Creativity Tweets of the Week — 8/5/11

They say if you gather enough monkeys to pound on enough typewriters they’ll eventually produce the complete works of Shakespeare. My friend Melanie is in a creative slump; maybe if she went ape-$#!* crazy on a keyboard for an hour, there would be an inspiring line of poetry produced there that might spark her muse. If you have better ideas please pass them along to her (she’s the first bullet below).

CREATIVITY

Could these four simians, secretly typing away in a time of fountain pens, have actually been the real Bard of Avon? (I note with suspicion that one of the smaller ones is wearing a cowl.)

“Creative Slump,” Melanie Sklarz, Dose of Creativity: We’ve all been there, that period when the creative tide is out. Join Melanie’s readers in debating ways to welcome the tide back in. (Related post: Maximizing Your Creativity)
“How to Increase Your Creativity,” Mark Lipinski, Mark Lipinski’s Blog: The short answer here is to give to others. I don’t have a “Donate” button on this blog, but that’s because the techie geeks haven’t yet figured out a way to digitize my favorite currency, bacon. (Related post: 5 Steps to Subconscious-Driven Creativity)
“How Sarcasm Can Boost Creativity,” Jena McGregor, Washington Post On Leadership: Must. Resist. Urge. To. Summarize. With. Snark. (Related post: Sarcasm? Many, many of my photo captions.)

WRITING

“The First Sentence as an Amuse-Bouche,” Therese Walsh, Writer Unboxed: To quote Therese, “Let the first sentence offer an impactful and authentic taste of what’s to come, an amuse-bouche that teases what the meal that is your story will offer and leaves the reader hungry for more.” (Related post: Flashing Your Readers)
I don't think the Crustacean Choir could have authored any plays because they're typewriter-challenged; I suspect they'd taste great cooked and wrapped in bacon, however. (For their story, click on the picture.)

“Why You Should Kick Your Story Aside and Write a Different One,” K.M. Weiland, Wordplay: K.M. touches on one of the most challenging things a writer can, and must, do — know when to put a project aside. (Related post: Ideas are Plentiful, Choosing is the Key)
“The Joy of Edits,” Allison Tait, Life in a Pink Fibro: In my words — definitely not Allison’s — accepting edits with grace is as important as lying still during a rectal exam; remember that both examinations usually result in better health for the patient. (Related post: When Do You Share Your Creation?)
“Top 10 Ways to Spice Up Your Writing,” Melissa Donovan, guest post at The Top 10 Blog: A lot to learn in this clever post structured around meal preparation, with an enticing #10: Stay for drinks. (Related post to #10: A Circle of Trust)
“Following Your Dream,” Kathy Lynn Hall, Red Mojo Mama’s Musings: One woman’s story of becoming a writer. (Related post: Starting Down the Road)