Andy Peloquin's Blog, page 32

Guest Post: Reflections on the Imagination

Today, instead of a book review, I have a guest post from an awesome Irish author…

Reflections on the Imagination

By David Jordan

When I think of the imagination, two things come to mind: the poem, Adam’s Curse, by WB Yeats with its lines about creating poetry:

Better go down on your marrow bones

And scrub a kitchen pavement or break stones

Like an old pauper in all sorts of weather

For to articulate sweet sounds together

Is to work harder than all these.

And the ancient myth about the birth of the goddess Athena which tells us that she popped out of Zeus’ mind suddenly.

Both can be applied to the imagination.

For this writer the hardest part of creating is coming up with ideas. Imaginative ideas. It takes up so much mental energy that I have little left for the writing part. But when my energy is restored I find that putting words on paper and giving shape to my thoughts and ideas is a lot easier than that initial imagining. I usually lie down on bed for the initial imagining stage and it is by far the hardest work you can do whilst lying down on your back. Another line from Adam’s Curse comes to mind:

…and yet

Be thought an idler by the noisey set

Of bankers, school masters and clergy men.

The myth about the birth of Athena is typical Greek brilliance, an insight into the nature of the imagination. It comes, seemingly, from out of nowhere and therefore it is a mystery on a par with music and wine. That the myth refers to the imagination is perhaps confirmed by the role given to Athena in Homer’s Odyssey. She gives Odysseus ideas for getting out of trouble and getting back to his home on Ithaca. She is like a personification of the imagination. In the poem she is often referred to as ‘the goddess of the flashing eyes’. What could be a better metaphor for the imagination, for the third eye?

So the imagination is hard work and it is mysterious. All I can add to this is that it is stressful. It seems to come about by mental chafing in the same way that fire is started by rubbing wood against wood. We can bring in another myth here. The myth of Prometheus, who gave the gift of fire to man and was punished for it. Is fire another metaphor for the imagination? For the imagination in all its power and mystery must be the greatest gift that man possesses. All original thought comes from the initial spark of the imagination. Every invention, every great work of art is the offspring of the imagination. All civilisation and progress owes a debt to the imagination.

So the next time you are dreaming with your eyes open remember that you are not an idler. Or if you are an idler then it is an important idleness. You are partaking in an activity which has lifted humanity to its very summits. You are partaking in something divine. For the writer who must come up with an original idea it is hard work but once it happens and the words begin to cascade and flow no writer will deny that it is worth it.

 

About the Author

David Jordan is a writer from Cork, Ireland. He has an MA in English from University College Cork. He writes poetry and prose.

He has just released a book titled The Chronicles of Dan Lee O’Brien:

Steeped in Irish mythology, these stories bristle with singular imagination and exude style and narrative prowess. Playful and ingenious, they are a fresh new voice in Irish literature – one that captivates and enthralls with ease. So watch out. The gods are back…

Here’s a Taste:

One day Dan Lee came home to discover a stranger in his house.

He had parked his bicycle in the hall way and brought his bag of groceries into the kitchen when he sensed a presence, a strong presence. He opened the door to his living room and found that the curtains had been drawn. He could make out a vague shape sitting on the armchair. His armchair. His first instinct was to tell the stranger to get up but he resisted it. Instead he said, ‘who’s there?’

There was a silence before the person answered in a low, intense voice, ‘I am a friend of Balor. I come here to ask a favour of you, old man.’

‘That didn’t answer my question,’ said Dan Lee.

The stranger laughed. ‘I was told you were cute. To answer your question, I am Elatha, the Fomorian. Perhaps you have heard of me?’

‘No. Sorry.’

‘That’s quite alright, old man. But you’ve heard of my friend, Balor?’

‘Balor of the Evil Eye,’ Dan Lee affirmed.

‘Apologies for the darkness. Us Fomorians, we don’t like daylight too much.’

‘Then how did you get here?’

‘O, a pair of sunglasses helps. We don’t like daylight but we can tolerate it. We’re not vampyres.’

As Dan Lee’s eyes became accustomed to the gloom he could make out a handsome young man with long, tawny hair and beard.

‘So what does Balor of the Evil Eye want with me? I have never had dealings with the Fomorians.’

