Yes, my weekly collection of great links on creativity and writing is back after a several-week hiatus. I don’t have many links to share when I don’t tweet, and I’ve been negligent with my Twitter feed the last couple of weeks. Mea culpa. I still love you.

CREATIVITY

• “The Seven Deadly Sins that Prevent Creative Thinking,” Michael Mickalko, Psychology Today: Sin number 3 is all too common: “We fear failure.

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  “12 Most Satisfying Means of Getting Your Creative Juices Flowing,” The 12 Most: Number 4 is decompressing with something fun. Playing “Mafia Wars” is one suggestion. I guess it’s okay I allow myself to watch my new idol Papi on “Dan LeBatard is Highly Questionable.”

• “The Creative Brain on Exercise,” Jonathan Fields, Fast Company: I know, I know, exercise fuels creativity. Being lazy, I make use of sleep.
• “Why We’re Running Away from Creating Our Most Important Work,” Dan Goodwin, A Big Creative Yes: Don’t think of work as “work,” approach it as affirming. If only Dobie Gillis had shared this wisdom with Maynard G. Krebs.

WRITING

• “Apples to Apples, Please: Narrative Nonfiction and Empathy,” Susan Cushman, guest post on Brevity: Huzzah to Susan for arguing a nonfiction story well told has equal literary value to a fictional story well told.
• “Where do Writing Ideas Come From?” Charlotte Rains Dixon, Wordstrumpet: Just as writing begets more writing, idea-forming begets more idea-forming. You’ll like the photo of the rabbits. (Related: Ideas are Plentiful, Choosing is the Key)

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  “Finding My Way Through the Wall,” Jolina Joy, the Happy Book Blog: On, among other things, finding one’s way back to their creative writing and rocking back and forth while humming the theme from Barney.

• “My Secret for Battling Procrastination,” Jane Friedman: I admire the author so I’m sure this is a useful post, but I confess I haven’t gotten around to reading it yet.
• “Novelists: Stop Trying to Brand Yourself,” Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent: Focus on the audience for your work and the rest will come. Let me extend that suggestion to all creative writers.
• “Four lies the internet tells you about writing,” James Killick, James Killick’s Blog: An excellent companion piece to Rachelle’s above.
• “500 posts at the Fibro – and a giveaway,” Allison Tait, Life in a Pink Fibro: Go wish one of the most prolific bloggers on writing, and maybe you’ll win a 60-minute writing consultation.

Feel free to help seed my tweet feed by sending me directly links you think creatives would value. I’ll be sure to give you a shout-out.