books128k followersActress, New Media Geek, Gamer, Misanthrope. Voracious reader of Fantasy and Sci-Fi.
Felicia is the creator of The Guild and former CCO of Geek and Sundry, an online content company. She has a podcast called "Felicitations" that can be found on iTunes, and is the author of her bestselling memoir "You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)".
She currently acts on TV shows and produces and writes her own content. Her new book, "Embrace Your Weird" is out October 1rst. feliciadaybook.com
Felicia is the creator of The Guild and former CCO of Geek and Sundry, an online content company. She has a podcast called "Felicitations" that can be found on iTunes, and is the author of her bestselling memoir "You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)".
She currently acts on TV shows and produces and writes her own content. Her new book, "Embrace Your Weird" is out October 1rst. feliciadaybook.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 416 reviews
December 5, 2022
If misfits had a monarchy, Felicia Day would be our queen!
"Life is so much easier when we conform and stay silent, right? Easier, but one of the greatest disservices we can do to ourselves. Aside from wearing high-wasted pants."
This is not your Mom's pop-psychology, self-help, mass-market motivational (see: I'm OK - You're OK circa 1967). This is a workable compendium of thought provoking tasks and projects designed to help you identify and quantify your creative self.
"Anxiety means we care. We are sensitive people who are full of feeling... This is an amazing attribute! The opposite of this is "an uncaring, insensitive person who doesn't feel anything." A person like that would never delight in sketching lemurs or learning how to whittle their own spoons. Be GLAD not to be that douche nozzle."
Expect humor, expect wit, expect useful and insightful activities and assignments, expect obscure references (i.e. chibi?, She-Ra? Mindy Kaling?), expect inspirational impetus, and you will NOT be disappointed!
"Life is so much easier when we conform and stay silent, right? Easier, but one of the greatest disservices we can do to ourselves. Aside from wearing high-wasted pants."
This is not your Mom's pop-psychology, self-help, mass-market motivational (see: I'm OK - You're OK circa 1967). This is a workable compendium of thought provoking tasks and projects designed to help you identify and quantify your creative self.
"Anxiety means we care. We are sensitive people who are full of feeling... This is an amazing attribute! The opposite of this is "an uncaring, insensitive person who doesn't feel anything." A person like that would never delight in sketching lemurs or learning how to whittle their own spoons. Be GLAD not to be that douche nozzle."
Expect humor, expect wit, expect useful and insightful activities and assignments, expect obscure references (i.e. chibi?, She-Ra? Mindy Kaling?), expect inspirational impetus, and you will NOT be disappointed!
August 6, 2021
First of all, if you are considering ordering this for Kindle (or any other ebook reader), consider a paperback copy (you will thank me later). If you can’t bear to not have an immediate electronic copy, make sure to have a notebook or copy paper handy. You’ll need it.
Despite whatever you might gather from the above paragraph, don’t worry. The quirky Felicia Day that showed up in “You’re Never Weird On The Internet (Almost)” shows up and graces every page with the wit and humor she showered us with that first time. “Embrace Your Weird” is not another memoir book, as she cheerfully jumps from her life into ours. Ms. Day’s goal? Convince each one of us that we have incredible talents to share with the world.
In order to accomplish this task, the author shares her own devices for victory over the mind-numbing monsters that threaten to crush our creativity and force us to hide under our personal bushel baskets. This book is loaded with power, and here’s why. The person writing it is not some highly educated professor with a wall full of degrees and awards, nor is it someone who has identified a niche of psychological barriers and written a well-thought tome of rules and procedures to follow. Ms. Day shares how she worked to overcome her demons, sharing her knowledge and wisdom in an entertaining manner. She is encouraging and down-to-earth, urging us to break out of our shells but cautioning us to remember that our goals should be based on our own power and not the choices of others. Sage advice, indeed.
The combination of the author’s thoughts and writing/drawing exercises for us to complete combine to form a fun/amusing/educational/awesome book that, by the end, should have morphed from something Ms. Day created to something that also contains our personal inventions, and thus a part of us. Growth CAN be fun! Five stars.
Despite whatever you might gather from the above paragraph, don’t worry. The quirky Felicia Day that showed up in “You’re Never Weird On The Internet (Almost)” shows up and graces every page with the wit and humor she showered us with that first time. “Embrace Your Weird” is not another memoir book, as she cheerfully jumps from her life into ours. Ms. Day’s goal? Convince each one of us that we have incredible talents to share with the world.
In order to accomplish this task, the author shares her own devices for victory over the mind-numbing monsters that threaten to crush our creativity and force us to hide under our personal bushel baskets. This book is loaded with power, and here’s why. The person writing it is not some highly educated professor with a wall full of degrees and awards, nor is it someone who has identified a niche of psychological barriers and written a well-thought tome of rules and procedures to follow. Ms. Day shares how she worked to overcome her demons, sharing her knowledge and wisdom in an entertaining manner. She is encouraging and down-to-earth, urging us to break out of our shells but cautioning us to remember that our goals should be based on our own power and not the choices of others. Sage advice, indeed.
The combination of the author’s thoughts and writing/drawing exercises for us to complete combine to form a fun/amusing/educational/awesome book that, by the end, should have morphed from something Ms. Day created to something that also contains our personal inventions, and thus a part of us. Growth CAN be fun! Five stars.
November 16, 2019
Two and a half stars.
I decided to listen to this book on a whim. I liked the cover, and I'm plenty weird, so why not? I had no idea that Felicia Day is an actress, famous gamer and creator of some website that people much younger than I liked a whole lot.
Ms. Day reads the audiobook, and the first thing I noticed was that she is perky. Very perky. Capital P Perky. Ten shots of espresso perky.
During the course of the book, Ms Day suggests that we should all refrain from negatively commenting on others' creative endeavors. In that spirit, I will simply say that there is a level of perk that I can tolerate, and that is a level far below Ms. Day's pinnacle of perk. I give her points for her nerditude-- she makes reference to both Dr. Who and Star Trek, and I forgive her for never having seen Battlestar Galactica, as I assume she would forgive me for having zero interest in gaming.