‘No doubt you’ve heard about our reputation, though? That we’re barbarians? Uncivilised? Given to the dark arts? Masters of chaos and destruction?’

‘Yes, I’ve heard those things,’ said Dan Lee.

‘Well it’s a tad unjustified. We’re not all that bad. But the perception lingers. My friend, Balor, needs you to do him a favour. A big favour. The thing is I can’t tell you what it is while we are here. Too many ears about. But rest assured you will be rewarded handsomely.’

‘And if I refuse?’

‘Well let’s just say you won’t be Balor’s friend and if you’re not his friend you’re his enemy.’

‘That’s coercion,’ said Dan Lee. ‘But I have to admit I’m curious. What the big secret is. It is big, isn’t it?’

‘Huge,’ replied Elatha. ‘And you have a huge part to play in it, old man. So let’s stop yapping and get a move on.’

Find the book on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B01CLSDM58

   

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Awesome Resources for Creative Writing: Stock Photography Sites

On today’s Awesome Resources for Creative Writing post, we’ll look at a few great sites to find stock photos for free…

For people who write blog posts, there’s nothing more boring visually than large chunks of text. Images help to break up the monotony and add color to the content. But who has the time to take photos to post? Unless you want to be slapped with a hefty fine, you can’t randomly “gank” images from Google. You have to search for photos that are “Free to Use for commercial purposes”. Stock photos can be very handy for all of your blog posts and website content, but it can be hard to find free images.

Well, I’ve compiled a list of a few sites where you can find free-to-use stock photos. Most of the photos on these free stock photo sites are simple, but there are a few sites with A LOT of good images. Though it can take a bit of work to search through these sites, it’s worth it to get good quality photos.

 

Here are the sites to visit:

Unsplash adds new free photos every few days, and you’ll find that this is a great website to check for landscapes: mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans, deserts, and so on.

IM Creator has a small selection of top-quality images that easily rival those found on paid stock photography sites. It’s worth searching the site on the off chance you can find what you’re looking for!

Superfamous has a lot of images generated by graphic designers and artists. All are high resolution and beautiful, but there’s a limited selection to choose from.

Gratisography has “evocative” images, some of which are highly creative and imaginative. For more abstract concepts and even awesome ideas, it’s a site worth checking out.

Picjumbo is an excellent site to check out for food photos. The site is easily navigable and simple to search, though it doesn’t have as wide a selection of non-food-related images.

Want more sites to look for pictures? Entrepreneur has a list of 14 of the best free stock photo sites on the web…

Featured Image Source: Alex Wong

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In With the New!

Welcome to my brand new website!

It’s been over two years since my first post, and it felt like the right time for an upgrade. Don’t worry: the content is still the same. The only thing that has changed is the look and feel of the site.

Take a few minutes to click on the various buttons, scroll down, and get acquainted with the new site. Drop a comment below and tell me what you think of the fresh look…

 

Featured Image Source: Flickr

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Book Review: Shadows of Atlantis by Mara Powers

It’s Book Review Wednesday, and I’m finally back with a new book review (I’ve been reading much more slowly these days). This week, we’ll look at a high fantasy novel set in a fascinating version of Atlantis…

 

Shadows of Atlantis

Atlantis is an idyllic paradise where citizens are meant to live in alignment with nature and reach their highest potential. They have thrived for thousands of years, powering their cities by feeding mindlight donations to the Crystal Grid, which connects the people psychically. But the Grid has been infiltrated by shadows-terrifying parasite creatures that stimulate and feed off the negative emotions of humans. They have caused an epidemic called the madness.

There are those, however, who have been born with a gene, that when awakened, have been able to unlock mystical powers once believed to be the birthright of all humans. D’Vinid, a dejected musician, has better things to think about, and yet he is accused of being one of them. When he meets Brigitte, who has come to Atlantis from the dreamclans, a chain of events is set in motion that reveals he has a much larger role to play. He is soon forced to face his own awakening with the shocking realization that Atlantis could be experiencing the end of its days.

 

My Review: 4 Stars

I LOVED this version of Atlantis. It’s definitely a very high fantasy concept, with its futuristic technology that goes far beyond basic medieval devices. The “hoverboard-like” devices in this story immediately brought to mind Back to the Future, but with a touch of Tony Hawk thrown in. A whole lot of fun!

