Mini Book Review: We Need Your Art

Author: Aimee McNee

I moved We Need Your Art way up my TBR because I thought it was exactly the book I needed right now: a creative pep talk, a reminder that making things for the sake of making them is a worthy endeavor. And in some ways, it is that. McNee’s voice is warm, modern, down-to-earth, and a little irreverent in a way I really enjoyed. But I didn't love the book. The full title is We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something, and much of the book circles that message again and again. It’s a good message! I agree with it wholeheartedly. I just found myself constantly thinking, "didn't she just say that?" I did appreciate the sections on saturated markets and boundaries around sharing online. “Art is not toaster” will absolutely stay with me. Ultimately, this was a fast, well-intended read that may deeply encourage the right person. For me, it felt like a heartfelt blog post expanded into a book. I wanted to be moved more than I was, though I still agree with the thesis completely: we need your art.