I was puzzled when the book drifted into career counseling, and dismayed when she suggested networking as an effective way to nurture creativity. Introverts want to be creative, too, and we want to do it on our own terms, preferably alone in our jammies with a cat purring nearby. No human contact necessary-- kthxbye.
You will like this book best if you are either young and perky, or you liked the author's work in other creative arenas.
I decided to listen to this book on a whim. I liked the cover, and I'm plenty weird, so why not? I had no idea that Felicia Day is an actress, famous gamer and creator of some website that people much younger than I liked a whole lot.
Ms. Day reads the audiobook, and the first thing I noticed was that she is perky. Very perky. Capital P Perky. Ten shots of espresso perky.
During the course of the book, Ms Day suggests that we should all refrain from negatively commenting on others' creative endeavors. In that spirit, I will simply say that there is a level of perk that I can tolerate, and that is a level far below Ms. Day's pinnacle of perk. I give her points for her nerditude-- she makes reference to both Dr. Who and Star Trek, and I forgive her for never having seen Battlestar Galactica, as I assume she would forgive me for having zero interest in gaming.
I was puzzled when the book drifted into career counseling, and dismayed when she suggested networking as an effective way to nurture creativity. Introverts want to be creative, too, and we want to do it on our own terms, preferably alone in our jammies with a cat purring nearby. No human contact necessary-- kthxbye.
You will like this book best if you are either young and perky, or you liked the author's work in other creative arenas.
August 3, 2020
Embrace Your Weird is a non-fiction and self help manifesto encouraging creativity and told in Felicia Day's unmistakably humorous way.
I say "unmistakable" for any of her myriad fans who have watched her ground-breaking web series, "The Guild," or read another of her books like You're Never Weird on the Internet. Her tone and sense of humor remains the same.
And if you haven't had the chance to enjoy any of Day's other creations, I encourage you to give them a try. They're light-hearted and fun.
"Aside from (over)sharing a lot of my opinions, I have filled this book with exercises designed to uncover the joy of creativity. To help people beat back the fear that keeps them from trying new things." pg xi
On almost every other page, Day encourages readers to stop a moment and draw a picture, fill out a list, or write empowering messages over and over so that they'll sink in. The act of reading this book is nearly a creative act in and of itself. (Sadly, I couldn't do this because I was reading a library book. Suggestion for future readers: buy yourself a copy.)
"No, I don't think creativity is a cure-all. But I do believe it could be a cure-most." pg 29
Besides reminding readers that we have unique voices and viewpoints that the world needs to hear, Day loosely structures the rest of the book off of life viewed as a game. She asks us to remember our "hero-self," identify "enemies" and "allies" of our creativity, and to view the steps we take towards creation as "quests."
Day also shares moments in her life when she's completed or failed attempting various pieces of this philosophy in her own life.
"I constantly hand my heart over to strangers to batter however they wish, and I wonder why I'm constantly wounded all the time, and this makes me reluctant to create. Good way to operate? NOT REALLY!" pg 143
As I said, the whole book has a definite Felicia Day vibe. And it's fun!
"Playfulness is the root of all creation. All invention. All discovery. There is no reason NOT to feel joyous when we make things." pg 206
She wasn't afraid to tackle all sorts of hang-ups people might have in their creative process. Day nailed my biggest issue: finishing projects once they're started.
"But we will never get anywhere if we don't focus on one thing at a time. And then see that thing through before moving on!" pg 239
Message received. Now to put it into action...
Recommended for anyone looking to start or jump start their creativity. This book is an excellent place to begin.
I say "unmistakable" for any of her myriad fans who have watched her ground-breaking web series, "The Guild," or read another of her books like You're Never Weird on the Internet. Her tone and sense of humor remains the same.
And if you haven't had the chance to enjoy any of Day's other creations, I encourage you to give them a try. They're light-hearted and fun.
"Aside from (over)sharing a lot of my opinions, I have filled this book with exercises designed to uncover the joy of creativity. To help people beat back the fear that keeps them from trying new things." pg xi
On almost every other page, Day encourages readers to stop a moment and draw a picture, fill out a list, or write empowering messages over and over so that they'll sink in. The act of reading this book is nearly a creative act in and of itself. (Sadly, I couldn't do this because I was reading a library book. Suggestion for future readers: buy yourself a copy.)
"No, I don't think creativity is a cure-all. But I do believe it could be a cure-most." pg 29
Besides reminding readers that we have unique voices and viewpoints that the world needs to hear, Day loosely structures the rest of the book off of life viewed as a game. She asks us to remember our "hero-self," identify "enemies" and "allies" of our creativity, and to view the steps we take towards creation as "quests."
Day also shares moments in her life when she's completed or failed attempting various pieces of this philosophy in her own life.
"I constantly hand my heart over to strangers to batter however they wish, and I wonder why I'm constantly wounded all the time, and this makes me reluctant to create. Good way to operate? NOT REALLY!" pg 143
As I said, the whole book has a definite Felicia Day vibe. And it's fun!
"Playfulness is the root of all creation. All invention. All discovery. There is no reason NOT to feel joyous when we make things." pg 206
She wasn't afraid to tackle all sorts of hang-ups people might have in their creative process. Day nailed my biggest issue: finishing projects once they're started.
"But we will never get anywhere if we don't focus on one thing at a time. And then see that thing through before moving on!" pg 239
Message received. Now to put it into action...
Recommended for anyone looking to start or jump start their creativity. This book is an excellent place to begin.
July 24, 2019
Felicia has long been a superhero of creativity. From her web series The Guild, to the numerous shows she created at her media company Geek & Sundry, to her many writing and producing projects, she has always had several creative irons in the fire. So it’s exciting to have her devote a book to creativity itself!
