First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day

by Dave Amaditz & Marcy Collier


Welcome to February’s version of – First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author’s writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the author’s answers in a follow-up post.


This month we’re pleased to highlight debut author, Lana Krumwiede’s novel, Freakling.


1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?


Dave – This passage comes from near the end of the book Without giving away what happens in the story, Taemon, the main character, has to confront the dilemma facing him… how to solve the problem facing him without killing his brother.


 “Moke’s death flashed in Taemon’s mind. He tried to shove his sadness away until he realized that it was part of the solution. Moke died because Taemon’s knowledge was useless without power and Amma’s power was useless without knowledge. If you could separate Yen’s knowledge from the power…”


Marcy – Taemon, the main character of the story is a rule follower. The special ability (psi) that he and everyone around him possess is a gift that should not be taken for granted or used recklessly. He feels sorry for anyone without psi until he finds himself living in their community and realizes they may truly be the lucky ones.


The tune was simple, not nearly as complex as the psi music he knew, but he had to admit this music had more emotion, more feeling. The musicians swayed and bounced when they played, their faces showing something that Taemon was sure he’d never experienced.


2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?


Dave – There were many great chapter endings, but I chose this one from early in the novel. It occurs during a confrontation when Taemon’s brother, Yens, has Taemon dangling over the edge of a cliff with sharp rocks and the raging ocean below.


“Forget all this stuff about danger increasing power. You’re asking for disaster.”

Yens grinned. “That’s the whole point.” And he let go.

Taemon fell into the water, and the sea hauled him out again.


Marcy – My favorite chapter ending is when Taemon finds himself alone with his brother out to sea. The brother is this insidious, awful person who is selfish and only cares about having power. He threatens Taemon’s life until Taemon relinquishes and tells him the information his brother seeks. As the reader, you think great, now Taemon will be okay. But instead of being saved, his brother releases him out to the choppy sea to die.

3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?


Dave – Elder Naseph, the high priest, is my favorite secondary character. He’s the perfect antagonist – – cunningly evil with a diabolical plan to achieve ultimate power.


Marcy – Moke is a great sidekick to Taemon. He is this quirky, bizarre, lovable kid, who is honest and forthright. Taemon isn’t sure if he can trust this boy or become his friend. Moke responds with the following line: 

“You don’t know what to make of me.” Moke nodded. “That’s okay: you’re a quake after all. Quakes are supposed to question. Here’s what you need to know before you decide: My parents run the crematorium. I study weasel droppings. I create sculptures from cat hair. And I stink at psiball.”


What’s not to love about this secondary character?


4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

Dave – There were so many to choose from, but in the end, I picked this passage, as it accurately describes the main character’s emotions. It shows how difficult it is for him to understand what it is like for him to live in a different culture, and that believe it or not, different might be better. I think it is a lesson of acceptance we can all learn from.


“A sharp rapping sound made him wince. He turned and saw someone hanging a sign over one of the booths. Even the sounds were different here. Banging, grinding, creaking, pounding. He’d never realized how noisy primitive life was.


But primitive life had its advantages, too. He could tell who was doing what. Everything felt relaxed and friendly and open. Of course, that relaxed feeling probably had something to do with the fact that he was not required to lie, cheat, or pretend to be anything other than what he was.”


Marcy – This line captures a clear picture of Taemon’s passion in two short sentences.


Taemon’s head was filled with the sketches he’d seen on the tinker’s slate. Already he’d thought of three different changes he’d make to those plans.


5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?


Dave – This is spoken by Amma. She lives with the non-gifted, but has the power of psi (the ability to move things with her mind) which she is forced to keep hidden. It is a line I believe all of us can learn from.


“Exactly,” Amma said. “What is the desire of your heart? It doesn’t matter if you have psi or if you don’t. You still have to know what you want; you have to picture it in your head before you can make it happen.”


Marcy- “This is stupid to the power of stupid,” Taemon said.


Such a fun line that brings out Taemon’s voice and personality as his character becomes more confident and daring.


