Mora’s new book is titled Zing! Seven Creativity Practices for Educators and Students (2010).
I latched on to writing while reading Zing! because it’s as creative as I can get, but Mora is also talking to artists, gardeners, musicians, and so on. I was encouraged by the book. Here are a few of Mora’s gems that I keep thinking about:
*Writing is a complex act.
*Not having time to write is an excuse. (I read the other day that YA author Randy Powell had a full-time job but still got up at 3:30am to write before work.)
*Writing is risky.
*Name your fears and face them.
*Find a place (kitchen table, closet, corner, wherever!) and use it (read create).
*Develop an Idea Book. (Ever sit down to write but don’t know what to write about?)
My favorite: Mora writes, “Look around you. What messages have you left for yourself in the places where you do your most inventive work? …How are you nudging yourself in the directions you want to be moving?” (p.7)
