Chicken Scratch: Lessons on Living Creatively from a Flock of Hens

by Ann Byle

Creativity comes into play in just about any field. Looking at situations from different perspectives, finding new uses for old things, combining disparate ideas or ingredients or even colors--all are creative endeavors. And when writer Ann Byle became a chicken owner, she began to look at her hens with new interest and the keen eye of an artist. Even though chicken-tending proved to have its own challenges, Byle discovered that her feathered friends offered surprising lessons and inspiration for her own work, lessons on living creatively.

With Chicken Scratch, Ann Byle brings us good fun and meaning-making at the intersection of creative living and our egg-laying friends. She mixes quotes, stories from all kinds of creatives, and practical advice to help all of us invested in living more creatively. Drawing inspiration from her flock of hens, Byle explores curiosity and courage, embracing your creative self and letting go of what holds you back, and living well in the creative life. Each chapter includes questions for journaling, next-steps-in-creativity exercises, and a sidebar from "The Left-Brain Chicken," putting solid process-related steps to each chapter.

The creative life can be profound, but also funny, exasperating, and downright weird--much like living with a flock of hens. If we take the time to notice, we have much to learn from our beloved chickens, things like the value of curiosity, how we might welcome challenges in our lives, and even when to let go of perfectionism. It's time to name our creative impulses, to claim them, and to squawk them from the rooftops!


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Genres: Nonfiction

213 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 23, 2023

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! I learned a ton about chickens. There is way more to these creatures than meets the eye. And the author does a fabulous job of pointing to the creative lessons we can learn from them. The "Egg-tivity" special features are delightful. And the Left-Brain Chicken is an insightful bird, indeed. A joy to read from start to finish!

[Erica Shier · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you consider yourself a creative person or simply want to become one, this little gem of a book is a great place to start. No matter what creative endeavor sparks your imagination or gets your heart fluttering, this adorable gem will motivate and inspire you. With whimsical yet relatable stories and simple, actionable steps to begin (or continue) your creative journey, this is a book you'll want to return to over and over to plumb for the next idea or advice to keep you on the road to living a creative and fulfilling life.

[Elsie McKenney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-have book for creators! Ann Byle's Chicken Scratch will not only provide insight into the creative mind, but will do so while encouraging you to pursue your own creative endeavors. I love this book! I laughed, I cried, and I learned a lot about myself and my craft. And I realized I need my own flock of backyard chickens. Cluck! Cluck!

[Dayna Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun. Ann combines chickens and being creative and/or learning creativity in the most unique way. I loved all the chicken stories and references. So many ideas on life and being creative melded with raising chickens. Great read.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Ann does a wonderful job teaching us about chickens and creativity. Who knew? And now I kind of want some chickens!

[Bobbi Galvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute idea for a book. Great quotes about self worth. Easy to read with my ADD brain. More like reading short stories.

[Sherri · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author tries to make a correlating of chicken life to creativity in ours.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm now about 40% through reading. This is the kind of book that you can pick up for a chapter and then ponder for a while, and return later for another. I happened to read chapter 4 on "Saying No to Negative Self-Clucks" at a very opportune time, while contemplating my academic job search.

There are cute anecdotes & info about chickens, all of which I can vouch for as a backyard chicken owner and big fan of those fluffballs, and anecdotes about humans in the creative world as well. These help provide other examples of relatable challenges. She also includes some references to faith, has fun quotes from famous people about chickens, and a generally upbeat, but not over-positive, view of how we are challenged and ways to press on as a creative person.

Having finished now, I found it a light read with encouraging tips and reminders about creativity. I enjoyed the chicken content, of course (though the final story in the last chapter was a bit disturbing).

[Ann-Margret Hovsepian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a lot of books on cultivating creativity so I feel qualified to say that Ann's sweet little book is a must-read. Whether you're a professional artist or someone who longs to explore your creativity but feels unsure and intimated, this book is for you. Using humour (I laughed out loud so many times while reading this), delightful hen-related anecdotes, and smart tips from her own learning experiences, Ann gives the reader the perfect level of push to get going -- firm enough to feel like you'd better take a couple of steps, but not so hard that you fall over and feel defeated. She addresses the stumbling blocks we all face and shows us how to overcome them.

This book would make a great gift for anyone in your life who wants to live more creatively.