The book is full of engaging exercises and practical techniques for nurturing your own unique, creative voice. I found the chapter on enemies to creativity particularly useful. It helps work past those obstacles — internal and external — that prevent us from getting our ideas out. Whether your medium is writing, painting, dancing, playing an instrument, or anything else, this book gets at the basic force of wanting to express ourselves that underlies all creative efforts.
The writing is funny and full of energy, and the illustrations add to the book’s fun spirit. The creativity put into every page of the book may inspire you all by itself!
If you want to get better at coming up with creative ideas and be able to bring them to life, you owe it to yourself to read this book!
The book is full of engaging exercises and practical techniques for nurturing your own unique, creative voice. I found the chapter on enemies to creativity particularly useful. It helps work past those obstacles — internal and external — that prevent us from getting our ideas out. Whether your medium is writing, painting, dancing, playing an instrument, or anything else, this book gets at the basic force of wanting to express ourselves that underlies all creative efforts.
The writing is funny and full of energy, and the illustrations add to the book’s fun spirit. The creativity put into every page of the book may inspire you all by itself!
If you want to get better at coming up with creative ideas and be able to bring them to life, you owe it to yourself to read this book!
November 15, 2019
I head this book through audible, where it was read by Felicia her self, and that might have influenced my appion.
This is a book where Felicia Day is rambling on and regurgitating motivational posters and self-help ideas. I got halfway through the book, and I felt that the amount of original thoughts was to low to have paid the full price for this book.
I loved "you are never wierd on the internet" but I don't like this one
This is a book where Felicia Day is rambling on and regurgitating motivational posters and self-help ideas. I got halfway through the book, and I felt that the amount of original thoughts was to low to have paid the full price for this book.
I loved "you are never wierd on the internet" but I don't like this one
November 21, 2019
Can I please have the option of giving this book ten stars? I can't begin to say enough about it. And it isn't just about being a well-written book, it's about how much this book has already helped me, and how much I know it will have helped next year or ten years from now. I feel like I have a much better connection with my creative side, and I haven't even had the chance to fully experiment or exercise with everything she has helped me get in touch with or get started. I took my time reading this book simply because I wanted to be sure I had plenty of time for its contents to seep in and make roots in my brain. That was difficult at times, though, because I enjoyed the experience SO much. I will still make it a point to come back and read this every so often, if not every time I'm feeling depressed or anxious or uncreative, then at least every year or so. I just can't express how happy I am that I read this. I have a long way to go before I can really take advantage of everything it has to offer, but I am on my way. Thank you, Felicia Day.
Shelved as 'dnf-shelf-of-shame'
February 2, 2020How I read this: Free audiobook copy received through Libro.fm
DNF @ roughly 50%
Okay, let's face it, I have been trying to finish this book since like last October. I need to face up to the fact that it's going into the DNF pile!
First of all, there was nothing wrong with this book at all - I think it's just not for me, or at least not for me in my current stage in life. It is a quirky book, and the author (who narrates it herself!) is truly fun to listen to. A very cheering, bubbly personality who is quite odd, but still somehow impossibly easy to relate to?
Anyway, the book is full of all sorts of tasks and exercises, but the problem with me was, I guess, that I was too lazy to do those tasks and exercises xD I am sure they would have been beneficial! So really, if you are in a creative rut and adore quirky narrative, you'll LOVE this book! I am keeping my copy for sure, and hopefully I'll return to it someday with the intention to finish it. But that day is not today!
I thank the publisher and libro.fm for giving me a free copy of the audiobook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
DNF @ roughly 50%
Okay, let's face it, I have been trying to finish this book since like last October. I need to face up to the fact that it's going into the DNF pile!
First of all, there was nothing wrong with this book at all - I think it's just not for me, or at least not for me in my current stage in life. It is a quirky book, and the author (who narrates it herself!) is truly fun to listen to. A very cheering, bubbly personality who is quite odd, but still somehow impossibly easy to relate to?
Anyway, the book is full of all sorts of tasks and exercises, but the problem with me was, I guess, that I was too lazy to do those tasks and exercises xD I am sure they would have been beneficial! So really, if you are in a creative rut and adore quirky narrative, you'll LOVE this book! I am keeping my copy for sure, and hopefully I'll return to it someday with the intention to finish it. But that day is not today!
I thank the publisher and libro.fm for giving me a free copy of the audiobook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
September 3, 2019
This review is a courtesy provided by NetGalley.
First of all, if you notice that I'm writing this review in a more casual/conversational style like I'm talking directly to you, that's what you'll get from this book. Felicia Day's text is mostly like a transcript of her cheering you on and giving you personal guidance for finding direction with your creative ambitions. If you get the audio book, I'm sure you'll be in for a treat. Yes, audio books are "reading." You can add it to your GoodReads Yearly Challenge.
Next, it's also a book you can breeze through at first to get that first layer of absorption; then go back and do the weird exercises at the end of each section that's pertinent to your creative output or desire. There are illustrations where you get to fill in things or blank pages to doodle. You are instructed to scribble and draw all over these pages which means the hard copy version might be the best version to have. Otherwise, have a notebook ready. I guess you can take screenshots of the illustrations and print those so you can fill them out.
While this is a self-help book, it's probably the most cheery, fun, and dare I say frivolous in a good way. It makes you embrace your childlike self to build up what Day calls the Hero-Self. She's had a lifetime of therapy, I guess, to know how this stuff works. There is also a list at the back of other books she references and uses herself including Marie Kondo. My shoulders shrug a little in a cringe as I type that. I hold on to precious things and as long as I'm not at a dangerous level and take time one to two times a year to purge crap, I'm okay with my choices.
