Just Making, by Mitali Perkins, is a celebration of all the arts and the artists who create. Perkins helps creative people realize that they have a place in the world, and how to show that talent She gives many examples of where people may show their work to become known, establishing that not all artwork does not have to be on the "main" stage; instead being shown and shared in smaller, more intimate settings. Thank you to Netgalley for this free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

If you have ever wondered, "What is the point of making art when there is so much suffering in the world? What good can it possibly do?" This book may be for you.

In Just Making, Mitali Perkins draws on her life experience and her personal practices as an author to discuss the act of making art and how it relates to justice. She gives examples of how art helps to create, promote, and demand justice in society, and gives the reader practical advice on how overcome the challenges of being an artist in today's world.

There were parts of this book that I found really interesting and inspiring. The connections she draws between women's nurturing and creative roles and the creative, nurturing aspects of God were particularly exciting, and I found her discussions about how to remain humble when working with stories that are not your own were very thoughtful and helpful.

However, I feel that this book could just as easily been called "Christian Making," (or even, if I'm going out on a limb here, "Catholic Making.") The Christian elements may be helpful for some, but distracting for others. The perspective felt unbalanced - Perkins talked about injustice in Muslim countries and how art was used to address that, but never mentioned how art has been used to speak out against injustices within the Church, or even much within the United States. There is a fascinating history of how people have used art to fight injustice, and her focus on this only within the Middle East didn't sit well with me. It is easy to speak about injustice outside of our own experience and often difficult to confront it within our own circles. Given some of the advice she gives in the rest of the book, I am disappointed that Perkins does not seem to confront this in her work here. I hope that she has an opportunity to publish another edition of this book one day, and that she uses that opportunity to address this.

Just Making is a beautifully written book, with an important message to spread. I found that in some ways it missed the mark, but I think that it still holds a lot of value, especially for Christian readers.

3/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Even as someone with a seminary degree, I had never thought of writing fiction as "justice" work. This book made me re-think. "Just Making" sets writing and the arts in the context of making voices heard and bringing truth to light. The author does a great job of making the case for the importance of the arts in social justice, though I wish she had used the entire book for this topic. In any case, this book helped me forgive myself for stepping away from lots of volunteer work to concentrate on my writing - without feeling so guilty.

Much of the book is spent on self-help for writers and artists. While these discussions are always good, I wasn't looking for them in this book. I really wish this author had written two books - one on social justice exclusively and another on self-care for writers and other creatives.

A big hole in the author's arguments for making your voice count as a writer was the absence of any discussion of self-publishing. This topic is crucial in any discussion of making your voice heard as a writer.

Finally! Somebody who understands makers and what makes us tick! This is a great book that every maker and everyone who loves them should read.

Mitali Perkins’ Just Making is a thoughtful, encouraging book for artists and writers who question whether creativity matters in a world full of suffering. With warmth and wisdom, Perkins, drawing from her own life as the daughter of immigrants and a writer who settled on fiction as her creative practice, argues that making art is not selfish but a vital act of justice, healing, and truth-telling. The book blends personal reflection, spiritual insight (rooted in her Christian faith), and practical advice, offering practices like "forgetfulness in flow" to help creatives persevere.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I will not say I was the correct audience for this book, but I left it with so many tips and notes. A pretty good, and easy read.

I went into this book expecting a call to action for all creatives who feel like their contributions to the world don't matter. That is not quite what I found, but I was not disappointed.

Perkins has a very warm authorial voice. Reading <i>Just Making</i> feels like chatting with an encouraging friend. I think for young creatives who already identify with or were raised in Christianity, this book would be a life enhancing gift.

But the book is neither labeled for young audiences nor Christians in particular, so that discovery was a bit jarring. A lot of the first few chapters are made up more of quotes or explanation of quotes rather than Perkins' own words. But the insight provided is very helpful to hear as a stunted creative.

Just Making is a balm to the creator’s heart. Looking at a world that disregards art as frivolous and pandering, we need thoughtful reminders of why the act of creating matters. Perkins’ work is approachable and beautiful- a perfect companion to creatives everywhere.

I really enjoyed Just Making. Perkins’ message—that creativity has deep meaning and can be a force for good—really resonated with me. As a kind-of-sort-of artist myself, I appreciated her blend of spiritual insight and encouragement.

That said, the book leaned a bit more meditative than practical at times. Or maybe I just wasn’t clever enough to translate the poetic encouragement into concrete action. Either way, the heart of the message stuck with me: making (creating) things matters.

There is some good information to be presented here, but I hadn’t realized that this was a Christian book, so it was not as accessible for me personally.

As someone who often questions "why" I really enjoyed this book. Although I do not identify myself with Christianity, I still really loved the messages in this book (there are many references to the Bible/Bible versus in this). This is a quick read, but had me re-reading and highlighting sections that I resonated with, or that I learned something from. As someone who sews and is going to school for textiles, fashion, and design, I LOVED everything about quilts and the stories that quilts have been able to tell in history. I honestly think I will find myself referencing this book and going back to it often. KEEP CREATING!!!

A Thought-Provoking Guide for Christian Artists, but Not as Accessible for a Broader Audience

This book presents some powerful insights on being an artist engaged in social justice, with valuable concepts and practical exercises, especially in Part III, that I found genuinely useful in my own creative practice. I especially appreciated the inclusion of diverse philosophies alongside the Christian framework, as well as the encouragement to persevere in artistic work.

That said, I wasn’t expecting the book to be so deeply rooted in Christianity, as the description didn’t make that entirely clear. While I later noticed it was categorized under Christian literature, I still found the level of biblical references and theological discussion to be more immersive than I anticipated—at times feeling more like evangelism than a general guide for socially engaged artists. The section on vices in Part II, in particular, felt overly grandiose in its language, making it difficult to stay engaged.

That being said, I do think this book has the potential to bridge gaps, encouraging Christian artists to align their work with justice and compassion, especially in the U.S. context. However, I would have loved to see a version that leaned more into spirituality—similar to The Artist’s Way—rather than one so anchored in Christian doctrine. If the author ever considers releasing a second edition, a more broadly spiritual adaptation could make these valuable insights more accessible to a wider audience.

Overall, this book has a lot to offer, but readers who aren’t expecting an overtly Christian approach may struggle to connect with it.

In Just Making, Mitali asks why artists should continue making art despite the world's troubles and inequities. The book is part memoir, part philosophical discourse, and part practical advice. Its second half, the part covering practical advice, lays out 10 steps an artist can take to stay engaged with their work and with the world, but I found the first part a little confusing. Perhaps I was expecting something more of a how-to aid justice through art. Some readers may be put off by the infrequent quotes and teachings from Judeo-Christian tradition, which also serve as the basis for some of Mitali's advice. But overall this is a good book for creatives, more so if you are a marginalized creative trying to make your way in our world today.

Just Making by Mitali Perkins asks and answers a lot of great questions. The ability to be creative and become wrapped up in the projects we work on is a feeling like no other. However, that joy can quickly seem frivolous and even selfish seeing what else is going on in the world.

Perkins draws on her own life and experience growing up in an immigrant family to sort through mixed feelings of creative and justice.

Just Making is a deep, thoughtful, and encouraging to spur you on to finding peace and purpose in your own creative practice.