The character of D’Vinid was well-written, as were most of the supporting characters. I found Brigitte to be just a tad too “feminine” (the clichéd femininity, rather than a real human woman) for my tastes. While she never actually simpered or fluttered her eyelashes, it came close. I also HATED the “lovers destined to be reunited despite forbidden love” concept, but that’s just me. I tend to take a much more pragmatic view toward romance and love.

The world in which the story is set was highly detailed and vivid, and I could see most of Atlantis in my mind’s eye as I read. Well done to the author for painting a graphic picture of this fantastical world.

There were a lot of complex elements, some of which bordered on over-complicated. The “grids” and “crystals” were interesting, but there was a lot of over-explaining of some elements and not enough detail on others. I had to drop a star mainly because of this.

The book’s ending had no climax to it. I was waiting for a big build-up and dramatic scene at the end, but it just sort of slipped into the end with more of a whimper than a bang.

However, all in all, the book was a work of art, one definitely worth reading! If you want a fresh take on the Atlantis myth, this is a solid choice.

 

Here’s a Taste:

Music began. Atlantean classical music was designed to weave the delicate harmonies of nature and emulate frequencies from the universal spheres. It had evolved in modern times to a more primal reminder of human existence, with multi-layered rhythmic pulses as its basis. It had become popular at revelries to feature the dark, grooving textures of percussive instruments run through resonance amplifiers. The dance style to this tribal heartbeat music was an individualized expression of character and personal power.

D’Vinid, like all dabrina players, studied classical music. His unique musical contribution in his day was to run his instrument through the same resonance amplifiers to modulate universal frequencies. The ensuing melodic textures created a juxtaposition over the fierce pulsing rhythms. His legendary ingenuity had started a trend, and he was well known as the inventor of the fusion.

He struggled with his vow to avoid the Watchers as he fiddled with the dabrina peg he now wore around his neck. They knew him all too well. His thirst to play for the gathering courtiers tugged at his every step. But if he played, he would willingly offer himself to Pan’s plan. The last thing he wanted was to be in King Kyliron’s sights. His desire for this not to occur far outshone his desire to play music.

The garden had been set up with swirling lights and long, draping streamers to disorient revelers and give the feeling of walking in dreamsight. Revelries were a cultural mainstay all through Atlantean history. They believed it to be their birthright as humans to enjoy the pleasures of sensory perception, while reaching for the bliss of higher consciousness. They had found the best way to do this was through revelries.

D’Vinid wandered aimlessly, pacing through the gardens in unsettled thought. He lowered his head to avoid laughing courtiers as they chased through the garden pathways. He thought perhaps an elixir would soothe his torment. Just as he had the thought, the path emptied into a small patio where a mixologist had set up a portable case of tiny glass vials.

Some of the courtiers were relaxing on cushions around the woman’s tiny costumed form. She had a painted face which glowed in the twinkling lights, and an intricate, feathered head-dress. Her eyes landed directly on D’Vinid as he appeared on the patio. She gestured a delicate hand toward an empty cushion. The other courtiers gazed up at him with eager eyes and mimicked her gesture, urging him to join in their intoxication.

“What is your pleasure?” she asked in a sing-song voice. “Are you sad and lonely?” She waved her hand over the vials, pushing their tops gently to make a fragile chiming sound as their various glass shapes clinked together. “Do you need me to slip you a feeling of sexual arousal? Are you longing to see the other side? Or perhaps you need some excitement and adrenalin!”

D’Vinid carefully thought of his answer. Pan had the best elixir mixologists, and any feeling he wished to have, she would deliver. “I need to not care.”

Her expression darkened. “This is a specific feeling you ask for. You have many things haunting your thoughts. Do you wish to forget? I can give you temporary amnesia.”

One of the courtesans rubbed his thigh and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Go for arousal. I will help you forget.” She giggled and fell back, landing in the arms of the man behind her, who caught her up in a greedy kiss.

