10 Ways for Lightening to Strike you with Creativity

Don't wait for it. Got make lightening happen!!! What inspires you? Tweet us @thirstyfishinfo or comment below...

clipped from www.dontheideaguy.com Waiting for inspiration? Puh-leeeze! You may as well wait for lightning to strike. 1. Read more stuff Magazines, books, blogs, cereal boxes... it doesn't really matter (at least at the beginning) what you read -- just that you're reading at all. Just 15 to 20 minutes every morning and every evening is enough to feed your brain with enough new ideas to make you more strikeable. To increase the quality of ideas your reading generates, increase the quality of the writers you are reading. 2. If you have to watch TV, watch some good shows 3. Go see great speakers 4. Collect quotes 5. Listening to music 6. Play word games 7. Visit museums 8. Find heroes 9. Express yourself -- journal, sketch, paint 10. Radar up! There's a book titled "Personal Brilliance" in which the author lists four catalysts for creativity: Awareness, Creativity, Focus, and Initiative.

I can go for the "no drugs" idea but no television? Hmmmm. What do you do to boost your creativity? Tweet us @thirstyfishinfo

clipped from www.jpb.com 10 Steps for Boosting Creativity 1. Listen to music by Johann Sebastian Bach.   Brainstorm. 3. Always carry a small notebook and a pen or pencil around with you. 4. If you're stuck for an idea, open a dictionary, randomly select a word and then try to formulate ideas incorporating this word. 5. Define your problem. 6. If you can't think, go for a walk. 7. Don't watch TV. 8. Don't do drugs. 9. Read as much as you can about everything possible. 10.

What is your contemplation for this Holiday Season?

I love the daily meditations of Friar Richard Rohr. He asks: "During this Advent how can I bring the gift of contemplation into my life?"

What's your answer? Tweet me @thirstyfishinfo or comment...

clipped from www.cacradicalgrace.org Question of the Day: During this Advent how can I bring the gift of contemplation into my life? When it comes to the gift of contemplation, every major religion in the world has come to very similar conclusions.  Every religion—Hinduism, Buddhism, the eastern religions—all agree, but each in its own way, that finally we are called to a transformed consciousness, a new mind or being “born again” a second time in some way. Each religion has different words for it, and probably different experiences, but somehow they all point to union with God.  Religion is about union.  Somehow to live in conscious union with God is what it means to be “saved.”  To live in that union is to experience and enjoy the Great Connection.  When world religions become mature, we will have a new history, no longer based on competition, rivalry, cultures or warfare, but on people who are actually transformed. Adapted from Preparing For Christmas, pp. 60-61

How do you get more subscribers to your email list?

I love copywriting ideas because it gives you a feeling of control over your blog/website. I am not sure I get the kind of results these "gurus" say they do but I know it has made a significant difference. What are some of your copywriting tricks? Do tell by tweeting us @thirstyfishinfo or comment below...

Join our creative writing blog at http://creativity-writer.blogspot.com/

clipped from www.copyblogger.com How did you get 6,000 subscribers in 10 months? 1. Make it easy and obvious As I’ve said before in more detail, make your subscription options prominent, offer an email alternative to RSS, and ask for the subscription, preferably at the bottom of each post. 2. Be laser focused focusing on a particular topic 3. Offer a bribe a free ebook, report, e-course or audio series. 4. Use viral ebooks 5. Dedicated subscription landing page 6. Become a guest blogger 7. Start a podcast 8. Post in forums 9. Networking 10. Cross-promotional deals Find a blogger that publishes related, but non-competitive content. Work out a deal where you both promote each other in your RSS feeds, using Feedvertising. If one blog has way more subscribers than the other, work out a ratio deal.

What are you creative habits?

I am not sure which of the 8 habits listed in the article below I have more trouble with...but I think it might "welcoming problems." What are you habits to keep the creative juices flowing? Which of the 8 below do you have the most trouble with? Tweet or comment!

clipped from www.creativity-portal.com Here are habits of living that all creative people have fostered in themselves: Ask Questions What if? Why? Why not? How? How many of the world’s great inventions or artworks would never have happened if their creators hadn’t asked. Embrace Change It’s happening, whether you like it or not. Might as well love it. Don’t Pre-judge Discernment is important — but only at the end. Let the beginning be a field of open possibility. Look on the Bright Side Does being creative make you positive? Or being positive make you creative? Contrary to popular opinion, the research says: both. Welcome Problems Creative people see problems as natural and normal — they’re drawn to them, wanting to fix them, to “make” a solution. Confront Challenge Becoming more creative means stepping out of your comfort zone — aka your stagnation pool — and s-t-r-r-r-e-t-c-h-ing yourself. Stick at It Successful creatives are all agreed: resilience and persistence were more important to their success than talent. Be Flexible

Who has encouraged you recently?

I rediscovered the web site Spirituality and Health. It is a great resource of information and spirituality building tools. This quote from their Daily Spirit Boosters really struck me. Who encourages you? Who have you encouraged? Share by tweeting us a reply! Pls RT.

clipped from www.spirituality-health.com Encourage More "Those who are lifting the world upward and onward are those who encourage more than criticize." --Elizabeth Harrison

11 Most Common Writing Mistakes

I will be the first to admit that I am not that great at grammar. This sentence probably isn't correct. The rise of email, text messaging and status updates hasn't helped either. That doesn't mean it isn't important to write as correctly as possible. Check out these 11 common mistakes to help get or keep you on track with your writing.

clipped from saleshq.monster.com Avoid these 11 mistakes and get the job, make the sale, and write better! Constipated Clauses If it “goes without saying” then don’t say it. If it doesn’t, in fact, go without saying, then don’t say it does. “Obviously, the sky is blue.” Putting the “obviously” doesn’t suddenly make the statement insightful. Comma Vomit An example of correct comma use: “The game was over, and the crowd began to leave.” The game and the crowd are different subjects and the clauses are independent. The crowd could still be leaving regardless of what is happening with the game. The Death of Adverbs Once upon a time, the English language had a way to modify both nouns and verbs. Adjectives did the trick on the former and adverbs on the latter. You didn’t just have to walk, you could walk quickly! Less vs. Fewer Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Prevarication Junction The Affect-Effect Divide Then≠Than None is. i.e. is not e.g. is not i.e. Could of Scan any document or business e-mail you write and make sure it’s correct