I said frivolous because it's how our culture, in the US anyway, sees artists and sees the actions of playtime. When I take Gus out on his daily walk, it's mostly for him because he loves it; but it became for me too. I started to write about our walks. Then I embellished them with pure nonsense like monsters and mysteries to solve. Taking a cat for a walk is playtime, but it's also my own inspiration for writing three years worth of weekly posts. I have a friend who dances around as she does housework because it simultaneously makes her happy to move her body and she can feel accomplished that crap got done. Play is vital. It's an embarrassment that adults in working environments are quelled from doing it. Sure, Bryce in IT, you can have ten different toys on your desk from ThinkGeek, but you can't actually be silly. That would be a disgrace.
Day not only gives you permission to make mistakes, she encourages it. She also reminds the reader that being an artist is hard work. Hard work doesn't mean you don't love your output (whether this is your job or just for you or a hobby). Embrace Your Weird acts as a tool where you can have your own imaginary cheerleader, parental figure who is proud of you, role model, and friend at your disposal. Day tells us that being creative is our natural state. Isn't that wonderful to know?
The reason Marie Kondo and her purging into minimalism lifestyle comes up is because having too much clutter and chaos in your environment can stifle creativity. Doesn't it make you sad and depressed to see dirty dishes or a closet filled with clothes you can't fit into anymore? She says to get rid of it. I may say, "I worked too damn hard on that costume to part with it, but I'll put it in a neat and tidy bin on a shelf."
Day also gets into how the mind tends to work in a state of anxiety. She does say anxiety could be useful, but I think the dividing difference is that excitement for a project is not the same thing as anxiety disorder. I'm not a doctor, but I think I can speak from my own experience. I will die on the hill that "writer's block" (which includes all critical thinking and creative thought endeavors) is a real problem. The advice you get about taking a walk, clearing your head, walk away from it and come back, do something entirely different and maybe a solution will come -- that's all true. The pressure you put on yourself can lead to anxiety, but they isn't necessarily The Anxiety itself. Plenty of people thrive under pressure. They look forward to it. I also work better with a deadline like NaNoWriMo. There's something to hold me, the creator, responsible.
Accountability does get a small cameo in the book. Day talked about when she joined a group of women in a similar position in the acting world struggling to find the next gig. They were holding each other accountable with weekly things to do: invite X to lunch to network and that sort of thing. If you like in-person group accountability, go for it. I prefer the realm of online which is why Comics Experience worked well for me as I floundered through my first comic scripts. Same for NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo -- you get a support system who understands what you're going through when your spouse/dog/mother doesn't get it.
As readers work through the exercises to free their creativity, they need to be resilient to criticism, open to valuable feedback, aware of personal limitations (maybe you can't devote five hours a day to your art), and remember that we are mere mortals. Eventually time will run out. You will either have made the thing or not made the thing. We're not all Tupac putting out records every year posthumously.
Day is considerate of switching gendered pronouns. She also gender-swaps Hamlette in one example. I'm sure there are things I wouldn't notice, but I can at least be honest and say this is a writer who tries. She only refers to her significant other as partner. She talks about her baby here and there if you're sensitive to discussions on babies/families. It's understandable given her career, but still unfortunate that she cares what Joss Whedon thinks about her. He should be seeing her as a role model not the other way around.
First of all, if you notice that I'm writing this review in a more casual/conversational style like I'm talking directly to you, that's what you'll get from this book. Felicia Day's text is mostly like a transcript of her cheering you on and giving you personal guidance for finding direction with your creative ambitions. If you get the audio book, I'm sure you'll be in for a treat. Yes, audio books are "reading." You can add it to your GoodReads Yearly Challenge.
Next, it's also a book you can breeze through at first to get that first layer of absorption; then go back and do the weird exercises at the end of each section that's pertinent to your creative output or desire. There are illustrations where you get to fill in things or blank pages to doodle. You are instructed to scribble and draw all over these pages which means the hard copy version might be the best version to have. Otherwise, have a notebook ready. I guess you can take screenshots of the illustrations and print those so you can fill them out.
While this is a self-help book, it's probably the most cheery, fun, and dare I say frivolous in a good way. It makes you embrace your childlike self to build up what Day calls the Hero-Self. She's had a lifetime of therapy, I guess, to know how this stuff works. There is also a list at the back of other books she references and uses herself including Marie Kondo. My shoulders shrug a little in a cringe as I type that. I hold on to precious things and as long as I'm not at a dangerous level and take time one to two times a year to purge crap, I'm okay with my choices.
I said frivolous because it's how our culture, in the US anyway, sees artists and sees the actions of playtime. When I take Gus out on his daily walk, it's mostly for him because he loves it; but it became for me too. I started to write about our walks. Then I embellished them with pure nonsense like monsters and mysteries to solve. Taking a cat for a walk is playtime, but it's also my own inspiration for writing three years worth of weekly posts. I have a friend who dances around as she does housework because it simultaneously makes her happy to move her body and she can feel accomplished that crap got done. Play is vital. It's an embarrassment that adults in working environments are quelled from doing it. Sure, Bryce in IT, you can have ten different toys on your desk from ThinkGeek, but you can't actually be silly. That would be a disgrace.
Day not only gives you permission to make mistakes, she encourages it. She also reminds the reader that being an artist is hard work. Hard work doesn't mean you don't love your output (whether this is your job or just for you or a hobby). Embrace Your Weird acts as a tool where you can have your own imaginary cheerleader, parental figure who is proud of you, role model, and friend at your disposal. Day tells us that being creative is our natural state. Isn't that wonderful to know?
The reason Marie Kondo and her purging into minimalism lifestyle comes up is because having too much clutter and chaos in your environment can stifle creativity. Doesn't it make you sad and depressed to see dirty dishes or a closet filled with clothes you can't fit into anymore? She says to get rid of it. I may say, "I worked too damn hard on that costume to part with it, but I'll put it in a neat and tidy bin on a shelf."