You can find Lana at:


Twitter:  @LanaKrumwiede

Amazon:  Freakling



Dave Amaditz February 1, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink

First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day

We want to thank author Jill Hathaway for participating in our First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day. We asked Jill to answer five questions about her novel Slide. On Friday, January 4, 2013 post, David Amaditz and Marcy Collier answered the same five questions about Jill’s debut novel.

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?
Jill –  Toward the end of SLIDE, Vee and her father have a falling out. The fact that she’s able to move past his mistake is huge to me. Here are her thoughts on the matter:
“I look back at him, and I see my father for what he is. A man. He is just a man. One night, he drank a little too much and did something stupid. He made a mistake. But he is more than that mistake. He is the man who makes a lasagna, the man who holds my mother’s picture and cries when he thinks no one is looking, the man who makes broken babies whole. He is just a man. But he is a good man.”
2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?
Jill – Aaagh, this is so hard without spoiling the story! One of my favorite parts is at the end of chapter 20, but I can’t tell you why! It is just so satisfying. (At least to me.)
3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

Jill – Rollins is my favorite secondary character. He has a lot going on at home, and I really feel for him.
4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

Jill – My favorite line is probably this: Yeah, maybe a little morbid, but true.
“It’s wrong that death is a loss. It’s something you gain. Death is always there, whispering in your ear. It’s in the spaces between your fingers. In your memories. In everything you think and say and feel and wish. It’s always there.“
5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?
Jill – Rollins tells Vee, “You’re about as delicate as an AK-47.” Hee.
We want to thank Jill Hathaway for participating in First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day. 
You can find Jill at: 
Twitter – @jillscribbles
Amazon – Slide
Congratulations Jill on your debut novel Slide, and we look forward to reading the sequel, Imposter, coming out on March 26, 2013.

Dave Amaditz January 7, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink

First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day

by Dave Amaditz & Marcy Collier

SLIDE

Marcy and I are excited and proud to unveil the premier post for our new feature – First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves. We also want to give our readers some insight into the author’s writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the author’s answers in a follow-up post.


This month we’re pleased to highlight debut author, Jill Hathaway’s, novel Slide.


1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?


Dave – This passage comes from fairly early in the novel, but gives me so much insight into what the main character is thinking and feeling.

 “My left hand hovers over my sister’s shoulder. I feel like I should rub her back the way Sophie’s mother rubbed hers when she was upset, but I can’t quite bring myself to do it. Something in the gesture would be false. I can’t offer her the comfort she needs right now. In order to give something, you need to have it inside of you to give. And right now there’s nothing inside me at all.”


Marcy – Vee treasures her mom’s CD collection, but right now she knows that her sister needs the music more. Vee understands that her sister doesn’t remember as much about their mom, and she gives up this treasured keepsake to help her sister.

 “When I’ve loaded the CDs all back into the box, I push the flaps closed and carry it to my sister’s room. She hasn’t returned from breakfast yet, so I place the box on her unmade bed and leave the room. I’ve attached a pink Post-it note. It says: This is who she was. Love, V.”


2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?


Dave – There were many great chapter endings, but I chose this one from early in the novel.

“I hear the man set the phone down. A second passes, stretching out into forever. Another second. Another.

And then the screaming begins.”


Marcy – This ending kept me up at night. I had to see what happened next!

“But she won’t wake up, no matter how hard I shake her. I grab her arms and drag her off the couch. I can barely see my way to the door. Gasping, I take in a mouthful of blackness. The smoke invades my lungs, and I feel myself choking. Everything goes black.”


3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?


Dave – Rollins is my favorite secondary character because he is so strong and confident at times, yet so vulnerable at others to being hurt by the ones he loves. He’s just like one of us.


Marcy – Rollins is my favorite secondary character. He is this quirky, eclectic guy who has a heart of gold and can be quite a rebel. He has a unique style and shows Vee how much he cares about her through his thoughts, words and actions like finding vintage t-shirts for her or making sure she’s okay after she blacks out. We see he has an even bigger heart when we learn about his home situation, but I won’t spoil it for those of you who haven’t read the novel yet!


4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?


Dave – There were so many to choose from, but in the end, I picked this passage, as it gives me a snapshot of the main character’s life.