 

About the Author:

MARA POWERS is an American Gen X’er who discovered the mystery of Atlantis at sixteen, and has researched it avidly ever since. Hailing from a literary family, she has always been a free spirit, living a life of adventure in pursuit of her many creative talents. Her travels have enhanced her love of words, and gifted her with experiences, life observations and characters to weave into her stories. She regularly migrates between Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, Northern Colorado, Washington, D.C., New York City, and Austin, Texas.

Find the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Atlantis-Awakening-Mara-Powers/dp/0996765204/

Watch the YouTube Video Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fN2cKadiuI

Check out her Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/ShadowsOfAtlantis?fref=ts

Connect with her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kamander.dazzle

Tweet at her: https://twitter.com/ShadowsAtlantis

Check out her Instagram: https://instagram.com/shadowsofatlantis/

Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/111828008678249344717/posts

 

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Awesome Resources for Creative Writing: Amazon Sales Rank Explained

On today’s “Awesome Resources for Creative Writing” post, I want to share with you a gold nugget I found: an article that explains Amazon’s Sales Rank.

If you’re anything like me, you may regularly check your book/s to see its sales rank. You may have no idea what it means when you see numbers like this:

But thankfully, someone takes the time to explain all about Sales Rank and what those (potentially confusing) numbers mean.

An article on the site “Self Publishing Advice” gives you a detailed look at the Sales Rank and what it means. (By the way, the site itself is packed with awesome advice for writers and writing. It’s definitely worth checking out!)

The article, titled “Amazon Sales Rank: Taming the Algorithm” explains the secret behind the algorithm that controls Amazon’s Sales Rank.

Taken from the article:

1. Each sale or download of a product counts as one point toward a hypothetical “rank score”.

2. Each day, the preceding day’s score decreases by half, and is added to today’s points.

3. For each category on Amazon, books are ranked based on their current scores.

Example:

Monday, a book sells 32 copies. That’s 32 points towards its ranking.

Tuesday, the book sells 36 copies. Those 36 points are added to half of Monday’s total (32 / 2 = 16 points), for a total of 52 points.

Wednesday, the book sells 16 copies. Those 16 points are added to half of Tuesday’s total (52 / 2 = 26 points), for a total of 42 points.

Of course, there’s a lot more to know, such as:

More recent sales = higher sales rank

Sales rank rises or falls as other books sell more or less

Higher sales rank doesn’t necessarily mean better search result placement

and so on…

The article basically de-mystifies Amazon’s Sales Rank, making it easy for you to understand exactly how well your book is performing.

For those who want to understand the Sales Rank a bit better, it’s definitely worth checking out!

Bonus: Amazon Sales Rank Calculator is a tool provided by Kindlepreneur that will tell you exactly how many books have been sold to earn you your current sales rank.

 

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A Few Funny Quotes to Brighten Up Your Day

Today, I find myself in need of something to make me smile. It’s been a rough week, so it’s time to laugh a bit. Thankfully, the internet is filled with funny quotes to drive away my Friday Blues (not really a thing, so sue me!).

Here are a few that made me chuckle:

We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don’t know. — W. H. Auden

I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade… And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party. — Ron White

People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do. — Isaac Asimov

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday. — Don Marquis

My fake plants died because I did not pretend to water them. — Mitch Hedberg

Roses are red, violets are blue, I’m schizophrenic, and so am I. — Oscar Levant

When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That’s relativity. — Albert Einstein

Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing. — Robert Benchley

Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone. — Anthony Burgess

The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. — Terry Pratchett

Children are smarter than any of us. Know how I know that? I don’t know one child with a full time job and children. — Bill Hicks

If women ran the world we wouldn’t have wars, just intense negotiations every 28 days. – Robin Williams

Lead us not into temptation. Just tell us where it is; we’ll find it. — Sam Levenson

I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw that my bath toys were a toaster and a radio. — Joan Rivers

Man cannot live by bread alone; he must have peanut butter. — James A. Garfield

The fascination of shooting as a sport depends almost wholly on whether you are at the right or wrong end of the gun. — P. G. Wodehouse

 

Courtesy of Brainy Quote

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Awesome Resources for Creative Writing: Facebook Events

Let me be very clear: Facebook can be the worst enemy of creative writing! It’s distracting, time-consuming, and can sap your motivation or productivity. That being said, it does have a few things that can benefit you as a writer.

