Be Creative - A Quick Guide to Developing Brilliant Ideas & Unlocking Your Creative Potential

Adèle Ramet

"This book is a first-rate guide for writers who are looking for ways to improve their output. It focuses on: fiction writing and the world of genre fiction - science, romance, horror and crime ways of drawing on personal experience in order to write non-fiction articles on a wide variety of topics in a number of different styles and, writing for children which requires specialist skills that, once mastered, bring enormous satisfaction to both the writer and the reader. Crucially, there is also a chapter on presenting your work to a publisher and getting it into print"--Publisher's description. Lire plus…

Tamblyn, Doni

I wish I could just put this volume under my pillow and absorb its wisdom. It is a great resource for ideas about making education effortless and fun (at least for those on the receiving end if the teachers can put it into practice). Anyone involved in teaching or training should at least read it, but preferably master the approach. Lire plus…

Margaret Geraghty

This book will inspire you to write, even if you have only a few minutes to spare. It may also change the way you think about writing. Drawing on a mix of disciplines, including psychology, art, linguistics, and advertising, each chapter offers you a writing-related discussion, followed by a five-minute exercise. Whether you are a beginner writer, an experienced writer looking for new ideas, or you simply want to use writing to gain self-awareness, the book will help you to: \* Access your inner self, the personal memories that reflect universal patterns of the total human narrative. \* Gain fresh insight into the nature of stories and storytelling. \* Recognise your own life as an inexhaustible source of story ideas. \* Stimulate creative thought, including right-brain techniques for 'stepping outside the box'. \* Escape writing blocks. \* Establish an enjoyable writing routine. Just pick a page and begin your writer's journey. Lire plus…

Arthur B. Vangundy

Employees who possess problem-solving skills are highly valued in today?s competitive business environment. The question is how can employees learn to deal in innovative ways with new data, methods, people, and technologies? In this groundbreaking book, Arthur VanGundy -- a pioneer in the field of idea generation and problem solving -- has compiled 101 group activities that combine to make a unique resource for trainers, facilitators, and human resource professionals. The book is filled with idea-generation activities that simultaneously teach the underlying problem-solving and creativity techniques involved. Each of the book?s 101 engaging and thought-provoking activities includes facilitator notes and advice on when and how to use the activity. Using 101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem Solving will give you the information and tools you need to: Generate creative ideas to solve problems. Avoid patterned and negative thinking. Engage in activities that are guaranteed to spark ideas. Use proven techniques for brainstorming with groups. Order your copy today. Lire plus…

Ray Bradbury

This is a delightful, inspiring and extremely useful book on writing. Bradbury talks his evolution as a writer -- what he discovered writing 2000 words every day from the age of 12 to 22, publishing short stories every week in his twenties, and eventually creating novels such as Farenheit 451, Dandelion Wine and the Martian Chronicles. Here is Bradbury's writing routine: "All during my early twenties I had the following schedule. On Monday morning I wrote the first draft of my new story. On Tuesday I did a second draft. On Wednesday a third. On Thursday a fourth. On Friday a fifth. And on Saturday at noon, I mailed out the sixth and final draft to New York. Sunday? I thought about all the wild ideas scrambling for my attention, waiting under the attic lid, confident at last that, because of "The Lake," I would soon let them out. If all of this sounds mechanical, it wasn't. My ideas drove me to it, you see. The more I did, the more I wanted to do. You grow ravenous. You run fevers. You know exhilaration. You can't sleep at night, because your beast-creature ideas want out and turn you in your bed. It's a grand way to live" (62-63). He offers lots of suggestions for how to develop your writing, particularly on his chapter entitled, "How to Keep and Feed a Muse." Here's a sample: Write about what you love and also about what you hate: "What do you love most in the world? The Big and the little Things I mean. What do you want more than anything else in the world? What... Lire plus…

