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Category Archives: Creativity
Grasping at Ideas
Books exist that relate the basics of writing stories: how to create plots that follow specific beats and pacing, how to develop characters and throw continual problems at them, how to use settings to enhance your story. But, all this … Continue reading
Writing with a Divided Mind
In the 1930’s, an Oberlin College English major named Roger W. Sperry worked at a campus cafe and provided transportation for a physically disabled psychology professor. Sitting in on luncheons and meetings among eminent psychologists introduced him to a new … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Psychology, Style and voice, Teaching writing skills
Tagged Creativity, intonation, language, Left brain, poetry, right brain, speech
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Which Side of the Brain Do Writer’s Favor?
The idea that individuals favor using either the right brain to produce creative results or left brain for logical thinking is a recent one. It originated with the work of physicians in the mid-1800s, so at least it’s recent compared … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, intelligence, Psychology
Tagged giftedness, language skills, Left brain, logic, right brain, visualization
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Fear of Criticism
Ask an educator “How do you encourage creativity?” They will tell you students need an environment full of stimuli. They describe the ideal classroom as having an open, accepting atmosphere, free from criticism to build up self-esteem. Ask authors, poets … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Education trends, Group psychology
Tagged art, Criticism, critique, poetry, Self-esteem, Writing
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Writing and Age
As writers get older and improve at their skill, they sometimes bemoan the lost years of youth—time when they had more energy and yet were not writing. There are excuses that we give ourselves. Getting an education, working to pay … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Generational differences, Literature, Novels, Poetry
Tagged age, Frank McCourt, productivity, research on writers, SE Hinton
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Is Creativity Fair?
Creative people often feel driven to be different, to strive for the original idea and take it as far as possible despite the deprivation and pain that results. They fear that inspiration may abandon them and leave them stranded, or … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, exclusion, Mental health, Self-awareness
Tagged schizoid personality disorder, schizophrenia
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Surviving Creativity
When I was much younger I studied Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Despite his theory that fulfillment of physical and psychological needs leads to self-actualization and creativity, I found many creative people driven by something else–something that often causes them … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Ideas for writing, Literature
Tagged art, music, theories of creativity, wiriting
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A Series of World Building Woes
I am tentative about announcing a series because I recall the thrill of reading Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson when I was much younger. In this historical fiction a teenager escapes imprisonment on a ship and flees through the wild highlands of … Continue reading
The Challenge of Writing Humor
I struggle with writing humor. What I find funny is often too close to real life for others to comfortably laugh at it. What others find amusing may irritate rather than entertain me. Once I heard a bit of advice … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Laughter and humor, Writing trends
Tagged defining what is funny, humor in writing
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