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29 Ways to Stay Creative

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On September 23, 2019

There are times when you feel like you’ve hit a wall. Not writer’s block per se, but feeling like you’ve run out of juice. Burned out maybe?

I suggest you first check your health. Are you sleeping enough? Has there been an abnormal amount of stress recently? Have you changed dosages or added a new medication or changed your diet? I know of one writer who had multiple novels published only to find she suddenly could no longer write. It took her years to figure out it was a change in her medication that caused the problem. Once the balance was restored, she was back on track.

Another might sarcastically suggest sticking your fork in an electric socket. (DO NOT do that.)

Instead, enjoy the short, two-minute video below.

I particularly liked #18 and #25.

Which ones work for you? Do you have any you would add?

29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.

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Oxymorons

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On July 22, 2019

Oxymorons can be fun. Two words that can have contradictory meaning are put together to create a new phrase. Or it can be expanded to mean two separate thoughts or ideas that are in direct conflict with each other but when combined create something new.

For example, if you’ve ever worked in a cubicle you can see the humor in the description “office space.”

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Brainstorming: How and With Whom?

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On August 13, 2018

Brainstorming is one of the fun parts in the development of a book. The key for the author is a willingness to hear other ideas. The second, and most critical key, is discovering those with whom you should brainstorm. Those people need to be willing to have their ideas rejected in the discussions and be willing to let an idea they created to be used by someone else. It takes a special person…many times a professional…to achieve that.

I’ve heard complaints from some authors who try this in a critique group only to be frustrated. Egos get in the way or the ideas generated are singularly unhelpful. Or the discussion doesn’t move the project forward, instead it gets sidetracked by numerous differing opinions on the direction of the piece.

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Same Message, Different Reader

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Dan Balow

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On August 7, 2018

When a published book is successful (sells well), the publisher and author begin pondering how to be successful again with the next book. Often times, the solution to the repeat-success puzzle in non-fiction is having a similar message but aimed at a different audience. You’ve seen it happen many times, …

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A Writer’s Beatitudes

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Bob Hostetler

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On July 18, 2018

In the famous “Sermon on the Mount” passage in the Bible’s Gospel of Matthew, Jesus presented a series of eight “beatitudes.” Each was a saying that turned conventional wisdom on its head, showing how in God’s eyes the oppressed are blessed and the despised are prized. No one can improve …

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Create Magic with Words

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On July 12, 2018

Years ago, I took my five-year-old daughter to Toys R Us to meet “Barbie.” “Barbie” turned out to be a cute and charming teenager who, yes, looked like the classic blonde image of the doll. She wore a pretty pink gown. I expected a lot more fanfare around this event. …

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Be Careful Little Hands What You Type

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Dan Balow

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On July 10, 2018

Just as those involved in Christian ministry are committed to serving God as “his hands and feet” on this earth, Christian writers are similarly motivated, giving a voice to God’s work and communicating his grace and love to a hurting world. But just as some ministries can veer off the …

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Book Reading in a Social Media World

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Dan Balow

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On June 5, 2018

At some point every writer confronts the trend of readers who would rather consume 140 characters in social media than 140 pages of words. Social media and smart phones change everything in our world and their impact on book reading and writing is substantial. At the same time social media …

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A Title Wave

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Bob Hostetler

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On May 23, 2018

Some writers find it hard to title their work; others have as much (or more) fun creating titles as they do writing articles, stories, or books. So, just for fun, I asked some of my colleagues and clients: “What title of a nonexistent, imaginary, unwritten, or unpublished work do you …

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