In this case, I’m talking specifically about Facebook Events…

Facebook allows you to virtually “host” events for literally any reason you want. Whether you’re celebrating a book launch, promoting a freebie day, or doing a cover reveal, you can create an Event. Heck, you can create an Event around one of your characters’ birthdays or to celebrate some holiday in your fictional world.

With Facebook Events, you can:

Share news of your work.

Interact with people.

Give fellow authors a chance to showcase their work.

Promote a new release or giveaway.

The problem with Facebook Events is that Facebook has VERY specific rules and guidelines that must be followed–something I discovered on the event I held this last weekend. Midway through the first day of my two-day event promoting FREEBIE days for The Last Bucelarii (Book 1): Blade of the Destroyer, Facebook had blocked me from posting AT ALL. I sent emails asking them why, but I have still not received a response.

Before you create your Event, make sure to read over the Event Guidelines posted on Facebook’s FAQ page. This will give you a general idea of what you can and can’t do for the event.

However, you should also read Facebook’s Page Guidelines, as it gives you a pretty clear outline of how you have to run your events. Perhaps FB blocked me because I contravened some rule of their Giveaways/Promotions, so I want to share the guidelines here so you don’t make the same mistake I did (though I still don’t know what happened…):

D.    Offers

If you create an offer using Facebook’s offer creation tool, the following policies apply:

i.    Facebook offers must be available for a limited time.

ii.    You may only run an offer if you are the merchant for or the manufacturer of the product or service you are promoting.

iii.    You must clearly and prominently disclose any restrictions on your offer (such as expiration date or limitations on redemption).

iv.    You are solely responsible for improper redemption, fraud, disputes or other issues that arise from the distribution and/or redemption of your offer.

v.    If your offer may be redeemed at a merchant not operated by you, it is your sole responsibility to communicate with the merchant and ensure they honor your offer.

vi.    You must only use the offer creation tool for its intended functionality and not to promote your website or other contact information, or to offer the equivalent of a gift card, gift certificate or stored value card.

vii.    You are responsible for ensuring that your offer complies with these terms and all applicable laws, rules and regulations. Offers are subject to many regulations (such as alcohol discounts and offers marketed to minors) and if you are not certain that your offer complies with applicable law, consult with an expert.

E.    Promotions

1. If you use Facebook to communicate or administer a promotion (ex: a contest or sweepstakes), you are responsible for the lawful operation of that promotion, including:

a.   The official rules;

b.   Offer terms and eligibility requirements (ex: age and residency restrictions); and

c.   Compliance with applicable rules and regulations governing the promotion and all prizes offered (ex: registration and obtaining necessary regulatory approvals)

2. Promotions on Facebook must include the following:

a.   A complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant.

b.   Acknowledgement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

3. Promotions may be administered on Pages or within apps on Facebook. Personal Timelines and friend connections must not be used to administer promotions (ex: “share on your Timeline to enter” or “share on your friend’s Timeline to get additional entries”, and “tag your friends in this post to enter” are not permitted).

4. We will not assist you in the administration of your promotion, and you agree that if you use our service to administer your promotion, you do so at your own risk.

(Taken from Page Guidelines)

 

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The Key to Writing Success: Hard Work

In my study of the publishing industry and writing world, I’ve come across a few awesome success stories.

Take Andy Weir, author of the widely acclaimed book The Martian–which has been turned into an AMAZING movie. Despite being self-published, The Martian has become one of the most popular science-fiction books of the last few years. Michael J. Sullivan self-published his six Riyira novels, and they became a massive success in no time. Pretty inspiring, right? Shows that there is hope for new writers like me…

But the truth is that these stories are few and far between. More often than not, writers have to slog through years of writing, self-publishing, sending out queries to agents and publishers, and struggling to make ends meet. The average “successful” writer today has been in the business for upwards of 10 years, and has a number of books under their belt.

I believe this quote by artist Chuck Close says it all: “Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.”

Don’t get me wrong, inspiration does have its place in writing and creating ANYTHING. I know if I wasn’t inspired by a story, an idea, or a character, it would be so much harder to put in the hard work.