Morley, David

I'm skeptical of this book's claims that it's meant to accompany a course in creative writing - it's not practical enough. Then again, as an academic approach to the topic, why shouldn't we expect it to be found in a classroom? Flipping through this book, I always expect to get more out of it than I actually end up gleaning from its pages. The organization is not particularly helpful; the ten chapters are as follows: 1: Introducing creative writing 2: Creative writing in the world 3: Challenges of creative writing 4: Composition and creative writing 5: Processes of creative writing 5: The practice of fiction 7: Creative nonfiction 8: Writing poetry 9: Performing writing 10: Writing in the community and academy These categories give little indication of where to find what, and the index is not particularly helpful in finding information, either. For instance, why is the section "On Titles" buried in the "Processes" chapter? It's useful; Morley writes: "Like it or not, [the title] may tip the balance between your work being read or not, and it might form part of what is graded within a writing course. You must make your title work as hard as all the words in your piece - harder, in fact, for the title is a door for the reader to open, or a little window through which they peep at the interior, an intrigue making them question whether they should enter or take part. A lazy or imprecise title can damn an entire book" (132). This quote exemplifies the book's value... Lire plus…

Margaret A. Boden

This work was initially published in 1990, amidst a bumper crop of books about the brain, mind and consciousness. Neuroscientists, psychologists and no-nonsense philosophers were setting off to reclaim the mind from the dark superstitions of religion, art and human specialness. Psychologist / philosopher Margaret Boden decided to stake a claim in the territory of human creativity. In "The Creative Mind: Myths & Mechanisms", she seeks to vanquish those who would defend the irreducible quality of human consciousness with the wonders of its creativity. Boden tries diligently to capture the squishy idea of creativeness. She looks at famous examples of creativity in the arts and the sciences, and comes up with a number of "heuristics" or rules of thumb about it. She then analyzes the creative nature of children in various ways (including analysis of typical children's drawings across ages and stages of development). Next, she examines how computer programs, especially massively parallel neural-networks, are making progress in mimicking human problem-solving. Some programs have indeed come up with problem solutions that humans had not though of. Perhaps then creativity isn't such a mysterious thing. Evolution has given brains with powerful problem-solving capacity to the homo sapiens species, explaining much of their success (thus far). Historical creativity thus becomes a matter of the right person being in the right situation at the right time. The more... Lire plus…

Lajos Egri

Has Ugly Cover!The Art of Dramatic Writing is a concise guide to all forms of creative writing, from premise to characters to plot. Lire plus…

Editor, Gregory Victor Babic

Has No Book Cover!Motivation for Writers, Every Day of the Year. Specifically selected Quotations for each Calendar Date illuminate all aspects of the Writing Process. * The First Quotation illustrates the Pre-Writing or Preparation Stage (of Thinking and Planning) * The Second Quotation illustrates the Writing or Creation Stage (of Drafting and Editing) * The Third Quotations illustrates the Post-Writing or Celebration Stage (of Publishing and Marketing) ''This is a treasury of inspiration, stimulation and fun for writers.'' Dan Poynter, author of The Self-Publishing Manual ''No matter what page you open to you'll find the experience, wisdom and inspiration of the best writers in the world to motivate and energize the work you do.'' Paul J Krupin, author of Words People Love to Hear Lire plus…

Paul Mills

This step-by-step, practical guide to the process of creative writing provides readers with a comprehensive course in its art and skill. With genre-based chapters, such as life writing, novels and short stories, poetry, fiction for children and screenwriting, it is an indispensable guide to writing successfully. The Routledge Creative Writing Coursebook: \*shows new writers how to get started and suggests useful writing habits\*encourages experimentation and creativity\*stimulates critical awareness through discussion of literary theory and a wide range of illustrative texts\*approaches writing as a skill, as well as an art form\*is packed with individual and group exercises\*offers invaluable tips on the revision and editing processes. Featuring practical suggestions for developing and improving your writing, The Routledge Creative Writing Coursebook is an ideal course text for students and an invaluable guide to self-study. Lire plus…