Day also gets into how the mind tends to work in a state of anxiety. She does say anxiety could be useful, but I think the dividing difference is that excitement for a project is not the same thing as anxiety disorder. I'm not a doctor, but I think I can speak from my own experience. I will die on the hill that "writer's block" (which includes all critical thinking and creative thought endeavors) is a real problem. The advice you get about taking a walk, clearing your head, walk away from it and come back, do something entirely different and maybe a solution will come -- that's all true. The pressure you put on yourself can lead to anxiety, but they isn't necessarily The Anxiety itself. Plenty of people thrive under pressure. They look forward to it. I also work better with a deadline like NaNoWriMo. There's something to hold me, the creator, responsible.
Accountability does get a small cameo in the book. Day talked about when she joined a group of women in a similar position in the acting world struggling to find the next gig. They were holding each other accountable with weekly things to do: invite X to lunch to network and that sort of thing. If you like in-person group accountability, go for it. I prefer the realm of online which is why Comics Experience worked well for me as I floundered through my first comic scripts. Same for NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo -- you get a support system who understands what you're going through when your spouse/dog/mother doesn't get it.
As readers work through the exercises to free their creativity, they need to be resilient to criticism, open to valuable feedback, aware of personal limitations (maybe you can't devote five hours a day to your art), and remember that we are mere mortals. Eventually time will run out. You will either have made the thing or not made the thing. We're not all Tupac putting out records every year posthumously.
Day is considerate of switching gendered pronouns. She also gender-swaps Hamlette in one example. I'm sure there are things I wouldn't notice, but I can at least be honest and say this is a writer who tries. She only refers to her significant other as partner. She talks about her baby here and there if you're sensitive to discussions on babies/families. It's understandable given her career, but still unfortunate that she cares what Joss Whedon thinks about her. He should be seeing her as a role model not the other way around.
November 4, 2019
Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story/Content 3-3.5 stars
I have never really read or listened to a self help book before, but was intrigued by the blurb and premise. Who doesn't want to face their fears and unleash their creativity?! The book was structured a bit differently than I thought it would be and Embrace Your Weird is more of a workbook, with interactive components to help guide readers and listeners along. For the audiobook, there is a companion PDF that includes the various exercises and tasks that the author asks listeners/readers to complete. I liked the overall positivity of the book, but I enjoyed the author's anecdotes and hilariously relatable personal experiences best. The author is clearly a gifted storyteller and writer, and though the book wasn't quite for me (please note that I only tried a few of the exercises), I think many others will find it very helpful and encouraging.
*I voluntarily listened to an audiobook listening copy of this book. Many thanks to Libro.fm and Simon & Schuster Audio*
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story/Content 3-3.5 stars
I have never really read or listened to a self help book before, but was intrigued by the blurb and premise. Who doesn't want to face their fears and unleash their creativity?! The book was structured a bit differently than I thought it would be and Embrace Your Weird is more of a workbook, with interactive components to help guide readers and listeners along. For the audiobook, there is a companion PDF that includes the various exercises and tasks that the author asks listeners/readers to complete. I liked the overall positivity of the book, but I enjoyed the author's anecdotes and hilariously relatable personal experiences best. The author is clearly a gifted storyteller and writer, and though the book wasn't quite for me (please note that I only tried a few of the exercises), I think many others will find it very helpful and encouraging.
*I voluntarily listened to an audiobook listening copy of this book. Many thanks to Libro.fm and Simon & Schuster Audio*
July 31, 2021
My friend gave me this book quite awhile ago and I finally got around to reading it during Covid. It was perfect.
I began admiring Felicia Day when she popped up as the ever delightful Charlie on Supernatural.
And to be perfectly honest, after reading this book, I think she was basically playing herself as Charlie. She's my favorite type of person - a geek.
This book is all about embracing your creativity. I would definitely recommend getting a physical copy. Felicia includes a number of activities. I did quite a few of them and plan on going back to do more. They were a lot of fun.
If you want a fun book that will inspire you to be more creative, then grab this book. You won't regret it.
I began admiring Felicia Day when she popped up as the ever delightful Charlie on Supernatural.
And to be perfectly honest, after reading this book, I think she was basically playing herself as Charlie. She's my favorite type of person - a geek.
This book is all about embracing your creativity. I would definitely recommend getting a physical copy. Felicia includes a number of activities. I did quite a few of them and plan on going back to do more. They were a lot of fun.
If you want a fun book that will inspire you to be more creative, then grab this book. You won't regret it.
October 9, 2019
Before you read my review, it's important that you get this book as a physical book. It is a mix between a workbook, a self help book, and a wreck this journal.
This book completely changed my life. I went from feeling like someone who lacked creativity to being someone who truly believes they can be creative. This book inspired me to pursue scrapbooking and sewing, two hobbies that appeared interesting to me, but I kept putting them off.
This book also helped me with my anxiety and depression. I felt pure joy while reading this and I found that the tips about anxiety were actually really helpful for me.
I also loved Felicia’s commentary and nerdy references.
This book completely changed my life. I went from feeling like someone who lacked creativity to being someone who truly believes they can be creative. This book inspired me to pursue scrapbooking and sewing, two hobbies that appeared interesting to me, but I kept putting them off.
This book also helped me with my anxiety and depression. I felt pure joy while reading this and I found that the tips about anxiety were actually really helpful for me.
I also loved Felicia’s commentary and nerdy references.
November 16, 2019
This book is chock full of exercises to help the reader understand their true selves and increase their creativity. I didn't actually do the exercises in this book. I love Felicia Day and gave her previous book 5 stars, so I picked this up. I do think this is well written and would be helpful for people trying to create things.
November 17, 2019
I received an audiobook copy of Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day through the Libro.FM ALC program!
Ever since discovering Felicia Day, I've been in love. She's relatable & fun & is constantly killin' it when it comes to creativity. So, of course, I had to read Embrace Your Weird. This non-fiction read is very inspirational, and makes me wanna give off my bum to start doing things. As shown in the disclaimer, I actually listened to this read, but as soon as I was done, I put the physical copy on my wishlist, because I'm 100% here for the creative exercises she includes.