“I scoop the pancakes onto a plate. I spend a long time standing in front of the refrigerator, looking at a picture of my mom when she was in college, tan and skinny and smiling, with blond hair and a white tank top. Below it, there’s a picture of my sister at her eighth-grade graduation. Dad and I stand on either side of her, giving her double bunny ears. On any other fridge, this would look like a happy collage of memories, but on our fridge it’s a mockery of what once was, what could have been. A happy family.”


Marcy – I loved this line – it painted such a clear picture for me of the two girls.

“The girl is Mattie. She is my sister and my exact opposite in every way. If she’s the pink glitter on your valentine, I’m the black Sharpie you use to draw mustaches on the teachers in your yearbook.”


5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?


Dave – This is spoken by the main character Vee.

“It’s just a really weird time for me,” I say finally. “With this whole Sophie thing and my sister freaking out. I feel like I’m stuck in this nightmare and everyone’s insane but me. Or maybe I’m the one who’s insane. I don’t know.”


Marcy – Need I say more? Who wouldn’ t be intrigued by this line.

“Really? Conjoined twins?”

Look for Slideauthor Jill Hathaway’s responses for First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day on Monday, January 7, 2013!

You can find Jill at:

Twitter – @jillscribbles

Amazon – Slide

Dave Amaditz January 4, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink

Scary

 

by

Dave Amaditz

It’s that time of year again for scary.

I don’t mean Halloween-scary, although it’s a sure thing that I’ll soon be bombarded with chilling movies filling the TV screens and children of all ages marching through my neighborhood dressed in frightening costumes. That type of scary is a given, and I’m okay with it. In fact, I quite look forward to watching movies with my children as well as seeing all of the uniquely  frightening and not-so-frightening costumes the neighborhood children wear to collect Halloween candy.

The scary I’m talking about deals with acquisition time at the publishing houses.

I’m told that fall in the publishing business is one of the busiest times of the year, as editors come to editorial and acquisition meetings prepared to pitch the novels they most want to see published. Normally, I wouldn’t spend too much time thinking about the process, but this year, I happen to have two stories with two separate houses. For the past few months I’ve been patiently waiting to hear a response. Of course, I would love to hear a positive response, but as I sit here waiting, I find myself wondering what would be scarier – – receiving a message from the editors with wishes for better publication luck elsewhere, or the continual wait in limbo that comes with not receiving a response.

Is there anyone else out there still waiting for a message like me? How does it make you feel?

Dave Amaditz October 26, 2012 Leave A Comment Permalink

Create a Character

by

Dave Amaditz

In the past, I’ve had some difficulty trying to create my characters, especially my secondary characters. Not their names, or how or where I wanted them to fit into the story, but the specifics of their life, the little details of their personality, the little quirks and nuances that make them real. It would take me a while, but I’d eventually get them, after I’d written many drafts of the story. The process worked, but I was looking for something to make the process a little easier and faster.

A few years ago, at a SCBWI writer’s conference, I attended a workshop on “Creating Characters”. Among other things, the leader handed out a list of questions, which are listed directly below, meant to help someone better learn about the characters they are creating.

Your character just walked in the door. Is it a man, boy, girl, woman?

How old?

What’s he or she look like?

What he or she wearing?

Okay, now give your character a name?

What does he or she like to do? What are his or her passions?

Where is your character? Describe the setting you are seeing?

Someone is very important to your character. Who is it?

He or she has something that is very precious to him or her. What is it?

What is your character smelling?

There is music playing. What kind?

Think of texture of what your character is currently aware. What is it and what does it feel like?

What delights him or her?

He orshe has a secret. What is it?

What makes him or her angry?

What does your character fear most?

What does he or she want more than anything else?

I’m not like some who have a clear vision of their story and characters right from the start, so, if you’re like me, you might find answering the questions requires a lot of work and a lot of thought. If that’s the case, stick with it, because I’m pretty sure you’ll be happy with the results. You might find that by following the process, you have saved time and effort, while at the same time having a richer, deeper story right from the opening page.