Edward De Bono, Traductores Varios, Alexandre Gombau Armau

the First Practical Explanation Of How Creativity Works, This Results-oriented Bestseller Trains Listeners To Move Beyond A Vertical Mode Of Thought To Tap The Potential Of Lateral Thinking. Lire plus…

Stephanie Dowrick

Winner of the COVR Award for Book of the Year (2007) From the #1 creativity publisher in the country comes our latest creativity bestseller—Creative Journal Writing—the ultimate book for those who are looking to use this powerful tool to heal, expand, and transform their lives. In this exceptionally positive and encouraging book, Stephanie Dowrick frees the journal writer she believes is in virtually everyone, showing through stories and examples that a genuine sense of possibility can be revived on every page. Creative journal writing goes way beyond just recording events on paper. It can be the companion that supports but doesn?t judge, a place of unparalleled discovery, and a creative playground where the everyday rules no longer count. Proven benefits of journal writing include reduced stress and anxiety, increased self-awareness, sharpened mental skills, genuine psychological insight, creative inspiration and motivation, strengthened ability to cope during difficult times, and overall physical and emotional well-being. Combining a rich choice of ideas with wonderful stories, quotes, and her refreshingly intimate thoughts gained through a lifetime of writing, Dowrick?s insights and confidence make journal writing irresistible?and your own life more enchanting. Included in Creative Journal Writing are: u stories of how people have used journal writing to transform their lives; · inspirational instructions, guidelines, and quotes; · key principles, practical... Lire plus…

Adele Ramet; Netlibrary, Inc

Whether writing to inform others on a particular area of expertise or looking upon writing as an enjoyable way to escape into a fictional world, this practical book aims to help readers improve their writing skills. Each chapter provides a guide through a variety of writing techniques with exercises aimed at helping readers to become more effective writers. It examines how to appoach work from different angles, how to bring a fresh slant to non-fiction pieces and how to involve yourself in the lives of your fictional characters. The book also explores the specialized techniques involved in writing for children. Lire plus…

Royal, Brandon

For Reasoning Aficionados From All Walks of Life! This guidebook addresses one of the most critical yet seldom taught skills. Reasoning skills help us make sense of the world, including how to better make decisions, tackle opportunities, evaluate claims, and solve problems. Interwoven within the book's five sections — Perception & Mindset, Decision Making, Creative Thinking, Analyzing Arguments, and Mastering Logic — reader's will discover 50 reasoning tips that summarize the common themes behind classic reasoning problems and situations. Appendixes contain summaries of fallacious reasoning, analogies, trade-offs, and a review of critical reading skills. A wealth of examples, charts, and insightful problems makes __The Little Blue Reasoning Book__ an invaluable guide for any individual wanting to further sharpen his or her thinking skills. Enjoy the benefits of your own self-paced reasoning course: \*Gain insights into the four classic mindsets and how each influences one's outlook. \*Make better decisions by framing problems with quantitative tools. \*Employ creative thinking to bypass "roadblocks" and unlock novel solutions. \*Evaluate claims by challenging the strength of key assumptions. \*Use logic to break down arguments in a clear, easy-to-understand manner. \*Review the 10 classic trade-offs to speed recognition of core issues. \*Read with added clarity, whether your goal involves pleasure or profit. Lire plus…

Maria Konnikova

No fictional character is more renowned for his powers of thought and observation than Sherlock Holmes. But is his extraordinary intellect merely a gift of fiction, or can we learn to cultivate these abilities ourselves, to improve our lives at work and at home?We can, says psychologist and journalist Maria Konnikova, and in Mastermind she shows us how. Beginning with the "brain attic"--Holmes's metaphor for how we store information and organize knowledge--Konnikova unpacks the mental strategies that lead to clearer thinking and deeper insights. Drawing on twenty-first-century neuroscience and psychology, Mastermind explores Holmes's unique methods of ever-present mindfulness, astute observation, and logical deduction. In doing so, it shows how each of us, with some self-awareness and a little practice, can employ these same methods to sharpen our perceptions, solve difficult problems, and enhance our creative powers. For Holmes aficionados and casual readers alike, Konnikova reveals how the world's most keen-eyed detective can serve as an unparalleled guide to upgrading the mind.Review"Ingenious...thoughtful...covers a wide variety of material clearly and organizes it well." (The Wall Street Journal)"Steven Pinker meets Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in this entertaining, insightful look at how the fictional London crime-solver used sophisticated mental strategies to solve complex problems of logic and detection...practical, enjoyable book, packed with modern science." (The... Lire plus…