If you choose to listen to this instead of reading it, a PDF is provided so that you can print it out & do the exercises. I just find it'd be easier to just have the physical copy in front of me. Felicia Day does the narration making it even more fun. If you need a shove in the creative direction, definitely check this book out!
Ever since discovering Felicia Day, I've been in love. She's relatable & fun & is constantly killin' it when it comes to creativity. So, of course, I had to read Embrace Your Weird. This non-fiction read is very inspirational, and makes me wanna give off my bum to start doing things. As shown in the disclaimer, I actually listened to this read, but as soon as I was done, I put the physical copy on my wishlist, because I'm 100% here for the creative exercises she includes.
If you choose to listen to this instead of reading it, a PDF is provided so that you can print it out & do the exercises. I just find it'd be easier to just have the physical copy in front of me. Felicia Day does the narration making it even more fun. If you need a shove in the creative direction, definitely check this book out!
Read
March 11, 2020So fun and helpful!
August 22, 2022
I love Felicia Day, she's so awkward and makes me feel at home in my own awkwardness. I also equally enjoy her audiobooks, because she's very quirky and unapologetically herself. As much as I love her and I love her book Your Never Weird on the Internet. I found that in this one she tried a little to hard to be funny. I just wanted to tell her "Girl your so cool, you don't have to try so hard!", but alas I cannot do that.
This is a self-help book and as much as I swore off Self-Help books after the hot mess that He's Just Not That Into You I decided to give this a shot. Why, you ask? Because I love Felicia Day and I want to be her best friend. It was different for me this time around because it wasn't a typical self-help book, they have creative exercises and gives a little bit more about her and her life that she didn't already tell you in her book. I loved that about it! An okay, okay I probably would have liked the book even more if I actually partook in all the activities (Because the ones I did do they were really fun), but I didn't. With these type of books if you don't do the activities well your ratings are going to be lower (damn you laziness) it's just honestly how it is. She had some very kind words that pushed you out of your comfort zone that gave you reassurance and that is a strength in this book, she's a good writer and she comes off as wise old owl who just wants to dispense wisdom and I'm okay with that.
This is a self-help book and as much as I swore off Self-Help books after the hot mess that He's Just Not That Into You I decided to give this a shot. Why, you ask? Because I love Felicia Day and I want to be her best friend. It was different for me this time around because it wasn't a typical self-help book, they have creative exercises and gives a little bit more about her and her life that she didn't already tell you in her book. I loved that about it! An okay, okay I probably would have liked the book even more if I actually partook in all the activities (Because the ones I did do they were really fun), but I didn't. With these type of books if you don't do the activities well your ratings are going to be lower (damn you laziness) it's just honestly how it is. She had some very kind words that pushed you out of your comfort zone that gave you reassurance and that is a strength in this book, she's a good writer and she comes off as wise old owl who just wants to dispense wisdom and I'm okay with that.
October 22, 2019
I love Felicia Day, love her voice, her humor and wit. And I think this book is very likely an excellent book in the print form. However, I listened to the audio version. It's a book of exercises to spark creativity and expand your horizons and confidence level, and even the audio book came with the PDF of written tests and exercises to do.
For me, the problem is that I listen to audio books when I'm doing other things--like grinding on WoW for example (haha) or loading the dishwasher, chopping veggies, folding laundry...you get the idea. So the book just didn't work for me because I didn't stop to do the exercises along the way. I will at some point revisit it, but I will get the print version to put it to its full potential usefulness.
For me, the problem is that I listen to audio books when I'm doing other things--like grinding on WoW for example (haha) or loading the dishwasher, chopping veggies, folding laundry...you get the idea. So the book just didn't work for me because I didn't stop to do the exercises along the way. I will at some point revisit it, but I will get the print version to put it to its full potential usefulness.
January 2, 2020
Felicia Day gets 5 Stars. Always. I enjoyed listening to her read it. She has a lot of good advice, but I don’t think I am in a place where I can act on it. As with most books like this I found some chapters more relevant than others.
I gave it 3 Stars because of two things. These two reasons are ones I find pretty common in the self-help genre.
1. The advice is pretty general and not as helpful as it could be. Felicia was trying to reach out to all creatives, which is a broad audience. So the advice is broad.
2. It was repetitive. See #1. There’s only so much you can say to a large group, some of which want to be writers or underwater basket weavers or what have you. It’s a broad target.
I gave it 3 Stars because of two things. These two reasons are ones I find pretty common in the self-help genre.
1. The advice is pretty general and not as helpful as it could be. Felicia was trying to reach out to all creatives, which is a broad audience. So the advice is broad.
2. It was repetitive. See #1. There’s only so much you can say to a large group, some of which want to be writers or underwater basket weavers or what have you. It’s a broad target.
October 21, 2019
I liked it. The narration was exciting and hyped up the entire experience of listening to a book that involves exercises to do along with the funny puns being cracked. I wouldn't say it blew my mind away but it did give me some good tips that are definitely gonna prove useful for my creativity.
October 1, 2019: My first pick as part of the Advanced Listerner's Program by Libro.fm and I'm excited to listen to this because who doesn't want to unleash their creativity. Thank you, Simon & Schuster, for the audiobook!
October 1, 2019: My first pick as part of the Advanced Listerner's Program by Libro.fm and I'm excited to listen to this because who doesn't want to unleash their creativity. Thank you, Simon & Schuster, for the audiobook!
October 28, 2019
First of all, I should confess that I read the book fully but haven't done all of the exercises inside. There are so many tips and tricks here to get you out of your mind and creating, though some will not work for everyone. (Sorry, Felicia, but I am not recording myself for five minutes and writing observations.) Still, it's such a broad volume with varied exercises that it can apply to all sorts of creatives.
May 5, 2020
Not that I expected anything less, but this book was highly enjoyable - charming, witty, and warm.
Plus, it's the kind of book that could be easily and quickly revisited whenever a fit of creative block comes along.
I will definitely be adding this book to my library.