If you want to use these questions as an exercise, or you are still having trouble creating a character, try printing out a picture from the internet (a random picture will suffice and will probably work better). Hang the picture above your workstation and use it as a guide, as a starting point for your character (or characters). Use the questions above to fill in the blanks about the stranger. Before you know it, you’ll not only have created a character, but a story to go along with him or her… And if you’re lucky, that story might be the new novel that becomes published.

Dave Amaditz September 28, 2012 Leave A Comment Permalink

SCBWI Grants. Apply. Apply. Apply.

by

Dave Amaditz

How many of you have applied, or have ever thought about applying for a grant? Or should I say, how many of you have decided not to apply for a grant because you thought the chances of being selected were so slim it wasn’t worth your time?

I suspect most of you would fall in the latter category. I say that, because I, too, have often had that thought cross my mind. If you’re a regular follower of our blog you may have noticed a post from July 27, 2012 titled,  Winner – SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grant For a Contemporary Novel  - Dirty Secrets, YA- Persistence Pays:. If not, follow the link and check it out. http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/2012/07/2012-winner-scbwi-work-in-progress.html

I am the beneficiary of the SCBWI grant, and to say the least, I’m glad I applied.

However, life almost made it so it didn’t happen.

I was busy with rewriting my story, work, family, and other things that make the hours and days pass too quickly. The deadline to apply for the grant was March 15, 2012. In late February or early March, while perusing the SCBWI website, I came across the link announcing the grants available to all members. Should I give it a try, I thought? Not much time left. Would I be able to pull it together… especially something that had a legitimate chance?

After carefully reading all the requirements, I decided it might be worth my while to apply.

The application consisted of three major parts: the writing sample, in which I had to include a synopsis of my work, a biography, and planned use of grant money. I thought I had a pretty good start on things because both my writing sample and synopsis were polished. (At least I’d hoped they were polished, and if they weren’t, this was the chance to see what others outside my writing circle thought.) The second and third parts required a bit of work… only five or six or seven drafts or more compared to the thirty or so I’d put into my writing sample. In the end, I thought, even if I didn’t win, the process would be great preparation for when I finally decided to send to an editor or agent.

To me, the exercise was worthwhile, and not only because I was awarded the grant. Win or lose, it would have given me a chance to see where I stacked among my peers. (Lose; back to the drawing board. Win; bask in a bit of glory.) On top of that, the whole process let me focus on my writing by putting together a professional package worthy of publication.

I highly recommend everyone who is an SCBWI member look into the grants available (there are many at the following link)  http://www.scbwi.org/  For those of you not members, I recommend you look into joining, because the grant process is but one small benefit of being a member.

Better late than never. What could it hurt?

Dave Amaditz August 24, 2012 Leave A Comment Permalink

2012 Winner – SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grant For a Contemporary Novel – Dirty Secrets, YA – Persistence Pays:

by

Dave Amaditz

Some of you who have followed our blog for a while may remember earlier posts I’ve written (Revision and Character Growth – http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/2012/04/revision-and-character-growth.html) (When Is the End, the End: An Update – http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/2011/10/when-is-end-end-update.html#comment-form) (When Is the End, the End? – http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/2011/08/when-is-end-end.html#comment-form) about the current novel I’ve written… Or should I say rewriting… Or should I say have rewritten again and again and again.

So as not to bore you, I’ll just say that all posts had do with the fact that I’ve been writing this novel for a long time and many things about the story have changed, including the age of my characters and the focus of my story. The premise of the posts went unwritten. .. Remain persistent. Don’t give up on something you believe in, especially if that something has promise.

Last Friday, after looking out the window most of the morning from my writer’s desk into a rain-filled sky, I received an e-mail, a reward for my persistence . My young adult novel, Dirty Secrets, was picked as the winner of this year’s SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grant for a contemporary novel. http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Work-In-Progress-Grants

 Wow! I nearly fell out of my chair.

I’m still reeling a bit now, still amazed at the accomplishment, because it was completely unexpected. I had hoped of course that the story was strong enough to receive some type of recognition, a letter of merit or honorable mention. This completely blew away my expectations.

Now, as I try to float slowly back to earth, I need to remind myself that the reward is not an excuse to stop working. In fact, the work still ahead is what allows me to continue to focus on my main goal, publication.

