Barry has also published four books about the creative processes of writing and drawing. "Making Comics", "What It Is", "Picture This", and "Syllabus: Notes From an Accidental Professor" focus on opening pathways to personal creativity. "Publishers Weekly" gave "Syllabus" a starred review, calling it "an excellent guide for those seeking to break out of whatever writing and drawing styles they have been stuck in, allowing them to reopen their brains to the possibility of new creativity." The AV Club named "Syllabus" one of the best comics of 2014.