Plus, it's the kind of book that could be easily and quickly revisited whenever a fit of creative block comes along.
I will definitely be adding this book to my library.
Want to read
September 24, 2019What the fork?
HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS?
You know imma get my hands on this book because I LOVE Felicia Day!
HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS?
You know imma get my hands on this book because I LOVE Felicia Day!
December 22, 2019
This is such a good book about creativity! I'm fairly certain none of this is actually anything new, but the way everything is presented here is just entertaining. It's all lighthearted and fun, but Felicia Day makes valid points about creativity and facing fears that may block your creativity, and there are so many great quotes in this book!
Felicia offers tons of exercises for the reader to reflect on their creativity and how to practice it. I tried to do the exercises but eventually I gave up because I became so overwhelmed by them.
Moreover, I don't think an audiobook was the best format for me to do the exercises. I would have preferred a printed version or an ebook. Apparently the audiobook is supposed to come with an pdf file with some exercises in it, but I listened this on Scribd and there was no pdfs to be found, which was a little disappointing. However, I enjoyed listening the audiobook because it's narrated by Felicia herself and she's so quirky and funny.
I've made conscious decision to read more self-help books this year and this may be my favorite of all the self-help books I've read this year. Big thumbs up!
Felicia offers tons of exercises for the reader to reflect on their creativity and how to practice it. I tried to do the exercises but eventually I gave up because I became so overwhelmed by them.
Moreover, I don't think an audiobook was the best format for me to do the exercises. I would have preferred a printed version or an ebook. Apparently the audiobook is supposed to come with an pdf file with some exercises in it, but I listened this on Scribd and there was no pdfs to be found, which was a little disappointing. However, I enjoyed listening the audiobook because it's narrated by Felicia herself and she's so quirky and funny.
I've made conscious decision to read more self-help books this year and this may be my favorite of all the self-help books I've read this year. Big thumbs up!
June 21, 2022
This was fun, as everything with Felicia Day is! This is probably a little more effective as a workbook in print (I listened to the audio version), but it still inspired me to be a little more creative in my day-to-day life. And it was the final push I needed to get supplies and ask a friend to teach me how to crosstitch. Thanks, Felicia!
March 24, 2022
Heel leuk boek. Het enige dat een beetje tegensloeg was het doe-boek gedeelte, langs de ene kant hielp dit wel in zijn uiteindelijke doel, creatieve dingens doen, maar als ik op 22u aan het lezen ben, wil ik niet even een half uur gaan wandelen om 5 foto's te trekken.
Ik heb dus niet altijd flink gevolgd wat het boek voorschreef. Ik moet zo nog een brief schrijven naar een lievelingsauteur 😱, om maar 1 ding op te noemen (Mijn kast opruimen is nu niet echt een groot probleem).
Ik heb dus niet altijd flink gevolgd wat het boek voorschreef. Ik moet zo nog een brief schrijven naar een lievelingsauteur 😱, om maar 1 ding op te noemen (Mijn kast opruimen is nu niet echt een groot probleem).
September 29, 2019
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
EMBRACE YOUR WEIRD reminded me of why I adore Felicia Day. The book is smart, quirky, and fun just like the energy she brings to her every venture. Hearing about someone like her who seems to have everything together struggling with mundane problems such as writer’s block is empowering. I needed the reminder that even the most confident seeming people sometime struggle with things like anxiety, doubt, and insecurity, things which tend to be isolating.
With each topic, Day offers several exercises and shares her personal experiences, with plenty of references to writing her memoir YOU’RE NEVER WEIRD ON THE INTERNET (ALMOST) and to her baby girl. The book, which embraces play is a refreshing alternative from some of the drier books that tackle struggles with creativity. Day does a great job of making the book inclusive, turning it into a no judgement zone that honors every individual’s passions. She uses humor and pop culture references (such as comparing one’s enemies to Ramsay Bolton from Game of Thrones) to drive her points home in a fun way.
The chapters address topics such as friends, mentors, enemies, perfectionism, procrastination, anxiety, powerlessness, fear of failure, shame, regret, and jealousy. Day includes exercises and tools to put her advice (such as tapping into flow by working quickly and focusing on finishing) into action.
In the final chapter, Day invites the reader to run a gauntlet of quests to help keep creativity flowing by doing thing such as opening one’s mind to travel, breaking out of comfort zones, learning new things, and making time for creative pursuits. Day acts as a cheerleader, encouraging the reader to take their creative projects to completion and avoiding abandoning in progress projects in favor of new pursuits.
EMBRACE YOUR WEIRD is a super fun and inspirational book with quirky, creativity-unlocking exercises such as writing a Craigslist ad as though as though we were putting ourselves up for sale. But Day doesn’t advocate selling ourselves, rather she encourages us to become the best creators we can be, making the best of our unique qualities and the most of our finite time as sentient beings.
Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books An Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. for providing an Advance Reader Copy.
EMBRACE YOUR WEIRD reminded me of why I adore Felicia Day. The book is smart, quirky, and fun just like the energy she brings to her every venture. Hearing about someone like her who seems to have everything together struggling with mundane problems such as writer’s block is empowering. I needed the reminder that even the most confident seeming people sometime struggle with things like anxiety, doubt, and insecurity, things which tend to be isolating.
With each topic, Day offers several exercises and shares her personal experiences, with plenty of references to writing her memoir YOU’RE NEVER WEIRD ON THE INTERNET (ALMOST) and to her baby girl. The book, which embraces play is a refreshing alternative from some of the drier books that tackle struggles with creativity. Day does a great job of making the book inclusive, turning it into a no judgement zone that honors every individual’s passions. She uses humor and pop culture references (such as comparing one’s enemies to Ramsay Bolton from Game of Thrones) to drive her points home in a fun way.
The chapters address topics such as friends, mentors, enemies, perfectionism, procrastination, anxiety, powerlessness, fear of failure, shame, regret, and jealousy. Day includes exercises and tools to put her advice (such as tapping into flow by working quickly and focusing on finishing) into action.