There’s more to write about the award, and the road which led me to apply, but I’ll save that for another time.

In the meantime, for all of you who may be feeling a bit low, a bit down on your luck because you haven’t heard from an editor or agent, keep this story in mind as one of hope, one that will shed a little light onto an otherwise darkened landscape.

Dave Amaditz July 27, 2012 2 Comments Permalink

Exercise Daily and Keep Physically Fit; to Improve Your Writing?

by

Dave Amaditz

You don’t have to look far to see reports about the latest health craze sweeping the nation. Whether it’s broadcast on late-night infomercials or seen on the nightly news, the message remains the same. Doing a physical routine will help you live longer, help your heart stay stronger, keep away those unwanted pounds, prevent or delay the onset of diabetes and on and on and on.

Honestly, I don’t think it’s a bunch of flub. It’s hard to ignore the advice and recommendations of trained physicians as well as research-based data. More than that, it’s my own personal experience, the powerful positive feelings I get, and always achieved, from physical activity.

I believe in having a daily workout routine. That’s not to say, however, there haven’t been periods in my life where I have gotten a little lax. Reflecting on those times is more proof to me of the power of being fit. I didn’t have energy. I didn’t like the way I felt. I didn’t feel like doing much. My mood was negatively affected.

Before I broke my neck in a diving accident (July 3, 1983) I ran somewhere between three to five miles a day. One of the first things I remember when waking from surgery was being asked a question from the on-duty nurse.

 “Are you a runner?”

 I nodded, a bit confused, because I didn’t consider myself a runner, just someone who enjoyed running. The point here however is that had I not been in such good shape, I was told I wouldn’t have made it. In fact, the on-duty nurse told me they were ready to write me off. She told me they couldn’t find a pulse, but eventually found a faint trace and became very hopeful when that sound became a consistent 38 beats per minute. My heart had been trained to withstand stress because of the running. My running, my physical conditioning saved my life.

Fast forward nearly 30 years… Well… Maybe 28 years. I was in one of those stages of my life where exercise wasn’t a priority. Thinking back on it now, I was suffering through the same negative effects I’d mentioned above… Loss of energy. Feeling weaker. Blah. Blah. Blah.

I began again to exercise, not the same activities done before to keep in shape, but others tailored more specifically to me as I sit in a wheelchair. One year later, I’m again feeling the positive effects from maintaining a regular exercise routine.

And how, you may ask, does all this apply to writing?

Having more energy has translated into more time that I sit in front of the computer. More time in front of the computer means I write more. I feel more alert, which means I’m writing more effectively. When I write more effectively the results are; writing more on a daily basis, coming up with more creative ideas (often times when I’m away from the computer exercising), meeting goals more consistently… And on and on and on.

No. I don’t think the benefits of exercise have been exaggerated.

If you’re not already on an exercise program I hope you soon begin. See if you experience similar results as I did. Then, let me know.

If you’re already exercising regularly and find that you are experiencing, or have experienced some of the same positive results as I have, keep it up, and of course, let me know.

I’m willing to bet that by giving a regular exercise routine to try you will not only feel better, but have better writing results.

Dave Amaditz May 25, 2012 6 Comments Permalink

Revision and Character Growth

by
Dave Amaditz

When writing for children and young adults we all know of the rule that says our characters should grow throughout the story, to come to some new realization about themselves, the community and\or the world in which they live. But I’ve been wondering how many of you are like me and have had your characters change from your first revision to your last.

The current novel I’m revising, (see post entitled, When Is the End, the End?) has seen my character change. In the first few chapters of my first draft my main character was an eight-year-old boy. Fortunately, I discovered quickly the story I planned to build around him did not have the necessary details to make the story interesting. After rethinking the vision for my story my main character leapt from an eight-year-old boy to a thirteen-year-old boy. This worked a little better, but it wasn’t quite what I wanted. Would fourteen work? I tried that. I thought he was getting closer to developing into the character that met the needs of my story. So, in my next revision I made him a fifteen-year-old. That seemed to work and that’s when my story really took off. All the parts of my story began to fit together because I made discoveries about my main character along the way that were necessary for my story to develop correctly, things I didn’t know when I began. For example, I know he no longer likes to listen to music since it reminds him of the day he found his father in the basement attempting suicide. I know he doesn’t like to drink alcohol because his father is a drunk, yet any time he’s given the opportunity to have a drink he can’t pass it up. I know how angry he gets when he sees his ex-girlfriend walking arm in arm with his ex-best friend. And I know the little details, too, like the fact that lasagna and meatballs are his favorite food because his grandma makes that for his birthday meal.