Tom Kelley, David Kelley, David Kelley, Tom Kelley, David Kelley

**IDEO founder and Stanford d.school creator David Kelley and his brother Tom Kelley, IDEO partner and the author of the bestselli**ng** __The Art of Innovation__**,** have written a powerful and compelling book on unleashing the creativity that lies within each and every one of us.**Too often, companies and individuals assume that creativity and innovation are the domain of the "creative types." But two of the leading experts in innovation, design, and creativity on the planet show us that each and every one of us is creative. In an incredibly entertaining and inspiring narrative that draws on countless stories from their work at IDEO, the Stanford d.school, and with many of the world's top companies, David and Tom Kelley identify the principles and strategies that will allow us to tap into our creative potential in our work lives, and in our personal lives, and allow us to innovate in terms of how we approach and solve problems. It is a book that will help each of us be more productive and successful in our lives and in our careers. Lire plus…

Harrison, Guy P.

**Think more critically, learn to question everything, and don't let your own brain trip you up.** This fresh and exciting approach to science, skepticism, and critical thinking will enlighten and inspire readers of all ages. With a mix of wit and wisdom, it challenges everyone to think like a scientist, embrace the skeptical life, and improve their critical thinking skills. __Think__ shows you how to better navigate through the maze of biases and traps that are standard features of every human brain. These innate pitfalls threaten to trick us into seeing, hearing, thinking, remembering, and believing things that are not real or true. Guy Harrison's straightforward text will help you trim away the nonsense, deflect bad ideas, and keep both feet firmly planted in reality. With an upbeat and friendly tone, Harrison shows how it's in everyone's best interest to question everything. He brands skepticism as a constructive and optimistic attitude--a way of life that anyone can embrace. An antidote to nonsense and delusion, this accessible guide to critical thinking is the perfect book for anyone seeking a jolt of inspiration. Lire plus…

Ryan Andrew Kinder

Have you ever wanted to write a story, but you didn't know how? Or are you good at writing stories, but stuck for ideas? Are you currently writing a story, but you have writers block? Well, have I got the book for you friend. I can call you friend because we've just built up a rapport with my rhetorical questions. This is a book chock full of writing prompts. These are little things that will help you along to writing some amazing stuff that spills out of your mind. You're wondering: "But what kind of prompts are they? I've seen writing prompts before, but they're all lame." That's a good thing to be wondering, friend. I've crafted and homebrewed only the finest of prompts for your pleasure. You won't be confined to any one genre, you'll find a limitless amount of prompts ranging from comedy to serious to horror. I say limitless, but I meant 1,000 prompts precisely. I said 1,000 precisely, but there's slightly more if you count the introduction. Listen, friend, I promise not to fib from this point on. The book is split into a few sections: Beginners Writing Prompts (it's a super short section, don't worry); Constrained Writing (that's where you are forced into absolutely specific criteria for the prompt); Flash Fiction (either a word count or a time count is imposed upon you); Ripper Prompts (you are given a list of items for "Random Item Prompts"); and the bulk of the book ends with basic writing prompts with which you can write as much as you please with no tricks! If... Lire plus…

Jay Anthony

Have you fallen into a creative slump? Are you struggling with the development of your ideas? Look no further than BE CREATIVE!, one of the most helpful and comprehensive books you need to set you back on the road to creativity. Open your mind and set your ideas free. It's time to get creative! Lire plus…