In the final chapter, Day invites the reader to run a gauntlet of quests to help keep creativity flowing by doing thing such as opening one’s mind to travel, breaking out of comfort zones, learning new things, and making time for creative pursuits. Day acts as a cheerleader, encouraging the reader to take their creative projects to completion and avoiding abandoning in progress projects in favor of new pursuits.
EMBRACE YOUR WEIRD is a super fun and inspirational book with quirky, creativity-unlocking exercises such as writing a Craigslist ad as though as though we were putting ourselves up for sale. But Day doesn’t advocate selling ourselves, rather she encourages us to become the best creators we can be, making the best of our unique qualities and the most of our finite time as sentient beings.
Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books An Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. for providing an Advance Reader Copy.
December 15, 2021
I like Felicia Day's style. She just comes off as a kind nerd.
First, if you get this book and you really do want to embrace your creative side, you would basically need to buy a print copy since it's mostly a book of exercises. You might keep a separate sheet of paper, but that's even kind of lame given that a lot of the book has you write into images, circle things, etc.
I... didn't really get the book to embrace my creativity. I got it because I liked Felicia Day's memoir and thought "Oh I liked her first thing, let me read her other book." I did some of them in my head, but yeah you really need a print copy for full effect.
Things I liked about the book: I liked Felicia's writing, her humor, and her geek culture references. I also liked how she did a fair amount of injecting her own life struggles into the book. She's pretty honest about her difficult experiences and her wants and desires in the little book. She's also your cheerleader in a (at least to me) non-annoying way.
Things I didn't like: Some of the exercises are maybe corny/ I would not try. But then again certainly a lot of them I would. I liked the "playtime" chapter the most. I would definitely do those exercises. The one chapter on enemies dragged a bit for me. I suppose I'm not a particularly anxious person, so I had some trouble relating.
I liked her thoughtful advice (some of it seemed quite good!) and her straightforward attitude. I'm not really looking to create anything major at the moment (though maybe someday I want to write a book, too...), but this should be a worthwhile book if you do. Do keep in mind that if your career is NOT in a creative/artsy field, you will relate less to certain sections of the book. All in all, Felicia Day's books are always fun reads. And I wish I had a boardgame posse....
First, if you get this book and you really do want to embrace your creative side, you would basically need to buy a print copy since it's mostly a book of exercises. You might keep a separate sheet of paper, but that's even kind of lame given that a lot of the book has you write into images, circle things, etc.
I... didn't really get the book to embrace my creativity. I got it because I liked Felicia Day's memoir and thought "Oh I liked her first thing, let me read her other book." I did some of them in my head, but yeah you really need a print copy for full effect.
Things I liked about the book: I liked Felicia's writing, her humor, and her geek culture references. I also liked how she did a fair amount of injecting her own life struggles into the book. She's pretty honest about her difficult experiences and her wants and desires in the little book. She's also your cheerleader in a (at least to me) non-annoying way.
Things I didn't like: Some of the exercises are maybe corny/ I would not try. But then again certainly a lot of them I would. I liked the "playtime" chapter the most. I would definitely do those exercises. The one chapter on enemies dragged a bit for me. I suppose I'm not a particularly anxious person, so I had some trouble relating.
I liked her thoughtful advice (some of it seemed quite good!) and her straightforward attitude. I'm not really looking to create anything major at the moment (though maybe someday I want to write a book, too...), but this should be a worthwhile book if you do. Do keep in mind that if your career is NOT in a creative/artsy field, you will relate less to certain sections of the book. All in all, Felicia Day's books are always fun reads. And I wish I had a boardgame posse....
February 22, 2020
This is a book I read on a whim - my boyfriend had read it and was about to take it back to the library, but I liked the cover and title, so I kept it out a little longer. That was the first mistake - do not get this book from the library. This book is half musings, half activities. ‘Write down this, draw that’ kind of stuff. That’s all great, but you obviously can’t do that in a library book. I guess I could have had a notebook next to me while I was reading to do the activities but honestly I didn’t care that much (and that’s probably a reflection on me, not the book). I read the first half of the book pretty thoroughly, but after a while, I realised I wasn’t going to get what I was supposed to out of this book, I ended up skim reading the last half. It has some decent lines I wanted to highlight and come back to, but again, library book.
I think it probably is a good book, but make sure you buy a copy to write in!
I think it probably is a good book, but make sure you buy a copy to write in!
October 25, 2020
Highs and low of high-school football is, so far, the cringiest line in Riverdale, but Jughead’s “I’m a weirdo” isn’t far behind. Felicia Day is a weirdo too. In case you haven’t noticed, she’ll remind you every second sentence. Otherwise, you might think she is, gasp, mainstream! How dare you, she games, is clumsy and wears colorful socks, you can’t get any weirder!
The thing is, a lot of the advice is good (although nothing that can’t be found in other books, by authors who did manage to embrace their own weird and, therefore, don’t need to try to hard to show how different they are), but the author’s need to make every paragraph hilarious and self-deprecating grows old very quickly. Self-proclaimed outsiders with pseudo-niche tastes were unbearable already as teenagers,with adults it’s not different.
The thing is, a lot of the advice is good (although nothing that can’t be found in other books, by authors who did manage to embrace their own weird and, therefore, don’t need to try to hard to show how different they are), but the author’s need to make every paragraph hilarious and self-deprecating grows old very quickly. Self-proclaimed outsiders with pseudo-niche tastes were unbearable already as teenagers,with adults it’s not different.
December 31, 2019
I'm not sure which demographic this book is meant for but it isn't me. I got about half way through before giving up. I generally consider myself a creative person but that creativity is channeled towards crafting. I feel like this type of book is more for people in writing maybe? The exercises didn't appeal to me and I didn't really understand the point of them. The writing felt forced on the jokes, which means they weren't funny to me. I didn't gain anything from this so decided to give up.
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