I’ve attended breakout sessions at conferences that talk about how to better learn your characters. I still have the handouts I was given with questions designed to help discover your characters wants, needs and likes. Blue eyes or brown? Rock ‘n roll or jazz? Afraid of the dark or not? Some writers don’t need the forms. They have a solid vision of what their characters like and need from the start. But my discoveries about my characters come as I revise. In that sense, the dreaded revision is not so dreaded because I can look forward to finding out new and exciting details about my novel, the characters and how they interact.

Is there anyone out there in the same boat as me?

Dave Amaditz April 27, 2012 1 Comment Permalink

Relaxation v.s. Butt-in-Chair

by Fran McDowell 


     My dad is having problems with his cable. I’m having problems with a story line. While I stood behind his television, I noticed how the rainbow of individual colored plugs tapered neatly into one solid, black cable line. It occurred to me that I was looking at a replica of my story problem: too many colored plugs that haven’t yet come together. The myriad plugs have become a creative roadblock for me. It’s been this way for a while, now. 

     That same evening I crawled into bed, put on my headset, and touched the Podcast icon. What I heard was an interview with Jonah Lehrer for his new book, ‘Imagine’ That: Fostering Creativity In The Workplace. The words “imagine” and “creativity” in the title caught my attention. So I stayed awake (well, for the most part) and listened. The book, apparently, discusses the human mind in creative mode. It delves into “insight”: when it happens, how we can encourage it, and the role that relaxation plays in moments of revelation.
Jonah explained that insight “comes when we’ve given up, when we feel like we have nothing left to say. It comes in the shower. It comes in the bathtub. It comes under the apple tree. So it comes in the least expected moments.” And that these revelations, these moments of insight, play a big role in creativity. 

Since the book focuses primarily on the workplace, he used the 3M company as an example. What researchers have discovered is that people who are more relaxed, who exhibit lots of alpha wave activity (associated with states of relaxation), who are in good moods, tend to solve a lot more insight puzzles. In fact, 3M has become so convinced that relaxation is crucial to creative thinking that their employees get one hour a day to do “whatever”. It doesn’t have to be project related, work related. Napping during this hour is acceptable. So is playing ping-pong. They’ve discovered that chaining yourself to your computer and willing yourself to create, simply doesn’t work. 
At this point in the interview I became a little disheartened because I know that the butt-in-chair philosophy so many of us writers subscribe to is a necessity. The same goes for outlining, storyboarding and character drafting. The question then becomes: How creative can you really be when you force yourself to write? Verses, how productive are you if you don’t? 
There was another point Jonah touched on in the interview that intrigued me. He described a study where two groups of people are given a set of tasks to solve, such as coming up with creative ideas using bricks, or solving various insight puzzles. The one difference in the two groups? One group was told to pretend they were seven years old while doing the tasks. The group pretending to be seven years old, even though they only pretended for a couple of minutes, solved a lot more problems. Simply by letting go of their adult constraints, and remembering what it was like to be a child, enabled them to become more creative. 

I have a feeling that finding your creative mind comes back to a balance of butt-in-chair and letting go. For some of the folks at 3M, I’ll bet playing ping-pong is the perfect diversion. For me, nothing beats travel for finding that mental niche, (though most of the time I have to settle for poking around the ethnic food isle or watching Anthony Bourdain). But as to the second point, perhaps if I work on my problem novel while pretending to be a fifteen year old, instead of trying to think like a 15 year old, I’ll be able to meld my red, white and yellow plot lines into one effective story.

Dave Amaditz March 27, 2012 Leave A Comment Permalink