The Problem With Creativity? Bias
We normally see personal creativity as a positive, and often it is. Consider one definition of create: Of a divine being or natural agency. To bring into being, cause to exist; esp. to produce where nothing was before.Oxford English Dictionary Who doesn’t want that...
Writing Conference + A Long Drive: Immersion via Podcast
I am driving two-three hours to a small Writers Conference in Centralia Washington this weekend (Southwest Washington Writers Conference) over back-to-back days. Is it worth it? You bet. Apart from being a smaller conference—which has the advantage of a low...
The Pivoting of an Ikigai Pivot
The verb pivot—first used in the mid 1800s‚is defined as follows: intransitive. To turn on, or as if on, a pivot; (Military) to swing round a central point during a manoeuvre. Also figurative: to depend on, to hinge on.Oxford English Dictionary It was based on the...
The Perfect Book Design
Say what you will. In terms of size, quality of paper, layout, portability, smell. weight, joy of being held I believe the books of the Loeb Classic Library are the vey best. The content's pretty good too!
On Angry-Tweeting
I see lots of Twitter nonsense online that I find offensive. Yet I do my very best not to "angry-tweet" in response. Why? Because it's both emotionally draining and ineffective and it just winds me up. Heck, angry-tweeting is nearly a form of self-abuse! "Don't ever...
Nietzsche’s 12 Qualities of a Scholar
Nietzsche's 12 Qualities of a Scholar: Probity and a sense for simplicity.Sharpsightedness for things close up; myopia for distant things.Sobriety and conventionality of nature.Poverty of feeling and aridity.Low self-esteem.Loyalty towards teachers and leaders.Routine...
The Lonely Song
Here’s a short quote from Schopenhauer as Educator: Yet there will always be demi-gods who can endure to live, and live victoriously under such terrible conditions; and if you want to hear their lonely song, listen to the music of Beethoven.Nietzsche (The terrible...
The Power Of Blogging For Writers
Blogging via open source software such as WordPress offers many benefits to a writer, but the power of WordPress blogging in a free country is this: You are the creator, the editor, and the publisher of your content. You determine its quality and quantity—for better...
My Nonfiction Writing Project Filters
A challenge I'm having right now is focusing and completing one of my nonfiction writing projects. I have several at various stages of completion: some at the conceptual stage, some at the outline stage, and two with several thousand words already written. Yet I'm...
My Achilles’ Heel
I am gearing up for a significant personal 6-month project which starts October 1st. For me, the question isn’t whether I have the brain power, or the creativity, or the skill, or the energy, or the time, or the seed money, or the talent. It’s whether I have the...