And yet, it’s that hard work that actually turns the initial inspiration into something tangible. I have hundreds of (I think) brilliant ideas for stories and books, but how many of them will actually see the light in my lifetime? Dozens, perhaps? Inspiration can only get me (and you) so far. In the end, it’s going to come down to hard work.

It’s awesome to come up with a story idea that is clever, engaging, and potentially a best-seller. I’m willing to bet 95% of authors come up with them. But how many of those ideas are actually turned into something marketable, a highly-polished finished product worth reading and selling? That is a far smaller number.

No matter how inspired you are, that inspiration is GUARANTEED to fade in the face of hard work. But, if you can keep pushing yourself and “showing up and getting to work”, you can turn that initial inspiration into a finished product. That spark of inspiration will be the starting point, but it will take hours, days, weeks, and months of the hard work to produce something worth showing. In the end, it’s the hard work that matters most!

 

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Awesome Resources for Creative Writing: How to Describe Pain

One of the hardest parts of creative writing (for me, at least) is to describe the myriad sensations that flood the human body on any given day.

Think about it:

A twinge in your lower back from too much time spent sitting or lying down.

An ache in your knees from too much high intensity exercise.

A crick in your neck from sleeping in the wrong position.

A dull throbbing in your head from eye strain or stress.

And the list goes on!

Our bodies are flooded with thousands of sensations every day–ranging from “so minor as to be unnoticeable” to “debilitating”. Writing these sensations is surprisingly difficult. You can only say “his head ached” or “a twinge ran down his spine” so many times before it gets boring and dull.

This became a SERIOUS problem recently. As I’m working on Book 4 of The Last Bucelarii series, the main character (the Hunter) is suffering through a couple of days of pretty gruesome torture. I could only think of so many words to describe pain. I found my descriptions getting a bit repetitive.

Thankfully, the internet helped me out!

If you’re struggling with describing pain and painful sensations, here are a few places to check out:

MacMillan Dictionary – This is a list of a few pain-related words. They’re mostly adjectives, but they can give you ideas of how to describe pain.

Put Learning First — At the bottom of this page is a list of awesome words to describe different types of pain (suffocating, stinging, sharp, shooting, blinding, etc.).

Reference for Writers — This list of descriptions is a bit basic, but there are a few ideas on how to “show” pain instead of “telling”.

Word Dreams — This is a list of 24 ways to describe pain without relying only on saying “it hurt”. There is a lot of “show, don’t tell” descriptions. (Note: Check out some of the other pages for more descriptions…)

Yahoo Answers – A few people have given some pretty creative answers to how to describe pain.

 

Check out these sites for ideas on how to write your characters’ aches and pains without getting repetitive…

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Struggling with a Problem? Walk it Out!

How many times have you found yourself wrestling with some problem with your novel? Perhaps your characters just aren’t turning out the way you wanted them to, or you’ve written yourself into a corner and can’t figure out how to escape. It’s a problem I’m pretty sure all writers are familiar with.

What do you do to solve the problem? I usually stop what I’m doing, close my computer, and head outside to take a walk around the block. By the time I get back, I’ve figured out what I need to do. Or, at least I’ve come up with the beginning of the solution.

According to a 2014 study from the American Psychological Association, walking can actually help to stimulate creative thinking and problem-solving! Of the students given creative thinking tasks to solve, 100% of the participants in one experiment increased their creativity while walking. In three other experiments, anywhere from 81 to 95% of participants grew more creative while walking compared to sitting.

Interestingly enough, the walk itself is what sparks the creativity, not the location. The participants who walked indoors had the same amount of creativity as those who walked outdoors. Odd, huh?

This study provides proof to back up what I (and doubtless many others) already knew: walking helps to enhance creative thinking.

Some of the world’s most famous thinkers spent time walking as a means to enhance their creativity, including Shakespeare, Aristotle, Thoreau, Dickens, Kierkegaard, and Beethoven. All of these great minds discovered the creativity-enhancing benefits of walking long before the APA conducted a study to prove it.

If you’re stuck on something in your writing (or in any aspect of life or work), get up, take a walk, and let your mind wander. You’re far more likely to come up with creative solutions to your problem!

 

What’s your problem-solving secret? Drop a comment below and share the wisdom…

 

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