Every Idea Is a Good Idea: Be Creative Anytime, Anywhere

by Tom Sturges

Access a level of creativity you never thought possible, using techniques Tom Sturges—former head of creative at Universal Music Publishing Group—learned in his 25-plus years in the music industry.

 
Everyone is innately creative. But many of us—especially those trying to develop careers in music and the arts—wish we knew how to better tap into our creative potential. Is there a way to more easily connect with the part of our minds that knows how to complete a song, finish a poem, or solve a problem?

Music industry veteran Tom Sturges argues that there is. Sturges—who, in his 25-plus-year career, has worked with artists including Carole King , Paul Simon, Elton John, Neil Young, Foo Fighters , Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins and Outkast —has developed dependable techniques to help you recognize and harness your own creative power, whenever and wherever you need it Get insight and knowledge of the creative process from Sir Paul McCartney and other. . Every Idea Is a Good Idea invites readers to find the pathway to their own creative endeavors.
 

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 2014

Reviews

[Nguyet Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives us ideas about creative from the perspective of art including song writer, music composer, TV editor... underneath their’s creative process are a few things in common which is applicable for others fields in life.
It also gives us some exercises to practice our own creativity- these are activities tested in different situations and found effectively based on the authors’ experience.
One thing I dislike about this book is that it simply recaps, retells stories about the people which is somehow a lot and causes boring.
In the end, the book sends a positive message toward “every idea is a good idea”.

[L.M. Magalas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally picked this book up when I saw it advertised both in a writing magazine and Psychology Today. I had some hesitations since the book suggests that this book looks at the creativity of songwriters and 'other artists'. I wondered exactly how much of the book I could apply to my writing (which is an art, but can be considered a stretch from songwriting). I was pleasantly surprised. In terms of the book's structure, Sturges has definitely done his homework. He starts with broad strokes of creativity, narrows it with examples of what he knows best (music), but then always finds a way to simplify it further to the point where it can be applied to any creative opportunity that people may find themselves in.

The book does look at the origins of creativity, what it means to be creative, and how creativity can be used. But the real pleasure of the book comes from the specific real-life examples that Sturges presents. Son of the famous Preston Sturges and a successful figure in the music industry, Sturges has had the opportunity to sit in on the creative processes of dozens of prominent musicians. Fortunately, this book gives us the same glimpse that Sturges had. We see how people like Paul McCartney, Elton John and other approach creativity in their music. Even more so, we see what it's like to collaborate creatively, with suggestions from people like James L. Brooks (The Simpsons) and Ken Levine (M*A*S*H*).

I definitely found it to be both informative and inspiring. I highlighted more than a few passages, and I can see myself returning to it whenever I get stuck or need a bit of a boost. I would recommend this to anyone with a creative impulse, be it music, writing, or otherwise.

[Tristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a confusing book. It's about songwriting, but it's also trying to discuss creativity in general and cover ALL the bases - for business! for marketing! for painting! But what it *really* is, is a book with a lot of name-dropping of Hollywood songwriters with a vague promise that if we readers follow the creative tips included, we'll all find our path to creativity and make lots of money. What I find the most strange is that about halfway through the book, the authors says "As you learn how to find a place for creativity in your life, I believe you must absolutely keep it to yourself... The only writers I have met who freely analyze their creative process are the rookies..." [page 162]. But that's what this book is about - writers analyzing and sharing their creative process! This book is full of strange paradoxes like that, all with this money-focused "you can be a famous songwriter like these famous people too!" I'm not a songwriter, so perhaps it will appeal to those who are, but if you are interested in creativity in a general way, this is not a helpful book.

[Mysteryfan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The more you understand how others create, the better equipped you are to start your own creative process. That's the basic premise of this book. I found it a somewhat frustrating read, although it did repay some perseverance. The first four chapters were essentially name-dropping with occasional nuggets of helpful. I was skipping pages by the end of the fourth chapter. The fifth chapter had some solid advice. The sixth and seventh chapters talked more about the collaborative process that TV writers use. I went back and looked at the opening chapters and realized his examples focused heavily on collaborations there too: Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Lennon and McCartney, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Bernstein and Sondheim. I realized the examples he presented had more to do with collaboration than unlocking individual creativity.